johnny

I opened the file in my old computer and it wasn't too bad - no redraw zooming and fairly smooth and instant page change. It was a 6-core intel 3930k with an Radeon 5870 HD. My new system was ultra-smooth - 5820k and Titan Nvidia. Is your system 8 cores a piece or 4x2? Multi-core machines, combined with multi-core motherboards is the largest performance boost i've seen in any 3D modeling. We have 4-core systems that are supposedly fast but nothing compared to our 6+ core systems.

CA is very particular over what views you can rotate or edit objects - - specifically what view they were imported to, or made in.

I've found many objects in CA don't snap to ref points on edges etc. Make sure you are using an object or shape that actually snaps.

Thanks guys! Q: do you guys think we should have similar options for temp dimensions as we do other types? Personally Id like to see this as an option, since seldom (to never) do I use any temp dimensions to control a multi-sided poly-line shape. Perhaps for boxes and rectangles, but even there I control through the Dbx.

Thanks Mark. I'll do that for sure, but I was curious if there is a way to make it so temp dimensions show for certain things and not others?

Is there a way to turn off temp dimensions from CAD lines and things? I went to defaults and dont' seem to have the control over temp dimensions as I do others. How are you guys working with these dimensions in your face constantly - covering the lines you are actually working on? Here is an example...

One other question i'll add to the thread instead of starting a new one - Is there a way to turn off the temporary measurements CA automatically places for CAD objects? I find these are more in the way than helpful many times...

So is it true you cannot rotate a section plane once its been created?

Do you have an example image by chance? Im following you here but trying to understand "extrude" a profile.

This looks very nice - but I am having a hard time understanding the process. I'll play with this and try it.

Well you mentioned the request as idiosyncratic, so my response was to explain this isn't something particular to my needs only, but rather very common.

Traditionally this is very true. However, I think in the future may be different - as I am seeing commercial projects now incorporate BIM for all MEP. For residential its probably some time off....

I guess we should qualify what version people are using since I just checked and can select any line in any view....

Not sure what you are doing, since I just tested it and there wasn't a line I couldn't select and change. Here is a screen shot of some random lines being deleted from an elevation.

I did this recently with CA....and its the effect you want. You have to know how commercial windows are made, and use CA to emulate the look.

Do the "rent" to own CA has offered and you can break it up into payments.

One more real quick question - wasn't there an option for turning off the floor plan visual for window/door trim? I know in X3 or 4 there wasn't any trim visible for the floor plan, and I personally like this clean view. I realize I can turn off the layers, but I really thought there was an option in defaults or somewhere..? Thanks again for all the help.

My personal preference is to poche the structure sections @ 1/4 or less scale, but then reference larger 1/2+ scale detail sections. This is a very fast method actually, and I think looks better - - but its a personal preference only. Wow, I just realized you can't send any vector based color drawings to layout except through an image. That seems odd to me - and with large format color printers being more common I think CA should provide this ability very soon. Many architects/designers are using color (vector) throughout their plans.

I guess if I was you I would have gone the symbol way - and then place your "stretch planes" in the correct spot. Here are the reasons. 1. You can have the actual shape with concrete and "air" space. 2. Set the distance from floor, so it inserts the correct place. 3. Set stretch zones You could even place the rebar, but here is a symbol I did for you real quick. I'm doing things like this to practice with CA. insuldeck.plan

That worked!!!.....BUT, when I send to layout the fill is gone. Is there a way to get that over to layout?

So I dont start another thread - can someone tell me if its possible to change the default color of brown-ish color used in sections?

Thank you - I think I understand what you are saying in that you can have your own rich text with macros that pickup this data in the format you want.

When I set a new text size for room dimensions - part of the room label - it sets both the room label and the dimension the same size. Is there a way to make the room label a different size text without affecting the dimensions?

If you followed that instruction, then you should be able to simply change the layer (which-ever layer its on) line color and that will change to the "ghost" lines you want. It has nothing to do with X5 vs X7 for this operation.

If this is what you are talking about one of the more advanced users will need to help you. I can tell you that under the "floor structure" Dbx you can add layers and thicknesses, including associated materials which will give you everything but the actual insuldeck sections. Perhaps your idea is good of using a profile of this shape and making "molding poly-lines" for the runs. (added) or you could create a symbol of this and place stretch-planes in so as you increase or decrease the size it will scale correctly. Doing this might be the best bet.