robdyck

My guess, and its just a guess, is that the 3d molding was designed (by Chief) to produce trim on a wall or roof edge. Maybe that's why it's not very user friendly for something like representing piping. In the screenshot below, I added a vertical segment and I get a messed up 90 joint. Seems odd.

The only alternative I'd have is to separate it into pieces, just for the simplicity. Items that need to run vertically...just use a separate item, either a molding, or geo shape, p-solid, whatever. One thing I like about p-solids is the ability to specify height relative to terrain. Whether its a continuous 3d molding, or pieces, it's all got to be edited either way, right?

No question about it Joey, you've got a knack for putting a lot of info on a floor plan in a clean, easy to read fashion!

That is a true statement! And regardless of the lookout orientation, its worth pointing out that Chief doesn't build lookouts at the correct spacing nor does Chief 'know' where to start the layout of a lookout. So if someone is modeling framing for accuracy, the lookouts at every gable end will need the placement manually adjusted. If there's a Chiefer out there who knows some secret trick to get Chief to build lookouts spaced o.c. following the roof slope, and starting at the bottom of the sub-fascia, this would be a great time to share your tips!

And what are polyline solids to roof framing? The suggestion was 1 method to manually draw lookouts which was the original question and I wasn't suggesting he draw them too short. Actually I wasn't making any structural suggestions, just suggesting Chief tools to use. Using "blocking" puts the lookouts on a separate layer automatically, which I kind of like (if you have a gable end wall). The roof blocking tool works fine unless you're also using a gable end truss in which case the gable end truss would 'cut' the lookout (because to Chief it is 'blocking'). If using a gable end truss, one will need to replicate an actual Chief lookout. You're the one with the lookout on flat. Don't get me started on framers placing lookouts flatwise instead of edgewise! Did you mean cantilevered support or saggy support? Somewhere this got sidetracked. Were we talking about methods to draw things in Chief, or how to frame an actual roof? I thought it was the former.

I read that and Rene definitely made a great point. For me, that type of planning happens on a case-by-case basis, however I use a different layer set for the design development phases versus the con docs. So, for me the final con docs are always showing the dims to the center of openings...except for concrete buck outs. I give the foundation crew dims to the sides of the cutouts!

Good one! I moved that label to show the extension behavior.

Centers for me, but yeah, the same. My window schedule isn't for the framer, it's for the window mfr.

That brings up a pet peeve of mine. My dimensions for 1/4" scale are set to have a 2" gap from the marked object. Look at the difference how the extension treats a window versus a wall corner. WHY?

Dimensioning to sides of windows in a typical Canadian market is a disaster as I use nominal imperial sizes, but most manufacturers build metric units. ie: a 60" x 30" window will actually be 1500 x 750 (59 1/16" x 29 1/2"). I believe I'll offset all my labels to be above or to the right of center.

The callout does have a fill if you choose that in your text styles. My text styles are customized for openings in plan view and in elevation view. The problem is that the label has no drawing order control of its own...its a slave to the window! The window being order 25, and the dimension being order 5.

This topic is sort of a question and partly a discussion. When using a window schedule with callouts for labels, where would you prefer to locate the window label. My default window / door label is located centered of the window, and offset to the exterior by -9". When using a window size as the label, the dimension extension goes through (over) the 'x' in 60" x 30" for example. I find this acceptable...I guess. When using a callout for a label, the dimension extension goes through the center of the callout, kinda wrecking the legibility of the callout label. Assuming that drawing group orders will be left alone for windows and for dimensions, where would you place the callout label?

1. Use "Roof Blocking" 2. uncheck automatic height 3. replicate as desired 4.group select lookouts 5. check automatic height, close dbx 6. re-open dbx while selected. uncheck automatic heights.

Chief builds them all wrong anyhow, am I right?

Thx. It made me chuckle softly.

It's also VERY helpful to use a layer set that has MAIN LAYER ONLY checked when producing and editing dimensions.

All the debate about why one might dimension to centers aside...it seems many people need to read the Chief manual to understand what the INTERIOR DIMENSION tool is and what it's for and when / why to use it. Eureka moments will be had.

Here's my quick version of that material. It ain't quite right because the picture gets a bit off-axis on the right hand side. And its flat...no mapping of any kind. weirdtile.calibz

Did you read the help topic I posted? Interior Dimensions Draw Interior Dimension lines parallel to walls in plan view to create interior dimensions. The Interior Dimension tool locates interior wall surfaces only. It does not dimension between layer surfaces in the same wall, and it does not locate walls unless it actually intersects them. Interior Dimensions locate either wall surfaces or the Main Layer, depending on the settings in the Locate Objects panel of the Dimension Defaults dialog. See Locate Objects Panel.

Did you read my 1st post? Don't use that tool.

Exactly which dimension tool are you using?

You just need to manually drag an extension line to the center and with a bit of accuracy! It looks as though you may have chose the 'center option' after those dimensions were placed. The existing dimensions will have to fixed manually or replaced with new dimension strings. Also, make sure you are NOT using the "interior Dimension" tool. It is specifically for measuring the interior!

Chief_Architect_Premier_X12_2020-04-09_08-01-56.mp4

I think your explanation was fine Larry, but you won't get what you want by rotating the schedule in plan view. Instead, send it to layout using the 'Current Screen' option so you have a layout box of the schedule only. Then in layout you can rotate and position the layout box of the schedule wherever and however you'd like and the text will follow!