Joe_Carrick

FWIW, I use a variety. 1. Simple notes are just Text - usually controlled by "Text Style" 2. For larger blocks of text where I want different Fonts, Sizes, Attributes and/or Colors - I use Rich Text. 3. Labels are Text - because Chief doesn't allow Rich Text in Labels.

I understand

1. Everything is to Scale 2. The Layout is consistent 3. No need to make additional Layout changes when the Plan is modified. a. Mostly because almost all the text in the Layout is generated by macros

No, but they would be on the "Interior Fixtures" Layer and I don't think that's appropriate for this particular use.

Personally, I like text boxes in CAD Details in Plan Files. I can send them to Layout and if they are a bit too big or too small I can just "rescale". OTOH, if I just copy/paste the text from a CAD Detail in the Layout File then I can stretch the Text Box to fit the width available. Most of my major Notes are in the Layout.

Mick, You can do it either way. If you do it in a Plan CAD Detail then you would create the text in real world size and send to Layout at Scale. IOW, if you wanted 1/8" high text you would make it 6" text in Plan and send to Layout at 1/4" scale. If you do it in a Layout then you create the text as 1/8" high.

Jon, Exterior Furnishing, Exterior Fixtures, & Plants all have the Options "Sits on Floor" & "Inserts into Terrain Hole". Take your pick of what you want it to be. The basic difference will be the Schedule that each might be included in and the Layer they would be created on.

Niclas, You can add Walls, Normal Demo, Walls, Normal Existing, Walls, Normal New Layers and edit the appropriate walls to be on those Layers. You can define the Linestyle for those Layers and control what shows in a Camera View Layer Set. This all takes a bit of set up but it's not that hard to do and once done and saved along with appropriate Wall Types..........

One thing I found that's kind of interesting is using the "Space Planning Tool" to quickly arrange spaces within the confines of the exterior walls of a "Floor". Then using the "Build House" option to convert that to "Rooms". You still need to do some editing of Wall Types, Door and Window Locations, etc but it's a pretty quick way to get the basic layout.

With a little tweaking it might be possible. It would be pretty cool if the "Space Planning Tool" was 3D so we could move the spaces around and change their heights.

Come on guys, I'm better looking than that by far.

Rob, Look in the Project Browser under "Cross Sections". All 2D Camera Views are listed there. You can rename them so it makes more sense.

Open the Layout and click on the "printer icon". The dbx will allow you to select the printer, pages, sheet size, etc.

Mick, The Easiest way to create a CAD Detail Window is to use "Shift-V". You can also create a new CAD Detail Window by using the Menu. You can create or copy any CAD (Text, Lines, Arcs, Blocks, Polylines, Schedules, etc) in CAD Detail Window. You can not place any 3D Objects in a CAD Detail Window. Maybe it would be best if the "Detail" was not a part of the name - it can be confusing for some people.

When in elevation view, what is the "Working Floor #"? You might think you are putting them on the Floor where they appear in the Elevation but in fact they may be on a different Floor. Just a guess, but that could be the problem.

Johnny, Post the Plan. I can only guess at what the problem is, Probably something to do with the Structure Definition of the Rooms but that as I said is just a guess.

If you don't have a good backup system - either to the cloud or to other computers or even external drives (flash, etc) - it could be a problem. I actually have 3 systems I use and I have an identical Folder Structure on all three for my Chief Projects.

Ok, so here's what I use: Library - organized with sub folders: Symbols Wall Types Material Regions Cabinets Doors Windows Molding Profiles CAD Details in the Template(s) - named in the Project Browser Schedules Text Boxes with standard notes that can be copied directly to the Plan or Layout Text Boxes to be sent to Layout (generally these have embedded macros) CAD Details in Warehouse Plans Each CAD Detail is named in the Project Browser and contains a "Standard Detail" that can be sent to Layout. I find that this system provides the best access to each item type and minimizes confusion.

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.