Joe_Carrick

There's no trick.  Symbols are not the same as Chief's native objects.  Essentially the native objects are controlled by the software while the symbols are basically fixed geometry.  The symbols can be modified as to size and materials but otherwise are limited to their basic shape.

2 minutes ago, powellscandrett said:

Did you finish the build? What does the patio look like now?

Probably 2-1/2 years ago. 

You would need to mull them in Chief. They can still be labeled and listed in the Schedules as separate units.

I reported this problem to Chief several months ago.  They need to update the Library.  Which they acknowledged - but I'm sure it will take time to get it done.

Try an extra "framing" layer for the battens in the wall definition.  

I've been working on a macro to return a "Floor Name" based on Chief's Floor Levels.  The macro automatically names:

• floor level 0  as "Foundation"
• any Basement as "1st Basement Floor", "2nd Basement Floor", etc.  depending on the number of Basements
• all above floor levels as "1st Floor","2nd Floor", "3rd Floor", etc.
• attic level as "Attic

A building with 0 basements and 2 additional floors (level 0,1,2) will have Floors named:

• Foundation  level 0
• 1st Floor  level 1
• 2nd Floor  level 2
• Attic  

A building with 1 basements and 2 additional floors (level 0,1,2,3) will have Floors named:

• Foundation  level 0
• 1st Basement Floor  level 1
• 1st Floor  level 2
• 2nd Floor  level 3
• Attic  

A building with 2 basements and 2 additional floors (level 0,1,2,3,4) will have Floors named:

• Foundation  level 0
• 2nd Basement Floor  level 1
• 1st Basement Floor  level 2
• 1st Floor  level 3
• 2nd Floor  level 4
• Attic  

I think this is going to make Floor Plan Naming much easier. 

9 hours ago, HumbleChief said:

I just noticed one of the articles was dated Jan 23rd and suggested X15 will be introduced during this year's KBIS which starts today Jan 31 through Feb 2nd. So I'm guessing that if the new features in X15 will be introduced there that those new features might also be introduced to its users as well?  

No, the article indicates that the release will be this spring.  It's only being demonstrated at KBIS this week.

For stairs, the area is the actual surface area.  Under stairs usable space is also included.  

Assuming a 1 story stair the "open below" area isn't counted because there's no floor.  If it's a 2 story stair then you have to count the 2nd floor stair but not the "open below" of the 3rd floor.

Note that the "Open Below" area may not be the same as the stair area.

It's the Text Style in the "Cameras, Wall Elevations" Layer.  Not the easiest thing to find.

I like to set that to 3/32" Arial. (4-1/2" at 1/4" Scale)

But I'm really pushing for a different callout to indicate all 4 elevations.

Import into your user Library.

Are you on Floor Level 0 ?

There's probably 100's of thousands of existing homes built before 1980 in California that don't have automatic closers on doors between the garage and the house.  Many of them are hinged to swing into the house rather than out - which should be the preferred direction.  That's not mandatory but it is good design practice.

3D Symbols can only be edited within the Symbol dbx (little chair) and the things you can do there are limited.  

You can use the "Delete Surface Tool" in a 3D Perspective View (nothing else in the plan) to get rid of some things you don't want.  But then you need to create a new Symbol from what you modified.

Symbols are not the same as the CAD Block.  That's just the plan view representation of the 3D Symbol.  You can modify the CAD Block but you need to assign the modified CAD Block to the Symbol.  It's then still the Symbol that you need to place in the model, not the 2D CAD Block which wiil be placed in the model along with the Symbol.

Study the Symbol dbx - and the "Create Symbol" tool in Chief to learn the ins and outs of Symbols.  I don't know if there are any good videos but you might try looking for them on Chief's Website.

It's the same trick used for inserting railing in the openings in regular walls.

OK, Try this.

1. Make an opening in the brick wall (no frame, no casings)
2. Make the 4" thick wall about 12 " inside the room and mark it "No Room Definition"
3. Place your door in that wall. 
4. You might want to adjust the wall to the width and height of the Brick Wall Opening.
5. Move the 4" thick wall to be flush with the inside of the Brick Wall.

There are other methods but this will work fine.

Make a wall where the door is just 4" thick.  IOW, a small length of wall for the door to insert into.  

42 minutes ago, Opelsauce said:

Joe - thanks for pointing me to Rene / Rabbits design shop, but I must confess to being slightly confused as to how one might find this and similar resources on this forum.

Make sure you subscribe to more than just the Q&A Forum.  There are some additional Forums that will help you find helpful information.

17 minutes ago, Opelsauce said:

Joe,

 

Being relatively new to this forum, I have no idea how to navigate to Rene's (Rabbit) Kitchen Tools

39 minutes ago, Opelsauce said:

Joe,

 

When I place a native Chief block and select it, the icon I was referring to describes it as "Explode CAD Block".

The option presented when I select the imported 3D block is the "Edit CAD Block" you may be referring to.

A Chief CAD Block isn't the same thing as the imported 3D Block. The Chief CAD Block contains all the intelligence of the objects within it.  The imported 3D Block is just a 3D Symbol without the original intelligence.

You are not going to be able to use it for the purpose you outlined.  Your best bet would be to use Chief's Cabinets in the model for rendering purposes.  Take a look at Rene's (Rabbit) Kitchen Tools and the use of "Style Pallets" to get what you need.

That symbol is "Edit CAB Block" not "Explode".

Generally any 3D Blocks or 3D Symbols imported into Chief are just Geometry and can't be broken down into component parts.  The best you can do is use the "Remove Surface Tool".

2020 and Chief are totally different apps and have capabilities.  Interactivity isn't one of them.

No, there isn't any option currently to modify that behavior.  It would be a good idea to submit it as a suggestion.  Probably something in Preferences.

My Stair macros are embedded in a Text Box and stored in the Library.

When I place that in a Plan and connect to a Stair with an arrow the macros execute and display the Stair and Landings information.

This works for Straight, "L" & "U" shaped Stairs.

It won't connect to a Stair in Section so I manually label and annotate there.  Hoefully we'll get the ability to connect in Sections in a future version.

On 10/13/2022 at 6:15 PM, buildology said:

Regarding wall schedule we do use them and it works really well but how do I get that information to elevations?

I have a "Walls" macro package that labels walls in various views.  There's on macro that determines what the view type is and creates the label accordingly.  For Sections and Elevations it displays the Finish Wall Layers (exterior or interior depending on the view).

This will be available once X15 Public Beta is released.

Actually, if the residence and garage are fire sprinklered there's an exception.  I need to get the 2022 revisions as my 2018 has an error in what the exception is.

Maybe some automatic framing?

A plan file would help diagnose.  Otherwise we can only guess.