thorn-ecoc

Good vid. Usually the "Ceiling values may not be changed......" notice is not a problem. But...I'm working a plan for a demo / remodel which has 8', 9' 10' and 13' ceilings. Trying to do several quick preliminary concept plans and that message is driving me crazy. I would send in a plan, but I can hardly understand what's going on at this point, let alone someone looking for the first time. I just wish the program would let me know it thinks I have varying heights above (actually I don't,) and I let me worry about it. I'm spending more time trying to fix than I am drawing. I don't remember running into that error in past versions. Maybe it just never occurred, or it wasn't part of the program. If it wasn't I seemed to have gotten along fine without it. For this project I would like to go back in versions, does anyone know which, if any previous versions did not include this "feature" In the future, I hope CA give me a choice of whether I want it to stop me working, or let me proceed, even if the floor above has varying heights.

After 20 years of using the same cad program.....not ACAD.....I find I can work much faster and more accurately than trying to do full construction documents using Chief. I use Chief to layout floor plans, get some elevations and sections, then export to finish. I find it takes me much longer trying to get everything exact in Chief, than it does using my cad program. Chief is unmatched for floor plan development, renderings, 3D framing, and I probably could no long function without it, but, for final documents and other cad related work I find it lacking........for me. As far as my question, after import, I can just explode the object and remove the fill, but am wondering why this is happening in this version, and now also in X6

When opening an exported .dwg file from X7, I am getting some library items being shown solid. Not all, but some, as shown in this simple example. This never happened when using X6, but,.......after installing X7, now it is also happening to files exported from X6, which I really don't get....... Anyway, any setting to prevent getting solid items? SOLID TUB.PDF

Not sure why you don't see your import, but I have a suggestion. When importing, I find it's best to place it on a layer I don't use, like "fences", instead of letting it go the the default cad layer. Often you will want to not show the import, but still want the cad items shown.

I too, have not upgraded yet. I don't have much patience, and if indeed X7 is slower overall, I'm afraid it would frustrate me to no end.

You are correct....I do need to spend some time learning more about the new versions. I do have templates for basic homes. It's the ones with different roof pitches and styles, different floor levels and ceiling heights, different wall thicknesses, etc.. that give me problems. Still, in California, with the engineering, sprinklers, plumbing, HVAC, specific details, tons of notes and the energy calculations, I can't turn out a complete set of plans for any size house in 8 hours.

You are correct.....but, I'm still paying for the SSA, which, for the first time I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it for me. It seems most of the development is towards rendering. That's fine, as this is a rendering program. Bottom line is, as I originally mentioned, for me, it's actually taking longer to draw a plan than it used to, and it almost seems like I am learning a new program with the new releases. I know I couldn't work without CA though. Wish it had a "basic" mode.

I'm sure its just me, but after using CA for 20 years, I find that a lot of the added features with the updated versions actually cause drawing time to increase. The new versions have so many options and settings. I could have a floor plan, and rough roof done with the older versions in the same amount of time it takes me to just set up for a new structure now. This is with complex structures. Chief is for sure a great rendering program. Not so much for finished construction documents and details in my opinion. But....my clients just want reasonable priced plans for a building permit. They don't care nor do they want to pay to see where outlet switches, sprinkler bubblers or trash cans will be located.

#1 Stairs

Scott, Thanks, Selecting only layer 2 seems to have done it. There is still one small area (shown) that is not correct, but I guess I'll just have to do the drag thing. gable.PDF

Yea, don't want to drag it.........that's why I asked. If I set everything to 9 1/4" rafter, all sub fascia etc. It still isn't right. (see pic) left side is with soffit, right is without soffit. Both look wrong. gable.PDF

This has most likely been covered somewhere, but for the sake of time (mine), can someone explain what settings are causing the gap at the top to the gable wall and what options I have to get rid of it. I need it to go away both when using soffits and when not using soffits. Picture and plan attached..........Thanks I must admit CA roof settings are somewhat confusing to me. Here, we have rafters and trusses and 2x fascia. The sub fascia seem to get in my minds way, but if I am correct, it is needed to set the depth of the rafter tails. Baseline height too is confusing. Seems like top plate height would better......to me anyway. view.PDF Gap.plan

Dewalt DW03050.

I'm finding a slight hesitation in X6 compared to X5 when opening specification dialogs for editing. (windows doors, cabinets etc.) Also a hesitation before any camera, section and rendering views. Once they are open, they seem fine.

Wondering if I'm missing something, or just need to adapt. I have always used child tools.....when opened, the child menu would appear to the right, on lower of the 2 main tool bars. In X6, it appears I can either have a floating child menu bar, dock it to either side, or below the 2 main tool bars. Below seems to work for me, but does take up some screen space. When the "tabs" are also present, I loose even more drawing space. So I guess my questions are, can I get the child menus to open or dock on the main tool bars? Or, do I just deal with either using drop down menu's or less drawing space?