joey_martin

Export the project to Dropbox or Google Drive, or simply use a thumb drive and import it on the other machine. 

Here is a home we plan to start building in the fall. I don't have the site plan and the interior design pages aren't ready yet, but this should give you an idea of what Chief can do.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vkzm4fpc63jz1ugpuv7ml/CJs-Bungalow_PRELIM_010526.pdf?rlkey=v5moqj0is8ldiletba39vq98v&st=xc1rsn8p&dl=0

I have done those. You will need to put the first truss in, open that truss and manually modify it, then multi-copy and adjust as needed. It's tedious, but can be done, just not really automatically. You need a "dropped" ceiling for the first floor, and the 14.5" "floor framing" and you will have the heights you want.

Now, having said that, someone will have a tricky workaround to make Chief do it, but is the juice worth the squeeze to spend a bunch of time on? I set all my heights and simply worked through all the design development with the client before doing the trusses. No need to do it until the end or you have to keep doing it when revisions come along. 

On 3/31/2026 at 1:51 PM, agenoarch said:

I also do not like the project management system. There is no longer a saveas option and trying to figure out how to use it efficiently is more of a pain than its worth

You can turn off that option in preferences and the SAVE AS option comes back and the program works like it always has.

Those are generally created with a template from the publisher. Making them in Chief is easy enough using a layout sheet. Just set up an 8.5"x11" layout page and put the info on it.

Have I missed an update or patch? What's with the tick marks all over my CAD details?

What's your budget? I would love to design you something.

It's a PITA. You will need to do some manual cleanup of the sections and elevations. 

On 3/7/2026 at 12:29 PM, robdyck said:

And what's up with the constant re-appearance of point markers in a CAD detail?!

So frustrating..

Manually unless you find a door in one of the libraries that has hardware already included.

Did  you draw ceiling planes and uncheck this box?

You're overthinking this..just draw with concrete exterior walls and turn off everything else. It could be on level 40 for all you care anyway, so just draw the room.

You're not going to get Chief to create that detail. A workaround would be a second roof plane for the overhangs. Model it close and detail the rest out.

Remove fascia and sub-fascia and add these as rafter tails.

No renders in preliminary, only 3D is presented in clay or hand sketch style so that we don't get hung up on color or finish. Just form and function in preliminary. The other stuff comes later. 

Yes. The IDs that work in my office go to the 3D warehouse all the time to get furniture and various pieces. You can simply drag and drop from Sketchup directly into a plan you are working on to save time.

On 2/21/2026 at 9:55 AM, A_Joseph_PE said:

And you work right from Dropbox?  Like it was your own Hard Drive?

Yes. No tutorials that I know of but it's as easy as installing Dropbox and using it as a drive. All my client files, plan file, and layout files are saved in there.

7 hours ago, Rookie65 said:

You won't be able to change one pitch to something different if you have auto-build roof on.

Not true. Leave auto Roofs on and select the wall(s) on the back side and set the pitch there. Break the wall into 3rds so that you can adjust accordingly.

Been using Dropbox for at least a decade, no issues at all.

You can renumber, or simply grab the rows and drag them where you want them to display in the schedule.

Assembling pages shouldn't take anytime at all, all the work is done in the plan file. 

Shane Kitchen in Michigan has done a couple large round roofs complete with truss layout. Don't remember his username.

I have been working in the industry since the late 80's early 90's, right side vertically is the standard. When rolled, you should be able to find all relevant information from the title block without needing to unroll. 

I put them on the same layer as the base cabinets.

These are live camera views. I cut 12" sections from my model and label them.