mm407p

I'm Looking to buy the new Microsoft Surface Pro 2 or 3 if it becomes available before I make up my mind. If anyone working with the MS Surface Book 1 or 2 I would appreciate some sort of heads up on how it handles Chief Architect, especially in the rendering and 3D mode. Also, I have seen on youtube that there may be some issue on how the Surface 2 is picked up by the edge and could be damaged - Has anybody had this experience. Any comments will be appreciated

Is anybody using a Microsoft Pro 4 with Chief Architect X10 - if so it would be great to get some opinions on which configuration works best, both for general cad work and rendering.

Thanks facer_03 - Happy New Year!

I think that it would be great if Chief X9 would finally make an effort to be competitive with its main rivals. At the moment it is living on the edge - I really cannot see a person which is employing a few people make competitive use of this program - I think that there are just too many issues. I agree with the previous comments which although acknowledges some efforts by Chief to accommodate its old users it certainly does not break a leg in its efforts. It would be nice to be able to see 2D dotted lines for shelving in wall elevations - which currently are hidden behind closed doors. There are a number of other suggestion that I have made through SSA over a period of time which I generally been given a complex work around - not helpful! I suppose there are a lot of priorities and it's always your own view that one supports. Let's hope for better in 2017 with X9 Best for 2017 Chief Architect

Hi Alaskan_Son - sorry it took a long time to respond yes I, using that, but what I'm trying to do is add one page to an arbitrary number as per the post of 13th. of June. Thanks for the effort.

Thanks Alaskan_Son and glenw for the replies Yep Alaskan_Son ... you got it right ... partly. so has glenw in a way ...but its not for printing its for Analytic's. What I'm trying to do is: "keep a record off all the pages used in the current project displayed on the title box independent of the current layout set" So the construction drawings might have 25 sheets say 1 to 25, but there might have been 20 sheets used in the Design and Planning process. Thus in the right hand side of the customary sheet I would have sheets 1 to 25 for the construction set as standard procedure to identify that set and in another box on sheet 1 of the construction set I would have sheet number 26, on sheet 2 I would have sheet 27 ....etc to sheet 25 which would display 45. (thus there would be 2 numbering systems - one for the construction set and another for the total job set) The reason for this is that when tied to the job number to each page used, you would have the capacity to reference every sheet on that job by a number which is useful when you do your analytic s of a job. I apologize for the complex ties, but really I think this should be a simple process in to create a macro and then reference that macro in the title box somewhere (which I have done) - the only think I cannot do is get a a declared variable to add to the layout page number. I have asked this some question to Chief Support when using Chief 7 - reply was no it cannot be done. I just wondered if it was possible in Chief 8 - maybe someone went down the same path. Again thanks all for your help - it is greatly appreciated - "where there is a will there is a way" ..I hope.

Thanks for the comment - unfortunately it does not work in this case. What I think I'm after is a "text macro" That I can then "insert" Trying to count continually for different sets of drawings - so if a set ends at 60 sheets then the new one would begin at 61. This is independent of the numbers that are counted by the layout page counter in any new set. (Sets are Sketch Design, Design Development, Construction drawings etc) I don't know if this is explained well - but its the best I can do. Thanks for your help.

Thanks for the reply Graeme Taylor and justmejerry - but unfortunately the macro text editor does not seem to take anything with # in front of it. # works in the layout numbering % works in the "insert" for text commands $ works in the Macro Text box editor as best as I can figure out Tried all combinations that I think could work but - no luck. I wonder if there is a "macro" bank where people post their macros that work? Thanks for your efforts

I'm trying to get the layout numbering 'page numbers' to be added to an arbitrary number, and displayed in part of my title box. I have problem with the display part what I cannot achieve is this: 60 + page number (say page 1) = 61 I cannot get a macro or by using 'Insert' a command to give me the resultant 61 If anybody could help it would be greatly appreciated.

Well this is not a good turn of events -SSA was supposed to handle This. I agree with the people above - this is not a good move and I think this is just the beginning. VERY DISSAPOINTED WIT CHIEF EXTRA CHARGE IDEA - NEXT IT WILL BE A CHARGE FOR USING THE WEBSITE - JUST A SMALL ONE - TO START WITH! NOT HAPPY CHIEF!

Good solution with the stairs, and not that long to do - It would be good if Chief Architect would take note of such efforts and provide a solution in their stair tool - it would not be a big issue, and then we could have the layers and materials costs included without to much hassle. Thanks for your efforts Michael - it will help me next time I do a stair.

Hi Annaleisa, Have been working with Chief Architect from version 6 to Version X7 will upgrade to X8 when it becomes available. Like to hear what is your proposal - "Face to Face can be with Skype" - If that suits you - I'm in Melbourne - see website under. I have over 30 years experience in doing my own jobs which include Residential new and renovations and other commercial and institutional. P:(03)9347-7347 M:0417 567123 Skype:zstick Houzz: http://www.houzz.com.au/pro/mm407p72/__public https://www.pinterest.com/newhomedesign1/

Good idea ..........thanks for the personal message ........I would the say the same down here. It appears that the full release of X8 is going to be in the next couple of week (Beta is already released) Best for 2016 Cheers

Fair enough - Glad you got a laugh - But as we are getting hotter down here - at least that's my impression - I wondered what they can see up closer to the polar region. Lets hope Chief 8 brings us a lot more than we hope. Best for the new year - Cheers from down in Victoria. Michael

Yes that generally what I do but it does not solve the flexibility that the stair tool provides. The stair tool allows you to quickly change the number of risers and treads, and also allows for quick placement of landings. Again this is all lost when you have to go down the manual road. My comment about "Global warming" was a serious question, as Alaska is a long way from Australia and its good to get a first hand comment from where change is most likely to be noticed first! I do not quite understand "We get enough heat down under so it's good to keep cool heads" !

Yes that would be OK for construction drawings but not really for Ray tracing - the whole idea of a stair tool, I would have thought, is to be able to generate a number of stair option so that you can choose which best suit the look of the job Having the ability to vary riser and tread and other options that are part of the stair tool quickly is a great advantage so I do not see why it could not be extended a little. - but it might all be to difficult. By the way Alaskan_Son - have you noticed any significant global warming in that part of the world?

Thanks Glenn I asked the question badly What I meant was - Single stringer so that it does not have bits cut out to fit the treads. The example would be a steel box beam with steel plates to take the treads welded to the beam

I have seen some of the improvements on the stair module however; I cannot comprehend from the examples if a stair with a middle stringer only an be used (Generally referred to a a middle beam stair) Does anybody know if it is possible?

I had a look at some of the videos released on X8 - a little excitement is in the air Elevations with color and shadows - about time - at least we are catching up. As for the Pole Dimensions video - it is so quick it is difficult to understand and see any changes Also I hope that these pole dimensions are tied to the 3D structure so that they make sense and are not just like the the markers that are available in X7 Also 1. Stairs are still "very mickey Mouse" - the flexibility is poor and the diagrams representing the functionality is atrocious. 2. Floor levels are still very difficult to understand - the explanation boxes are badly arranged and poorly detailed. 3. Wall heights - you still cannot set a wall height on an external wall interdependent of the roof - roofs should not control wall heights - or at least we should have the ability to turn that off. I could go on..... but people might think I'm ungrateful (I'm still great full for the program and thank all those that produce it) ...well I'm frustrated to see others using similar programs and having more flexibility - I have been working with this program for a long time. Wish all the staff and all those that have participated, (Persisted), with this program the best for the season - and a happy new year to all.

Good information We should convince Chief Architect to produce a "tile generator" along the same idea - it would be a great improvement to the program. As far as I can work out - at the moment you can adjust the tile position in ray trace but not when you are using room fills which is a pity The tiler needs to know where you want the tiles to start from, and where to end with half tiles etc - much needed work here by Chief Architect. Lets hope the next version has a few more improvements!

Hi Kelly "Please do not loose your mind - Chief Architect is not worth that pain." Had a look at the plan - see no problems with the elevations However - you seem to be using Chief Architect without a layout - using it a little like a 2D Auto cad old system. Could you please specify in a little more detail and see if I can help - I notice your are in Queensland - you can call if you require more help. Cheers - Michael Manias Associates Building Designers (03)9347-7347 0417 567 123

Joseph I do a very similar procedure - slight variations. 1. I export the whole core library to the desktop than import it back into Chief under a new name - Say Core - 1 2. Then I remove all items from the new library once imported. (The reason I do this is that I want the new library only for the items that I may take from the core library and change colors, textures etc, if I retained the existing items I would have the problem of duplicity - not knowing which items I have changed - this means that if I altered any blocks they are all in a new library and the structure of the library is the same as the Core structure library finding and storing items in similar sub directory - helping the brain to remember what went where - and 'no duplicity'.) 3. If you export out the core library structure with no items - it will fail - (this is if you want to move the library core structure from one computer to another) you must retain one item in each sub directory fro this to work Hope that makes some sense

This setting to uppercase is long overdue - surely this is an easy default setting, to cover all sittuations so that labes both in Layout and in plan can be set to to whatever case yoy prefer to work with. Lets hope Chief Architect picks this one up quickly.