Joe_Carrick

As far as I can tell - nothing at all. You can use a custom Pattern File but you need a Pattern Definition that works.

The x-y offsets are only available for Textures. Patterns in Chief are relative to the 0,0 origin. Here are the basics: Textures can easily be copied and new textures with x/y offsets can be created. It requires a different texture for each required set of offsets, etc. Patterns are global in Chief based on XHatch definitions. There is no easy way to create or modify XHatch definitions in Chief. Probably the easiest way to deal with this would be for Chief to add the x/y offsets of the Pattern to match those of the Texture - but that might not give the desired result so an independent setting is probably needed. In most 2D CAD programs it was common to have a built-in Hatch Pattern definition tool and also a built-in Line Style definition tool. It was very common practice to have this done graphically. IOW, the user would draw the 2D objects as a "sample" and then the software would analyze the geometry and create the definition. Chief doesn't have a graphic definition tool for either Hatch Patterns or for Line Styles. It does have a Line Style creation tool but it is very limited - only being able to define a set of in-line segments, spaces & text. Line Style creation tools I've used in the past provided for "Off-Line" geometry and beginning and ending terminators. An example of "Off-Line" would be something similar to the "Batt Insulation" that Chief uses with Auto Detailing. Another example would be a "Break Line".

Open the Symbol Dialog and check the Stretch Plane and Stretch Zone settings for the "z" direction.

The Floor Structure Material?

OK, I have found a way to do this but so far I am not totally happy with it since it requires a "Room" and for the "Room Label" to be displayed. Not all Plans have Rooms - for example a Plan that just contains Details would not normally include a Room. It would be a big help if there was a Global attribute $Units ("Metric" or "Imperial"). This would allow a macro to display the width, depth, length, height, area, volume, etc in appropriate format depending on what the Plan Units are.

Within a macro, is there a way to determine what units are being used in the Plan. IOW, is this Plan Metric or Imperial?

Mick, RTB = Rich Text Box IAE = In Any Event Here's the macro Framing Member(s).zip

OK, here's the revised macro. Replace the one in the RTB with this one. Then test it with all the other Types, not just I-Josts and Lumber. Framing Member(s).zip

Curt's right. Do as little as possible in Layout. Learn to work in the Plan and use Annosets and Layer Sets to get what you want sent to Layout.

It has been suggested and I think it's on the schedule to be fixed - but another request sure wouldn't hurt anything.

Perry, If the new one doesn't work then I'll post the macro and you can add it directly to a RTB. It seems that sometimes when importing a Library Object that has a macro it might not replace a macro of the same name. IAE, I have determined that it really isn't so much a connection problem as it was the fact that the macro was wrong.

I have replaced the Library Item. It had a problem with the macro. I was calling a Ruby function that I had in an external file. I've now added that function directly into the macro so it will now work with any Framing Member Type. The function is one that converts to Feet/Inches/Fractions. My apologies to those who couldn't get it to work with I-Joists. In reality it wouldn't have worked with anything other than Lumber. Delete the old one and download the new. Everything should work perfectly now.

I uploaded a new version of the CAD Block. It's named Framing Member(s). See if it works for you. Note that it has a slightly different Macro. Oops!!!! That one will definitely not work. This one will!!!! Framing Member(s).calibz

Just in case there was a problem with the first one - here's a new version (note that the name is different and the macro is also a slight bit different). Oops!! Try again - the first one was a bad macro. This one should work in all cases. Framing Member(s).calibz

Scott, I can't explain it. It works on my system consistently even using your Plan. Are both of you on Macs? Have you upgraded to the latest version of X7? Something is different and I just don't know what.

Scott, Move the Arrowhead to the far side of the Framing Member. See what happens then. It doesn't make any difference on my system (I can switch back and forth between Lumber and I-Joists all day and I get the correct text) but who knows - maybe the arrowhead just needs to be in a slightly different location. IAE, I would really like to know if when it fails on your system - can you connect the arrow to the TJI and get it to work right?

Perry, My Grid Snaps are set to 1". That's the same for Scott's Plan. I did find that Scott had "Object Snaps" turned off in the Plan he posted. I turned them on and have no problem keeping a connection.

The only other thing I can think of that would cause this problem is that one of the arrows is pointing to something that's not a Framing Member. Try deleting one of the arrows and just connect the other one.

You might also want to check your "Snap Distance". I have mine set to 12 pixels.

BTW, Switching from Lumber to TJI would of course disconnect. The edge of the Framing Member has moved so the connection is broken - you have to reconnect.

Do you guys have Object Snaps turned on? When you grab the tip of the arrow and drag it onto the TJI it should show a snap indicator. There is nothing different with a TJI vs a piece of Lumber than the width. Object Snaps should over-ride the Grid Snaps.

Here are my snap settings:

Scott, Please post your Object Snap Settings in Preferences. I have no problem snapping to I-Joists even with Grid Snaps On. It's important that you be able to see the Object Snap Indicator when you hit the object.

Mick, Turn of Grid Snaps when trying to connect the Arrow. It seems that the TJI widths don't match the grids normally being used so the snap doesn't work. The Arrow is snapping to a Grid instead of the Object.

Glenn, The problem is that for Imperial Units Chief rounds up to the common name size. IOW, what we call a 2x6 is really 1.5" x 5.5". That's fine for the Label when we're framing with Lumber - but not for I-Joists, LVL, etc. That's why I created my macro - it differentiates according to the type of framing member.