I did a quick experiment. While my cad block lines were exactly drawn corner to corner, I got similar unexpected results at each corner for the relationship between the center of the line and the center of the muntin. Upon inspection, I can see that for these muntins, the cad lines represent the top edge of the muntin. So, I can adjust the cad lines to move to the top edge and re-load the muntin.

First Try:

2nd Try:

First, try setting the camera Tilt Angle to 0 and then inspect both views. This will result in the least amount of variation between the 2 views.

The difference in the backdrop postion is due to the Index of Refraction of the glass material. A different refraction value will also affect the appearance of the position of the backdrop.

On 6/19/2025 at 10:35 AM, Adam_Gibson said:

How does one enable the deck to show up when it's over a section of roof?

If you ensure that the deck is built on the floor above the roof planes, then you should be able to avoid this issue.

@Renerabbitt

Hey Rene, thanks for taking the time to respond in such detail! Your effort to reply in video (not just to myself) is always appreciated! 

From what I can tell, a short wait may be all it takes to address mypreference to see the width and height of openings in 3d views!

With door and window labels turned on:

Vector View:

Standard View:

And so is this; hmmm, was this a 28", 30" or 32" door...back to plan view to check!

30 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

Sorry let me rephrase  why aren't you doing automatic always refresh exterior dimensions to center and temp dimensions to sides . You will be able to use either or then

I am using always refresh etxerior to center. For some phases of design developmnet and client review, I don't include dimensions to windows and doors.

That being said, I still always want temp. dim. to centers. Especially when positiong interior doors...29 years of dimensioning to centers both in plan documention and on site. I know these numbers like the back of my and and I don't want to start using dim. to sides.

For example, this is not as useful as including width and height:

14 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

Why no set your exterior defaults to center and your temp dimensions to sides?

Because then in plan view, I lose the ability to dimension to the center for openings. During design development, many openings are not dimensioned and in my work, openings are dimensioned to centers. In 3d views, I'm not really using dimensions per se, but rather I'm adjusting and resizing windows and its helpful if I can see the window size...like I have been able to for decades! As I move between views, I don't just remember the size of every window. If I need to drag-tab a window from 30" to 32", it's helpful to click and see that it's 30".

I guess I can turn on window labels in 3d views, but then I either need to turn them off or create new layer sets in order to send exterior images for design review.

2 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

This would come from your temp dimensions from the active dimension default of your camera type

Thanks Rene! So, assuming all my plan view dimension settings are setup to dimension to the center of windows, I will need to create a new dimension type with different settings just to display the size of the windows and doors in 3d views, is that correct?

And then I'll either have to do that in every plan and template plan in progress, correct? 

Does anyone know how to get the window sizes (width and height) to display in a 3d view in X17? I can't figure out how to get these to display!

The snippet is from X16:

I'd suggest opening a slightly older plan and comparing the settings to the plan in question.

You could also post those files here so someone can investigate your settings to help identify the specific issue. If you don't want to post the files in the forum, you could PM me a dropbox or Google Drive link to download them and inspect. Again, best to sompare an older plan that looks correct with the plan in question.

Does that make sense?

1. The first thing to check is that the view is using the correct layer set.
2. Drawing Sheet Setup: If you have changed the Drawing Scale, this will affect the appearnace of line weights.
3. Drawing Sheet Setup: If you have changed the Advanced Line Weight Options, this will affect the appearance of line weights.

Open Help and paste 'Drawing Sheet Setup Dialog'

@Chrisb222 Thanks for the confirmation! I'm going to send a feature request now!

Hey Chiefers...I'm just wondering if there's a way to change the line style for plan view display of doorways. The current dashed line seems baked in and in 1/8" scale plans it doesn't really show as a dashed line. I can't find anyway to control this within Chief or any help from...Help!

You can't get a crawlspace floor to generate because of how the Crawl Space room is defined. By default, you have this room set to an Open Below room type. Change this to Slab.

Open the Room Spec dialog:

The left side gable wall is present but it is invisible. Just click the toggle to make it visible.

This attic wall will be easier to locate in your working plan layer set and in this set, I suggest changing the attic wall layer color to something distinctly different from other wall layer colors. 

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/87b12c1c-a333-4669-b518-fe5d5cceb6ed/Crate-Barrel-Aster-Pendant-Light

Thanks for the suggestion @javatom. Unfortunately that doesn't change anything. In fact, I can't think of any instance where that setting has had any noticeable effect.

I will resort to using a pony wall or some other method! This is what I'd prefer: a 2x6 insulation wall over the 2x4 wall at the 9' ceiling level. And I'd just prefer to draw this 2x6 wall on the attic level. Using a pony wall on the main floor can have some unwanted display issues with wall connections and with room measurements that I'd rather avoid.

If I'm not mistaken there was a time when an interior wall would frame to the lower of 2 varying ceiling heights. Currently, these walls now default frame up to the higher ceiling.

In the iamge below, I have 1 room where the ceiling has been raised by 24". I'd prefer the wall to frame to the 9' height, NOT 11'. And I'd prefer not to use a pony wall to accomplish this, althouhg that's probably what I'll do. Have I forgotten a simple setting somehwere?

Probably because Chief doesn't have a specific tool to make a gate that matches the host wall / railing / fence. Instead, you need to use a door. To make a door that matches, draw a section of railing as long as your preferred gate (36" or 42" long for example). Convert that railing wall to a Door symbol and add it to the library. Select this symbol from the library and insert into your railing / fence. 

Before doing this, you may need to set stretch planes depending on the type of railing / fence. And of course, assign it to the layer of your choosing, usually the same as the railing or fence.

Does that help?

Pony Wall Defaults...

I was thinking about the same principle for a retaining wall made of boulders. I'd like variation in boulder colors so how do I go about doing that? For your case, I don't think you'll find an easy way. Multiple dist. regions will result in stone overlap. You could attempt to create 1 symbol made up of the various stone sizes but it will probably prove to be difficult to create a symbol that tiles nicely.

One thought is to create a symbol by using a cad detail from a cad fill pattern of a random edged stone. Then convert the polylines to a 3d symbols for terrain use and paint them using various materials.

Another option might be to find a similar looking texture image that can be edited to be transparent between the pavers. 

What do your patio stones look like?

Can you post a link to the plan?

Another thing to consider is the image size that you use for export. For the best combination of quality and speed, make the image as large as possible that can be rendered in a single picture. For me that is about 3500 pixels wide. Once I go larger, the image is tiled which obviously takes longer to process.