johnny

Here is a screenshot of VW. Notice the tool-pallets on the right...those change depending on my selection of objects. In fact, I can change nearly anything without entering a single dialog box. That saves a ton of time.

I agree that looks nice - but part of me was hoping for a new GUI overall. Most cad apps are getting away from entering dialog boxes and extra windows to speed-up processes. Its curious why CA seems to be embracing the old. I hate to be the negative-nancy here, but this app needs a GUI over-haul to bring it into the current century.

Check this site out for great videos on how to do this... http://www.chieftutor.com/ More specifically check this out... http://www.chieftutor.com/scotthall/

If you are adding a dormer to a barreled ceiling, the connection will be in a tear-drop shape - and yes, Chief does this just fine. Id give you more help but I can't understand your sketch.

Yes, there are different ways to physically design the roof over a bay - I really benefited from Jims video - but I am again left with the fact I am sure these sorts of methods exist for many things in CA....and realizing I dont know many. Here is the construction method for Jim's: Here is another way:

^^^^^ THIS! Rarely does a client fully know their specifications at the time of submitting for a permit. Its usually during the time waiting for a permit does a client end up using the plans to develop their interior design. I don't even typically work on interiors - since that work is best done by a good interior designer. The problem is most interior designers aren't using CA so the fact this app is great for furthering the process really means little to me. There are occasions where I am specifically hired to work on interiors - and CA is great. This is when a true BIM would be helpful...especially for reporting/schedules. For whipping out a permit ready plan set (2D) I've found CA to not be as fast as some other apps. I'll agree that if the house you are working on is simple, CA could be faster - but my homes are typically far from "simple", so my guys and I get hung-up in CA nomenclature very quickly.....frustration ensues and I give in to going back to Vectorworks. There is a trend to get BIM more standardized - but they have no real authority over the industry. http://www.nationalbimstandard.org/

Yeah, they have a "post" piece you can use from the header which would solve the issue too - http://www.crlaurence.com/crlapps/showline/default.aspx?GroupID=57389 Personally speaking I think I like the pivot hing option the best visually.

They do make a bottom hinge (pivot hinge) for that door that connects to the threshold, which supports the weight - but I agree its so far missing from any of the drawings. The cost of that piece is much greater than a standard jamb hinge that could be used on the (right) jamb simply reversing the opening direction.

Not to put too fine a point on the issue - but looking at your drawing it appears you have the opening cased in wood/mdf (same with jamb/frame). Did you really want it finished like that for shower ingress/egress? Sorry to divert from question...

Totally agree!! I am amazed that: 1. Chief makes certain residential 3d so simple I'm shocked other apps haven't looked to duplicate, and 2. Chief doesn't seem willing to add functionality in 2D and 3D shape modeling which could make this app truly sing. Both those items make no sense to me - so wife and mistress it is.

I wasn't implying someone couldn't get to that level - just that most won't.

Its not possible* IMO to have Chief be your entire backbone app. for production drawings in a mid/large firm. Its so incredibly weak in 2D and general 3D shape modeling - compared to current generation CAD/BIM apps - that if you can't use one of the object tool-sets CA provides to create something you will often end up using Sketchup or some other app for that component. I compare that to say Vectorworks which CAN be all a firm needs. Glenn and Scott are masters of this app - but most people aren't going to get to their level of knowledge. This app can be quirky, difficult to learn, and un-intuitive. It can also be totally awesome for some projects, and can produce 3d interior/exterior residential models better/faster than any other app. i've seen/used. Its a love-hate-love relationship. It is worth the buy, but I will say it was hard for me to get my other draftsmen to learn CA. You will do yourself a favor watching Scotts process for "fumbling" around to get answers (see his videos) - since learning what not to do is nearly as important as learning what to do. (fyi that is a compliment to Scott) * I obviously know if you kept the spectrum of design down to a point, CA would work for everything - its possible - but I can say that in what I do it would be impossible to have CA handle all our work....and I know many on this forum use other apps to complete work due to CA limitations.

I typically get my topos from Google Earth when I dont have a full survey - but I am curious what you are referring to. Was it something to do with the USGS?

There is a user here named "Scott" who will often do a video and answer this question like this.....hopefully he sees this and makes a vid.

This was a very good idea by Chief, but I think they should go further. For my Vectorworks purhase I use their $50 per month program that gets me the app and full support features - even though I owed full copies I could have upgraded, the $50 a month represents a better overall deal if I planned to upgrade each year (as I did). I also do that with my Adobe and MS software and so far I like it much better.

To me Chief had a huge learning curve due to all the neunaces - trust me, i've been frustrated many times. However, this community is about as good a place to get help than anything i've ever seen. Heck, Scott produces videos of how to do certain things using my project files - its been heaven sent. I bet SoftPlan is the same type of app Chief is. You won't hear an argument from me Chief doesn't need more CAD/Model tools - but Chief is still the best thing i've found for residential 3D design.

.....ah, i feel dumb. Thx Curious though what you dont like about the tool.....? Worked great for what I was wanting to do.

thanks glenn...i will do a search and see if I can find it.

Just a note, my experiance with SU is that unlike CA, if you dont set it up properly, it simply won't work. Meaning if you use "follow-path" or push/pull and you run into a situation like this, it will simply stop you dead in your tracks. I suppose at least CA shows "best it can" as Bill said. BTW, he is right about this miter and the cuts. One of the strongest apps I know for this type of detailed work is Vectorworks, but going back-and-forth between apps has proven to be no time-saver IMO.

To create a window box currently, I simply draw the exterior walls in the shape i want, and then set the floor elevation of the window/seat/box at a different level - by distiguishing the area via room divider. It works fine, but the issue I have is under the window seat an auto-generated wall is created without definable properties (appart from interior sheetrock) - as far as I can tell. I've been getting around this by drawing a poly solid and applying siding texture - placing it manually over the area I need to hide the sheetrock. I assume I have to be doing this wrong, so I thought I would draw a diagram to show the area I am having an issue with. Thanks!

Thank you - you second suggestion about getting to the main layer only revealed that the wall's main layer had been flipped somehow, and so the exterior dimension was actually where it was supposed to be, but the wall's main layer wasn't in the right direction. I didn't notice this due to the large door/window taking up nearly the entire area (but now I am curious how my elevations seemed to work. Oh, well ....fixed - thank you again.

I've been struggling with something I am sure there is some quick and easy answer (i hope) to. I've used the auto-exterior dimensions on this plan, but then I went back and modified the dimensions how I wanted. I have a situation in 1 corner where the dimension end simply won't allow itself to be relocated. Right now its going to the inside of an exterior wall (the only one in the plan), and I want to simply move the point to the exterior of that wall. I click the endpoint, drag to the corner I want it to be on (like any other dimension) and it remains locked in its originial config. Thanks for any help.

I do have to say, it seems like roof returns and eaves have had glitches now for many releases. Curious why these aren't being fixed.

This was a very helpful thread too. I did learn a lot watching Scotts videos - as I think it helps to see visual reactions to someone working thru the process.

Yeah, but why can't it divide spaces outside a building into a room?...I don't see a name conflict if it did - and that is how we were to create rooms/decks/spaces outside from the tool it replaced.