Joe_Carrick

Sometimes I give the wall cabinets a xhatch fill - but I don't use a "solid" fill other than the defaults as mentioned above.

I think #3 is the default OOB. I don't mess with it.

Johnny, There are different defaults for Text & Rich Text. - totally different (one doesn't effect the other) In addition, Text can be specified to use the Layer Settings, a Text Style, or a Custom Style.

Toby, Chief doesn't make that kind of LineStyle. However, you can make a 2D CAD Block that has that appearance or you can download the Bonus Catalog "Closet Accessories" for the Hanging Stuff

Ron, The Plan is X7. The Windows version shouldn't matter but you will have to make sure your system is trying to open it in Chief Architect X7, not Blueray. Or were you asking something else - just about the Asus computer?

Curt, That was a down and dirty quick plan and I didn't pay much attention to the vertical heights. The Rail sizes in the dbx are irrelevant since it's a "Panel". The Rails are actually a part of the Panels.

Robert, Here's a sample plan Storefront Sample.plan

Panel Railing Walls work pretty well. You can even put Doors in them.

The first 25 subscribers will get a bonus package of 3 macros: %Living Areas_Get Totals% accumulates the names and areas of each floor living area %Living Area Table% displays the area of each floor and the total as a table %Living Area Total% displays the total living are of all floors The first is simply added to the default room label to accumulate the areas. The other two can be place in a Text Box or a Rich Text Box to display their output as shown below 1st Floor 302.00 Sq.Ft. 2nd Floor 249.00 Sq.Ft. ===================================== Total Living Area 551.00 Sq.Ft. Total Living Area = 551.0 Sq.Ft.

I would suggest calling Chief Architect Support - assuming that you have SSA. Otherwise, open the "Object Layers" tool on the Edit Toolbar and see what text styles are being used there. One of them is probably controlling the text size.

Arrows do stick to PSolids but if Chief adds Labels for Polylines then the macro could simply be added to the Label instead of using Text Boxes with Arrows. I almost always create macros to work with either Owner or Referenced Objects.

Here's a video of Site Area Analysis using macros to accumulate the data in Global variables and displaying it in a variety of tables. I did this video in a metric plan but it works the same in an Imperial plan. Because the data is collected and updated on the fly, you can rely on it always being up to date. http://screencast.com/t/4RmyhGYV7

Mike, I would in that case have created the side rails using Molding Polylines drawn in a side elevation, then added the rungs (either molding lines or solids) in Plan. Then I would display it in 3D and convert it to an Exterior Fixture Symbol.

Mike, You can place a molding profile, convert it to a polyline solid & set the thickness. Then you can convert that to a solid. Scott was wrong again

Click on my email address in Post #1 to sign up. You can email your macro wishes to me. Requests for macros from non-subscribers will not be put on the list. Click on my email address in Post #1 to sign up

I will provide one macro a month ($2.50 / month, paid in advance for a year). Macros will be provided based on requests from subscribers. I will determine priorities based on the number of requests and general user applicability. If it can be done in less than 25 lines it will be added to the to-do list. Each month I will distribute to all current subscribers that month's macro. I will also maintain and publish a list of prior macros that can be purchased for $2.50 each. Sep 2015 - Format_Number (see post #7) Living Area Bonus Package (see post #5) Oct 2015 - Opening Labels w Header (see post #8) Nov 2015 - Post Footing Labels (see post #16) Dec 2015 - Wall Labels (see post #19) Jan 2016 - BlockName (see post #37) Feb 2016 - Stair Label - Section & Stair Label - Total (see post #39) Mar 2016 - CounterTops (see post #40) Arp 2016 - Opening Header Label (see post #41) May 2016 - _Chief Architect Version (Displays the Version of Chief Architect in use) June 2016 - Area_Perimeter_Volume (Displays those values for Polyline, PSolid & Solids) (see post #43) July 2016 - Floor Name (Displays the Floor Name in a Text Box) (see post #44) Aug 2016 - Vent Labels (Displays a 2 line Label for Vents) (see post #49) This subscription system doesn't include any of my "Macro Packages": Site Area Analysis Package ($75.00) Building Area Analysis Package ($100.00) Roof Area Analysis Package ($50.00) Project and Consultants Package ($35.00) http://screencast.com/t/EUwgvruMXz0H Wordwrap Package ($25.00) Framing Labels ($50.00) Openings ($35.00) Vents ($25.00) Areas - X8 Hash Table Area Analysis ($25.00 non-subscribers- or $15 for subscribers) etc. which can be purchased separately. Contact me for the details of these comprehensive Packages. To Subscribe, click on the email address listed below. joe.carrick@dslextreme.com

You got it. The reason I still have the regular room labels (albeit virtually invisible) is that I have other macros embedded that accumulate room data for area & volume analysis.

Use a Rich Text Box. You can put it on it's own Layer, control colors, fill, text size, font, etc. I still have my Room Labels displayed, but they are very small, white, locked. so they aren't really visible and don't get inadvertently selected. When you place the RTB in a Room it will pick up the data from the room. You can even add an arrow if you need to place the RTB outside the room.

Graeme, That's the beauty of saving the details in CAD Windows. Each CAD Window can be individually named and individually edited. You can also copy the detail to a new CAD Window. and make modifications to it. These Warehouse Plans for Details are very small since there's almost nothing in them but 2D CAD.

There are many ways of doing these things. It seems that each user has their own way - so it's whatever works for you. This is my system - I use this as a way to: A. Minimize the amount of stuff stored in the .plan file for each Project. 1. CAD Detail Windows for: Appliance Schedule (present to Layout) Cabinet Schedule (present to Layout) Door Schedule (present to Layout) Electrical Schedule (present to Layout) Plan Notes Schedule Roof Schedule (present to Layout) Plumbing & HVAC Schedule (present to Layout) Room Finish Schedule (present to Layout) Vent Schedule Window Schedule (present to Layout) Truss Details (Chief will make these automatically) Site Area Analysis Table (present to Layout) Bldg Area Analysis Table (present to Layout) Miscellaneous Notes with Arrows, etc (copy/paste resource) 2. Warehouse Plans for Standard Details: - each of these plans is a working plan for creating the details - once the detail has been created it's copied to a named CAD Window Foundation Details Door Details Window Details Roof Details Framing Details - I send only the appropriate details from these plans to the Project Layout B. Is easy to keep organized so I can find what needs to be sent to Layout C. Minimize what needs to be added or subtracted from the Layout D. Minimize what I need to store in the Library.

Richard, I understand. All my specifications are done outside of Chief using other apps. General Notes and almost all other text in my Plans/Layouts are all caps. I will take a look at any cases where I'm lower case text and may uncheck that box in those RTB's

Doug, For a CAD Program - who would want anything other than CAD Scaling? I'm just asking because I can't imagine there would be anyone and I'm relatively sure it's not even an option in other CAD Programs.

Either it's one of Chief's OOB Layer Sets or you have some view using that Layer Set.

It appears that when unchecked the text actually becomes about 2/3 the size. I just leave it checked. When I specify 6" text I want it to be 1/8", not 1/12". Apparently un-checked it translates to some typeface size - pixels or points are something.......???

OK, so here's what I found: 4.5" Arial & 3.5" Chief Blueprint (CB) are both 3/32" at 1/4" scale. Arial is readable at that size but CB is iffy. 6" Arial & 6" Chief Blueprint (CB) are both 1/8" at 1/4" scale. In addition, CB is a wider character font and takes up a bit more space on the drawings I tend to prefer the hand lettering style but there's something to be said for the neater & more concise. Tough decision...... Maybe I'll just compromise on 5" Chief Blueprint for some things and 4.5" Arial or Arial Bold for others