Joe_Carrick

This is better than just using Polylines - but LABELS for Polylines would be even better.

Alex, Annosets for different scales with different text styles, dimension styles, etc is the answer.

I found an interesting aspect of Polyline Solids that allows Text Boxes with Macros to maintain connections even when the PSolids overlap or are in contact. 1. A Text box with an Arrow will connect to the PSolid with the Arrowhead inside the perimeter of the PSolid. 2. Each PSolid can have separate Text Boxes connected. 3. Overlapping PSolids will not interfere with the connections of each others Text Boxes. So here's a scenario: 1. Convert the Property Line Boundary to a PSolid, 1" thick, Transparent Material 2. Attach a Text Box with an area macro to that PSolid with the Arrowhead pointing to a spot inside the boundary. 3. Edit the Boundary and the macro will display the new area - and there's no "Disconnect" problem Now repeat the above for other areas within the site that you want to get the areas of. Even though the PSolids overlap, they will not interfere with each other. The area's displayed are correct for each area. This makes it possible to do Area Analysis of Site Plans, Rooms, Groups of Rooms, etc without the problem of the Text Boxes becoming confused as to what they are connected to. It may take a little finesse to get the Text Boxes connected to the right PSolid the first time, but once that's done it works really well.

I have no problem with using a smaller scale for larger projects. You just need to have larger scale plans for the areas that need it like Kitchens, Bathrooms, etc. These larger scale plans can be referenced with callouts just like you would for a larger scale detail. It's basically a "Key Plan" system. Can you imagine trying to do a Hospital or any other large commercial project any other way?

Annosets for different scales. The Text Style(s) can be different for different Annosets

Have you updated the Video Drivers? None of those seem like current state of the art and the Drivers could well be out of date.

Graham, There was a similar problem with Library Browsing on systems with Intel HD Graphics. Basically it was related to having a 3D view displayed and then displaying a 3D preview of a Library Symbol. I'm not sure if that's been fixed or if's related but the problem you are having is not repeatable on my system with an NVidea Graphics Adapter.

Doug, Graham is using the 32 bit version of X7. Could that be the problem?

Just for the record....... I regularly go back to the materials available - Help, Reference Manual, Videos, etc - just to refresh something that I thought I knew how to handle. Chief is a complex application with a ton of capability but it's really too much to keep all in my human memory bank. Things that are not used constantly eventually get "disconnected" from my index system. A review tends to re-index.

Graham, The generally preferred norm for RT is to set the system to use less than all cores. IOW, if your system has 8 cores - set RT to use only 7. This will leave a core free for other programs. That's usually sufficient but if you have other needs you could limit RT to 6 or 5, etc. IAE, the fewer cores RT has available the slower the RT will be.

Tony, It's bad Forum Etiquette to mark your own post as the "Best Answer", not to mention the fact that you yourself didn't answer the question.

Larry, I would just do this manually. Once you have the Floor Joists it's fairly easy to add the beams and Posts with Piers. I think there are just too many variables for Chief to do this with any degree of accuracy.

I think that most new users take the time and effort to review the Tutorials and Help Files. However, there are some who just dive into using it without taking the time to learn the basics. That IMO is the wrong way and simply results in frustration. In addition, these individuals continually run into issues with almost every new tool/function they need to use and instead of taking a few minutes to look at the help file for that item, they keep "beating their head against the wall" and then post a question here for others to answer. Often those questions are vague and don't provide enough information for anyone else to give them a good reply. My advice - and I don't think this is new - is first: Check the Help File Check to see if there are any tutorial videos on that subject. If neither of those solves the problem Post the question along with the Plan and a Pic.

Probably the simplest would be to use a Polyline Solid or a Slab.

I have way too much invested in my Templates - both Plan and Layout - to start fresh with each new release. So, I just copy them from the prior version to the new version Templates Folder. I then open them and go thru the defaults to make sure everything is correct. Then I save them and everything seems to be fine. I have found a few defaults that didn't get automatically passed thru in the past, but for me this is much more efficient than manually exporting and importing all the defaults, macros, etc.

There are some in the Library. Type "shutters" in the search box.

I suspect that someone gave you negative reputation points for checking your own answer as the "Best Answer". That's generally bad form and some people might object. If you get too many negative reputation points you could get blocked. Most people think the reputation points are silly - but others like to reward good contributions by giving a positive point. It's kind of like paying for help - but it doesn't really cost anything.

Better yet, Open the "Deck/Porch" Room and in the Wall Materials Panel check the box that says "Use Default Material". This is a common problem when using "Paint".

Open the "Deck/Porch" Room and change the Wall Material to your Siding Material.

Here's my solution: 1. Draw a line right over the offending module line. 2. Open that line's dbx (dbl-click) 3. Select Color, Eyedropper, click on the Countertop Fill. You still get the outer edge of the Cabinets and the edge of the Counter Top.

Not gonna happen! The only reason I am not on X10 is that I don't know what it's going to be called. X10, XX, XArch_1,.... ??? Based on my family history I figure I've got at least 25 more years. I could be using Chief Version XL3 by then. Hmm., sounds like a BMW. xx

Spacing is not automatic. Unfortunately the attribute for spacing is not available to Ruby. You need to add that in the RTB after the %Framing Member(s)% yourself. ie: %Framing Member(s)% @ 16" o.c.. or whatever your spacing is.

Rich, You could copy the content and paste it in a PDF and add an index and bookmarks. Then put a shortcut on the Desktop to the PDF. Just a little food for thought.

Mick, RTB is abbreviation for "Rich Text Box".

I think the KEY POINT that Gerry made is that not only do we need the Polylines to have Labels but that they also need to have unique identifiers (aka Names). This should also be done for the Terrain Features such as Roads, Terrain Paths, Driveways, etc. Another item that would be really helpful would be a floor_number for Rooms. I am currently using a couple of different methods to identify the floor a room is on but neither of these is 100% fool proof. Gerry's other points regarding persistence of data, grouping & execution of a sequence of macros on demand are also valid. I will say that I can already perform a sequence of macros on demand very easily - but it would be nice to be able to assign those to a Toolbar Button. The Tables can be done by having them stored as Rich Text Boxes in CAD Detail Windows.