Alaskan_Son

Get into the habit of switching your annotation set (or at least your Current CAD layer) before clicking the Auto Detail tool. This way, all that Auto Detail CAD can be placed onto its own unique layer. Then when you want to delete all that auto detail stuff all you have to do is switch to your All Off layer set, turn on just that one layer, select all, and delete. In fact, do this... Create an Auto Detail CAD layer Create an Auto Detail Layer Set that has everything turned off (or at least locked) EXCEPT for your Auto Detail CAD layer Create an Auto Detail Annotation Set and set it to use the Auto Detail CAD layer as its Current CAD layer and the Auto Detail Set as its layer set. Switch to the Auto Detail Annotation Set before clicking Auto Detail Go about your business as usual and switch back to whatever anno set you wish for all future annotations If you decide you want to refresh your Auto Detail work, simply switch back to your Auto Detail Anno Set, select all (Control + A), delete, and then click Auto Detail again.

When you click on the wall in a 3D view, by default the ROOM is selected first. Either hit tab to select the wall or go into preferences and change the behaviour here...

Depends on how accurate you need to get. I personally like accuracy and think the 2 best options are... Polyline solids applied to the surface or multiple walls and material regions set to cut finish layer. Maybe check this thread out... P.S. I think it's important to understand how that style of siding typically works. The panel layout is pretty much always designed around the particulars of each individual structure and even each individual wall. Without giving careful consideration to the layout you can very easily miss the mark. The reason I bring all this up?? Just to point out why the chances land somewhere between slim and none that you will find a material/texture that will do the trick. Besides all that, even if a random layout worked...the recessed shadow lines are really what make that look pop and the only way to get those looking correct at all your outside corners is using a 3D modeling technique of one type or another. Just my $0.02

Many many many ways to go about this but here's my take on one of the quickest and easiest to use methods... Watertop example.plan The 2 side pieces are cabinets that are essentially nothing but a tall countertop. I placed them onto their own layer so the display could be adjusted and I excluded from schedule. Flexible, easy to keep track of, and very simple to adjust as necessary. Just add to your library or toolbar for quick future use.

Hey Johnny, before I head out the door this morning, here's a quick example of a solution that doesn't require any custom macros. There are a lot of potential uses for this type of thing, it's really easy to set up, you could use any number of object types and schedules, and you could even use this as nothing more than a special sort of custom text box by just dropping the associated symbols off to the side somewhere. It obviously has it's advantages and disadvantages, but probably something good to have in your toolbox nonetheless... Custom Schedule Example.plan

You can click on your material's pattern tab and use the same pattern there. This will work for all vector views. For standard views and ray traces however you would need to find a Flemish Bond texture

Did you check the example plan I posted in this thread? I think it will suit you better. Anyway, yes...almost any numbering or lettering style is possible but anything outside the 01, 02, 03 scheme would have to be a little less automated. As I mentioned above you would have to choose between keeping the schedule full auto and manually placing matching callouts in plan OR keeping both tied together at the expense of losing the ability to easily renumber your schedule. All solutions would likely require some custom macros but once set up I also think all of the aforementioned solutions would be faster, easier to manage, and more automated than what you're doing now. Just shoot me an email if you want help setting it up.

Yep. I think Johnny realizes this but again...what you see in your text box does not match what you see in the plan or layout. It can just be very difficult to keep track of proper alignment with things working as they currently do.

Johnny, I don't really have an answer for you as far as actually seeing what you get with the text boxes however here are a few quick ideas you could play around with... Using actual objects and their related schedules instead of text boxes. There are a lot of options in this regard. Here's a really quick example before I head out the door... Footnote Example modified.plan NOTE: The title and gridlines could be included with the schedule itself but I know how particular you can be so I just included those as separate items so they look more like what you were showing. The lettering in lieu of numbering could also be automated but only in the schedule. If you're okay with sticking to a numbered sequence (with or without a prefix) then the associated callouts are automated as well (as they are in the attached plan). EDIT: Lettering in lieu of numbering could actually be automated so that the callouts and schedule both matched by creating a unique CAD block for each item but they would have to be manually set the first time around and would not automatically re-order themselves if you decided to rearrange the schedule (you would have to re-assign the appropriate CAD blocks to each symbol as necessary). Copying grids from Word (or other program) and pasting into your Rich Text box. This gives you much more control. The problem is that you either have to mask the gridwork (you won't like it and we have no control over the display) or you can just do a little post processing to delete it (I just us a PDF editor after printing to PDF to do this type of thing. Use side by side text boxes for the different columns instead of one big text box.

This is only true under the perfect circumstances. Try slowly zooming in and out while you have that Edit Rich Text In Place DBX open and you'll see the layout jump all over the place.

Mary Anne, Here's what I typically do... While in plan view switch to your All On layer set. Make sure all the layers are actually turned on by going into your Layer Display Options, clicking Select All, and then checking Display. Hit Control + A (or Edit>Select All). If you do this one floor at a time, you should eventually find that your selection includes something way out in the distance. Pan and zoom to the outside corners of that selection box till you find your culprit. NOTE: You can optionally hit F6 (or Window>Fill Window) after selecting all but I find that it's just as easy to just zoom out with your mouse wheel....besides, if you manually zoom out till you can see your whole selection, you will be much more familiar with where you are in the plan. Depending on how many stray objects you have and where they are located, you may need to repeat step 3 for one or more floors. Hope that helps.

Tons of ways to do this type of thing. Here are a just a few that come to mind...

Yup. This is what I typically do as well (except that I COPY instead of cut). Depending on the view type or objects in view I will also oftentimes draw a reference line in layout to mark the bottom left corner (or any other static location), create a CAD Detail From View, copy the desired snap point from that CAD Detail and Paste/Hold Position back into layout. You can then select the layout box and use Point To Point Move. Then you can Cut/Paste Hold Position your original reference line from one page to the next and repeat the CAD Detail Step as necessary.

Yep. Actually, its the ONLY one of the options not available during the normal Convert To Symbol process. Seems silly.

Okay, I see why now. That doesn't work when you import as a parametric object like a cabinet. I was just thinking of normal symbols. Good tips by the way. I've been meaning to make an advanced symbol modification video myself going over some of these things but haven't found the time just yet. As you seem to well understand there is A LOT that can be done to modify existing symbols especially when harnessing the power of stretch planes/zones along with delete surface and multiple generations. Good stuff.

You can also address this problem by just changing the bounding box dimensions.

I was waiting for somebody to give this answer. I am not surprised in the slightest that it was from you good sir : ) I was away from my computer all day and couldn't answer because I couldn't rightly remember off the top of my head which tab that setting was under or what exactly it was called. Here's one extra little tidbit though for whatever it's worth... You don't actually have to go to your Auto Story Pole Defaults. You can go to ANY of your dimension defaults and change the setting there. Easiest way is to simply double click on any one of your manual dimensioning tools. The reason you can change this number in any of your defaults is because Chief only allows you to set one Grade Level Marker number and Elevation Reference.

Hi brentjohn, To modify the Custom Place Library Object Toolbar simply double click on it. This will give you the ability to change: The Library Object The Button Name The Button Icon To delete the button, simply right click on your toolbar, click Customize Toolbars, and then depending on the situation either: A. click on your button and drag it off screen (or at least out of the toolbar area) OR... B. click on Toolbar, select your custom toolbar from the list, and click Delete. Hope that helps.

Thanks Johnny, I said that because I used an imperfect method to draw it (just drew a CAD circle and lined it up by eye) and didn't take much time to double check anything, but I think you're right...I did get it really really close. Just not the sort of method I would typically prefer to use. I like to use more exact methods whenever possible and avoid ever just lining up things by eye. But hey...whatever works eh?! Actually, on second thought...no...I want to get it right. I decided to get ahead and make quick video showing at least one method to do so...

Another very good option depending on the circumstance. Thank you Eric.

Try using a Double Arch instead of a broken arch. This will give you control over the radius. Not perfect, but here's a really quick example... Quad arch.plan

....You aren't stuffing old people into cages are you

Based on your enormous smile I can't be sure if you're serious or not, but I have several different options that meet this description and might be able to help you out. I just sent you a PM.

You shouldn't have to use tabs at all. Here's a quick primer on the subject...

You can always move your baseline to get what you're after or manually set the Birdsmouth Seat to the depth of your wall. I was just showing how Chief has it set up by default.