ComputerMaster86

Coming from a AutoCAD / TurboCAD background I struggled with software, when I first started using it. A really big part of my problem was just learning the way Chief Architect does things. And yes they sometimes do things different. There were a lot of features I honestly thought the software didn't have but, then was pleasantly surprised to learn the software did have the feature I wanted. I have been using the software for about two years and have yet to personally experience any major bug with the software. If there is one Chief Architect would really like to know about it. I can tell you from personal experience that if something goes wonky on me, 99 out the 100 times I am not doing something right or fully understanding how Chief Architect does something. If a person can overcome the learning curve and learn the way the software likes to do things, I firmly believe the software can be worth the money. They have a rent-to-own program, which is how I invested in the software. You might say I was learning the software while I was paying for the software.

Unless I am missing something, this seems to be the way things are working for me. I have been playing around with these floor and ceiling defaults. Which this means if I have a multi-story building and have a floor and ceiling platform that is common to several floors, I would set that up under the Floor/Ceiling Platform Defaults. Any floor or level that has floor and ceiling platform settings that deviates from the Floor/Ceiling Platform Defaults would be configured under the Current Floor Defaults.

I have started watching Scott Hall's YouTube video on floor and ceiling defaults. I am wondering if I am understanding this correctly... Any settings not check marked to use defaults take precedence in this order... 1. Room Specification (Currently Selected Room) : Structure Tab 2. Room Type Defaults : Structure Tab 3. Current Floor Defaults 4. Floor/Ceiling Platform Defaults Anything under the "Room Specification (Currently Selected Room) : Structure Tab" that is check marked to use the defaults will look for settings in this order.... 1. Room Type Defaults : Structure Tab - If something is check marked to use the default, next 2. Current Floor Defaults - If something is check marked to use the default, next 3. Floor/Ceiling Platform Defaults Likewise, anything under the "Room Type Defaults : Structure Tab" that is check marked to use the defaults will look for settings in this order.... 1. Current Floor Defaults - If something is check marked to use the default, next 2. Floor/Ceiling Platform Defaults Likewise, anything under the "Current Floor Defaults" that is check marked to use the defaults will look for settings in this order.... 1. Floor/Ceiling Platform Defaults Either I am on to something or I have completely the wrong idea.

The company I work for builds a lot of post frame buildings. These have all sorts of various uses. I perform a lot of Construction / Material cost estimating for the different projects my employer takes on. Often times when the customer finds out the cost of the project, it will make or break a project. Or cause the project to get downsized. Project cost and material estimating can be pretty time consuming. Especially if your generating a really accurate material list and project cost based on the construction materials your customer is going with for the project.

Thank you all so much. I feel like my next steel re-roof job is going to be ten times easier once I set up all of my macros.

I just been going into a section view, adding a molding polyline to out side edge of the door casing or window casing. Then in plan view moving the polyline into position.

I can't seam to get area.round(2) to work. I wonder if I need to name the macro a special name?

Well I am trying to round the area two to decimal places.

Would some be willing to tell me what the ruby code is for working with area of a polyline? internal_area <-- I don't believe this is it. Thank you all in advanced.

I am working on a computer build that has the 7700K. It's rated at 4.2 ghz. with a max turbo of 4.5 ghz. I can't wait to get the system up and running and try Chief out with i7-7700K.

I am working on a project where our customer is wanting LP SmartSide Trim around doors and windows with steel J-mold around the SmartSide Trim to except the G-rib steel exterior wall panels. I am trying to figure out an easy way to add moldings around doors and windows at the very outside edge of the door and window casings. I don't know of any very easy way to do this. Do any of you guys know? I am accomplishing what I am wanting to accomplish but, it's been painfully slow.

I am thinking about investing in a monitor that has a 21:9 aspect ratio. I think that would be great for my workflow.

Working on a recent basement remodel project I have come to notice something kind of peculiar. Whenever you have a pony wall and then a furred wall on the inside of that, the default auto-generated room base molding follows the edge of the pony wall instead of the furred wall. When the outer wall is a single wall as opposed to a pony wall, the the default auto-generated room base molding follows the edge of the furred wall. Notice whether you have a half height furred wall or full height furred wall has no affect on the room molding. The pony wall / furred wall combination causes the quirk. See the pictures below... Basement Walls Basement Walls with a Furred Wall Basement Walls with a Basement Pony Wall & Half Furred Wall Basement Walls with a Half Furred Wall Basement Walls with a Furred Wall

I have wondered about bump maps and normal maps myself. Do all the materials have them or just some? Does a person have to create them or are they already tied to the appropriate materials that have them? I was probably under the wrong impression that CA was redoing a bunch of their materials to include both bump and normal maps. I need to find some information on bump and normal maps and educate myself on what they are and how they work. I guess I am confused because now a texture has the Texture Source, option to use Bump Map and specify source of bump map and option to use Normal Map and specify source of normal map. I am going to check CA's web site for more info on these normal and bump maps.

Oh, Good! Thank you so much. I have looked for some setting or check box that might let me do this but could not find anything. I am probably not looking in the right place.

I know you all may wonder why I would want to do this. Anyway, is there any easy way to have the bottom edge of the fascia boards be flush with the bottom edge of the soffit? I have never figured out an easy way to accomplish this. I know I can change the size of fascia boards and the soffit so that everything is real close to what I am trying to achieve. I just wish there was an easier way to accomplish what I am trying to do The look I am trying to achieve would look something like the flush eaves in the second picture but, they would still be boxed eaves. If that makes any sense.

Count me in on this meeting. I am interested in attending.

I don't no anybody from the company but, I just sent Tamko Building Products an e-mail. The business I work for uses Tamko shingles on regular basis. If there could be a Tamko library with shingle textures to represent Tamko shingles, boy would I be in business. Let's hope they just don't ignore my e-mail or mistake it for SPAM.

What date and what time is this taking place?

I am currently in the process of learning Chief Architect myself. I purchased the software through the rent-to-own program, starting in October of 2015. I often find I learn the most about using the the software when my boss gives me a project that I can try to model within CA. I have currently been working on a basement remodel and a pole built residential structure. My boss just loved it when he was able to show his customer some interior elevations and 3D views I had generated with the software. If I can get my vision corrected with special contacts, I hope to dig deaper into learning the software.

At work we have a HP DesignJet 430 and I print with it directly from Windows 10 Professional. I usa a LTP Parallel to USB cord.

Even though I have no plans to switch and go to the dark side, it does interest me to here about the features of SoftPlan and Envisioneer. I wonder if there are any Chief Architect users that use to be Envisioneer users? I looked into Envisioneer before I ever invested in Chief Architect through CA's Rent-to-Own program. I don't believe I ever heard of SoftPlan until I got on this forum. It seems to me Chief Architect, SoftPlan and Envisioneer are all in their little bracket trying compete with each other.

Is there a public beta version of X9 that has been released? Or will it soon be released?

I will share my experience of using the 32-bit version of Chief Architect Premier X8. I pretty much use the 64-bit versions of Chief Architect Premier X8 and the Chief Architect Client Viewer on my computers. However, I do have one older HP 7900 CMT desktop computer that was hooked up to an older HP DesignJet 455 CA plotter via the old style LTP Parallel Port. The HP computer is a 64-bit system running a 32-bit version of Windows 7 Professional. The driver file I was using for the plotter was a 32-bit driver file. So I basically choose to run a 32-bit version of Windows 7 Professional along with the 32-bit version of Chief Architect Premier X8. This set-up allowed me to print directly from Chief Architect to my HP DesignJet 455 CA plotter. I have recently found another solution that is a lot easier and more flexible. From Amazon.com I purchased a USB to LPT Parallel Port printer cord. I have been able to hook up my HP DesignJet 455 CA plotter via USB to virtually any Windows computer that as a USB port. Second, I have found an older driver from HP that allows me to run the printer via 64-bit versions of Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. I can now hook up my plotter directly to my 64-bit computers that run the 64-bit versions of Chief Architect Premier X8 and the Chief Architect Client Viewer. I can now print directly from Chief Architect to my HP DesignJet 455 CA plotter without using the 32-bit version of Chief Architect.

I am thinking the public beta is just around the corner for people to download. You may see list released around the same time.