para-CAD

Thanks for your comments. The font issue only cropped up when I would copy/paste text from Snohomish county's website............way weird. I will skip the open recent feature......thanks again.

I do WIN 11 at the desk but am migrating most things to a new 2021 MBP M1Max fully spec'd (except for 4TB vs 8TB SSD) There are subtle differences but I find both get the job done. The new 43" Dell is just shy of 1:1 ARCH D so it's cool to see the plans full-size. New tech is fun.

well.....everything was working great for about 4 hours. I tried to open a recent file from the list under File and this happened: Also, I was copying text from a county website and when I would paste it into a Rich Text window, I received this message: "Failed to find a font on your system to match ".AppleSystemUIFont" I haven't messed with system fonts on this almost 3-week old machine.......seems odd.

I just received my M1 Max 24 DEC, (max'd out), and it does everything in chief except for the Real-time ray tracing in PBR. The problem I'm having is that I'm getting an SEH error whenever performing certain random tasks. In the last two weeks I've had four crashes total. Now I just hit command S every 20 or 30 seconds, like a twitch, to save my work in case another crash pops up on me. I've submitted a ticket to the tech-support guys along with the crash dump log that goes to Apple. It ended up being over 1000 page PDF worth of technical information. I don't think it's the computer's fault......something's up though.

I've had (2) CA crashes when choosing a 3D camera view on my week old, max'd out MacBook Pro M1 Max. I allowed the diagnostics to be sent out (to apple or chief, not sure) I wasn't doing anything hard. I just wanted to view the structure in dollhouse and it locked up chief.

Everywhere I used to frame (except for Western Canada) was this: Pre-cut Studs 92 5/8 104 5/8 116 5/8 - Add (3) plates (2 top and 1 bottom, you get: 8’-1 1/8” 9’-1 1/8” 10’-1 1/8” That covers your standard wall heights. The majority of Joists can be lumber, I-joist or trusses: Lumber: (PT is usually a bit thicker) 2x10 = 9.25” 2x12 = 11.25” I-Joist 9.5” 11.875” 14” 16” Floor trusses Anything over 18” mostly (24”) My typical design here is 9’ main floor (9’-1 1/8”), 8’ second floor (8’-1 1/8”). In Texas, the big homes I framed were 10’ main (10’-1 1/8”) and 9’ upper (9’-1 1/8”) mostly. Remember that the taller you go with wall heights and floor systems, the longer you will need for your stairs. Best thing about tall walls is tall (8’) doors and taller window options….both get $$$ as you deviate from the normal plain jane.

I exported a 12 page plan to tiff 100% zoom images. File size increased from 40MB to 65MB I wasn't completely sure that the images were still to scale. I reloaded the image files back into Adobe Acrobat and exported as a one-layer per sheet PDF. Now the sheets are unedittable.........except when I use OCR and recognize text. As far as the counties I work with go...they all claim that they are using PDF comparison tools to check when I make the changes I am mandated by them to make. The even specify that I am NOT to change the file name (so no revision tracking on my submission file) or it throws off the reviewing software........... And what's with the search feature..........I type in flatten PDF.....flatten+PDF........ nada. Whats the secret to get good results? Thanks for posting the 2018 link!!!

What is the best solution that anyone has found to be able to quickly FLATTEN a PDF from chief architect? I don't see the option to export or print to PDF and have the PDF be flattened inside chief architect. Most of the jurisdictions I deal with are requiring the submission of PDFs to be flattened, as in, all the layers combined into one. I have a subscription to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, thinking that the King of PDF would make this easy, it does not. There are some online sources that will flatten a PDF, but they have file size and number of use limitations on their free sides. What is the best solution that anyone has found to be able to quickly FLATTEN a PDF from chief architect? I tried to search the site and the number one return was an MEP comment from 2015 that didn't address this at all. I know I can't be the only one dealing with having to flatten PDFs. Thanks for any help.

I've been using it for a week. I like the refinements.

Why do people buy a Mercedes AMG and not a Toyota Tercel?

I do much more on a computer than just CA. Adobe is sometimes demanding. Video encoding is time sucking. I'm hoping to cover the more cores requirement and also the more memory needs. It's only money, right?. I drive a paid off older truck so I'm not saddled with too many other debts right now. I'll keep this thread in the loop when I finally pull the trigger.

I’m working with Puget Systems to build a new beast. I too try to rotate about every 5 years. I’m saving up to go really big (because the kid in me wants to just once in life) I tell myself it’s only a couple jobs and paid for, so after the new fence and landscaping, this is my next target. Maybe by fall.

YES!!!! Ding Ding Ding I have no idea how I turned that on. This is the first time I'm trying to create details in CA instead of AutoCAD and I was losing hope that I could go 100% CA. Thanks much.

X12 I placed a Simpson LUC210(Z) into a plan as part of creating a specific detail, and the hanger imports with all kinds of extra lines all over it. They are NOT selectable, and the only fix I found so far is to create a CAD detail, and then I could manually delete them. Is there a setting I have turned on that is creating this issue? The same condition occurs when I drew circles to represent the cross-section of rebar......unselectable target reticles appear and can not be removed unless turned into a CAD detail. I do NOT need or want these lines, so I hope there is a setting I can turn off. I made a video of what I'm seeing.

A was a framer for a couple of decades. The dimensioned plans I hated were: - inside of finished wall to inside of finished wall (as in 4 1/2" thick 2x4 wall) I would have to account for GWB. - walls that were called out at 4" thick. I only remember a couple like this.....not sure why they did this. - walls dimensioned to the center. Very odd to me. I like beams centered sometimes, but not walls. My favorite: "Over-to-it" dimensions. I can pull my tape one time and catch many walls in that one pull. Some framing plans were really good that way....helps to locate the lines exactly where I need them without me having to add or take away some amount to find the framing edge bent over all day in the hot sun or cold wet rain. (Not the ideal time to be having to figure out such things)

For double walls, I make a copy of a single wall that is close in type and rename it ___ - DBL WALL. Then I add all the specific wall info and when I choose it, it displays as 2 walls (like a party wall between to units of a townhome) I assume CA is treating this as one fat wall, but it generates to the final plan visually correct.

resize it in autocad I used the scale at the bottom. It's drawn weird on purpose.....many of the called lengths are close but not precise. (to scale 1 to 1) Puckett Drive Siteplan.dwg

so the only problem is that the rails are locked to the platform size and stringer. I can get it close for 2D plans, but 3D model looks wrong unless I drop the top stringer

Okay. I will give it a try. yes!! Thanks Charles.

I'm having trouble building stairs in CA the way I build them in reality. Is there an easy way to set the top tread flush with the upper floor and not dropped one step? Thanks for any help. Page 33 has the image of what I'm talking about.

I think I learned from someone on here how to change my system fonts. It might have been Renerabbit. The font that I chose is San Francisco pro display. https://developer.apple.com/fonts/ I like it even better than Arial for all my text on my plans.

So I just loaded x12 beta on my 2015 MBP to have a mobile option. This message just popped up. "Chief Architect Premier X12" would like to record this computer screen. This is the first I've ever seen this message. No such message ever popped up on my WIN 10 box nor any previous CA installs on macOS. I don't think I accidentally pressed some hot key combination to initiate this action, but I could have since I wasn't paying attention to everything I was doing until the pop up got my attention. I'm guessing this is some kind of macOS system security thing...but being not sure, I'm about to DENY. I can screen record with other apps if I need that capability. Thought I'd share and see if this is a normal thing.

My county wants all kinds of code language on the plans. Then they started to request that the code language be placed on the relevant sheet and not “buried” in a specification sheet “that no one will read.” This tends to make some plans a bit busy. I think it’s dependent on who is reviewing the plans and how lazy/busy they are as to their level of code language required. the two newest ones are the pellet stove installed to manufacturers specs and the GWB under stairwell language, both located on the plans at the location. now I’m getting push back on prescriptive hand-cut roof designs. They want to see them “engineered”. Uh, that’s what’s in the tables in the code book people! Lastly, it seems that the more info/detail you put into a design, the more they dig into it. Sometimes leaving things minimalist seems to get through permitting easier. I called the ICC and was given verbal permission over the phone to copy and paste various amounts of code language. Her exact words were not more than five pages consecutively. She said something about it being allowed under Creative Commons license or some kind of thing. I recommend paying for the online access to the codes at the ICC. They make their $$$ and you have easy access to the codes. https://www.iccsafe.org

X12 should be a blast! Bring it on.....spring-time Christmas!!! As far as regional terminology goes - I find it almost entertaining how some of the most mundane and small things become issues for people. I "learn't" me some framing in Texas. When I moved to WA state, I was speaking a completely foreign language with the building terms I had used in Texas. The really odd ducks up here were the ones who felt almost religiously compelled to correct me. Like they were saving me. Now sometimes I purposely say things wrong just to see if people call me on it or not. Most are probably thinking I'm stupid, but every once in a while I hook one and we have fun. Y'all have a great 2020! Let's see this economy ROAR!