Joe_Carrick

w For room eevations I use the wall elevation camera.

The schedule reflects the description and comments of what is shown in the Component dbx (the little blue book icon in the edit menu) For Height, Width, Thickness, etc it's what's in the normal dbx (the little open door in the edit menu).

Just place an interior door and edit the thickness. You might need to edit it in the Components dbx to get the right description, etc.

It only has meaning for the top floor of the building. For lower floors (actually I do this for all floors) just add layers to the Ceiling Finish. ie: 12" Air Gap 3.5" Fir Framing 5/8" Drywall That will result in a Ceiling that's 16-1/8" below the framing above.

Thanks Val, I found that in fact it can be done later and the Laout simply updated when the elevation is closed. I still think this should be an automatic.

The only way that I know of to eliminate this is to start a new Plan. Then you use Edit Area to copy all Floors to the new Plan. If you have a Layout associated with the Plan, you will need to relink the files.

Perry, I've know that for a long time. This is really about the fact that Glass isn't transparent in Vector View Wall Elevations except when it's in a part of window or door. If we can have the glass in Doors and Windows not be opaque, why not other glass objects?

Of course it works in a perspective - I alread said that. What doesn't work is a Vector Room Wall Elevation.

There is a setting in the Camera - 3D View Defaults for "Opaque / not-Opaque Glass". The problem is that it only works for Section/Elevation Cameras and then apparently only for glass in Windows and Doors placed in Walls. Other Glass Objects are always Opaque as are even Windows and Doors in Wall Elevations (Interior).

Save as a Texture. That's the term in Chief for material representations. "Patterns" in Chief are hatch patterns used in vector views and they can only be defined in .pat files.

That setting only works for exterior elevations. I guess I need to report it as a bug to support

I like to have my bathroom tile walls show thru the glass shower door/wall. I can't seem to get that to work even though the material of the glass shower wall is transparent. I make the glass wall as a solid railing, no room definition, 6' tall, and insert a slab door (3/8" thick tempered glass). It works perfectly in perspective views, but in room elevations the wall beyond the glass wall isn't visible. What am I missing? I'm pretty sure I had done this successfully before.

Jim, You're correct about needing to remove the (D) before adding to the Library. Otherwise, the current Defaults will over-ride what you put in the Library. For some things (like Toe-Kick dimensions, Countertop thickness, etc) I don't bother to remove the (D) but for most things I do that. My experience is that component changes are saved and carried forward. It could be just that I've also saved the components in my Default Plan. Most of the component detail I have is universal (ie: just additional notes that Chief didn't otherwise provide for.)

Note that if you save a cabinet with a fixture or appliance in the Library - that's what you get when you place it in a Plan. Saves another step - or maybe more.

Another Option is to add your cabinets to your User Library. Then place them in the new Plan, select and set as Default. This will change the Plan Defaults for the type of Cabinet (Base, Wall, Tall, etc.) I use a Library of Cabinets with separate folders: Frameless 1/2" Overlay 1-1/4" Overlay Full Inset with Base, Wall, Full Height, Sink Base, Dishwasher Base, Compactor Base, Oven & Microwave, etc. That way I seldom have to configure a new Cabinet - I can simply select the one I want completely configured except for custom material selections and Door/Drawer styles. Note that chagning the Defaults will change every cabinet of the same type throughout the plan if it's set to Use Default. This can be a very powerful way of working with Cabinets, Doors, Windows, etc.

Import the Libraries - Core, Bonus, Manufacturers. Then migrate your X5 User Library into X6. Importing Library Catalogs Chief Architect library files have two different file extensions: .calib and .calibz. Both files can include any combination of Chief Architect library items; in addition, .calibz files are able to save data associated with textures and images. Both file types can be imported into the Chief Architect library. There are several ways to import a .calib or .calibz file into the program library: • Double-click on the file in an operating system window. • Drag the file from an operating system window and drop it into the Chief Architect program window. • Select Library> Import Library from the program menu. To import library files into the library 1. Select Library> Import Library to display the Import Library Data dialog. 2. Browse to the .calib or .calibz file(s) that you want to import and either single or group-select the files so that their names display in the File Name field. • To select a group of files, click on the first one, hold down the Shift key, then click on another file. The two files plus all files in between are selected. • To select multiple files individually, click on one, hold down the Ctrl key, then click on additional files. Only the files you click on are selected. • To select all files in the directory, click on one and press Ctrl + A. Only do this if you wish to import all files in the folder. 3. Click the Open button. 4. A progress bar will display, telling you the progress of each library data file as it is imported. Once imported, each file will be located in the User Catalog. When a .calib or .calibz file is imported into the program, its contents are automatically placed in the User Catalog. Any images or textures saved in a .calibz file will be copied into the Chief Architect X6 Data\ Images and Textures folders for backup purposes. The program will only reference these copies if it cannot locate the files in their original locations. See Chief Architect Data. Legacy Library Conversion If you have Chief Architect X5 library content, the initial startup of Chief Architect X6 will give you the option to migrate this content for use in Chief Architect X6. See Migrating Library Catalogs. You can also import legacy .calib and .calibz files created in Chief Architect X4, X3, or X2 for use in version X6 at any time. See Exporting Library Catalogs.

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.

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.