tommy1

joedesign, Here is my 2 cents. First, I will not talk bad about Softplan, Revit, or any of the other programs because I have not used them. I will say that I started with Chief 12 years ago using Version 8. It was difficult for me but I was fortunate to have one of the best users (back then) to give me one-on-one training. I must admit that it took me several years to really learn how the program works and more important, how it thinks. When I first started, I spent mega hours on my time off and most all week-ends trying to learn the program. I too looked at the training videos but to be honest, I believe the training videos are okay for the basic stuff but that's it. You said that you have played with the program for 2 or 3 weeks, well I can assure you that's not enough time to understand the program. I've also been told that having prior experience with ACAD makes it harder to learn the program because you're already programed to think in ACAD. I have been doing remodels showing existing and proposed plans since the beginning and it's quite easy once you understand the program. I do not advocate using Chief's idea of doing demo plans and proposed plans by using different layers for the walls. I will almost guarantee problems with a sophisticated plan with multiple floors. I also see so many new users jump right in doing high end plans with out taking the time to learn the program. I'm helping a young kid right now who recently purchased the program and wanted me to help him learn the program. I asked him if he was ready to devote a lot of time to using the program. He said that he picks up on things really, really, fast and thought that it would not be a problem. Well, after 3 hrs., he could barely keep up and we had to stop and that was only the extreme basics. I told him that the mind can only absorb so much at one time and is why you have to spend a lot of time on this or you'll have a hard time picking it up. I really do think that if you can get ACAD out of your mind and just focus on the program for mega hours, you'll pick it up. I have recommended to some people to keep using the program you were using to do current jobs, but keep practicing with Chief on all of your spare time. Taking the time to try and figure it out on your own is one of the best teachers. If you can find someone to help you one-on-one with specific problems will help in the long run for learning this program.

Aedy, keep checking you digital locker and be sure you're logged in. You should however get a notice if you're not. It implies that you do have SSA even though it's not required to have to get the program. Good luck and keep me posted. I sent you a reminders notice for our user group meeting Monday a few days ago. Hope to see you at the meeting.

We have a free online meeting Monday, Aug. 4, 2014 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm (Central Time). If you would like to attend, then please send me an email using my email address shown in my signature. Feel free to call me if you need more information. Sincerely,

Slight correction to this comment. If you place a slab in plan view using the slab tool, It will place the slab by default at 12" above the floor height on the relative floor you're on. In other words, if you place a slab on the second floor, it will be 12" above that that floor height and will be 4" thick. Same on any floor you place it including the first floor. I can't remember right off about the foundation level. The slab tool height does display it's height in the absolute value.

I use the plan scale macro for this. I put it in a plan or cad detail view first and then send it to the layout at the scale I want. When looking at the layout, you can zoom in and out and the scale macro will change (just like in plan view) and you can zoom to the correct scale in layout view. Keep in mind that when printed, I will probably look slightly different depending on the screen resolution of the monitor you're using but it will be very close. This is one reason I was complaining so much when X6 first came out because if doing this as I mentioned, the scale macro wouldn't change like it is supposed to when zooming in and out in the layout. This was confirmed a bug and is now fixed in the latest update.

Doing this is easier said than done. What I would suggest is to open a blank plan along with the plan that has the trellis. Tile the views. Take the trellis pieces and copy them (in place) to the blank plan. Then try to select them all and block them. Now because they are 3D objects, you'll have an "architectural block" not a "cad block" that you can add to the library. A warning though, sometimes architectural blocks lose their origin (or used to). I haven't done it in a long time. Good luck.

This has never been able to be done for things like showers in any version.

Jeanette, feel free to call me and I'll do an online meeting with you and show you how we do remodel plans. I could also give you a profile plan that already has the anno sets set up for doing the remodels. Give me a call or email me at the email address below in my signature if you like. My cell # which is not in the signature below is 832-754-6160.

If you still haven't figured it out, call me or email me at my email below and I'll help you online.

Hi Sheldon, if you email me (email address below) your phone number I'll give you a call when it's convenient for you.

Try putting a terrain in.

Boy do I run into this all the time when helping people. I've seen a lot of people that depend on archive files to work in because they can't find the last file they were working on. I've seen people save plans that were revised in different folders on different drives including layout files. They say they get error messages every time they open a layout. This is all about file management and so starts a mini course on file management.

We have always been able to do the half hip automatically since V10 I believe. I do both manually very quickly.

Here is a Dutch gable. (Google "Dutch Gable")

We call that a half hip. (Google "half hip"). A Dutch gable is very different. Both roof styles can be done in a minute or two.

If you're wanting to make square columns, I like to use the soffit tool. you can add multiple moldings and 1x profiles as well. Then make a symbol of it. Also, if you assign different materials to everything you add, you'll then be able to apply different materials to each part after you create the symbol. I use a combination of things if I'm making craftsman columns.

We have a free online meeting July 7, 2014 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm (Central Time). If you would like to attend, then please send me an email using my email address shown in my signature. Feel free to call me if you need more information. Sincerely,

Okay, here is a fix for the problem. Open your lamp symbol from the library (before you place it in the plan) and make it sit on the floor so you don't have to have a wall in the plan. Place it in a new blank plan. Once in the plan, take a vector overview. Now go to TOOLS TAB>symbol>Convert to symbol. Now it will be placed in your User library. Take that new symbol and place it in your plan. Now select the symbol in your plan view and open the symbol DBX (not "open symbol"). With the symbol DBX open, now you'll see the actual size of the symbol and now you can resize it and it will look fine in 3D. Once you have resized it, make a new symbol of it as described above and you are now good to go. This can really be done in less than a minute once understood what to do. If you have troubles doing this, let me know and I'll post a corrected symbol.

Dennis, don't trash the symbol. There is an easy fix. I'll call you in a little bit. If I don't get you, I'll post a fix here.

The Planning Dept. here won't accept any plans that has anything in pencil or pen that has been added after it has been printed. If revisions are needed, you have to reprint. They used to let us add stuff in pen but stopped doing this a few years ago.

I have a couple of cad items that I use as well as legends. It depends on the Engineer we use. They like to show things differently.

If you want a quick fix, do this. Select your railing wall. Open it. Uncheck "railing" in the wall DBX.. Take an elevation view. Now you can drag the bottom of the wall down. Once you have it down to where you want it, click OK. Now select the wall again and re-check "Railing". Hit ok. Done. If you move the wall again, it may jump again and then you'll have to go through the steps again. All this can be done in less than a minute.

Yes you can have multiple polylines. You can also use multiple profiles on one polyline and offset them.

Yes I used the macro and I believe it's better.

Lew, I can't say for all X5 plans but with the last two new garage apartments I did, I don't remember having to have to relocate them every time I opened the program. I could be wrong about the X5 thing BUT it's happing now the 3-story plan I'm doing in X6 for sure.