johnny

Id love to see this in action. I spent too many hrs yesterday trying to figure out how to do this in Chief (which I think would have been a much cooler presentation to the City Council), and so I had to revert back to simply preparing 2d drawings - but they got good reviews from people at the meeting. I still think a 3d presentation would have made a huge impact - but this is what I ended up going with... It did only take me about 30 min to draw this up, since I used elements of another project I did recently (yes, I cheated).

Using classes and/or layers (but in VW classes are used primarily for objects on a particular floor, and floors are setup on layers most often) you should be able to "turn off" everything but what text you need. Make sure you are doing this on the layer and not "sheets" (used for printing only). When you go to export from VW, you will have an option to export only what is visible. In Chief, Floor Levels are used as VW uses Layers. In Chief, Layers are used as VW uses Classes. In Chief, "Layout" is used as VW uses Sheets. In Chief, Layersets are used as VW uses Layers/Sheets/Classes in combination. ..and vice-versa

You should be able to export all the text call-outs simply using dwg format. Id personally import into a blank CA file the copy over into your project file from there. There is no question VW "plays with other" apps better than CA - but I do believe CA does a reasonable job.

I recently downloaded one of these fixtures from the Sketchup Warehouse. Keep in mind to make applying different textures (glass, metal, etc) you should separate out the layers in Sketchup before exporting. Many of the models in the warehouse have this done already, but i've found some dont.

It wouldn't be hard to quickly model that in Sketchup - otherwise, this company has their versions of collector heads in the warehouse... Company: http://www.saf.com/persys/?page_id=2409 Download: https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=94959956fc9e6aadb04c428dda584601

I take model data from Vectorworks into Chief often - using 3ds format primarily, for "symbol" objects. If you are taking a plan that you intend to draw over in CA, then I would say simply exporting into PDF is your best bet. I know Vectorworks has filters that allow bringing in outside complex model data that it then assigns all those objects into walls/roofs etc - but CA has no such feature that I am aware of. Here is the example going "into" Vectorworks....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWep3flfQ0w (and that video was from 2010, they have really perfected this process since).

Honestly, I had to give up using Chief for this project. When you venture off the beaten path with CA it can be a very lonely place. I'm sure there is a work-around for everything, but I was sitting there trying to edit shapes for a block version (massing model) of the surrounding buildings, and I couldn't get it done with ease using Chief's primitive tools. Admittedly Chief doesn't promote their product for this type of work, but I just love their street and sidewalk tools I thought it might be worthwhile to try.

It doesn't seem like I can change the option for the default view - is there a way?

Is there anyway I can see in a 2d top view the image associated with a terrain area I brought in from Sketchup? Here is a screen image what I mean. This is what I see in the standard 2d top view: This is what I see in the "perspective overview": My issue is I want to draw a quick concept over the image, and I can clearly see the boundary lines (for rough concept) in the image, but can't seem to draw over that area in 2d mode with the image showing. Thanks.

Thanks - perfect.

I am trying to point to point resize an image to get the correct scale, but when I do the image only resizes the direction of the 2 points. Is there anyway to do a point to point resize but constrain the opposite coordinate by %?...so the result is a uniform scale of the image?

Glenn - your suggestion on the line break gave me a perfect idea and solution. Instead of having full wall height profiles like the other part of the house, I can have a single lap siding profile/section and then just add more (single siding) moldings (but same lap design) at customized elevations/intervals. This way I can also hit above the window/door through spacing of the single lap siding profile at the right elevation points. Works like a charm. I will do a video on this, since doing this is amazingly easy. In fact, Chief is better at this by far than Archicad or Vectorworks..... this is beyond cool, and i've experimented with brick edge details and rock edge details combined with texture maps for the face....and the results are awesome. Thank you very much.

Yeah, good point - if I just "pre-made" different sizes for different wall heights at some point I would probably have most sizes covered....and then it would be much more simple. Is there a way to convert this type of object into a "type" which would allow the "window" pass-thru?

Yep - I started this in the suggestions area, since it would be very nice if you could apply this method to the actual wall layers.

Thanks for that Glenn - very helpul. Yeah, on some projects I may need varying height versions then. I was also going to play around with the "repeat/duplicate" options in the molding dbx to see if I could use 1 string of siding and custom size...perhaps I could customize this on the fly - but It wouldnt be hard to have different siding moldings I suppose.

Here is the CA file (zipped)... http://ge.tt/api/1/files/86QfoW92/0/blob?download

I'd love to show siding and shingle edges for weaved corner conditions on homes. To that end, I was watching a video on doing this in Archicad - which later gave me an idea as to doing this in CA. The problem with this work-around is I can't seem to figure out a way to get the windows/doors to come thru the molding profile. Below you will see I created a custom profile to display a lap siding condition - eliminated the siding layer from my exterior wall, and set an exterior molding ploy to emulate the siding. It produces, without needing a shadow texture (using just sun) this effect: In vector: and elevation: Would love to have suggestions on how to get around the window/door issue - and I am very exciting about using this on my homes from now on. Thanks!

Is there anyway to have several line segments (all end points touching) to converge into a single poly in only a couple steps? So far, the CA help seems to suggest the only way that is possible is to go back and snap the line end-points one at a time. http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00171/

I would personally sister on a 2x10 with a notch/cut to your 2x6 tail so the dimensional lumber better connects with the top/bottom flange of the rafter members. For modeling, can't you just have the I-joist clipped at bearing wall and manually place the sister-ed lumber piece on each rafter? ... or will cheif not show to the fascia if the framing is a custom model piece?

I was suggesting that since the trees and exterior in the example are drawings themselves - not photos. I suppose you could create a background of those drawings (making an image file) and then apply an overall semi-transparent white-wash to then set as a background back inside CA - but I still suggest for still images Photoshop would be extremely quick....and you could so more with some of the filters etc. Im not in front of my work computer, but can you get shadows in the technical drawings?

There are products that help deal with water/rain/moisture in "wet" climates. Here is a good one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgCbk76f3-E I've done several stucco homes in the general Seattle area, and by itself stucco handles fine in wet weather - its typically an issue with moisture getting in behind the stucco and causing mold and breakdown. There are ways to deal with that in your detailing and specifications.

I think your best bet would be getting a white model out of CA (which is somewhat odd that isn't a pre-set style), and then finish the rest in Photoshop. I agree, that looks very nice.

I agree with this. Trying to communicate the orientation of a post through the use of "what number comes first" doesn't seem logical since most other "top down" framing members are set to small number first, larger second. Its not as if a 2x6 on one side of a house becomes a 6x2 on the other. Id want framers to use the drawing to see the orientation. Maybe I am missing a key point to this. I always notate small number first, larger second for posts, since they are most often vertical framing members.

You know, this is a good example of what i've referred to in other posts. Not having to enter dialog boxes so often is a huge overall time-saver and I would love to see CA develop further along these lines.

Nice drawing btw. Solid traditional brick design. but since you asked for comments/critique: - The window above entry door seems to have a diff radius than the rest of the windows (perhaps this is just an optical illusion), but I would make sure they all match. - Can I ask what the balustrades and columns (garage) are functioning as? I realize parts of the country adding detail for the sake of detail is a popular thing, but i've never been a big fan of just adding detail without some semi-justification (meaning, yes i might call for a faux beam, but it looks appropriate to have a beam in that location for support). - I dont think the front door looks great, especially with the only square clerestory window on front. Perhaps making the entire front door/lager clerestory seem integrated would help. Id readily admit these items are nitpicky and the house would be good without even changing anything. For its style, you've done a great job on this. When I was first getting into design, I used to draw my elevations (finished plans) in Corel since I didn't like the 2d options in AutoCad.