Joe_Carrick

This is what Heather asked for: I used (as Scott properly suggested) 2 cabinets. I Blocked them together and specified in the Block dbx that they should be treated as a single cabinet. If the Cabinet Schedule includes "other" then the cabinet will show in the Schedule. If you want to change the Description in the Cabinet Schedule - just open the Block's Component dbx and edit it there.

You should learn how to make you own symbols within Chief or with Sketchup (I prefer Chief myself - others prefer Sketchup). As an alternative, you can download symbols form other sources including 3DWarehouse. There will always be some symbols that aren't in the Chief Libraries - but you can add as many to the User Library as you want. I currently at least a couple of thousand - which I've organized in sub-folders. That's one of the great things about Chief - you can add and customize to the way you work and what you need.

Or, you could be SMART and use the superb method that Chief has provided.

Lew, Would you prefer that a Script allows you to place that cabinet - then opens the dbx and makes all those same changes - or, requires you to specify what you want? Either way, it's more work than just selecting the desired cabinet pre-configured from the Library and placing it in the Plan.

Lew, I have no idea what you said - and obviously you missed my point. I can take a standard tall cabinet, Insert an Oven, Warming Drawer and a Built-in Microwave - then change the door style, overlay,various dimensions, materials, hardware etc. I can do all of this in the Cabinet's dbx. Then I can add it to the User Library. The next time I need that cabinet I just pick it from the Library and insert it in a Plan. I'm free to further modify it of course but all those steps that I took the first time have been saved - it's really better than a script. Likewise, I can draw a half wall and make it a single layer 5/16" tempered glass and set it to "No Room Def" with a height of 80" and 6" above the floor. When I add that to the Library and name it "Shower Wall" I then have a Wall that I can draw in Plan with all of those steps already done. As I said, this isn't called a "Script" but it in essence does exactly that job.

In thinking about Scripts (macros to perform repetitive tasks) I think there's been a tendency to ignore ways that Chief provides for these things. 1. Templates, Defaults, Layersets & Annosets all provide a level of repeatability of certain tasks that might be provided by scripts in other CAD programs. I recall using Scripts to set up the displayed layers, working layer, etc in other CAD programs - Chief handles that sort of task much easier and faster. 2. Symbols, Wall Types, Material Definitions, etc stored in the Library provide another set of repeatable functionality. 3. Ruby Macros provide for formatted text annotation based on Object Data. There's a lot missing in how much of the Object Data Chief has made available and where it can be used - but there's still a lot of functionality in this Tool. Would a Scripting Tool (recording and playback with spots where the user could enter values) be nice to have? Yes, I think it would. However, I also recognize that a huge amount of that is covered in the Object dbx, Edit Toolbar, Right-Click Menus, Hotkeys, etc. Chief has added some really great tools over the past several releases that many don't even realize or haven't taken full advantage of: Make Current Default - this little wrench on the Edit Toolbar takes the currently selected object and sets its parameters as the Default for both existing and new objects of that type in the Plan Add to Library - Allows the currently selected Door, Window, Cabinet, Fixture (and even a Wall) to be added to the User Library so that it can be reused. Whatever steps were required to set up that object's parameters never need to be repeated again. Drawing Schedule & Revision Schedule - Eliminates a lot of work coordinating sheet names, etc. Perhaps not 100% perfect yet but really a big step forward. Select Same / Make Same - I don't use this as much as I could but it's a very powerful editing tool for those cases where you don't want to change the defaults but you want to make identical changes to a number of objects. Those are just a few examples - there are many, many more. As I have learned (and am still learning) to take advantage of the above - I've acquired a greater appreciation of just how great a program Chief is. It can be made better, but it's already d*****d good!!!! My point is that there's a lot of functionality in Chief that does what a script might do - but it's kind of hidden in how Chief operates. These things are not named "Scripts" but they do the same job.

You need to go into the "Defaults" and set up everything there the way you want it. Save that as your default template and it will be that way for all your new plans. You can also import defaults into existing plans from other existing plans.

Cheryl, I'll try to create one this evening. It will be like most such symbols - needing to be placed within a "Pass-Thru" Window opening in the wall. - unless I can do it with a Window Symbol.

Actually, Chief has (in the Library) a Corner Base Cabinet that can be resized and edited to get that shape - but it doesn't have a Door on either of the faces adjacent to the backs. Of course you can put a panel on one side to emulate what the OP wanted but it's not exactly the same thing.

Me neither.

Just put the one you edited into your "User Library". Then use that one instead of the one Chief has.

You can just edit the 2D Block to whatever you want the Plan Symbol to be.

I don't think so - but you can adjust the angle of the light source for a recessed can or mini-can. That should provide the lighting effect that an eyeball light would provide.

It's my experience that such items are getting smaller and smaller. I used to have a satellite receiver that was 18"x 10"x3". Now I have one that's 10"x6"x1.25" and another that's 6"x4"x1". IAE, They are basically just little black boxes - easy enough to just use a "Primitive Box" for 3D purposes.

Sharon, I think you misunderstand. Symbols stored in the Library reference Textures in the Textures Folder, not in the download folder. When a Symbol is added to a Plan, that reference to the Texture in the Textures Folder is maintained. When you Backup a Plan (the entire Plan), a copy of the Textures are attached to the Plan so that it can be transferred (copied) to another system. This is the ultimate archive of the Plan. Other than that, there's no problem with just leaving the Symbol in the Library and the Texture in the Texture Folder.

Perry, The Snipping Tool allows you to select other formats for saving. PNG is just the default.

Perry's method works, but in order to actually change the size of the text, you need to use one of the Corner Handles. IAE, there's no need to Block the Text to resize it - unless you want to actually resize in just one direction.

These things are tricky. Most likely the "Thicker Wall" is a result of having a Floor or Ceiling Height difference - but it could be something else.

Todd, You must have changed the "Default" to "Fixed". You could do this in Defaults or you could have simply selected the little wrench on the Edit Toolbar while the Fixed Windows was selected. All of your existing windows were set "Use Default" so when the default was changed - all the existing windows changed to the new default. It's a feature that works with Doors, Windows, Cabinets, etc. If you don't want the existing to change you should group select them and set the type to "Double Hung" instead of "Used Default"

Robert, You only need to move one wall in order to select the room, not all of them.

Move one of the Furred Walls away from the Concrete Wall. This will allow you to select the Room and specify "Exclude from Schedule", after which, you can move the Furred Wall back against the Concrete Wall.

Sure, I do it a lot. Both Read and Write.

OK, here's number 50. I had renamed this one, It was originally SPEO04 Girl in White Dress.calibz

Rent to own? I wasn't aware that there was such a version.

So this morning's Workshop hosted by Scott was very informative - and in some cases contentious - but I think everyone learned a little something. Here's what I now understand: 1. Layer Sets can control all Annotations on an individual Layer basis by specifying the Linestyle, Color & Text Style. a. In the case of Text Style the individual Layers can use a specific Text Style,or the Defauylt Text Style. b. If the Layers specify " Default Text Style" then any Text created on that Layer will use the Current Plan Defaults. c. If a specific Text Style is specified, Then changing that Text Style will modify all Text in the Drawing that uses that Text Style. 2. Annosets specify a set of Defaults which include - in most cases - Layer, Linestyle, Line Weight, Color & Text Style. In the case of Dimensions, there are additional settings and in the case of Rich Text there are fewer. 3. Annosets can also specify the Current Layer Set and the Current CAD Layer - but those to can be set to "Use Active" which will result in no change when that Annoset is selected. 4. There are several options for how to use Annosets, Layer Sets, and Text Styles. Everyone seems to have their own preferences. a. Select the Annoset which in turn selects the CAD Layer and Layer Set b. Select Annoset and Layer Set and CAD Layer independently. c. Let the Layerset control everything and modify Defaults separately d. Some hybrid combination ?????? The general consensus seemed to be that it would be really nice if Layer Sets had the following options: 1. Current CAD Layer (either a specific Layer or "Use Active") 2. Annoset (either a specific Annoset or "Use Active') This would allow the user to set up their system with either Layersets as KING or Annosets as KING. Most of the attendees seem to prefer using the Layerset as KING, but having the option of setting up our systems either way would in the long run satisfy everyone.