DefinedDesign

15 hours ago, Renerabbitt said:

I think it is, 

I’ll be honest, I read that Help text several times and it just didn’t click for me.

In my head I was trying to fix wall behavior in the Room dialog, so I wasn’t connecting that setting to what I was seeing. Since the description focuses on the floor platform, it didn’t lead me to think it would affect the walls or that unchecking it would fix the issue.

I didn’t realize that with that option checked, the floor and related foundation pieces are being taken from the room below, so changes I was making in this room weren’t having any effect.

That’s where I got tripped up.  Thanks for pointing this out, now if I can remember it going forward 

Thanks @Renerabbitt, I checked my wall settings and “Stop at Floor Below” is enabled.

I appreciate you sharing the video, but I’m unable to get it to play.
 

Thanks @Alaskan_Son, for context, the wall was originally created as a concrete stem wall when the basement was auto generated from the first floor. I then added the floor trusses, converted the walkout stem wall to a framed wall with brick on the exterior, and rebuilt the framing.

On 3/21/2025 at 7:16 PM, Alaskan_Son said:

Hi Michael, I have this exact walkout basement, what is your secret for getting the framed wall to sit on top of the slab?  Right now mine is doing this:

On 7/19/2025 at 12:47 PM, Michael_Gia said:

 

You made me go back and check one more thing...

 

I had accidentally checked the box for "Floor supplied by the foundation room below", in my frantic messing around.

 

Open the DBX, close the DBX, open the DBX, close the DBX.

 

Wish we could affect these parameters and see the changes live rather than the idealized representation in the Dialogue box side window.

 

My fault, but Chief has a pretty arcane way of working this stuff out.

 

my apologies.

I don’t understand why this behavior is not clearly communicated in the X17 Dialog Help.

This type of setting fundamentally overrides user control, yet the interface does not make that relationship obvious. As a result, I spend hours troubleshooting what appears to be a malfunction, when in reality the software is behaving as designed.

Clearer communication within the dialog or help documentation about when and how control is overridden would significantly reduce confusion and lost time.

On 4/3/2026 at 7:45 AM, joey_martin said:

...put the first truss in, open that truss and manually modify it, then multi-copy and adjust as needed. You need a "dropped" ceiling for the first floor, and the 14.5" "floor framing" and you will have the heights you want.

 

No need to do it until the end or you have to keep doing it when revisions come along.

Thank you Joey!  I will wait until all the changes are made.  

Has anyone here modeled a mid-height bearing floor truss in Chief?

I’ve attached a sketch for clarity. The truss is 24" total height, with:
14.5" bearing portion at the top (this sits on the sill)  
9.5" portion below the bearing  

So this is not a typical top chord bearing truss. The bearing occurs mid-height within the truss depth.

These are first floor trusses over a basement.

I’m specifically trying to understand how to model the bearing condition correctly using structure and framing settings so sections, elevations, and framing reflect this accurately.

If anyone has done this, could you walk me through the correct setup?

Thanks @clearvuedesign, @evergreen, and @Renerabbitt

The first floor uses 24 inch floor trusses, and I was not able to get the trusses to generate over the gable stem walls. Turning off rim joists resolved that issue, and I had completely forgotten that I had done that.

It sounds like in order to keep the trusses I will need to manually add the rim joists at the deck perimeter. I am hoping they will still calculate correctly in the materials list.

I appreciate all of you taking the time to respond. Thank you!

Anyone have any thoughts on why the rim joists on the deck are not generating and why the soffit isn't fitting to the 16" I-joists?
 

TroubleShoot_Deck_Roof.zip

I found my archive plan files in X17 (Mac + Project Management)

I wanted to share a clarification that may help other users who are trying to locate archived versions of their .plan files while using Project Management in Chief Architect X17.

The Knowledge Base article Accessing Your Archive Files explains that when using Project Management you must go to:

Chief Architect → File → Open Plan/Layout → Browse under the Unmanaged Files section.

What confused me initially as a Mac user is what happens after clicking Browse.

Chief opens a standard macOS Finder window at whatever folder was last used.

In my case it opened at the Downloads folder, which made it appear that the archive location was incorrect or missing.

For Mac users, you must then manually navigate in Finder to:

Users → your username → Documents → Chief Architect Premier X17 Data → Archives

Inside the Archives folder you will find subfolders named after each plan, containing multiple archived versions saved automatically according to your archive interval settings.

I hope this helps anyone else who is confused about where archived versions of managed plans are located.

In Chief Architect X17 using Project Management, where are archived or revision versions of a .plan file stored or accessed?

I understand how to manually create revision copies inside the Project Browser, but I am trying to understand whether Chief automatically creates archive or backup versions of managed plan files and where those can be found or opened.

Is there a revision history or archive location for managed plans?

Hello everyone,

I am hoping to get some real world feedback before upgrading both my OS and Chief Architect.

Last year, when I upgraded to Chief Architect X16 on macOS Sequoia, I ran into serious stability issues. Chief explained that macOS Sequoia, specifically its new Private Browsing and security changes, was obscuring one of the license verification methods Chief uses. Thankfully, Chief provided me with a patch that helped improve the situation, but since I work between locations and bring my laptop to client meetings, I am still cautious about upgrading again.

Before I upgrade to macOS Tahoe and Chief Architect X17, I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who is already running that combination. Have these licensing and Private Browsing related issues been resolved? Are people seeing stable sleep wake behavior and reliable plan resuming when moving between networks and locations? Are there any new issues I should be aware of?

Thank you so much for any insight you can share.

Attempting to dimension both these closed polylines objects .  Each time I try to dimension the left and right sides it deletes the measurements, why is this and how can I fix it?  I need to dimension both sides of both objects. I have tried using manual on one side and end to end and/or point to point and I get the same results.  Grateful for anyone who can provide a solid solution, this is most frustrating. 

On 9/2/2025 at 12:22 PM, Joe_Carrick said:

The electrical outlets can only be displayed on a wall elevation, not on a wall detail.

I would use this feature for every build!  I could use it today!  

Hi all, I could really use some help dialing in the sizing for a mulled window unit in Chief Architect Premier X16.

In the plan, are two standard 36” x 60” double-hung windows next to each other and mulled. After sending the schedule to our window supplier, they returned a spec showing the actual frame size is 71.5” x 61.5” (see attached).

I’m struggling to recreate that exact frame size in Chief so the schedule and elevations match what was actually ordered, and ensure the framing is correct for Rough Opening.  I've tried adjusting each individual window size and then mull them back together - it seems like this should work but it doesn't.  Unsure of what I'm doing wrong.

 

I’m using Chief Architect Premier X16. I used the Straight Half-Wall tool to create a 42” high wall in the middle of a room (a pony wall behind a kitchen sink), but I can’t get any electrical outlets to place on it. When I try to add an outlet, it won’t snap to the wall and doesn’t show in elevation either.

I tried changing the wall type to Interior-4 and checked “Pony Wall” in the Railing Specification, but the Elevation of Lower Wall Top stays locked, and the wall is still treated like a railing.

What’s the best way to:
    1.    Get electrical onto a 42” half wall
    2.    Have the wall appear correctly in elevation and framing views
    3.    Ensure material takeoffs are accurate?

Is there a better way to draw this kind of wall for kitchen island or peninsula situations?

Thanks in advance!

I truly appreciate everyone’s helpful replies—I decided to go with the MX3 S Plus. It’s taking me a little time to adjust, but once the muscle memory kicks in, I can already tell it will be such a blessing. Grateful for all the kind support!

@PitMan71and @ValleyGuythank you both so much!!! I will investigate and see what I can get the quickest. 
 

Is there a way to mark both your responses as a solution in Chieftalk?

Hi everyone,

I’m having a really tough time using the Apple Magic Mouse with Chief Architect (X16) on my Mac laptop. Precision is a real struggle—especially when placing or editing dimensions. I often have to zoom in very close, and even then, it’s hard to get the snap points to land where I need them.

This morning, I’ve been working on a roofing plan, trying to measure from the front of the house to the back using stud placement, and I just can’t get the dimension to snap to the correct spot.

I currently have Object Snaps and Grid Snaps turned on. I tried turning off Grid Snaps, thinking it might help—but unfortunately, it didn’t make any difference.

I know using a small laptop screen makes things harder, and I hope to get a larger monitor in the future. I’d also love a better mouse, but I’m not sure what works well with Chief on a Mac without breaking the bank.

My questions:

• Are there any mouse or system settings (either in macOS or Chief) I could adjust to improve precision?

• Are there any tricks to make dimensioning and snapping work better on a smaller screen?

• Can anyone recommend a good, affordable mouse that works better with Chief on a Mac?

I’m feeling really frustrated, would be so grateful for any tips or suggestions. Thank you so much for your time and help!

9 minutes ago, DefinedDesign said:

reference floor display

Reference floor display is not going to be an option because it covers up my dimensions in the Framing, Floor Plan View.

8 minutes ago, Chrisb222 said:

If you mean a floor framing view

Thanks Chris - I'm in the Framing, Floor Plan View - not certain if that is the same as 'Floor Framing View'.  This build is on a concrete slab and will have plumbing for sinks coming up through the floor.  Really only want to see anything that needs plumbing.  I tried your reference floor display but I am unable to turn off cabinets without losing the sink.  Is there a better way?

I’m using Chief Architect X16, and I’m trying to show sinks and toilets in my Framing Plan View so that I can coordinate plumbing locations with my framing.

I’ve tried turning on all relevant layers, including Fixtures, Interior, and I’ve made sure I’m on the correct floor. When I click on the sink in my plan view, it shows as a CAD Block Instance, not a “Fixture”—and it’s not showing up in the Framing Plan at all.

What’s the proper way to make plumbing fixtures visible in a Framing Plan View? Is there a step I’m overlooking to restore the sink from a CAD block back to a true 3D fixture?

Any insight would be so appreciated—thank you kindly in advance!

13 hours ago, JKEdmo said:

make a copy

Jim this was the perfect solution!!! Many thanks!

I’m using Chief X16 and trying to extend the siding downward to cover some of the foundation slab—but only on specific walls.

Right now, when I select a single wall and try to make this change, it applies the siding extension to all the perimeter walls, not just the one I selected.

Is there a way to control this so the siding only extends only on the selected wall? 

Any help would be so appreciated—thank you kindly in advance

Here is the latest version of the plan

This version shows how the roof planes over the connecting room should be (even though, for reasons I can’t figure out, the two planes do not have the same fascia height).

I was able to add an attic wall to the back part of the house where there was a hole in the wall, and that corrected the issue there. However, adding an attic wall over the stairs did not solve the problem in that area like it did on the back of the house.

If anyone has ideas on why the fascia heights are still different, or why the attic wall over the stairs isn’t resolving the gap like it did in the other location, I’d be so grateful for your input.

@SHCanada2, @Mark3D, @BenPalmer, @Alaskan_Son 

Thank you all so much—truly. I’m really grateful for the time and insight each of you has shared. I can tell you are operating on a much higher level of understanding than I am, and I fully admit that I’m outside of my area of expertise here. My construction knowledge is limited, especially when it comes to framing and roof geometry.
 

I now understand that the fascia height won’t match the original 12:12 roof on the house, and I really appreciate the explanation that this is a mathematical limitation when working with rafters. That was very helpful to hear clearly.  That said, the part I’m still struggling to understand is why the two hip roof planes on the connecting room don’t have the same fascia height—shouldn’t they be equal if the room has the same ceiling height? Could it be because one wall is 4 inches thick and the other is 6 inches?  Ideally the client wants a 3:12 pitch to keep costs down, but when I change the pitch on those two roof planes the top of plate height changes.
 

Also, I’m seeing gaps or holes in the walls where the roof connects to the garage. I’m not sure if that’s related or a separate issue, but it has me stumped.
 

Any additional insight would mean a lot. Thank you again for your patience and willingness to help someone still learning.