Joe_Carrick

Alan, As an Architect with good Structural Engineering capabilities I sincerely question that truss since the top chord is not continuous. I don't see any way to adequately transfer the compression loads in the top chord across the step to the right support. It would make more sense to build up the floor either with a second set of trusses or joists.

Object Painter Tool should do it.

Many more things can be added to the Library than you might think at first glance. Wall Types Material Regions Customized Doors, Windows, Cabinets, etc. CAD Blocks Architectural Blocks Symbols (of course) Experiment with what you can add to the Library.

For often used Symbols, I use the "User Library" but I've arranged it with sub-folders and when I find a symbol in one of the other Libraries that I want to use repeatedly I simply place a link to that symbol in one of those sub-folders. I agree with Scott that many things are better stored in CAD Detail Windows in your Template(s). This is particularly true of Text Objects since they don't have to be "Blocked" and consequently are much easier to "Copy/Paste" and then edit if necessary. Those CAD Detail Windows are easier to use than Warehouse Plans but for some things a Warehouse Plan is appropriate. You just have to figure out which is going to be best for any specific case. User Library - it must be well organized CAD Detail Windows in the Template(s) Warehouse Plans - in most cases I arrange content within CAD Detail Windows Take your pick - but select wisely.

FWIW, That was just a regular Chief Window, not a Symbol.

Larry, Is this something like you wanted?

Hey Hambone, I've been at this "Window Symbol" thing for several years and I'm still not happy with the way CA did it.

I just checked, the "Y" origin needs to be a positive value.

Larry, For the 3D View, in order to make it fit into the wall, adjust the 3D Origin Offset ("Y") value. I don't remember off hand but I think it needs to be a negative value. I would also refine the window to be a thinner piece of Glass and maybe make a "frame" the thickness of the wall as a part of the symbol.

It will make it appear as a window in a wall in Plan View - rather than applied to the exterior.

If you really want to do this yourself, just create the 3D geometry in a blank plan, display it in a 3D View, Convert to Symbol, (Window) and set the 2D Block to "None".

Larry, If you will show me exactly what you want - I can help. Creating a Window Symbol isn't really difficult. I just need the detail. OTOH, if you just use a standard wall with a fixed glass window. Then you can "Superimpose" The Bolder - even without the "Notch". It will look fine in 3D and the bldg dept will accept it as a rectangular fixed glass window.

Maybe. But if the window isn't a rectangular shape in elevation then it would require a lot of tricky work. IAE, you would need to set the 2D Block to "None".

Sounds just like an "Architect" - but you can't use that name or anything using that terminology unless you get a license.

Personally, I think Johnny's example of Vectorworks is just a matter of symantics. Vectorworks "Design Layer" seems to be equivalent to Chiefs "Floor Level". Can't we just get beyond the comparisons between VectorWorks, AllPlan, Revit, etc and Chief Architect? They are all different and if someone likes one better than the other - then go with that App.

Mick, Virtually all computer code for textual data is still ascii based. It wouldn't have made sense to create an entirely new system. If you look at any font in a font editor you will find the characters are numbered 0-255 (256 characters). Typical sorts use those numbers, stepping thru each character in the text string.

Mick, Often these kinds of things get tested with very simple models - like maybe 4-8 walls. When that happens, the problems with a simple ascii sorted list aren't noticed. If the testing was done with 40-50 walls it might be noticed but maybe not.

Here are 2 macros - either of which can be substituted for Chiefs %wall_id%. %wall_id_2% displays a 2 digit number "01,02,,,,,99" %wall_id_3% displays a 3 digit number "001,002,,,,,999" enjoy. wall_id_2_3.zip

You could also simply add a "0" in front of the single digit walls in the PB. That would make them all 2 digit and they would be listed as: 01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,21,,,,,, I think I could no that with a macro. Let me see what I can do.

I don't think so. The problem is that it's an ASCII sort that's typical of computer lists. The only way to avoid it would be to have all the numbers be 2 or maybe even 3 digits. ie: 10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,,,,,,,etc. 2 digits would be fine in most cases because it would allow 90 walls all with 2 digit numbers (10-99). 3 digits would allow 90 walls with 3 digit numbers (100-999) If Chief had a setting for Begining Wall Number it could be automatic.

Scott, So your vote would be for A, B & C ? BTW, if I catch you actually doing a 20 story building .......

So, before I send in a suggestion (or post it in the suggestions forum) here's my take on the MRLS & MMRLS: 1. Currently there is one Default Reference Layer Set and only one Layer Set can be used as a Reference Layer Set at any time. 2. The Reference Layer Set can be modified by using Tools>Reference Floors>Change Floor/Reference 3. Each Layout Box can have a different Reference Layer Set and can Reference a different Floor. That's basically the definition of the current MRLS. A. It would be nice if it could be extended so that each Layer Set could have a it's own specific Reference Layer Set B. It would be nice if the Reference Layer Sets could reference/display Multiple Floors instead of just a single Floor. C. It would be nice if more than one Layer Set could be used as a Reference Layer Set at the same time. Does this meet what we need? Is it more than we need? Do we only need "B"?

Ahhh...... I missed that capability. Thanks Scott. MMRLS would be nice.

Scott, The Roof Framing is only a problem if you rebuild it after changing which floor the Roof is shown on. It would be nice if that function didn't effect the Framing at all. MMRLS might be a great solution. but I'm not sure how that would work for multiple floors. Layer Sets are not really tied to any floor other than the one above or below (actually just the previously displayed floor) so some other mechanism would need to be devised.

I have a 3 Story House. There are roofs at each floor level over the areas that are not covered by the floor above. In some areas the upper floors cantilever beyond the floor below. What's the best way to show a single Roof Plan with the Footprint of each floor? I've done it by showing all the roof planes on the 3rd Floor and copied the Exterior Room Polylines from the 1st and second floors - but that seems a bit tedious. I really couldn't figure out how to do it using a Reference Layer Set.