Joe_Carrick

I even have the backsplash turned off in the Cabinet Defaults. I just find them to constraining while Custom Backsplashes are totally editable. Wall Material Regions are also a good alternative.

Aldo is my friend only to see what an object is using. I seldom use it to change anything.

It's important to note that if you mess with the Layer Settings it will no longer be in sync with the "Saved Plan View". If you want those Layer Settings to be permanent with that view then "Save the Plan View" If not then just selecting the "Saved Plan View" from the "Project Browser" will revert to the previous. Typically, I have the Annoset select the Layer Set. Opening or switching to the "Saved Plan View" from the "Project Browser" forces those to be reset. Note that if you make any changes to the Layer Set or Defaults while a "Saved Plan View" is active the Tool Bar will indicate "Using Active Defaults". That's the clue that somethings not the same.

The same basic problems exist for "Sliding Barn Doors" in that they are just symbols attached to the wall and not really doors that the Door Tool understands.

I think the problem is that the Door Tool was: originally written to deal with just rectangular slab doors. modified to provide for arches, trim, etc. modified to use door symbols - but assuming the Door Tool would deal with the details. Unfortunately there's nothing in the Symbol itself to tell the Door Tool what to do about thickness, hinging, irregular shapes, casings, frames, hardware, etc. The Door Tool simply doesn't have any way of knowing what the detail should be for a given symbol. As long as the door symbol is designed so that it fits within the settings in the Door dbx it works fine - beyond that it's a mess.

I was kind of excited to see some of the new Door Symbols Libraries. There are some "Bookcase Doors", a "Vault Door" and a few more that looked like they would be useful. Unfortunately when I tried to use them I found they didn't behave very well. In 2D particularly they didn't show the correct thickness and didn't hinge as you would expect/need. I tried using the door dbx to force them to display properly in both 2D and 3D but wasn't satisfied with the results. If I could place the actual symbol in a plan without having to put it in a wall I might be able to make adjustments in the Symbol dbx that would work but there's no guarantee. The problem is essentially that the Door Tool has several built-in limitations and just doesn't allow much variation from a simple 1"-3" thick door with the hinge point located at the outside face of the door. If we are going to be able to use such cool door symbols, the Door Tool will need to be tweaked to deal with them. So far this has been disappointing.

Yes, I would just like to be able to: select the Handrail parameters (style, size, side(s), offset, etc) - Handrails are just a single piece, attached either to a wall or to the top or side of the "Guard" select the "Guard" parameters (style, size, side(s), offset, etc) - Guards are essentially "Railing Walls" which can even be solid half walls. set a path in plan for each of those to follow. Then have the Handrail(s) and Guards(s) be created as separate objects which could be edited independently.

Good luck guys. I pointed this problem out to Dermot at the UGM year before last but it didin't get fixed then and I don't expect it ever will. At least we got the "jumping stairs" fixed. Unless CA breaks the connection between walls, stairs and handrails we will continue to have have this sort of nonsense. We need to be able to specify and/or over-ride the locations and details of guards and handrails independent of adjacent walls. It's really that simple.

Here's one I just made. 2x4 Fluorescent Light.calibz

Not that I know of. However, you can create your own fixture(s) from a solid box(s) and convert it to a symbol. The difficulty is getting such a fixture to actually be a "light source".

I agree that it's a PITA. I was just presenting the method that I use to make sure the PDF in the Layout is the one I want and not an older version. Should CA fix this? IMO, yes. Can they or will they? IDK.

Either that, or delete the Layout Box and re-import. You just have to break the existing import link.

Without having your Template/Plan there's no way to know.

If a shutdown and restart of your computer doesn't fix it then you will need to contact customer support. I don't think anyone here on the forum is going to be able to help.

So it's not just that you reinstalled Chief and I don't know of any setting in Chief that would cause this behavior.

For anyone using X9 or later. While these symbols will still work, it's better to use Chief's "Wall Niche" tool. It has all the settings and functionality for shape, size, trim, materials, etc. In addition, wall framing recognizes the Niche and frames the opening. A couple of the symbols are still useful - such as the Washing Machine Hookup.

That might be a slight exaggeration.

The Bottom Frame Width can be set to zero. That will make it flush with the top of the Interior Sill. The only problem with this is that the frame material is the same as the "Interior Sash" material. Chief should really make the frame have: A separate material - would work well for "No Casing" or at least the same as the "Interior Trim" material It's fairly uncommon that the frame material would not be the same as the casing material - but it would be pretty rare that it would be the same as the sash material.

Have you checked to make sure your video card is actually being used by Chief Architect? A new install may not have picked that up. Your video card control panel may not be set to over-ride the built-in video. Since you installed a new hard drive you also must have a new version of the OS. It's very likely that your system just isn't using the video you think it is.

Perry, Both of the mirrors in the corner are the stock material "mirror" from the core library applied to material regions. Try it for yourself.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. It also shows that you can get a mirror to reflect off of another mirror - just to show that the statement in another thread wasn't correct.

You could actually use 2 WMR's 3" thick drywall for buildout 1/4" Moss for back of "Niche"

No, but you can build the walls out thicker with material regions of drywall and make the basic wall surface moss. You just have to approach the problem from the opposite direction.

If possible, print your Layout to PDF. Then print the PDF. You will have much more control.

Alan, Go to the foundation and change the stem wall to 8" concrete. Then uncheck "Room provides Floor for Room Above" Or something like that. The Porch Slab should then be correct.