robdyck

SHOWERS.calibz

I've done something slightly different. I've separated the various components so that I have a choice of shower doors and faucets and I place them as an architectural block. You can go a bit further and add a tile trim around the shower, useful if you'll be showing interior views. By doing this, you can easily adjust the shower and have the label auto-update the size by using the width and depth macro. And, by adjusting the bounding box to negative 0.5 on the left, right and back, it becomes simpler to place the shower against the framing. Rather than change shower sizes in the plan, I've done this in advance and have what I need in my library. I find it faster to find and replace a symbol than adjust the one in place. Now, I know that wasn't macro help, but hopefully it's still useful.

I took a stab at it as well. A library symbol is attached, all you need to do is create an arched door way and place this symbol in your plan. PANELED ARCH.calibz

Good question Jason. For my own plans, I don't label the assembly calculations on those details. Instead, I use an assembly schedule (with all the effective thermal resistance calculations) and I 'tag' the various assemblies in section views.

I wouldn't hold my breath for that kind of feature and even if they did provide it, I wouldn't expect the flexibility needed or the control of appearance. I've been using 3d details for about 15 years with full control of what I model. I use Chief's tools to my advantage and I don't need to fight any settings to accomplish what I want. Because of that, creating new details and adjusting existing details is very quick and very stable. I have no reason to think that Chief will develop a 3d detail tool that automates the inclusion of components of flashing, tape, membranes, rebar, bolts, and other structural hardware. Because I have created so many of them, I know what goes into making them look right and knowing the level of difficulty involved, I have absolutely no expectation of Chief developing any sort of tool that replaces what I currently do.

I have often wished for this capability but it does not exist. All newly created section or elevation views will inherit the drawing sheet that is active in plan view. So, let's say you want to create all your interior wall elevations at 1/2" scale and you'd like the drawing sheet set properly. In plan view, change the drawing sheet size and scale to suit your preferred elevation views. Create all your interior elevation views. Now, you can change the plan view drawing sheet back to what is intended for the majority of your plan views. For all existing elevation or section views, the drawing sheet must be changed manually as needed. This is a bit of a nuisance if you frequently use multiple sheet sizes like I do. My default is Arch D sheets (36"x24") but I have several customers that require Tabloid (17"x11") so I often need to change the drawing sheet for all the existing elevation cameras, one at a time. It's an annoying waste of time.

For these types of views, you will need to pick your poison. Chief has all the tools...you can create molding polylines from a cabinet, and you can make custom countertops. BUT, that overrides a lot of function / feature just for line weight control. My own suggestion would be to find a balance of line weight display that works for you but doesn't 'fight' Chief...which sooner or later becomes a losing battle. I'm familiar with the sample you referenced but...and this is a big but...that's a different software AND definitely a different pay scale! Chief can do a great job of telling the story while working within it's natural boundaries.

https://3d-viewer.chiefarchitect.com/go?share=023704475132725

Not new! It's tricky to remember to go looking for those new features to implement into an existing template.

Yes, this can be done by using several preset Room Schedules that include / exclude your rooms based on the room type. One of the starting points to this is a very thorough predefined list of rooms as well as a disciplined method of adding new rooms when needed. The next step is customizing each schedule based on the included rooms. It can also help to learn some of the more creative methods of schedule manipulation...outside of the box thinking that Chief doesn't address in the help file.

@Steve_Nyhof Could probably chime in on creatively using schedules to sort out various area totals! I think a good summary is this: Nothing is entirely automatic...unless you setup perfect systems and then never deviate from those systems. In my opinion and in my own practice, perfection has been difficult to achieve because there are so many variables that go into a project. Customer preferences, land use bylaws, building codes, regional methods can all vary significantly. I just had a project where I tested some of the more creative ways to use the Room Schedule tools to total various areas. I could achieve accurate totals as long as I included at least 1 or 2 decimal places, needed to circumvent the totaling error from adding up multiple rounded values. I was not willing to include decimals in my area tables, nor was I willing to report inaccurate information, even if it is only slightly inaccurate. And while I would love a RONCO quality schedule for area reporting (set it and....FORGET IT!!!), I have instead opted to make the polyline method part of my work flow to ensure accuracy. Using colored polylines, adjusted near the end of the project, also provides you with a very simple visual cue to what is being reported and where it is positioned. Contrast that to hunting through the list of included room items in a schedule, in a tiny dialog box that can't be expanded, is (for me) a great way to ensure an error or omission. It's also worth noting that the polyline method combined with Custom Schedules and Custom Object Fields can eliminate the need for macro writing or out-sourcing macros. In short, as your system progresses in complexity, the likelihood of user error will increase.

As long as you have very controlled room uses, you can create a myriad of simple schedules that simply include or exclude certain rooms. If you rename rooms, or need to shift a room from one category to another, this can be prone to user error, so you would need a crystal clear room naming convention that you adhere to with a cult-like devotion. I still use polylines...I have a few other uses for them anyway so I don't mind.

So...we just need Chief to consult with people who know how homes are built! Obviously the problem with manually providing the heel height info the way I have been is more prone to typo's or forgetting updates. I've made errors at least twice since I started including the heel height (which I did as soon as you could use schedules for roofs). Luckily, the truss guys know to call and ask if there's an issue...and they still thank me for giving them this info because no one else does!

It's important to note that the heel height does not always report correctly in the roof dialog. It seems to be an internal calculation of the baseline height minus the top plate height, but there are times when chief reports the top plate height incorrectly in the roof dialog and then the heel height also reports incorrectly. This is even when all rooms are exact and according to defaults, and even when all baselines are in the exact correct position. The baseline elevation is an exact and absolute elevation whereas the heel height is relative and not always exact. Chief would absolutely have to do some work to ensure more accurate reporting of the heel height and the top plate height before allowing use of these values. I always include the heel height value in a roof schedule by just using a Custom Field, and you have to be careful not to just regurgitate what Chief's roof dialog is showing. Obviously the likelihood of these values reporting incorrectly increases with the complexity of the roof.

As far as I know, using a convert pdf to jpg tool is still the simplest way.