Joe_Carrick

This has been asked for multiple times in the past 5 years.  Having the ability to add to Defaults for not only Rooms, but also for most other things similar to the way we can add to the Library would be very helpful.  In addition, it should be per floor as well.

There's another thread about this concept - I'll see if I can find it.

https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/1278-defaults-per-floor-and-room-type/

Take particular note of post #10.

Jenny,

Once you have your cabinets with the sub categories....

Save them in your Library (create a sub folder for them) and then use those instead of Chief's generics.  That way you won't have to constantly go in and edit each cabinet, adding the sub categories and the data.  What's in the Library can be used complete with any project.

I've done this with Doors, Windows, Cabinets, Appliances and Plumbing Fixtures.  I even have some Cabinets with Appliances and/or Sinks stored in the Library with Mfr Data.  If you do most jobs with the same design elements it's a lot faster than messing around with generic cabinets, etc and then having to do a lot of editing.

So if you are using a MAC, the best bet is a PDF Printer rather than Chief's Save to PDF.

FWIW, I like to conceal the return air behind a louvered door or something totally architectural.  Millwork detail such as baseboards, wainscot panels, toekick space under cabinets, etc are all great places to conceal the registers.  It's not always possible but any way to hide the ugly pieces of sheet metal is what I like to do.

They don't have to, the filters are in the ceiling. for easy changing

Ugly and you have to get up on a ladder.

1. Homeowner's hate to go up in the attic to change the filters.

2. When the WH fails and the drywall and carpet, etc get soaked they're going to scream bloody murder.

Basically, I just think it's good practice to make all systems easily accessible for maintenance and repair. Saving a few square feet of floor area doesn't make sense when you consider how much of a problem it can create.

If it was me, I would just create a series of 3D boxes making up the cross section of the railing and convert them to a 3D Molding Symbol.  The trick is to make them long enough so that you don't have a lot of short segments - not a problem in 3D Standard Render but with any Vector View it can look very strange if the segments are too short.

I don't know about Perry and the FAU in the Attic, but that's not my practice at all.  Maybe it's because I do some work up in the mountains above 7000 feet elevation.  I want my FAU and WH in conditioned spaces so things don't freeze.  I've seen too many Water Heaters and Pipes burst causing flooding in attics and basements.  In most cases the building department won't even allow plumbing in exterior walls.  Water lines are not a good idea in unheated crawl spaces either.

Five minutes using a Molding and a 3D Box.

That's a forced air unit (Gas Heater and AC) with a duct - the Box with X in it>

Just in case anyone is not aware of this:

Check "By Object" to retain all the line display properties you used when creating the CAD block.

Check "By Block Layer" to have all the linework in the CAD block displayed per the layer display properties the CAD block is assigned to. 

Jim,

You are right about this for Color, Line Weight & Line Style.  The biggest problem I have with the way this works is that the Display is controlled totally by the CAD Block Layer.  If that Layer is displayed then the entire Block is displayed but if it's not then no part of the Block is displayed.  I would like to selectively display various object layers within the CAD Block.

I believe this is related to something that I've asked for several times.

I would like to be able to have the sub-items in CAD Blocks display at their original line weights, line-styles & colors - independent from the CAD Block settings (optional of course for those who like it the way it is but as a default or preference setting).  I suspect that the problem with getting casings to display at different line weights is a similar problem in that Doors & Windows seem to act like (and maybe are) CAD Blocks.

IAE, the idea is as follows:

Depending on a Default or Preference setting (Default could even over-ride Preference) the display of CAD Blocks would either be at the CAD Block Layerset values or at their individual Layerset values.

I can't think of any cases where coordinating the 2D and 3D origins would cause such problems.  The use of the Ctrl key for moving objects simply allows the user to over-ride Chief's built-in axis and snap locks and allows the user to place 2 objects within the same physical space.  Sometimes that is fine and sometimes it creates other problems.

For placing Appliances into Cabinets I prefer to use the center tool or transform/replicate or both.  The accuracy doing it that way is much better. 

IAE, I never said that it must be all my way - in fact, I believe I've given several possible solutions and none of them would preclude you from having the 2D and 3D origins different.  Why do you insist that I shouldn't be able to have them match if I want to offset them the same?  There are many Symbols in Chief that have offset 3D origins (Doors, Doorways and Windows for example often need that in order to be positioned correctly in 3D.  Many Appliance Symbols that are designed ot be placed in Cabinets have such offsets.)  In most cases Chief handles the 2D representation of those objects internally.  However, there are cases where the user wants to create or import a Symbol to act in a specific manner and not having the option to control the placement of the 2D Block to match what the 3D origin provides just doesn't make sense.

Michael,

I think you're being too complicated in how you view this.  Basically, I'm just saying that what I see in a 3D view should look the same in Plan (ie CD's).  I really can't see how that would give any problems with dimensioning.

BTW, AFAIK the only thing that the Ctrl Key provides is to over-ride axis and/or snap modes.  That has nothing to do with my point.

You know...I've thought this through quite a bit and played around with all the scenarios mentioned.  I think the problem you are trying to solve really has nothing to do with the symbol origin at all but rather with limitations of window symbols.  Having the origins of both the 3D and CAD representations match will mathematically put you back at square one and therefore would be of no use.  What you are really looking for is for the ability to insert a user defined symbol into a wall (right now all we can do is attach TO the wall).  Until Chief allows us to do this, I think the only real solution is a CAD patch. Recessed Bookcase for Scott.zip

The Window thing is only one case. 

Having the origins match but both being offset by the same amount is not the same as having them both at [0,0] so no, it doesn't put us back to square one.

We can in fact insert a symbol into a wall (X7 provides for "Window Symbols" aka "Projection Windows" but the implementation wasn't complete)

Of course, if Chief would allow us to change the "side" of windows like it does doors then we would get bothe the 3D and 2D to change sides.

Instead of asking me, why don't you just try it.  I know it works because I'd already done it hours ago.

But of course this also points out the fact that rotating the 3D Symbol doesn't rotate the 2D Block.  Basically the same thing as the difference in origin values as with rotation.

We really need CA to do something about these anomalies.  I can see where there could be some cases where you would want them to be different but there are many more cases where they should be coordinated .

BTW,  take a  look at this  plan.  In the  plan is JC's  symbol and there is also my NICHE IDEA.  Nothing is perfect.

 

Question,  suppose JC has a wall and he wants one of his bookshelves on one side of the wall and another bookshelf on the other side about 4' down.

IOW,  how do you control on which side the bookshelf is open to?

Simple answer.....

In the symbol dbx - rotate the symbol 180 degrees.  Do I get a prize?

Ron,

I think you're right, but it really depends on the structure.  In Scott's case I believe he has a span of about 16' so if he sloped in just one direction at 1/4" per foot he would have a total drop of 4" which could be a visual problem.  There are basically 3 ways to get slope on a "Flat Roof":

1.  Sloped the Rafters and add level ceiling joists if needed.

2.  Level Rafters and add wedged shaped strips on top to create the slope

3.  Level Rafters and a LW Concrete Topping sloped as needed.

My preference is #3

Scott, What does your Not Perfect solution look like in 3D? 

Chief calls these Half Hip Style in the Roof Styles Panel of the Build Roof dbx.  I think they can be automatically generated.

Then there is the reverse system called a California Gable.  Those are the kind that has a small gable (kind of like an inline dormer) projecting out from ridge on a hip roof.  Chief doesn't include those.

I also looked at all the Toilet Fixtures CA provides.  The Elongated Toilet has a spacer so the bounding box goes back an extra inch but non of the others have that feature.  Just like the Washing Machines, they are missing the spacer.  I could go thru the Library, copy Chief's stuff and create my own symbols (each with a 1/8" diameter sphere or cube placed 1" behind the fixture) but that's a lot of work.  IAE, it doesn't solve the problem for anything that needs to be offset the other direction.

Adrean, if you see this you might want to consider looking at all the appliances and fixtures that should be offset from the wall.  Even most furniture should have at least a 1" gap from the wall.

Scott,

Here you go - knock yourself out.  But I don't think it's fair that you won't bet before trying it.

Recessed Bookcase for Scott.zip

Joe,  try adding "Perrys's Magic Dot" to your window symbol.   I bet that will give you what you want.

Scott,

What amount do you want to bet?  I could use a new set of golf clubs.