Joe_Carrick

Does anyone use these tools?  

I only use the Perspective Overviews.  I don't like the Orthographic Overviews because they look distorted.  Consequently, I wouldn't mind if they were eliminated from the Toolbar - maybe even eliminated entirely.

I can see a possible use for the Orthogaphic Top Overview as a Presentation Tool for Real Estate Brochures.  But even there I prefer the Perspectives.

Comments?

A few years back Chief added the "Wall Break Tool" which only works on Walls but can be preselected, pinned and used on any visible unlocked Wall.

That's a nice feature which saves time and mouse clicks.

They kept the standard "Break Tool" which works for CAD Lines, Plines, Molding Plines, etc but only works on a single preselected object.

However, when a Wall is selected the Edit Toolbar still presents the standard "Break Tool" instead of the "Wall Break Tool".

It seems like this is inconsistent behavior.  IMO it would be better if:

• The "Wall Break Tool" is presented in the Edit Toolbar when a Wall is selected.
• The "Break Tool" is available for other objects - not requiring an object to be selected first.

IOW, make these things work the same way.

18 minutes ago, DRAWZILLA said:

WOW GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, mine is basic with the most used tools

It's actually taking me back to my time at CalComp.  We had a numeric keypad, a keyboard, tablet & a joystick, 

They functioned as follows:

• Numeric Keypad - 2 digit commands (0,0 - 9,9)
• Keyboard - Text and Numeric Values
• Tablet - Graphic Input (like a pencil) as well as macro selection (mapped area of tablet)
• Joystick - Pan and Zoom

I like Chief's GUI but IMO there's just too much mouse movement outside of the drawing area.  The StreamDeck eliminates most of that and functions similar to the Numeric Keypad we had at CalComp - except that instead of being limited to 100 commands it is virtually unlimited.

9 minutes ago, CharlesVolz said:

Both allow multiple uses of each key. Right?

I don't have an X-keys so I can't tell if it's comparable.  The main thing with StreamDeck is that when you select a key that's assigned as a folder you get a complete new graphic set of keys.  I also think it's easier to navigate only 32 displayed keys rather than 80.  My eyes don't have to scan as much to find the right key.

28 minutes ago, CharlesVolz said:

Why Stream Deck over an 80-key X-Keys?

StreamDeck allows you to assign a Graphic to each key along with the macro functions.

I'm setting mine up with several Application Profiles.  Within each Profile you can have multiple pages and each key can be a folder with an additional 32 key selections.

For Chief Architect Plans I will have as many as 24 folders (each will be object specific - ie: walls, doors, windows, etc) and each of those will have up to 32 distinct keys with macros.  I'm basically going to use the folders as replacements for the "Object Toolbars" to save mouse clicks and screen space.

IOW, I will have approximately 800 commands accessible at my fingertip and they will all be "Back-lit Graphic".  That's just for Chief Plans. 

I'll have an additional Page for Layout Commands

I will also have Profiles for NotePad++ and several other Apps.

So, as you can see the StreamDeck has a lot more capabilities than the X-Keys product.

On 9/24/2022 at 9:48 AM, DRAWZILLA said:

I really \like my Streamdeck 32 although I'm sure it not as extensive as yours. Never liked using hotkeys

My goal is to make my Streamdeck 32 be a virtual replacement for most of the Object Toolbars and a lot more.  I've got a long way to go before it's done - but I've got a pretty good start on it.

I'm also planning on using it to search the Library - at least to narrow down what I'm looking for.

Clever Glenn  

If you want the "Terrain" to cover a part of the roof - you'll need to model the terrain as a solid and then cut a hole in that using boolean substraction.  

It won't actually be Chief's Terrain - but it will allow the hole to be like a horizontal tunnel into the hillside rather than a vertical shaft.  The other option would be to model the terrain above the residence as a solid.  

Either way, you're going to need to learn how to create and modify solids.

It would really be useful to know what version of the software you're using.

2 minutes ago, ShaneK said:

You are 100% correct on anti virus causing and Carbonite causing problems 

Every new Chief Version I check my AV setting to make sure Chief is "EXEMPTED".

A couple other things to check:

1. Anti-Virus excepting Chief X14
2. Chief using NVidea RTX

22 hours ago, Alaskan_Son said:

There are a couple ways to activate the Library.  The most effective I've found though (at least for Windows machines) is the following keystroke sequence:

1. Alt (activates the file menu)
2. Menu key (has the effect of right clicking up in the menu)
3. Down arrow (selects the Library Browser)
4. Enter (closes the Library Browser down)
5. Alt (activates the file menu again)
6. Menu key (has the effect of right clicking up in the menu again)
7. Down arrow (selects the Library Browser again)
8. Enter (opens the Library Browser this time)

When the Library Browser is opened using this sequence, the search bar in the Library Browser is activated.

 

Hi Michael,

Aside from entering a bunch of "Backspaces" do you know of any way to "clear" the text in the search bar?

If a Hotkey simply starts with an alpha-numeric character it can inadvertently start searching the Library (only happens if the Library has focus).

In order to avoid this I use Ctrl+Alt+[ a ] as the 1st part of the Hotkey.  This insures that the Plan View has focus and the action takes place there.  Some of my combinations:

• Ctrl+Alt+S --- Stair Tools
• Ctrl+Alt+C --- Cabinet Tools (conflicts with COPY/PASTE but I don't use that anyway)
• Ctrl+Alt+D --- Door Tools
• Ctrl+Alt+W --- Window Tools
• Ctrl+W --- Wall Tools

You may find that some of these will conflict with Chief's Default Hotkeys - in which case you may want to use something else - or change the one that conflicts.

Generally, I only use a few standard macros ( Ctrl_C, Ctrl_V, Ctrl_X, Ctrl_P, Ctrl_S ) so I avoid creating Chief Hotkeys that conflict with those.

Note that if the Library has focus (search) then using a string of characters in a Hotkey will initiate that Library feature.  So far, I haven't found any Hotkeys that gives focus to the Library Browser.  

I am not normally an extensive user of Hotkeys because I simply can't remember very many and my fingers aren't nimble enough to press several keys simultaneously. 

However, I've been setting up my StreamDeck_32 so I'm having to define a lot of unique Hotkeys.  That piece of hardware provides me with a visible indication of what the command to be executed is.  With 32 buttons per page, unlimited folders and pages I'm able to take advantage of Hotkeys for thousands of things I used to have to do with the mouse and Chiefs dbx's.

Hi Joey,

I thought you had marked it "solved".  I had no idea that anyone else could do that. 

In fact, the only place I've been able to find that option is in this (Q&A) Forum for my own threads.

Maybe it was one of the CA Moderators. 

If not then you must have been "Sleep Browsing"  unless someone else has your ChiefTalk login info.

I stand by my original statement.  There's no way to do this without jumping thru hoops.

Chief should make it possible to do this just by adjusting values in the Railing Wall dbx. 

All this switching from a railing to a standard wall, then dragging down in 3D, fiddling with the "Generate on Low Platform", switching back to a Railing, etc is NOT wonderful.

Ryan,

How did you get the posts and the glass for that matter to go below the floor?  I've not been able to find anything in the railing dbx that allows that to happen.

BTW, I've seen this cabinet configuration - but IMO it's way too expensive.  It's easier and far less cost to just use a narrow (about 18" wide) cabinet set at an angle of 45 degrees.

Also be very careful to provide adequate clearance between the drawer fronts and the side of the cabinet so that the drawers can actually be opened without hitting the adjacent cabinet drawers.  Full overlay just won't work.

I typically use a 3/4" spacer panel or extended stile on the sides of adjacent cabinets. 

Yes, just use a Corner Cabinet & uncheck the "Diagonal Door" then change the Front Face to 3 Drawers.

The Drawers won't open, but otherwise that's it.

16 minutes ago, rgardner said:

I disagree.  I think three railings or two and an invisible wall would do this just fine…. Just need to set two of them as partition.  One for the newells and one for the glass custom panel.

Perhaps I should have said "Using the Railing Tool" alone isn't one of them.   Depending on the Wall Definition the offset is definitely possible.  However, the Offset Newels extending below the floor level would need to be handled another way.

There are several ways to do this in Chief.  But using the "Railing Tool" isn't one of them.  IOW, it requires some "Out of the Box" thinking.   David's method is just one that I can think of - but not necessarily my 1st choice. 

2 minutes ago, DefinedDesign said:

 

Joe - Thank you!  This is what I came up with.  While it's not perfect, it gives me the option to adjust the shelves for each unit.  I used the Wire Mesh material in X8 and assigned that to the whole cabinet.  I added a counter top the same thickness as the shelves and made it Wire Mesh.  

Good Job.  I'm glad you were able to get a result you could work with.  You might want to play with a few of the materials but otherwise if looks great.

Sorry, I'm on X14.  OTOH, you can probably do the same on X8 with just the cabinet tools and materials.

I used the following:

• frameless cabinet
• round pilasters - always present
• casters (feet) - always present - offset 2" each way
• open back
• open sides
• front = opening
• cabinet material = "No Material" or "Insulation, Air Gap"
• shelf material = "Wire Mesh" adjusted in width and depth
• no top
• no bottom

Cabinets have always been one of the most flexible objects in Chief.

Here's a "Cabinet" as I previously described.  It's not perfect but it's close.

Wire Shelves with Wheels.calibz

5 minutes ago, DefinedDesign said:

 

Okay, I'll see if I can find training on how to model a 3D object.  Thanks for the advice.

One fairly simple way to do this is to use a "Solid" and explode it.  Then select each face and add a texture similar to each surface of the shelf - you could also delete the bottom surface.

As Gene indicated you may need to take the concept a bit further to include the other elements of the rack.

2 minutes ago, DefinedDesign said:

Joe - thanks for the quick reply.  Please forgive me, I am having difficulty comprehending how to "Create the wire shelf as an 'Interior Fixture' Symbol"

You need to:

• model the wire shelf as a 3D object (may need to include stanchions)
• Display it in a 3D View
• From the menu (Tools->Create Symbol) select "Interior Fixture"
• ......

Hi Lisa,

• Use a CABINET
• Create your wire Shelf as an "Interior Fixture" Symbol
• In the CABINET dbx set the Shelves to use that Symbol
• For each Shelf set the distance from the previous. (you can use equal spacing)
• Save the Cabinet to your User Library - name it "Wire Shelf w Wheels"

Now when you place one of these from the Library you can:

• For each Shelf set the distance from the previous.
• Change the number of shelves
• Change any other parameters of the Cabinet.

Note that in the Cabinet dbx for shelves there's a drop-down list that allows you to select individual numbered shelves.