Joe_Carrick

You might need to adjust the Symbol's "Y" origin, depending on the wall thickness.  I set it to 19" but for a 6" Stud Wall it should be about 20-21".  You can play with it as needed.

The attached "Doorway" Symbol can be used where you want a Roll-Up Garage Door.  It won't show the "Overhead Rectangle" that a Garage Door normally shows, but you can add a CAD Rectangle for that if you need to show the Roll in Plan View.

IAE, it displays correctly in 3D, and will be in the Door Schedule if "Doorways" are included in the Schedule.

Roll-Up Garage Door.calibz

My guess would be that you are creating a PDF with way more resolution than you need.  Try setting the resolution down to about 60-90 dpi.  It should then import into Chief at a much more reasonable physical size.  You might need to play with it a bit to get the best resolution but in the case of PDFs you really don't need anything more than 120 for use in Chief - smaller is better.

Here are some examples of macros for Stairs:

Stair_Risers_Imperial_Short

# This Displays the number & Height of Risers

nR = num_treads+1
cText = nR.to_s

# Convert Decimal Values to Fractions
inches = riser_height.round
case
when inches > riser_height
  inches = inches-1
end
frac =( (riser_height-inches)*16).round.quo(16)
case
when frac == 1
  result = "#{inches + 1}"
when frac == 0
  result = "#{inches}"
else
  result = "#{inches} #{frac}"
end

# 'Risers = '+cText+' @ '+riser_height.round(2).to_s+'"'
# 'Risers = '+cText+' @ '+result+'"'
cText+" Risers @ "+result+'"'

Stair_Treads_Imperial_Short

# Displays Number & Size of Treads
# Convert Decimal Values to Fractions
inches =tread_depth.round
case
when inches > tread_depth
  inches = inches-1
end
frac =( (tread_depth-inches)*16).round.quo(16)
case
when frac == 1
  result = "#{inches + 1}"
when frac == 0
  result = "#{inches}"
else
  result = "#{inches} #{frac}"
end

#Display Results
# 'Treads = '+num_treads.to_s+' @ '+result+'"'
num_treads.to_s+' Treads @ '+result+'"'

Stair_Width_Imperial

# Convert Decimal Values to Fractions
inches =width.floor
frac =( (width-inches)*16).round.quo(16)
case
when frac == 1
  result = "#{inches + 1}"
when frac == 0
  result = "#{inches}"
else
  result = "#{inches} #{frac}"
end

#Display Results

'Stair Width = '+result+'"'

The 3 lines in the text box shown in the pic below are created by the above macros.

There are many things that you can annotate using Ruby macros and attributes that Ruby has access to.  Generally, this only works in Plan View and you have to have the correct relationship between the text macro and the object.

The first thing to understand is how to get at the attributes for any object.

1.  Select the Object and open the Ruby Console

2.  Enter "owner.names" which will list the attributes associated with that object.

3.  Assuming that one of the "names" is height, type "owner.height" and the height of the object will be displayed.

The next thing to understand is that a Text Object that references that object (usually by having an arrow pointing to the object) can retrieve the data.  If that Text Object has a macro embedded in it the data will be displayed instead of the macro name.  In the case of Chief's "Labels" such as a Door, Window or Room Label the macro can be directly embedded in the Default Label and it will then automatically display the data in each Label.

Owner and Referenced context must be properly defined for each macro.  Macros specified in Labels or in Text Objects need to be in the form %macro_name%.  In most cases numerical values will not be in the format you want and you will need to have the macro perform calculations and formatting to get the text you want displayed.

There is a lot to learn to use macros to the ultimate possibility and - as Gerry pointed out - Chief has not given us access to enough of the model data so that everything could be automated.

Barry,

Annosets can be used for just scale related items (Rich Text, Text, Callouts, Markers, & Dimensions) by specifying "Use Active" for Current CAD Layer and Current Layer Set.  IOW, one Annoset for each dwg scale that you use. 

If you use it this way you will have to change the Layer Set and Current CAD Layer separately.

The other option is to have an Annoset for each scale for Architectural, Structural, Electical, Plumbing, HVAC, etc. and have the Annosets select the Current CAD Layer and the Current Layerset.

IMO, the Annosets should be used just for the sandard text size (1/8"  in my case) and possibly for different fonts.  Special Text Styles (Size and Font) for specific uses I relegate to the Layer Set individual Layer definitions. 

I do prefer to have one click to set everything and currently that can only be done in the Annoset.

Put one in the Library

It's rare in construction that anything is built closer than 1/8".  But for certain details you might need the smaller fractions. 

My recommendation would be to create the model accurately and have the Dimension Defaults set to the accuracy needed for the scale and the drawing type as needed/appropriate.

You probably also need to check the Dwg Scale and make sure it's also 1/2"

Did you save the CAD Detail after changing the Annoset?  Are you accessing the CAD Detail from the Layout?

You can place multiple appliances in a single tall cabinet.  The key is to first place one appliance - I prefer the oven.  Then open the cabinet dbx and select the front element below and set the type to "appliance" which you can then select from the Library.  Continue to do this for each fron element.

Once you have the Cabinet customized with all the appliances in it - SAVE IT IN YOUR LIBRARY - so you won't have to do the same thing on the next project where you want that configuration.

BTW,  IMNSHO you are trying to put too many appliances in a single cabinet. It makes the MW way to high - unless it's for a couple of NBA or WNBA Players,  My maximum stack is a Warming Drawer, 30" wide Oven, Microwave (with trim kit).  For double that, I put another stack right beside the first one.

Not "Molding Planes".  "Molding Polylines" - basically a Line on which you can add 1 or more Molding Profiles and/or 3D Molding Symbols.  Learning to use this tool is a big deal in Chief.  With it, you can create a lot of "extruded shapes" for railings, etc.

I just tried that, but as soon I as check "floor supplied by room below", I run back into the same issue.

1.  Why use "Floor supplied by Room Below"?

2.  What is the Room Below?

Robert covered it pretty well.  There are other ways to do it (and it could have been pretty easily built in Chief instead of Sketchup) such as Molding PLines, etc.

I'm jumping in late here, but I think you could just not call it a garage and change the Floor Height in the Room dbx.  That should resolve the Stem Wall issue.  You can Name the room "Garage" but just not use the "Garage Room Type"

Still no attachment.  Once you select the file, you still have to click "Attach this File"

I just right-click on the Taskbar and select "Start Task Manager".  I guess I just like using the mouse rather than the keyboard shortcuts.

No attachment.  IAE, you would probably want to import the SKP as an Exterior Fixture or Furniture Symbol.

Just curious,  has anyone tried makeing the symbol "Ceiling Mounted" with "Flush Mounted"?  The z origin might need to be adjusted to mount at the correct height relative to the beam, but it should work.

I would like to be able to set Upper Case as a default within any given Text Style and/or Label. IOW, make it possible for us to specify what we want to be Upper Case and what we want to be Uppercase/Lowercase.

Typically, I like general text (the 1/8" Default Text - whatever font I select- usually Chief Blueprint) to be all Uppercase. That's the body of notes, etc in the CDs. Larger Text such as View Names, etc I have come to be comfortable with as Uppercase/Lowercase - mostly because it allows more characters within a given width.

Note:  Just for readability reasons alone, I don't want anything less than 1/10" in height on the final printed sheet.  I actually prefer 1/8" but since the computer fonts are more legible than hand drafting I can accept 1/10" as the bottom limit.

I would use a 3D Molding Symbol on a 3D Molding Polyline.  The Symbol would be a single Brick + a grout space (soldier course) and the 3D Molding Polyline would be an arch drawn in the Elevation View.  For the Material of the Brick, use a grainy brick red color/texture - don't use an actual brick texture.

The other option would be just a 2D Molding Profile on the 3DMolding Polyline and a Brick Texture.

It seems like Wendy disappeared once Chief provided Shadow Boards.  What happened to her? 

So delete the offending Layout Box and then send the view to Layout again with the correct Layer Set.

In the lib. some of the front apron sinks are set to sit on top , I changed it to imbed into countertop and still no go. I had to set its height to get it to work.

Perry,

The best solution I've found for the Apron Front Sinks is to use a Cabinet that's shorter (by the amount of the Sink Depth) and set the Counter Top thickness for that Cabinet to 0. That eliminates a lot of other problems - like the front panel of the Cabinet possibly protruding into the sink. Besides, that's how I specify the Cabinet. I do the same for commercial Cook Tops - they just sit on a shorter cabinet.

Joe can't find just a sidelite so I can put a window above and if I use a window and adjust the sash I can't get a raised panel in the sidelite, any of the bonus lib that have a door with 2 sidelites on them doesn't have a transom above and when adding a window for the transom it won't mull together. I was hoping Chief would have such a common door configuration in there lib. I even tried 3d warehouse with no luck

Mull the Door and Sidelights first.  Then make sure the edges of the transom are aligned with the edges of the sidelights and mull those together.  Chief simply requires that the heights match for side by side and that the widths match for vertical mulling.