Joe_Carrick

I have a macro package that uses "Room Names". Those names have to be different for each room so that two rooms with the same name don't over-write the area accumulations. With X9, you could use Room Type, but it's superfluous because then you still have to have a different Room Type for each room. This is just a detail of how macros work in Chief.

OK Richard, I see where you and I are talking about different things. To do what you want it would take another "Link" of the Callout to the CAD Detail Window and then a "Link" of the CAD Detail Window to the Layout Box. It's not impossible but it would take a little more programming.

Jon, The "Make Standard Area Polyline" tool doesn't split the wall between the Garage and the Living Area. It stops at the Interior Garage Wall Surface. This is not new to X9. It was changed back in X7 or X8.

Richard, I'm talking about a CAD Detail Window in the Plan that has been sent to Layout. That creates the link. I do not place Details in Layout from the Library. Almost everything in my Layout comes from a some view in the Plan (Listed in the Project Browser)

Charlie, There could be an issue with z-fighting. That would generally be a result of the plan being located too far from (0,0,0).

How do you know that? The Layout Box has a link back to the view in the Plan. It really shouldn't be that difficult for it to scan that view (usually a CAD Detail Window) and find any Callout that is tagged "Use Layout Label" and fill in the sheet number. This is what it does for Section/Elevations so there really shouldn't be much difference.

It should be that simple. The programming shouldn't be much different than it is for cameras.

In theory, we should be able to put %layout.label% in the text below the line in the callout in a detail. When sent to Layout the Layout sheet number should be displayed. But that doesn't work because CA hasn't made that linkage available. So currently we have to enter that sheet number directly in the Callout below the line. It isn't dynamic, but at least it works.

Mike, If you have your Layout and Plan Templates set up so that the ConDocs are coordinated ..... Almost all of the ConDocs will be done automatically as you create the design in the Plan. It takes a bit of time to set it up but then you won't need to do much in the Layout at all. Callouts can be linked to the Layout using the tools provided in Chief. You just need to study the Help file for how to do that.

Larry, If you are able to make the GTM Friday at 3:00 I will be demoing my system along with some other pretty cool macros. I see you are signed up so I look forward to showing you what I have.

Make sure you have all the "Platform Intersection" boxes unchecked in those wall dbx's and rebuild the wall framing.

sheetSizes is a leftover from X6 - it was eliminated in X7 mmaster is the Materials List Master file - you can recreate it in CA - or copy from a previous version Data Folder. The Migrate Folders are just copies of the X8 Folders. I think they were just created during the installation of X9 and probably are not needed. The install should (IMO) have deleted them on completion - but it will require someone at CA to verify that.

Two more: Wall Covering Wall Material Region In most cases I prefer these since it doesn't change the underlying Wall - just the finish.

Try to get a used 17" ASUS G74 SX. They are pretty heavy and you'll need an oversized Laptop bag - but they are very solid. I have one that I use when I travel and it's been running perfectly for over 5 years. I get it out every couple of weeks to let Dropbox update, make sure it has a full charge & get any Windows and Software updates.

Floor Structure is #1. Ceiling Structure only comes into play if there's a lowered Ceiling. (below the floor or roof structure).

A gaming laptop like an ASUS 17" GSX74 with a good Nvidea GPU (2 gb or better) should work fine. Don't even think about using an onboard GPU.

Barry, No, we don't have the ability to get the .plan file path directly. However, I can provide a macro that when TMM is opened will set the path for the current plan. You would need to edit that macro in each plan (it would be unique to each plan) by copy/pasting the full path name. Once done it would be a simple matter of opening TMM any time you are in a plan. The other option would be to have that macro embedded in a Label or Text Box on each Floor.

Scott, Doesn't this do it for you?

He is simply be using a different file name but the same path. I'm not sure why he is using 5 plan files - it would be simple enough to put the macro for each text file in a Text Box in different CAD Detail Windows, all in the same Plan File. IAE, we are way off subject in this Thread.

AFAIK, all of the "built-in global variables" are standard with "Ruby", not directly related to "Chief". There are a lot of them that don't change, have no valid purpose in Chief & we can't modify them.

If a user can't recognize and follow good practices -------- You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. OTOH, It's possible that all 5 of those .plan files are actually in the same Folder as the Layout and then it's not a problem. This is the situation with Bernie as I understand it.

Michael, This is a perfectly safe way since there can only be one Layout File open. If the macro is inserted into only one Layout Box Label and that is from the main Plan File it will update the Global Variables when the Layout Box is displayed. I've been using this for several years without incident. It's far more reliable than manually entering (or even using copy/paste) simply because the Layout and the Plan are connected. Of course if you open another Plan that's not related it could be a problem - but only if you have macros in that Plan which use those Global variables. My workflow is to Open the Layout to the sheet with the Global Area macros Open the Main Project Plan (this will be the only Plan using those Globals) Open any auxiliary Plans (Details, As Builts, etc - non of which have any need for those Globals) When finished working on this project I close Chief and start a new session. That's just good practice.

AFAIK, Chief doesn't have a "Create Arrow Style" Tool. That should actually be a part of a good "Create Line Style" Tool. Maybe someday.... In the mean time, there are some very similar predefined Arrow Styles that can be used.

What do you mean by "Covered Deck"? Is this really a Porch or Balcony?

Thanks Dermot, It would be nice if the "Left and Right Curved" would work in "Click mode to replace a landing.