BenPalmer

Response from Chief...I realize each our issues may be slightly different, but perhaps this helps someone:

Response from chief:

Ugh, ok, thanks for the update. This one really baffles me...how could this leave beta. If I were beta testing (used to beta years ago), it would be my first first bug report, and I'm sure it was submitted. I'll submit to tech support so I can get an official response and update. I'll report back. Thanks again.

Does Chief plan to fix this? I've been waiting to upgrade for this very issue. Based on this thread, I assumed it was fixed. So I upgraded and bam, spacing issues all over the place on our notes page. I am not using Chief Blueprint font. I stopped that a while ago since they kept changing it and got tired of redoing my notes page. Using a steady font made upgrades smooth. Now they are messing with the spacing of all fonts. My screen scale is at 100%. Trying the margins to zero changed it very slightly, but still way off. What a PITA. Not going to upgrade all my machines until this is fixed or a solution provided without me having to redo all my notes...especially if this is going to happen every upgrade.

Anyone who submitted a bug have an update on this? I've been waiting to upgrade for this very issue. Based on Chief updates and change logs, I assumed it was fixed. So I upgraded and bam, spacing issues all over the place on our notes page. I am not using Chief Blueprint font. My screen scale is at 100%. Not going to upgrade all my machines until this is fixed or a solution provided without me having to redo all my notes. So, not fixed yet.

To second what Dermot is saying...I have many, many, many Chief 9.54 files, and I still use them regularly in the latest Chief software. As Dermot mentioned, the file will first need to be opened by version X8 and saved, then it will open in any software version after X8. I have kept version X8 installed for this reason, but the viewer will work as well, as outlined by Dermot. While I don't like the two step process, it's better than losing the support completely. Your driver issue is a completely different issue and I highly doubt you will get that to work. Many of us have done that dance over the years without success. Occasionally someone will get it to work, but it's just a matter of time that it will be so outdated that it will lose all functionality and we will need to bring plans forward to the latest...and why not use the latest, most productive software? In summary: the best answer is to use the latest software and bring the files forward. If you need help with this, I or many on this forum would be happy to help you convert a file to X8 or later. Hope that helps.

Found a bug: when in elevations and toggle color off, the color doesn't turn off until I move/zoom the view. and vice versa when turning color back on. Not a major issue, but I print elevations in monochrome, so need to make some extra clicks to get there.

Quick follow up on this: I appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions. Your time is much appreciated. It appears that update 23.2.0.55 has fixed the thick wall connection issues. I appreciate Chief Architect taking care of this. While I wish it didn't take a year, multiple reports/requests to tech support and this thread, I am still grateful it appears to be resolved. Thank you again!

Still no fix for this in the latest update. That lack of Chief's support is extremely disappointing. If I could give Chief's support a ranking, it would get 1 star. I just looked at the 12 tickets I have done over the last 20+ years, and all but one item had an answer something like: I'll pass that on, or sorry for your frustration, but we are unable to fix it, or here is a workaround you can try, that didn't help, etc. Maybe I'm asking too much? Not sure why I'm paying for SSA...sheesh....certainly no Assurance ... aka Priority Tech Support (maybe that just means speed and not service?) (ok, done venting - for now)

Thanks for the report @MoeGia appreciate you submitting a plan so they are seeing the issue from more than just me.

@Renerabbitt was the issue with walls that have the typical wall layers? Or are they non-layer walls like I use in the examples? Trying to narrow it down.

@glennw thanks! I hadn't tried the partition wall on the walls sticking through, I'll give that a go, appreciate you looking at it and giving your feedback. On the shower walls, I forgot that was still in the file, I also discovered, similar to your suggestion, that this can be fixed by making the upper glass wall NOT a partition wall as well. Thanks again for the tip.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions. I'll try creating new walls and report back. They are very likely walls that have perpetuated over previous versions, so definitely worth trying that out. Some of these issues don't happen right away. They usually appear during the design process, seems to especially happen when cabinets start getting added to the plans, but can't recreate or verify that. But again, this worked just fine all the way until mid-X12, and then after an update started messing up (I have given Chief the exact update that caused it). So this is a Chief created issue for sure, but if I can find a solution, that would be great since Chief doesn't seem willing to fix this or help me with it.

My mistake Robert, I should have clarified that I chatted with Gordon Ray offline and he uses the exact same method, so the plan I posted represents their situation as well. Hope that clarifies. Curious if you have any input or suggestion on the plan I posted for investigation?

@robdyck Please see original post...a plan demonstrating the issue was posted. Also, while I realize chief prefers layers, I've been doing it without layers since Chief 8...been working fine for over 20 years until an X12, mid-cycle update broke it.

@solver really appreciate you taking the time to look at this....you perfectly demonstrate how much effort it takes to correct these problems. I intentionally left the walls broken so everyone could see the issue. I go and fix them exactly as you do, but throughout the design process they just break again. Room definitions are lost, time is taken to fix over and over and plans sometimes go out with wrong definitions...unprofessional. I need them to stay connected! I actually sent this plan into chief over a year ago and they acknowledged the problem and tell me it is on there list to get it taken care of. In hopes that X13 would be the fix, it wasn't. I sent it in again and got the same answer. On our list. It's especially frustrating when it worked before, and has always worked since I've been using the software (Chief 8) and there update broke it and they won't fix it. I've been a long time use of Chief, former beta tester and rarely use support, and this is a big reason why I don't. No purpose in using support if they won't support us. Doesn't seem like it would be hard to fix something they broke?? Again, thanks for sharing the video so others can see it without needing to open the file.

about a year ago, with an X12 updates, thick wall connections (anything over 8" thick) became unstable...especially when 3 walls intersect. I'm attaching an X12 plan that demonstrates several issues I'm having. Curious if others see the same behavior. notes within the plan describing the behaviors I realize that layered walls will likely fix much of this but I do not like layered walls....they have a whole set of issues that I don't want to get into the pros and cons. again, this worked fine before, but broke with an X12 update and is still broken in X13 beta. Appreciate everyone's input. wallConnectionProblems.plan

@MarkMc curious how your experience was with AVA and what kind of delay there was on some of the components.

While I haven't had it happen to me personally, one of my employees has it happen to him once or twice a week in X12...never had it before for anyone on any computer or software version prior to this happening with X12 (20 years+). We have backups and can get it back pretty quick, but an annoyance for sure. We haven't reported it because we can't reproduce it...we haven't been able to find an action that causes it...seems to be random...for us anyway. We'll consider some of the tips listed above and see if that helps.

My wall connections have been horrible since the new update...especially when i have thicker walls (12" or larger) meeting thinner walls (4" or so). Constantly disconnecting and messing room definitions and giving the unconnected wall error...driving me nuts. Anyone else having this? Might need to go back to the previous version..except the dimensions in blocks issue in that version. Ugh.

Thanks Steve, I'll take a look at that on my next import...probably have one later today. I'll report back. Appreciate the input.

Bill, I can confirm that is when I get the same behavior: when importing default sets.

I only reset layer names in legacy plans that had number prefixes, so if there is a way to automate that, great. Which, I guess, demonstrates the need for preferences. If we go down the automated road (which would be great) I agree, might as well tackle the entire process which includes importing: default sets, default settings, wall definitions, saved views, delete unused layers by choice, not automatic, etc.

Yeah, I feel a little bit like Michael on this one. It's a little bit annoying to adjust my work flow in the name of 'let's change it so people don't make mistakes and alleviate some support calls.' While, I can and will adjust, and like/appreciate the reminder and suggestion for the hot key, it does take time to change my habits and search the new way (since it isn't mentioned anywhere besides the help file). I also realize I am in the minority when it comes to the use of 'reset layer names'...most people probably don't even know what it is or what it's purpose is. I use it quite a bit, so please don't ever eliminate this, like the removal of support for bringing forward legacy files without keeping X8 around 'forever' (i realize i will likely need to eventually go through and bring all legacy files forward...perhaps a batch conversion tool could be created?). I also don't see that I would ever use the new 'delete unused layers' for the reasons mentioned. However, I can see some use cases such as emailing plan files to some builders that would easily get confused with all the extra layers (this is rare, as I maybe send a Chief file once every few years...don't like to let that out of my office, so I dumb it down before I send it) What would be helpful is some kind of list of changes to existing work flow ('power user changes'?) and how to quickly adjust to get working again with the least amount of down time. Similar to Dermot's post on the paste in place change, that was super helpful. This would sure save some time for those of us that are not beta testing and are doing a hard transition from X11 to X12.

While the new way is fine and acceptable, my frustration is where the button is placed 'spatially'. I, like most of us, work on Chief, 8+ hours a day designing...lots, and lots of muscle memory on icon location...the new paste Hold is placed right where the 'point to point' used to be, and so when I need point to point, I inadvertently click the new paste hold position...and likewise for the reflect moving down another slot...while I'll adjust, it is a frustrating adjustment...would rather have it moved down after those items which I use way more then the paste hold. I think this is a 'miss' on the design. OR give us control over the customization of these sub icons.