Joe_Carrick

Since the ceiling height of your "Basement" is too low to qualify as a "Habitable Room" you could consider either a "Spiral Stair" or a "Ships Ladder" for access. Either of these might prove sufficient. Note that the "Basement" could only be used as storage or utility space. Consequently it doesn't have to have a code legal stairway for egress.

For me, using "Layer Sets", "Default Sets" (aka Annosets) & "Reference Layer Sets" is a good place to start. Then once you've saved a "Saved Plan View" it's pretty easy to make any other needed changes or settings. Additional items like: Floor Zoom CAD layer etc make up the "Saved Plan View" definition. There are quite a few ways to customize, but using existing "Layer Sets" and "Defaults" provides a very nice way to maintain consistency between views. Once you have a set of standards, it's easy to change floors and do a "Save As" to create a new SPV with everything else being the same. You might need to modify the "Reference Layer Sets" but everything else will generally be the same. If you subsequently change something in the Layer Set it will change all SPVs using that Layer Set. OTOH, simply by making a copy of the SPV you can change to a different Layer Set and different Defaults for a different Drawing type (framing for example) and "Save As". It's really makes coordination and consistency very easy.

Justin, In your 1st post you mentioned that you had been saving as a "New Plan" each day. It could be that you are getting a lot of disk memory being use by multiple copies, backups auto-saved copies. Not knowing what your disk size is or what is available for swap space you may have inadvertently caused the problem completely external to Chief. Otherwise, you could contact customer support and see if they can solve the problem.

David, I love this idea. It could be a part of the "Defaults". Since SPV's use the "Defaults" (formerly "Annosets" or "Active Defaults") this would be a great addition to the "Defaults" and therefore automatically SPVs. Please make this request via a support request or use the Beta reporting tool. I will do likewise.

Instead of a curved Polyline use a Molding Polyline along the wall. Use a rectangular Molding Profile for the Shelf itself. Use a 3D Molding Symbol (must be created with a gap area on either side for the spacing) for the brackets.

I don't think the extend tool will ever be available for walls - but why would you need it anyway. IAE, those 2 tools only show up on the "Edit Toolbar" when a line or arc has been selected. Only other CAD objects can be trimmed or extended. That includes framing because those are in fact CAD when shown in plan or wall elevation views.

The reality is that the Headers are "framing members" and are not really coordinated with the Doors and Windows. Only by using the Door and Window Labels in conjunction with a macro that recognizes the layer_set can you get a label that isn't effected by the automatic framing.

I took the following approach: Kept my Layer Sets Kept my Annosets that specified which Layer Set to use When I have a Plan View that I want using the above I simply save it as a new "Saved Plan View" and set it to "Remember Zoom" I send that "Saved Plan View" to Layout It's really that simple. Whenever you open a Layout Box View it will open the "Saved Plan View" in the same state as last saved. If you make any changes to the Active Defaults, Referenced Floor Levels, or the Layer Sets you can "Save" the plan view and it will update those settings. I never have to worry about my Layouts displaying the wrong things.

I would actually love to have some framing options for openings: Option to move header up to plates if < 1.5" (no cripples) Option to add plates or increase header size automatically up to 4" Option to move/reduce the top of opening to maintain minimum header size.

I always use "Saved Plan Views" but in conjunction with Annosets and Layer Sets.

When a Header is created by Chief it generally will be according to the size required by the opening width. However, if the wall is too short to provide the required depth between the top plates and the top of the opening then Chief reduces the Header depth. IMO the software should instead do one of the following: Show an error condition so that the user could take appropriate action (Preferred Option) Lower the "Top of the Opening" by whatever distance is needed to provide the correct header depth. Either of the above would be IMO preferable to just reducing the Header depth. What do you think should be done by the software?

Are you using a "Saved Plan View"? If so, be sure to create a "New Saved Plan View" before sending to Layout. When you edit a "Saved Plan View", all instances of that will be the same in the Layout. Floor Layer Set Defaults Zoom Factor Scale Can all be problematical unless you use separate "Saved Plan Views".

You can use the comments in the Object Information Panel (OIP).

"Help" button is an excellent source. You might consider that an excellent substitute for a Sawzall button and a hammer button

Countertops are automatic on base cabinets or you can use a custom countertop. Search Help for "Counter"

Just make a copy of the existing wall type and change the line styles, fills, etc. You can rename the copy "demo wall" or whatever you want. Then select the existing wall and change it to your new wall type. It would also be a good idea to save your new wall types to the library so you can use them in other plans in the future.

The trial version of Chief should be able to be printed to a PDF at full size if using Adobe PDF or Nuance PDF or any other generic PDF Printer.

If you have a PDF Printer installed you should be able to "Print the Layout to PDF".

Definitely not what I want - and it doesn't work anyway.

Normally, the F5 and/or F6 keys only cause the current floor to be refreshed - at least for the purpose of causing macros in labels, etc to be executed. I sometimes need the referenced floors to also be refreshed so that their macros will be executed. That essentially requires a double tap of those keys. I really don't like that, so I programmed one of my G keys (Logitech G510s Keyboard) to perform a <F5><F5> in rapid sequence. That works but I wish that Chief's <F5> Hotkey would do it. IOW, allow a Hotkey to perform an operation twice in succession.

Brad, I think you'll find that metric countries generally don't use our dimensions for lumber, etc. Their sizes are rounded to more even mm and the products are manufactured to those sizes. Glenn could give you examples of their standard stud and plywood sizes.

Brad, Most metric users don't use cm at all. It's almost always mm except for very large distances and areas where they use m. For Architectural mm would be used for distances and m2 for areas. Once you are familiar with metric it's really pretty easy. It's just a matter of becoming comfortable with the numbers. There are no conversion factors to make for various units of measurement.

Rachael, Once you have the taller balustrades positioned "on the stairs" vs "next to them" you need to display in elevation and edit the bottom up to the stairs. That will give you what Eric shows. It's just a matter of editing the Polyline created by the 3D wall editor.

Rachael, Probably the best way to do this is to create a full height "Railing Wall" in the plan (adjacent to the stairs) consisting of the vertical members (balusters) and make it "No Room Def" and "No Locate". Then move it into position. After that, select it in a Section/Elevation View and edit the shape to follow the stairs.

I was taught that 2R+T = 25" for best comfort. Actually a range of 24"-26" is acceptable 6" R & 13" T 6.5" R & 12" T 7" R & 11" T 7.5" R & 10" T This formula pretty much always works. For metric you would just substitute 600 mm or a range of 575-625 mm