Joe_Carrick

Just to be clear, Both Michael, Perry & Scott are correct. The Active Defaults control almost everything. Annosets specify what the Active Defaults are to be - essentially a 1 click way to set/change the Active Defaults. When Perry & Scott say they don't use the "Active Defaults" they are just saying that they don't select the "Active Defaults" tool to make changes. They rely on selecting an "Annoset" to make those changes. This is the way I work as well. If we need another set of Defaults - we create a new Annoset which may require additional Layers, an additional Layer Set and maybe additional Text Styles. I've been doing this for quite a while and everything is in my Plan Templates, so I seldom need new Annosets. Occasionally a special condition makes it necessary. Typically, I have the Text Style in the Annosets set to use the Layer Set Text Style. That's the one place where I use the Layer Set to control the annotation - but the Annoset sets the Layer Set and the Current CAD Layer. I'm scheduled to make a presentation on this subject at the UGM. I'll know in a couple of days if I will be able to make it to the UGM. My wife may have to have spinal surgery and if so it will depend on when that happens. It may present a time conflict for me.

AFAIK, it defaults to the scale of the current drawing (view being sent to layout). I don't think there's any place to set it to be anything else as a default.

There have been more. I got 8 for my Pocket Door Symbols - but it took about 3 years to get that many. I think Wendy got more than that for her Layer Set Video. IAE, 6 within just a few minutes is really amazing.

You will get more results by posting in the Q&A Forum. It's a common mistake that new users seem to make - posting in "Tips & Techniques". Look at the explanation below the Forum Heading to see what the purpose is of each Forum. IAE, in order for anyone to answer you need to state the name of the software and what version.

I'm in agreement with Scott & Perry. There are cases where the wider footing works best and other cases where a Pier/Pad works best. If the pad is thicker than the footing, I use a pad and set the fill to solid and adjust the display layer down so the foundation wall shows thru. IMO, this is a situation where it's easier to manipulate the graphics than to have the CA software engineers try to make it automatic. There are just too many variables and I am afraid of too much "automatic".

Make the lower wall a single thickness (6"-8") of Marble.

Tips & Techniques Share your favorite tried and true methods for solving custom problems using Chief Architect. That's what it says at the top of this forum. I think that's pretty clear. OTOH, At the top of the General Q&A forum it says: General Q & A Ask Chief-related questions and get answers from experienced users.

Why did you post this in "Tips and Techniques" instead of "Q&A" where it should be?

Convert to a "Custom Countertop" and you can make it any size/shape you want.

Jared, For Beams and Posts you can set defaults for the Labels (x,y offsets and angles). For Joists and Rafters I group select - then adjust the Label offsets (x or y). You can also modify the Text Style for the any of the Framing Layers to make the Text Background Transparent or Not-Transparent. It would be nice if all this stuff was consistent and had Defaults like the Beams and Posts - but it's still doable currently.

Can you do my face?

I am still using X9. I don't think XX will be available even for Alpha or Beta testing until after the UGM. What part of my statement doesn't agree with your observations. I would be happy to test your scenario and see where I have missed. IAE, the "Edit/Undo" times are dependent on what potential changes have to be made to the entire model, not just a single element. If Chief somehow knew what the limits of the change was, it would be possible to update just those things and be much faster. Currently I don't think that would be very easy for CA to do. I won't try to explain how Chief processes Edits and Undo (I leave that to Dermot or someone else at CA) but the basics are that the model state(s) are saved and are available to reload. The size of the model, type and amount of ram, access speed, CPU speed, and possibly disk read/write speed for the swap file can all effect these operations. It's not just one thing.

Note that there are no "Wall Details" until wall framing has been built. Once a wall has been framed, the "Wall Details" are live and will automatically re-build even if you deselect it in the Build Framing> Wall DBX. I suppose CA could change that but the logic to it is simple. If there are existing "Wall Details" that represent the framed condition of a wall then changes to the model need to change those Details. Otherwise those could easily be out of sync with the model. Any editing of a wall (move, insert or remove openings - move a wall - change floor heights - change ceiling heights - etc) means that all wall framing in the model needs to be updated. There could be connected walls that also have to be changed. In theory it would be possible for the software to recognize where connection exist and only change what needs to be changed - but that could be a very complicated programming job requiring a lot of changes to the database. if you select each wall and select "Retain Wall Framing" they will not re-build. That could speed up the edits and undo's but it would also eliminate the accuracy of the framing. The best practice is to wait until the Plan is complete without framing. Then build the framing and make any changes to that as needed. Sometimes that's not practical, but that's how I try to do it - at least for walls. Actually, there are similar issues with all sorts of inter-dependencies within a plan. If a wall is moved even a fraction of an inch, Cabinets, Electrical Outlets, Switches, Doors, Windows, Niches, etc have to be moved as well. Even Room properties and their labels may need to be modified, not to mention dimensions. It doesn't matter if changes are made in 2D or 3D Views and it doesn't matter if any element of the Plan is not displayed. Changes to the model involve the entire model, not just a part of it. Everything has to be updated unless it has specifically been "Retained" and then you run a severe risk that the ConDocs will not be correct. Computers are much faster than hand drafting - and we get spoiled. Just think of what you had to do 20 years ago. You made a change and you had to erase something and redraw it. You might have needed to change several drawings and a lot of text, dimensions, etc. The fact that it takes a few seconds to make such changes is much better than minutes or even hours.

If there are still "Wall Details" in the plan, they will "Auto Re-Frame" even if that's turned off. Those Wall Details over-ride that setting; which - if you think about it - is quite logical.

I believe it may have to do with "Auto Rebuild Framing". If you had that set to "ON", it may be active even if you subsequently toggle it to "OFF". When a Door or Window is deleted, the framing rebuild can take time. "Undo" has to then rebuild it again. It seems that "Wall Framing" is always rebuilt unless you delete all the "Wall Details". I'm not sure you can do that unless you've deleted all the framing.

Do you have the Layout Open? If so, are you using "Auto Update" for Sections and Elevations? This can definitely cause the problem you are experiencing.

You use the Layer Sets in the Plan. Then when you send a view to Layout it will use the current Layer Set. As others have stated, setting up Annosets and Layer Sets is key. It takes a little time, but once you have it done.......

Yes, I have done it. In fact, just for fun, I created one like you asked about and added it to a Ridge Beam.

That's easy. You just need to use a "Rafter Tail" with that shape. Chief doesn't have one like that in the Library, but you can make your own. Just be aware that you can only use Rafter Tails on one end of the Beam or Rafter.

If I understand what you are asking for ----- Create a Molding Profile of the Shape In Cross Section, create a 3D Molding Polyline for the "Bent Path" and assign the Molding Profile Copy that at the appropriate spacing. But if that's not what you need......

Tools > Layout > Referenced Plan Files Select the old plan file and browse to the new Plan File. Another option is to select each Layout Box and use the "Relink File" tool on the Edit Tool Bar. The difference is that it does just a single Layout Box

The OP might also try the E02 door.

Chief doesn't allow lites on all door types. I think it only applies to "Glass Doors" but you can set the bottom "Panel Frame" to be different than the side and top frames so you get the appearance you want. The other option would be to create a Library Door with the Lites you want.

You can change them after creation. There is no separate default material for solids.

David, Currently that doesn't exist. You could send that in to CA as a suggestion if you think it is worth having.