DB_Construction

I'm relatively new to CA, and am starting to get the hang of things. What I'm wondering is where you all get your symbols from, specifically light fixtures. I sifted through the Chief library online, but they don't have much in the way of lighting. I'm thinking there has to be another source to draw from? Is it the 3rd party libraries you have to purchase online? I found a couple of those. I'm specifically searching for an exterior gooseneck fixture, but would love to know where you all go for symbols.

Thanks!

Hey guys, I'm pretty new to CA but am starting to get my head around it. One thing I haven't found in any of the videos or on this forum is how to make custom window and door trim, and window inserts. I want to put grids in the windows that just have grids in the top 1/4 of the window, 2 lites. Also want to put casing on my windows and doors that is a 1" thick by 5.5" tall head jamb that hangs 1" past the 3.5" x 3/4" casing on the sides. Are either of these things possible in CA?

Thanks for the video David, every bit helps. I even enjoyed looking at how you have your toolbars set up. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what this program can do, but hope to get a handle on it. appreciate everyone out there in the CA community, thats a tremendous resource.

I'm not under pressure at this point, I'm trying to recreate a house just as a learning experience to get my head around the program before we introduce the pressure . I bought CA back in 2004 and tried to use it to design a house I had sold. Tried to learn under pressure, looked like an idiot and lost the build. Sold my CA and said not for me. As business has progressed I find myself extremely sick of drafting boards and pencils so I am trying again, but this time am trying to learn before I start an actual project. Per CJ's reply I looked at the sample plans and found that they do have instructional videos for how to create them. This is exactly what I needed at this point to begin to explore the different specifics of the program. I have already designed a pole barn, which covered a whole array of custom framing manipulation in different views and taught me a great deal. I think this go round with CA is going to be a very different experience than the last one. Thanks for the patience dealing with a rookie. Hopefully I can get to a place of confidence this time and figure this program out so I can throw away my drafting table!

I have not looked at any of the sample plans. Do they show somewhere how to build them? Why the reference in the first post?

Ok, I'm a noob, but there has to be a simple way to do this and I can't find a post or video with the explanation. I'm drawing a typical two story home with a single story attached garage. Part of the home wraps around the rear of the garage and is also single story. What is the easy method to build a partial second floor on the home and build a roof over the garage? I have a feeling I'm making this harder than it is, but have only been working with CA for a couple days.

Thanks all. I think I've got it. I drew the exterior walls on floor 1, then did a cross section and broke and stepped them where needed. I used auto-build foundation then using some lines broke the foundation wall and stepped it up to meet my basement walls. This method auto stepped the footings to follow the foundation as it stepped up. I think this method works, but haven't gotten far enough in my plan to tell whether or not it will present any problems down the road.

I will watch. I admit I did not because I tried the pony wall approach already but I could not get it to separate the foundation portion of the wall from the framed portion to show on a foundation plan. Also to get the footing beneath I had to designate as a foundation wall, but then could not get the program to generate the framing for the non foundation portions. I'll see if this vid has a different approach.

I am an SSA member. I tried some videos, but none I found go into enough detail on how to actually make the foundation work correctly. Most just focus on terrain, which matters nil to me. I'm battling against the default settings to try to get the foundation render correctly, and the walls to frame correctly, etc. Just wondering where most guys start and where they go from there.

Hey guys. Brand new to CA, trying to learn the ropes before I start a plan. I've been trying to figure out the most efficient means of designing a walkout basement, which is common in my region. After struggling for hours I have managed to draw one, but just realized that I have no way to display it as just a foundation plan. I read some of the threads about foundation on 0 or 1, but am not advanced enough to follow the discussion. Code here requires a 42" frost wall below grade, so at the front of the house I'm drawing a standard height foundation wall, but as I move to the rear the foundation needs to step down incrementally to keep the footings at a 42" depth. Any streamlined techniques would be appreciated