Joe_Carrick

Yes

Try the .ceil or .floor methods instead or .round These will round up or down to the corresponding whole number

There are some things in the program that are there just for the "Materials List". Not everything is displayed in the plan as graphics. Some things like joist hangers would just be shown in a CAD Detail - which you have to create (add the Hangers from the Library)

DeltaHome, You obviously don't understand that this software is not 2D CAD. Chief is designed as 3D design software where you just enter the "REAL WORLD" dimensions of everything. You can set the "Drawing Scale" to whatever you want while working on a design - but it's really irrelevant because the objects represent their size in reality. Forget about drawing at scale. Start thinking about the size of things as if you were working with the real objects. a 2x4 is 1.5" x 3.5" regardless of what scale you think you want. On paper you would have drawn it 1/4 that size if you were working at a scale of 3"=1'-0". That's not what you do in Chief. In Chief you set the drawing scale of the CAD Detail to 3"=1'-0" but you still draw the 2x4 as 1.5"x3.5" (Real World Size) IOW, think like the builder, not like a draftsman. This quote may apply here: "Anyone who thinks that they have designed something that is "idiot proof" does not truly appreciate the ingenuity of idiots..." You are not an idiot ..... but you need to quit thinking like a draftsman using paper and a scale. You now work with a tape measure at real size.

One more note: You can edit "User Library" items but not "Chief' Library" items. Copy any "Chief Library" item to your "User Library" and then you can edit to your hearts content. If your wall types use "User Library" materials then ......

Select the Wall Layer then the Material Column then "Plan Materials" and rename it there.

Patrick, Have you looked at the "Wall Construction" columns in the Schedule? That could be exactly what you are asking for.

Rob, Niches are actually created by the "Window>Niche" tool You should use a "Half Wall" instead of a "Pony Wall" If you are using a "Niche Symbol" .... don't - use the "Window>Niche" tool instead. If you see framing in the Niche, reframe the wall.

Purchase Zinstall.exe It's the easiest way to transfer anything/everything from one computer to another. But it only works for Windows computers - not for MACs

Scott, The Callout bubble at the bottom of that detail would not normally be shown with the arrows. I should be just a circle with the S4 text.

Global variables are persistent to the current instance of Chief. Any file (plan or layout) that is open and sets a value to a specifically named global variable will change that global. I have a very limited set of macros in my Layout file - just those that are Layout specific. My Plan files have many more macros and are mostly relative only to the objects in the Plan.

Jason, You keep trying to use global variables in the Layout. You will be far more successful if you just use a macro in the Plan. It can be in a Label - or in the case of rooms it can be in a text box placed in the room. You really need to study what attributes are available for the different object types. If you need a comprehensive way to do that let me know. I have some macros that you can use within TMM that list them in detail - arrainged alphabetically. I do use globals in some cases but only when I need to be able to retrieve a lot of data that may not be otherwise available. In some cases I've used such macros to provide code compliance, engineering analysis, site area analysis, etc. The objects in Chief's Plan files are full of useful information - but you need to understand how to use it effectively.

Chief's "Help" is pretty comprehensive. In this case all you needed to do was select your Stairs and hit the F1 key. The Help would be displayed and you could read all the details of what each part of the dbx would do. I've been using Chief for a long time and I still use the Help regularly for things I don't remember - or never needed before. F1, F1, F1

Larry, As an Architect, I was also trained in structural engineering. I can usually determine just by observation whether I need to use any special materials or if wood framing will work. If something extra is needed I will normally do the calculations myself. OTOH, if a full steel moment resisting frame is needed I'll have a registered Structural Engineer do the design. Many steel fabricators have engineers on staff that can provide not only the design calculations but also the detailing.

Hi Jason, I almost always use a scale of 1/4"=1'-0" for my plans. If I have a plan that won't fit on an Arch-E (36"x48") sheet then I'll use a key plan at 1/8"=1'-0" and match lines to split up the 1/4" scale plans in the Layout. In a few cases I've created custom sheet sizes: Arch-D2 (24"x42") Arch-E2 (30"x48") But I only do that if it means I can get the plan to fit at 1/4"=1'-0" Naturally, whenever I create such custom sizes I add the appropriate borders, titles blocks, etc to my templates for future use. BTW, my preferred size is Arch-D (24"x36") and that's my default template for new projects. As far as text and dimensions are concerned, I have Layersets set up for those that use scale specific dimension & text styles - per Layer. CA only has text and arrows in "real world units" so that's the only way to assure those elements will appear correct when the scale is changed. Several years ago I mad a suggestion that those elements should be in "print units" so that they would always be readable regardless of the scale. Since I don't think that's never going to be implemented I just took the time to create all the styles and Layersets that I need to use and I'v coordinated those with my default "Saved Plan Views". I believe that X-13 will have multiple "Dimension Defaults" so that should get even better - but will probably require quite a bit of additional customization of the Plan Defaults.

Not true. The key is parsing the path by using the "\" character.

No, I change the drawing size. My Layout and plan Templates includes all of the larger sheet sizes - different layers for each size. There are borders, title blocks, etc in the Layout Template for each sheet size. I simply change the Layerset and the drawing sheet sizes.

Are you sure that File.dirname(filepath)+"/firstfloorarea.txt" exists?

One possibility is to add editable text files with the data pre-assigned. You can have macros that read those files and assign the data to global variables or just dispaly the data without using global variables at all. You can even have a single character text box to link to those text files for editing. I use that system to access the same sort of information Chief provides for Designer and Client info. Structural Engineer Surveryor Energy (T-24) Builder etc. I also use it to load various tables of data for structural calculations as well as some code requirements. Most of it is loaded directly when the Layout is opened via a Label of a Layout Box on Page 0 of my Layout Template. That Layout box has to be linked to a view in the plan from which it gets the location of the Plan. Ruby can be very versatile if you know what you are doing.

There shouldn't be a problem as long as both files are open at the same time. You will have to display the plan (view with the macro that assigns the value to the global variable) first. Then display the Layout page that retrieves the value. I do this sometimes but I agree with Chopsaw - it's easier if it's done in a text box within the plan file itself.

Probably because of the code block syntax you used. In Ruby it's common practice to use the method .to_f to convert a string to a floating point value or the method .to_i to convert to an integer value. You can also use the method .to_s to convert a numerical value to a string. I'm not personally a great fan of code blocks - mostly because I don't fully understand all the nuances of their use. I also think not using code blocks makes the script easier to read and understand.

Consider using your macros in the Labels of Rooms, CAD Boxes, etc. That way you can use the dimensional data (Ruby attributes) of those objects to calculate and display results. If those results are stored as global variables you can have a macro in a text box that retrieves the data and displays it as needed.

Bill, I don't understand your last post. Your Global Variables are all string values. To perform math you need to convert to floating point If you are just looking up values from a table it should work. However, it appears that you are actually assigning new values to the Globals. What are you expecting?

Global variables are persistent and can be accessed in other macros. $TO $CFL $ep can all be used in other macros within the same session of Chief. In your case: $TO -> "94 #Total occupants LSF"

The problem is that Chief's walls are specifically designed for Doors (and Windows) that need to be vertical. There are no provisions for anything else. Chief simply doesn't cater to walls that are not vertical. As Gene said, you could use Solids but that won't work to define a room - only "Walls" provide that functionality in Chief.