Joe_Carrick

In case anyone has trouble with Yusuf's video, the method he used was an extra set of narrow stairs for the stringers. You can then suppress the handrail on the main stair and make the risers/trim on the thin stair different from the risers on the main stair. IMO, this works best with "Closed Stringers " but even with an "Open Stringer" it works very well.

Another thing that is possible is to create a "Face" - either by using the "Solid Face" tool or exploding a 3D Solid. The Face can be extruded to form a Solid. It's a little tricky to learn the process and what parameters to use for the extrusion, but once you get the hang of it......

You don't have to export the molding polyline to another app. Just display it in 3D and convert to Symbol.

True, it's all a matter of what you need. As I stated in post #14, I personally would use Panels just because I don't like installing tall cabinets - particularly when the sides are unsupported.

FWIW, I just did some further testing and I get some slowing with all the text tools - but Leader Lines are the worst.

Exterior Room Molding Polyline

Select the object, open the "Object Layer Properties" tool.

Just to clarify what I think is happening. Macros are normally only executed when the current active view is refreshed. With most tools in Chief only the thing that's being created or modified is updated, not the entire screen. Apparently, with Leader Line Text that isn't the case. With Leader Line Text, it appears that all macros are being executed repeatedly. That shouldn't need to be the case - and since CA's built-in macros are executed in the main Chief thread (unlike user macros which are executed in a separate Ruby thread) it causes the Leader Line Text to be slow. Once they find where it's happening in the code it should be very easy to fix.

If not, I'm going to start screaming !!!!!! I don't even think it's user macros. I believe it's the quantity of CA's own built-in macros that result in the slowdown. IAE, adding a macro to a CAD Detail or Camera View shouldn't effect the speed in a Floor Plan View.

Perry, It's not just your problem. CA needs to fix it and hopefully they will in the update this week. The problem is not the macros per se - it's the Leader Line Text.

Bernie, One place where it's handy is in my "Openings" macro package. I have a macro that I place in the Label of all Exterior Doors and Windows. This macro collects the areas and other data of each opening and stores them in a Global Array. Other macros read that Array to calculate and display totals, etc. In order for it to work, there needs to be a Door Schedule and a Window Schedule, with "Group Similar Objects" unchecked. When the macro is used in X7 it only works when "Use Callout for Label" is unchecked. When the macro is used in X8 it works when "Use Callout for Label" is checked or unchecked. Basically, using any macro in a Label of an object with a Schedule would only execute in X7 if "Use Callout for Label" was unchecked. That problem has been fixed in X8, so you can now put macros in Labels of Doors, Windows, Cabinets, Appliances, Fixtures, Framing, Furniture, Plants and Electrical - and be assured that they will execute even if you are using Callouts.

Perry, I agree that the Plan views don't have Labels, but they do have names - as shown in the Project Browser. I edit those names (already done for all Cameras, CAD Details, Sections, Exterior Elevations, etc) and then in each of those views I have a 9" (for 1/4" scale) text %view.name% positioned as needed. When I send (or previously sent) the view to Layout that name is included. There's no need to type it in the Layout Box Label. I'm all about having everything done in the Plan and the Layout being AUTOMATIC including as much text as possible. It's also noteworthy that the view name is displayed in the Plan so you know exactly what you are looking at. Interior Elevations, CAD Details, Wall Details, Elevations, Sections, etc are all automatically named in the Plan and that name is in the Layout.

Larry, Glad I could help. FWIW, CA's reason for using %scale% is that no matter what sheet size the Layout is printed at, the scale will be correct. I use not only the %box.scale% in the Layout, but I also place a Graphic Scale in the Plan. I have a note (Page 0 of the Layout) Graphic Scales govern - Text Scales are only correct it Printed Sheet is %sheet.size%

Michael, Personally - I prefer panels due to the basic problem of installing such large/flimsy cabinet wtih the side panels already attached. For me it's much easier to erect the panels and a wall cabinet in between. But in Chief, either way works.

Larry, I do not use %scale% in the Plan. I know that Chief recommends that macro because it corresponds to the printed (or displayed) scale. I prefer the scale sent to Layout. -so- I use %view.name% in a Text Box in the Plan and Scale: %box.scale% in the Layout Box Label.

OMG..... .... I would never have done it any other way.

Another way to do this is to use a Full Height Cabinet with an opening for the Refrigerator. It can all be done in the cabinet dbx.

I just use a Text Box with the Text I want - in the Plan. That way I can set it to the font and Size I want. You could use %view.name% Plan if you want but the names will be: Foundation Plan 1st Floor Plan 2nd Floor Plan 3rd Floor Plan Attic Plan It works, but it has some limits. It would be nice if Chief would allow the Floor Plan Names to be edited in the Project Browser - but I don't expect that to happen any time soon.

Larry, I use the Layout Label to show the scale: Scale: %BOX SCALE% In most cases I place the following in the Plan views: %view.name% which corresponds to the name in the Project Browser. Most of the views (CAD Details, Cameras, Cross Sections, etc) can be renamed in the Project Browser. The Floor Plan views can't be renamed so for those I just use Text. The macros shown above are Chief's OOB macros so it's just a matter of setting it up in your templates. Then the naming is pretty much automatic.

The Layout and the Plan should be in the Project Folder. But secondary Plans located elsewhere can have views sent to that Layout. I have several secondary Plans that contain nothing but Standard Details. My standard Layout has many of those details already and for each project I will send additional details from those plans as needed. When I create a new project from an existing, I don't have to re-link those because they are in a folder that doesn't change.

Very true, Materials, Textures, and a variety of other things can get very cluttered. Properly clearing out all unnecessary junk is critical. Since I use separate Plan Files for Details, and only use CAD Details within my Project Plan for Schedules, some Text Boxes for standard notes, etc there isn't much to eliminate. My Plans usually don't exceed 50 MB. Of course if you start adding a lot of 3D Symbols, Terrain, etc with high-surface-counts you can jack that up very quickly. OTOH, when you strip those from the plan it should go down pretty fast.

Larry, The Layouts never really get that big. Most of what's in a Layout is just 2D graphics. The Plan will grow or shrink depending mostly on the 3D objects contained in the model. When you strip a Plan down to almost nothing, it will become fairly small. There will obviously be some data that remains but I haven't found a case where it creates a problem.

Michael, Not much different at all. You can save any Plan as a Template. You can save any Layout as a Template. Usually you would save those to Chief's Template Folder but even that isn't mandatory. My system is designed to copy the entire Project Folder Structure along with everything in it and do the renaming of the Layout and Plan and any auxiliary files in a single step. The macro that does this is located in a CAD Detail in the Layout. I just open the CAD Detail, provide the new Job Name and everything is done. Complete New Project ready to go.

I use a slightly different approach. I use any previous Project as a set of Templates. My system - macro based of course ;) , copies the entire folder structure of whatever Layout/Plan I currently have open and renames the copy to the new project name. Then all I have to do is relink the new Layout and clear out the Plan - as much as needed. Sometimes there are some areas of the Plan that can be kept, but usually I delete everything except the Terrain Perimeter, CAD Details and Cameras. Any secondary Plans (Detail Plans for example) linked to the Layout are automatically linked to the new Layout so I'm all set to go.

I have my files on Dropbox. This works without delay because there is an actual "Dropbox" folder on my HD.