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Posts posted by MarkMc
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(width/3).ceil*3
16 hours ago, dshall said:They have CA, but they do cabinets in 20/20
IMO the only thing 2020 offers is pricing.
When I was transitioning to CA still using both I would set up labels in Chief and do all drawing there. Then export a cabinet schedule to spreadsheet. Open an "item list" in 2020; copy paste the codes into it; voila, pricing. You could add mods to that in 2020, or as I did put them in an OIP field (or just comments %comment% if that is not used otherwise) so they also end up in the schedule. I always kept a PDF price catalog open on a second screen just in case.
Getting nomenclature to match
Back in the day I first typed it in and added to library and used replace from library. Then worked out a couple of macros, eventually settling on very simple ones IOW not a macro that tries to label every type of cabinet. (I had one for a specific brand that was a bear to do and then got broken with an upgrade version)
Nowadays I would proceed to use a macro for the default label. Simplest would just point to the Code (%component_code%) field OR a bit more complicated but simple enough reads from an OIP field.
Depending on the brand the auto label could still go into that field. For other brands use very simple macros to get correct nomenclature for the majority of cabinets. Some brands always want the label to read in 3" increments and size mods are separate. For those set up a dimension macro that round up to a 3" increment - (width/3).ceil*3
For cabinets that would require a complicated macro don't bother. Instead just type in the code and use size macros. Every time you do that set up a Style palette for that type of cabinet. In the long run most folks will only need a dozen of so. Once that is done it's fast and ez to get nomenclature into the schedule.
FWIW The system is not all that much different than what I did when I only used 2020 because the pricing was so unreliable. After I got Chief I used some version of that with 6 different brands (2 with nomenclature designed by the devil). Toward the end I was handling 3 brands with a total of 9 lines of cabinets. Only one brand supported 2020. Depending on brand I used this system for all of them either putting the information into an online ordering system (drag and drop) or into a spreadsheet order form template. It was faster to put the order in online with drag and drop than to bother using 2020 which now collects dust.
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Have not used in a decade but last I knew not as anything useful other than a symbol. At least I doubt anything with intelligence. Certainly not usable cabinets anymore than you could import a wall type into CA from cad.
FWIW when I was using it the supposed interoperability with Envisioneer was a mess and support for that non-existant.
What do they need from Chief in 2020?
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15 hours ago, theKurt said:
How long did this take you???
Not sure as I said legs and molding are the longest part. FWIW I made this from the one I already had in under 10 minutes. (used the symbol for the bead instead of the molding lines)
Oops just saw you are using full overlay few more minutes though I cheated a bit, just change the default separations and knobs.
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On 3/4/2024 at 11:04 PM, theKurt said:
Chief Architect Premier X15 and when I needed a specific vanity from Costco
Welcome aboard while you didn't ask as @DBCooper suggested you can do this in CA mostly with cabinet tools which have some advantages. It would likely be easier to make a few parts on SW since you know that. (Legs and hardware- rest in Chief)
Advantages being: would show in cabinet schedule, simple to resize/reuse, change doors/drawers/hardware, and of course materials. I understand that this is an off the shelf item but down the road you never know and I like to minimize remaking things.
The most tedious part in CA are the legs which I started before fully awake so fiddled a bit. Unfortunately the bead molding around the cabinet can't be done within the cabinet since it won't wrap the legs. Just before posting it occurred to me that it should be turned into a symbol to be easier to resize width and length so put one in the plan.
Plan attached including some of the failed parts for legs before I woke up. I didn't bother to do custom door or drawer symbols, just fished something close out of mfg catalog. Plan attached.
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Open an unmodified template, hopefully the residential has not been fooled with. Save as "something". In your plan- file, import saved plan views. Select working from the DBX and check replace.
Though to me the purpose of the working plan is that it can be whatever I need at the moment and NEVER ever gets sent to layout. Making the default moot. The other plan views however need to be dealt with judiciously.
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5 hours ago, Steve_Matlaga said:
there an advantage to using a side inset, vs. a door panel?
Well a door panel is automatically full overlay and usually includes rails and stiles. Likely could be done but more work, less flexible.
Why do you want to?
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Default settings. Floors and rooms
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1 hour ago, DBCooper said:
turn on grid snaps and use the arrow keys
Note that arrow keys use the distance set for grid but will work with grid snaps off; they just won't snap to the grid but always move the distance set in default.
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For tracing walls I set plan default snap distance to the thickness of drywall and use arrow keys. I usually have grid snaps off so don't need to override.
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Plan file
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3 hours ago, msmith964 said:
How do you do it??
Not sure what you want them to look like. I fiddled a bit guessing at that. Sometimes it's changing to spots, sometimes it's a mix of point and spot. Changing backdrop can help if it allows some added light without bringing in too much color. Adjusting materials is likely key. For most of these I lowered the changed the emissive of the light bulbs, also changed the shade material. I'm not sure which of those materials will come through but plan with a couple of lights included, hopefully I managed to include the materials (but was just messing around so not as careful as I should have been)
Oh and FWIW what I got from your plan looked better than the image you posted before I did anything. Not sure why.
Changed backdrop and increase light from it
Looks as if I have to post plan after this.
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8 hours ago, VHampton said:
I've tried adding "glazing" a variety of different ways within the macro, and glass area doesn't appear.
Don't know what you did. You need to:
select all windows in plan, open, go to OIP, pick an unused field or create one, macro drop down/user defined/glazing.
Sample plan attached.
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I believe he's after glazing area not thermal envelope.
This gives glass area for fixed, awning and casement windowsGlazing.json. Does not account for center sashes in double hung or lites. You could get Alaskan son to put something all purpose and more accurate.
gw=width-(sash_side_width*2)
gh=height-(sash_top_width+sash_bottom_width)
glass=gh*gw
glass.round(2)Unfortunately placed in a schedule I can't get the columns to add up. IF grouped items in schedule it only shows qty but area is for only one. So would have to export to spreadsheet.
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Well you can add polylines around each grass area, set to include in a custom schedule and get a total.
BUT that is a lot of work.
I've more often had to include impermeable area which is already (hopefully) made up of polyline objects.
Make a schedule for all the impermeable.
Then separately subtract that total from the lot total.
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I'm using AB Viewer link
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I know that @Kbird1 has a system he uses and think he's happy with.
I don't use it. Instead I use Legal Billing from ChaosSoftware for over a decade. It does not start or stop automatically (there may be a way above my pay grade to make that a happen?)
I find that an advantage, easier than the built in tracker for me anyway.
If I end up on a phone call or other distraction but left it running, I can adjust it easily. OR if I forgot to start it I can check the time code for when I started on the file in explorer and adjust. You can even adjust if you forget an entire day
It can connect to any of their PIM apps. I use Intellect which includes email but it can also connect to Time & Chaos (last I knew even the free version of that.) You set up a Group in the contact section and tell it to connect to that. The names kept there will appear in a drop down for clients.
While OOB it is set to do billing for lawyers I changed the Activities.text to suit so I can keep track of specific tasks if I feel like it.
It exports to Excel after which I copy and paste into an invoice template. All in all pretty simple to use and not bad to get up and running. Free to try.
I've found tech support to be very good. Support is by web look up or email. I've always gotten answers for email same day. I also use their cloud service ChaosHost but primarily to sync contacts and calendar to my phone. When I was more active I did sync LB too but rarely needed that.
Panel Appliances
in General Q & A
Posted
Depending on your needs.
Simplest for just the look; use cabinets and rename them. You will need to adjust reveal and/or incorporate small openings.
If you want them in a cabinet schedule for ordering you can float door panels and block.
Or
Use a cabinet for each panel which is easier to place, schedule can include width an height but depth will be wrong.
Or
A combination where you make from cabinets, not include in schedule, for plan and 3D, and also float panels somewhere out of the way on a separate layer to include in schedule.
Note.
Flush inset paneled can be complicated if you need completely accurate image with all parts. Instead they're easy enough to approximate the look and include a cad detail.
For any..
Start in a new plan. Save stages by copy/ paste. Keep a folder to save those plans in for the future.
Also save final results to folder(s) in library.
Look into saving results as style palettes depending on method used.