Joe_Carrick

You can turn any floor over view into a framing view just by changing the layer set.

True, but how many users are aware of that.  Also, for me it's a PITA to have to also turn off the "Show Floors Below".

My computer is too slow to experiment by adding framing to my current huge project, but if I create a cross section and have all the framing complete does the framing show in the cut walls (ie. plates show with "x")? This could be a benefit if this works.

YES

 

How much does the framing slow a plan down? 

VERY, VERY LITTLE.  If you don't display a 3D Framing view, not at all.  Even then, it's the GPU that would govern.

Todd,

Why do you want them eliminated?  What harm is there in having those Layers listed?

I've heard this request numerous times and so far no one has been able to give me a real good reason.  Maybe you can.

BTW, there are some settings for Layers in Preferences that might be of use to you.

With larger structures the 3D Framing Views can be difficult to decipher when printed in Construction Documents.  Some of that can be alleviated by careful camera placement but it would be nicer if we also had a "Floor Framing Overview" so that multiple floors could be split into different 3D Framing Views.

Todd,

I almost never include the 3D Framing in a set of ConDocs.  However, I find it helpful during the design of the project to see where potential problems might occur during construction.  It's helpful to see where there is/isn't sufficient space for ducts, pipes, etc.

Just select the Schedule, Ctrl-C, go to your Spread Sheet and Paste.  It's that easy.

You can also use conventional round roofs and adjust framing to get neat results.  (this was all automatic framing). I did not take time to draw clg joists but it would represent frame of awning.

 

I rendered it semi-transparent material on top

Another pretty cool solution - one that would work great for "green-house roof's", particularly in a shed attached to exterior walls.

Here's my result - not the same profile as Larry's but done using my methods.  I would just need to modify the shape of the PLine before converting to a PSolid.

As a matter of fact if I ever have to create an awning again I'll use this same method. It's way better and more versatile than Chief's existing symbol(s). BUT you don't get a return on the end so you'd have to create a p-line in elevation to close the ends. Hmmm... Is that what you were working to solve Joe?

Exactly - but I like what Greg did too.

I think I would do this with a PSolid (drawn in Elevation so it could be extruded lengthwise) converted into a Solid, Then use some Boolean operations to form the miter - explode the Shape and delete unwanted faces.  Then I would convert it to an Exterior Fixture.

It's a bit more work but with the proper Stretch Planes it could be used for similar situations in the future.

Scott,

I agree with you that the ML will never be perfect.  I also agree that it's often easier to use a workaround (psolid, etc) than to figure out a way to do the job with something that will be accurately reflected in the ML.

That's just the nature of BIM and it's not likely that it will get much better.  It may be a little easier for me to get a relatively accurate ML simply because I'm more reluctant to use PSolids or any of the other Solids that don't have building intelligence.  That means that I have more Library items available but it also means that when I don't have something appropriate that I will spend more time creating it.  The trade off is speed vs accuracy of the model.  I don't think there is anyone using Chief that can put together a set of Plans faster than you can. 

Work from the top down.  Changing heights of the topmost floor effects the floor immediately below, and then changing the heights of the floor below effects the next floor down.

I know this sounds stupid, but that's the way it works.

Mick,

If you want to change to a different MR definition you need to delete the current one and just place the new one.  It would be nice if there was a "Replace From Library" tool for this ---- but currently that's not available.  OTOH, you can edit the MR definition (a different color paint for example) and then save that to the Library.

Jon,

I've not been able to create anything less than 1/32" thick for a Material Region.  OTOH, considering Drywall Corner Beads, Tape, Joint Compound, Texture & Paint all together 1/32" isn't a stretch for what it does to the overall thickness of a wall. 

I suppose one could add a 1/16" thick paint layer to each wall definition they have.

Yes, but it's easier to have 1/32" thick Material Regions saved in your user Library and just apply that to the wall(s).  You can have as many paint colors, wallpaper coverings, etc saved in the Library and you would have a lot less Wall Types.

14 posts and no answer.

No posted Plan - how can we answer without examining the Plan?

Joseph: I was just reading one of your post in Suggestions regarding Material Regions being used in this way. I think it is interesting and I have begun to play around with it. I especially like the fact that the Floor Material Region will automatically cut half way into the doorways. Btw, do these regions get added to the materials list?

 

Thanks!

Yes, Material Regions are in the Materials List.

So Perry, how do you approach changing the wall surfaces (paint colors, for example)?

 

 

Use a "Wall Material Region" (single Layer) that doesn't cut the finish layers of the wall.  You can save these in the Library and then just click on the wall you want to add the material to.  It will cover the wall you click only - not the whole room.

For those of you who think it's too hard to do Materials Lists for Remodels......

If all your remodel work is on their own Unique Layers, you can select only those Layers to be included in the ML.  It can all be done in a Custom Layerset. 

IOW, new walls, doors, windows, cabinets, fixtures, material regions, etc just need to be on the "New Layers" and "To be Removed Layers".  It might be a bit more complicated but it's not as difficult as you might think.

Very nice Gene.  Thanks, I can use that for some of my projects.  It will be very handy for Ski Cabins/Lodges.

Sam,

Actually, it does change.  That's a bug that should be reported to CA.  It only happens when the first digit to the right of the decimal is 0.

I will call support on Monday and report it.

Sam,

I tried this in X7 and the price remains the same.  OTOH, if you change the wall length it still stays the same because it is just setting the price of one of the materials of the wall (per sq.ft.).  This is not the appropriate way to set the price of a wall because you would need to do it for each wall in the Plan.  It could be appropriate for remodel projects where you don't want to price existing walls, etc.

Normally it should be done in the Materials List for the individual components and updated to the Master List so it can be used to update any Materials List in the future.

User Library is just one big file.  There's only one file to synchronize.

I use SugarSync - but you can also use LogMeIn, Carbonite, etc to keep your systems synchronized.  Dropbox is another way to handle it..

Some of the problems that people are having with the ML is understanding the relationships between the Master Material List, a saved Material List & a new generated Material List.

When you create a new Material List for a Plan, it will only have basic information included (the stuff Chief already knows about) so you may need to edit some of the fields with Extras, Price, etc. Once you have done that you can save all or part of the List to a "Master List". You can also save the new List when you close it so you can call it back up using "Materials List Management".

If you then create a new Material List you will see that none of the edited information is in the new List. However, you can update from the Master which has the detail of the edited fields.

When a new Material List is created it is only a snapshot of the current Plan. Editing the Plan will not change the quantities in the ML, so a new ML must be created. You can open a previously saved ML but it will not reflect any changes to the Plan. It would be nice if there was a way to "Update" a ML to the current Plan but it's really almost as easy to just create a new ML and update the fields from the Master List.

For purposes of using formulas for waste, etc you can export the ML to a spreadsheet and use the capabilities of that software. It would be nice if Chief had the ability to save formulas in the Master List but that's not something currently available so using a spreadsheet is the only way to do that currently.

It would be a nice feature if there was a way to specify a percentage in the "Extras" column and have that as a part of the "Master List".