DavidJPotter

Try this thread too please: https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/2295-fantastic-new-solution-found-re-how-do-you-show-partial-open-railing-stairs-and-how-to-show-the-door-to-the-basement-stairs-underneath/ DJP

I have done this using different geometric objects like Eric points out (octogon, hexagon, circle, rectangle) which you can then make to look like a raised area by capping the "hole". How complicated or sophisticated is up to you, your client and your willingness and patience. You use the available 3D modeling tools to model the effect a step at a time. DJP

The whole point of layers, layer sets and anno sets is efficiency and productivity. Organization of objects is the key to setting up page views that clearly communicate graphic data by page type. Color or the lack there of is an aesthetic personal choice. Color printing is more expensive to produce, black and white is more economical and is widely accepted. Whether you use color or not is a personal aesthetic choice, shaded by the users own sense of "right". You should do what is right for you based upon your own reality. DJP

What you have selected is not a "wall" but it is a "ceiling plane", not that it cannot be done, it is just I have never tried to make a hole in a ceiling plane. I guess you could try to make a hole using a skylight set to "Hole in the roof" but as I mentioned I have never tired to do so since 1994. Once or if you get your rectangular hole you could then place a solid or poly-line solid object to emulate an insessed shelf. If the slanted ceiling object was a "wall" then other methods could then be employed but you are using a ceiling plane, not a wall. DJP

What you are "missing" is that Chief is not as smart as you might think. I often have to zoom in to precisely place or relocate a dimension point. Zooming in and patience is the key. You can also increase the "Edit Handle" size and change the Snap Distance setting (Edit Preferences - Edit - snap properties - snap distance input box" in pixels which can help as well. DJP PS: I watched your video after answering, I still stand by my original statement

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/search.html?q=wood+burning+range&backendClass=entity

Seems to me that you have answered your own "question", sort of. I mainly use CutePDF but I have also used the Chief PDF and Microsoft PDF. Like you, I prefer a reasonable file size. Your question would be better aimed at Tech Support or the guys who wrote the application (not users). I would use the application that gives me a useful product at a reasonable size, you should too. DJP

Here is a You Tube video demonstrating what I meant: https://youtu.be/0wD2tNllHKo DJP

You assign a pattern file to the material for vector views, the default pattern for stucco is "area" (no pattern at all), so you assign one that is visible using the "Adjust Material" tool - Pattern Tab. DJP

If this kind of thing was my "first project" I would just shoot myself (kidding). You have chosen quite a challenge for yourself! 1. the roofs I would do manually (takes study and practice to get good but must be done). 2. Some ot the appliques along the roof tops you can get in one of the "Bonus Libraries" (check them out) 3. Custom molding profiles can be created, added to the library and then applied as gutters. You should FIRST really learn how to use the software and its settings to get a result and then tackle the more advanced things later as in 1-3 above. DJP

http://formac.informer.com/dwg-trueview DJP

Naw, it works just as it has worked since they added it as a feature back in Version 7. DJP

Here is a You Tube video about something you can do about that: Relative to your second question, you can add a molding poly-line using a gutter profile to place gutters wherever you like. DJP

There are some users here that stand above mere help and interest, very well done Greg! DJP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix5Y4OAfQQQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxd2CsGw9sM http://djpdesigns.com/roof-dialog.html http://djpdesigns.com/more-roof-dialog.html http://djpdesigns.com/join-roofs-tool.html DJP

Due to its shape it ought to be easy to make in Sketchup. DJP

Placing my files in Microsoft's care is not attractive to me. I use multiple hard drives, Carbonite and Dropbox. Dropbox I use only for file transfers, not storage. Call me old fashioned but I distrust all these offers of storage without any exchange. What if something goes wrong, who will you ask for help? DJP

Wall edges are defined by what is called a "Wall poly line". When selected the wall poly line will show "handles" that can be edited and to reshape the wall. You use this to fill any holes or anomalies like what you are showing. Another way is to go to the "Attic Level" (<A>) of your model and then manually draw in the missing attic wall segments. Whenever something is wrong there is always something you can do about it. DJP

Please post some images and or a copy of your plan and a little more explanation as to what is wrong please. DJP

Here is a video of my take on your post: https://youtu.be/IwNzspzLTiw I am the first to agree that Chief is far from perfect, when I see perfection, I know some users made it perfect and not because Chief is soooo good. Some of the things Chief does are annoying but 99.9% of the time there is something you CAN do about anything. DJP

You use the "Raise off Plate" input box before building roofs (the truss tool merely fills the void created between ceilings and the underside of roofs), so you prepare the space when you build roofs and then draw manually the trusses. Such trusses are often referred to as "Energy Heel Trusses". DJP

Here is my take: https://youtu.be/rbz2R1WIfVU DJP

I mainly use surveyor drawn topo maps and site plans, not GPS. You might call tech support or Sales for help. DJP

You create objects (soffits, slabs, poly line solids) apply soil to them and then place plants in them that project above their surfaces so it looks like plants growing in soil. DJP

Your math is faulty, sorry. How can a piece of paper 36" wide measure "144 inches"? DJP