Joe_Carrick

It depends on the object. For mirrors you can add a light source behind the mirror and offset the mirror so that it's a little off of the wall. For other objects you can do something similar and use translucent (semi-transparent) materials with light source(s) behind or you can make the material "emissive" Another option is to make the object a "Light Fixture" with one or more light sources. There are many ways to do this. It really depends on the desired effect.

You can send me a check, but you don't need a PayPal account to send funds using a credit card. IAE, click on the link in my Macro Subscription Thread. We can work out the payment method once I get that email from you.

The Ceiling Height can be formatted to feet and inches using a custom macro. If you subscribe to my "Macro a Month Club" ($30 per year) that formatting is one of the capabilities currently in the subscription. You would need a couple of additional user macros to complete your room label but I could do those as the December or January subscription. November has already been spoken for so if you need it sooner I would just charge an additional $15.

You can already do most of that in a Rich Text Box. The "2x6 C.J. at 16" O.C." is possible but that data isn't a part of the Room Attributes - so currently it would have to be manual text within the RTB. Once the RTB was created it could be copied to each room to pick up the Room Name, Ceiling Height and Floor Finish automatically. If all Ceiling Joists in a plan are the same size and spacing then that data could be retrieved as a global variable from the framing plan and used in the RTB using a custom macro.

You can't download the bonus libraries with the trial version. If you want the extra stuff you need the licensed pro version with SSA.

Try a "Mirror" material. I find that's much more like a "Polished Chrome" and it provides the reflections in Ray Traces.

The problem is that the 9'6" stairs would not reach the floor above. By opening the stair dbx you can edit the treads & risers so that it will reach (not a legal stair but it would make the "stairwell" tool work). Chief just needs the stair to reach the floor above in order to cut out a stairwell.

One thing to check would be some of the manufacturer catalogs. Chief may have your supplier's actual door symbol - or something very close. It would be a lot less work than doing a custom.

Ed, Post some pics of what you want. I'll try to make something that will approximate that in 3D.

You could try some simple 3D Plants, of use a few solids to simulate plants and convert those to symbols. Try to keep the face count down, but remember that a "distributed object" will not be too bad because Chief uses "instancing" for multiple copies. Chief has both Plant Images and 3D Plants.

OK, so: Select a Plant, then click on the little chair on the Edit Toolbar. That will open the Symbol dbx. Select Options and click on "Sits on Roof". Open Help and enter "Distribution Region" to learn about this tool. You are obviously new to Chief and need to do some studying to learn some of the features that are available. The F1 key is your friend.

What version of Chief are you using?

Perry, I agree that the OP's stair is a Winder, not a Spiral. I was just trying to indicate that there are exceptions to the "no triangle" rule - but not for winders.

Symbol - Sits on Roof in the symbol dbx, options panel You can even create a distribution region and assign the flowers as the distributed object.

You can have less than 6" at an edge, but it has to be classified as a "Spiral Stair" or a "Landing". In either case, the angle can't be less than 22.5 degrees for a "Tread" or 45 degrees for a "Landing".

If you are simply trying to add the Foundation, use the Build>Floor>Build Foundation tool. To modify a Rectangular "Stand Alone" slab, use the Break Tool to insert extra vertices that you can use as "Edit Handles".

Scott, Are you saying that we will be able to specify "Use Callout for Label" in the Room Finish Schedule?

Michael, Did you try making a Custom Counter Top? I think the Sink is then a Part of the Counter Top and not a part of the Cabinet.

Just change that "Deck" to a "Porch". A Porch has a Roof. A Deck doesn't.

Alan, There is no magic way to Number Rooms. Even with my knowledge of Ruby I can't do it. I have asked (repeatedly) that Chief add Room Numbers. Here's the workaround for now: In the Room Name Field add the Number in Front such as: 101 - Entry 102 - Living Room 103 - Dining Room etc. The above would all be on the first floor. For the second floor I use 201, 201,203, etc. If Chief had the following fields: floor_number room_number schedule_number then I could create a simple macro to Label the Rooms which could be placed in the Default Label.

Yes, but it depends on the item. Is it a Symbol or an Architectural Block? If it's a Block, you can just explode it and delete the things you don't want. If it's a Symbol there are a couple of ways of dealing with it. 1. Just change the wall material to a 100% transparent material 2. Put in a Blank Plan - Display in 3D - Use Delete Surface Tool - Create a New Symbol

Probably not.

Jim, For the Gutter, create a Molding Profile at the correct angle. Assign that as the Gutter in the Roof Defaults. For some reason Chief didn't give us the ability to change the Gutter on an individual Roof Plan Basis. That object is just missing from the dbx. After changing the default gutter, just edit the roof plane and the new gutter will be applied.

Eliminate that Roof Plane. All you need to do is move the exterior second floor wall so that it is in the right location.

Right, and we didn't even have to download it