tdroes82

Kirk, Can you tell me how to add two global variables together? Here is what I have in my Output: %heated1Output% (add here) %bonusRoomOutput% I can't seem to find how to add a "sum" or anything like that. Thomas

This is exactly what i am looking for. to Kirk: 1. Can you create a second Polyline for lets say on the 2nd floor? Then add the 1st and 2nd floors together and display that number? 2. Can you add another Polyline on Floor 1 for lets say the garage? Then display the garage polyline in the same text box as 1st and 2nd? Thomas

Kirk, or anyone else reading this, How to I get a Polyline Label on Floor 2 to display in my footage chart on Floor 1? The only way see to make this work, is to create the polyline on Floor 2, then paste in place on floor 1. I am looking and looking at how to create a Square Footage Chart that works. I have had many replies back that "it is very simple and easy to create"; yet I can not find a good thread or video of someone actually creating this. I have very little knowledge on Macros. How does one call up a polyline on another floor and display information out of it? Any help, link or thread would be much appreciated. Thomas

I don't get it??

Simple question I think. I just cant seem to figure this out. How do I create a Text box with my plan areas? - When I use %room.name%: %room.area.standard%, this gives me what I need. But I can not move the text out of the room. - when I have 2 porches, can I add the two areas together on another "total porch" sq.ft text line? - Do I use Standard Area Polyline? If so, what is the correct macro to read it, such as living area, garage, porches, etc. I can use stand area polyline, and then add correct macros to the label of each. Then move the label to the side in a list. But is there a way to accomplish this in 1 text box, reading each area respectively. What about adding 2 porches into 1 total porch area? Here is what in 1 text box: total Heated Living: sq.ft. total Garage: sq.ft total porches: sq.ft. etc. Then I can send this text to layout where I need it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks. Thomas

Chopsaw, That is what I needed. Thanks for the help. Thomas

If it possible to convert a door or window to cad lines? I would like to show optional door, etc. and not let the door actually show up in 3D, or 2D (when it is placed in the wall). I currently have the door on a separate layer, but on my framing layer, it leaves the opening. Thanks. Thomas

Can someone tell me where the setting is to change the "default" attic wall when one is generated? I would like to change the siding color through defaults, so I do not have to always change manually. Thanks. attic wall default.plan

ok. So what do you all do? Any suggestions? I have a pile of plan files of the same home. Each one a little different. I never know which one to start from on a new house that the next customer wants to change. Solver...to answer your question: I do not use auto roof. They do not draw out correctly, and I find it faster to manually draw them. I do not use auto Foundation, because it erases my piers, girders, details etc. when it updates.

I am a builder, who uses Chief for house plans in Subdivisions. These are possible options that we show potential customers. My overall question is not necessarily a simple one: 1. Can layers in Chief handle modifications to a "spec" plan top to bottom? Example: We have a spec plan with (1) 16'x7' overhead garage door. But we also have an option to have (2) 9'x7' doors. To make this change, the garage has to be widened by 4' lets say. Can a plan be set up to turn on/off the needed layers and everything updates? This option would have a layout showing it. A customer could decide they want this options, and I can make the change to the plan quickly, and be ready to submit plan for building permit. All these things must change: - foundation, framed walls, roofs, windows/ doors may move, schedules update, dimensions update, .layout updates, 3D updates, etc. 2. If this is possible, what about Front Elevations? Can there be 1 plan, with layers on/off for "gable front", and "hip front"? 3. Are 2+ (separate plans) needed for these changes. I am spending too much time modifying my plans. Example: Plan 1 is gable front with normal garage. Plan 2 is hip front with larger garage., etc. I have 10 plans for the same house. 4. If what I am after is possible, is there anyone reading who is capable of completing this, and that I can hire to create a plan for me? This is not something I know how to do. I can not find any topics on this. If there are any, pass them to me please. Thomas

I am having this same problem on my basement ceiling and 1st floor. I need to change 1st floor thickness. Changed in defailts, set each to use default, still not changing floor thickness when I rebuild Framing. I am using x9, and in my defaults, there is no "Rooms" - It is now "Floor and Rooms", with no Normal Room option. How can this be done in Chief x9?

I have searched previous posts, and do not see what I am looking for. - I have default window Trimmer set to 1 (quantity). Here is the problem. - on a 2'8" wide window, that is not a problem. (1 Trimmer) - on a 5'4" wide (twin 2'8") window, i need 2 trimmers. So now I manually change count to 2. But on the latest house, I overlooked making the change, The framer used my header length (1 trimmer), and today he is tearing out the headers and replacing it 3" longer. $$ Is there any way to set trimmer count based on opening size (similar to header size)? Lets say, a window/door opening over 5' spans automatically changes trimmers to (2) Thomas

to KervinHomeDesign Thanks for the info. I believe that is what happened. I do not remember ever manually changing the layer thickness. I figured it was from my house wrap layer that was messing it up, so I removed that, and still there was the same problem. Turns out the automatic change to the wall thickness changed and did not reset to 3.5". Now I understand how it happened. The problem has driven me crazy for quite some time. But now i know where it is. I just could not find it.

That was it Alaskan_Son. Thanks so much.

I must no be explaining this properly. Let me try again. The attached plan exterior dim is 20'. exterior walls are 3.5" thick. Total interior measurement should be 19'5" even. Now, click on one of the exterior walls. Then the 19'5" dimension. It reads 19' 5.02". Why is the actual interior dimension +0.02" wider than it should be? Thomas Dimension is off a fraction.plan

the screen shot did not load in. When you click on the center wall, then use the 9'-1 1/2" dimension. Here is the value that is in 9' 1.52" It should be exactly 9'1.5" What is the problem? It is on all of my plans. Does anyone else have this issue?

attached is a simpler example. Try moving the interior wall using dimension. Click the wall, then click on the dimension on the right. Here is the value it is at It should be 9'1.5" it is 1/64" off somewhere in my wall thickness. But this is not the case when I look at my wall in Wall Types. Dimension os off a fraction.plan

Can someone please help me with this: When I draw exterior walls, and then interior walls, and add interior dimension manually, I get one dimension that is 0.02" wider than what it should be. Is the setting in my wall thickness? Please see attached file. See the interior dimension string at the bottom. Move wall using dimensions and you can see the problem. This happens on all of my plans, and I can not find the setting to fix it. Thanks. Thomas Dimension os off a fraction.plan

Thanks Scott. I looked there and passed right over it.

How do I toggle on the s and e, wall start and wall end respectively, when I click on a wall to edit? I have disabled this and can not find it again. Thanks. Thomas

I was working this afternoon on a plan. I had the plan and the layout open. There was a thunderstorm that passed over, and the power to the building shut off for 1 second. This caused my computer to turn off immediately. After the power came on, and my computer started up, I tried to open the file that I was working on. The File would not open, and I received a message that the file was corrupt. I did not get a screen shot of the error message. I recovered a previously saved file from earlier in the day. That one will open in Chief. But When I open the file, and also when I save a .plan file or .layout file, I receive the following error: (open the attachment)Power Failer.pdf How can I get rid of this error message? I save my work very often. I have a habit of hitting Control+C several times a minute. Because of the power failure, my computer did not exit out of Chief. The computer just shut off. My thought is to uninstall Chief, then reinstall. Will that take care of the issue? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thomas

ok so i go into defaults. set foundation to grade beams on piers, set my piers to square, and all that. then draw foundation. and it draws exterior walls on piers. this is not what i want. i have stem walls set to 8" CMU. when you build new foundation, it never draws my beams on the interior with piers under them. do i need to draw my beams in the foundation floor and add piers seprately?

I need a crawl space foundation plan with CMU exterior walls, 3 member 2x10 Beams set on 12" pier block with footing. piers 8' oc. I can not figure out how to draw this. I place a wall in my foundation. but i cant change it to wall on piers. in settings, then it changes the whole house to "on piers" i am not at the beach. I add a beam, and then try to add square piers under beam. but cant (it will only let me add under exterior wall) I can add post with footing under beam, but this but the footer is round, not rectangle. cant seem to change this either. I am clearly not understanding how this software works. This should not be this difficult to draw a crawl space, or are there setting to make a crawl space? what am I missing? 2Asher - WRS Lots.plan

Thanks. I really appreciate the help.

I am a new user. attached is a plan to explain my settings.Asher - WRS Lots.plan I am having a problem with my Exterior Wall thickness. (at lease I think that is the problem) I will try to explain my problem. The overall length of left side (Outside of Plywood corners is where I want dimensions to pull from) is 54' So then I draw the interior garage wall, then click on wall, then dim to change it to 21'8". Then If I click on the remainder Dimension (31'4 1/2"), It shows the actual Dim of 31'4 13/25" I want Exterior Dims to pull from outside if plywood, for overall dims. Interior Dims to pull from 3.5" Framing. I've notices on some dims, they are 1/50 off. Somewhere I am picking up a 1/50" thickness and I cant figure it out. Can anyone help?