MarkMc

Yeah Joe that's it. In 7 I'd use shelves from the cabinet toolbar- those can have layers assigned that will hold when inserted into the user library. Just no closet rod included.

Here's a partial in Chief- two roofs one top one bottom- needs a little work where they meet (may not be possible though). Back wall is a material region- front one is a pline solid. Exterior furniture inside.

From what I can tell Gene is correct-if there is no quotes " , then it doesn't work. Since it sounds like he's tabbing entering anything automatically removes the inches. Trying to duplicate the problem I realized what I do is click into the first box, and subtract from the cabinet height while leaving " in place, then click into the off the floor box and add that number. Tabbing would require hitting the right arrow key once in the cell then it works, but then you are still working "off the floor" and not from the top.

Interesting-the varied approaches and wants. I do exactly what Michael does- math in the DBX at the same time I'm changing the height of the cabinet-easy. And as Wendy suggests,typically I'm using plines for molding, keeping single lengths of “stacks” in a warehouse plan. 2020 sets wall height from the top down so I guess it would be more familiar to folks changing over. But 2020 does have a nasty habit of overlapping wall items though (appliances, valances, wine racks, cubbies, etc also get set from the top.) but at least it has a graphical collision warning when it does that so you can find them. In CA you could lose them (didn't I already place that?) Since it is a default setting with a capricious nature I sometimes end up with wall cabinets set at the to low to the floor and have to go in and change em all anyway. I've always preferred Chiefs approach of up from the floor. True, as Scott says, practically all kitchens have some shorter cabinets set higher while only 10-15% have tops that don't align. Still, to me "from the floor" is the critical dimension: clearance to cooking is measured UP from the base cabinets, maximum height of microwaves is UP (inspectors use mfg specs for code around here), clearance for countertop items is UP, and installers work UP from the finished floor. Now that last one gets to be an issue with badly out of level floors and talls in the run when I get an installer that is a "walls first" guy. Getting them to determine finished top height first, before they slap a cleat on the wall is a challenge that often necessitates a site visit to do the layout for them. I wouldn't mind having both but doubt that I'd use from the top much. I certainly don't want the default to be from the top as in 2020. Seems to me that either way will sometimes require some elementary math, at least it's not calculus.

Here's one with two roofs-I think getting the eave angle to match the lower pitch creates a smooth(er) transition- just realized that after fiddling for a while- these angles are close but not exact. I just like trying the odd ones.

Neither version of Chief will get you cut lists, but I manage fine sending what is needed to my makers to get whatever is needed- often custom. I use Premier nowadays, find it worth the extra $$. I often need to send drawings of faces of cabinets indicating opening sizes, not just exterior dimensions. That is much easier with "CAD detail from View" only available in Premier. There are a couple of other tools that help increase productivity once learned. A few random images grabbed from a recent 20 office project-reception area cubbies, knock down desks, tables . Varied rendering techniques shown (the nicer one is quick RayTrace-quick but not usually done live with the client). Everything shown here was done in chief including the symbols for the Hafele table legs, the knock down parts etc. Office chairs are more of a challenge so I use what is available in the libraries or go to Sketchup 3D warehouse to see what I can find.

Having had both for a while, doing primarily kitchens and some other interior work, the practical difference to me is premier has: the ability to create a cad detail from view- this allows dimensioning some things that Chief doesn't snap to- with Interiors you are either placing cad lines and moving them to allow dimesnions to snap to those items OR exporting to dwg and creating those dimensions in another program. annotation sets- useful for creating finished drawings but we also have some set up just for use designing-bit daunting to figure them out (I found it necessary to have a completely different group of sets than the building folks.) but well worth the effort for productivity. Note that I will often be supplying a demo, mechanical, electrical plan for a job where annosets make a big difference. the project browser a useful tool when working. control over rough framing allowances for windows and doors when working on new construction. It just makes working with field measurements and architects drawings simpler. Note that when I had a copy of each we did run into some complications around that when sharing files from Premier to Interiors but that could be pilot error (or not) As to creating symbols-I've gotten to where I build pretty much any symbol I need directly in Chief nowadays (thanks in large part to info on this forum). I will occasionally adapt a SU model in that if there is something that is close enough to what I need. (for importing complicated furniture I have found the need to use something else to reduce the mesh count on those). Building a model in Chief is different than what Johnny shows in Maya (or SU, FormZ, ...). Once I learned how the program thinks quite doable. I don't know if one or the other is faster, just that I find it simpler to stay in one program. (I certainly couldn't click as fast as that video shows in anything so hard to tell) Note that as I've worked building symbols in Chief I have developed a number of symbol parts that I can use as building blocks. These already have materials oriented properly, and I have a number of varied materials of my own- all of which speeds and simplifies the process.

If you change your any of your sets and want that to apply to future templates you export the annotation set, import it into the template, save as template and overwrite the existing template. I've taken to keeping groups of sets that I don't use as often saved and importing them as needed. i.e I do more remodel and I do mostly kitchens. I have a saved group of sets for new construction that I import as needed. Makes the list shorter day to day.

Just ran into this on my assistants machine- he ends up with extra hidden files all they are small size- say there is filename.plan then there will be a second one ._filename.plan. They are hidden in windows explorer but show up when using the Chief open file dbx which gets annoying. He works back and forth to a Mac, and he also does some saving to and from a thumb drive. Are these left over from the Mac? or something the thumb drive is creating? I was able to delete them via windows explorer with no problem.

Wrong axis-note I indicated the "Y" axis looks like the X give a better 2D representation. You will also find that the origin changes when you do that and you will want to reset it to 0 for each axis. "rebuild block" Second tab in symbol dbx has generate block- once you get the symbol oriented properly click that- note in last screen shot I posted there are 3 symbols on left and 3 blocks on right. Importing and making symbols is a powerful feature in Chief. I takes some getting used to, you may want to look at the help file on the "symbol specification dialog" (the section in the reference manual too) If you're going to play with symbols much you will also want to look into stretch planes (which I find more difficult than this but necessary to learn).

I just was curious to see if it could do it. I have no doubt someone else can give a better answer I just wanted to see if it could be done-note that I have very little idea what I'm doing with roofs so just managed to stumble along. That means I can't tell you what to do first, enclosed plan so you can see what to work our for yourself. I had much better luck drawing the roof first, then the slab, then the walls. roof 1.plan

not exactly forgot to suggest earlier to rebuild the 2d block after rotating

Right click, then "open symbol". NOT open object.

Open symbol, first tab has options to rotate, select degrees and axis (likely Y) click rotate, check preview. Add to library when it's correct.

Don't know about the student version. I've been using TurboCAD Deluxe($150) for 2D as needed for a number of years now and has worked with ACAD dwg's just fine.

Nothing in there looks good when redone. Appliances can be tough. I generally place them in a blank plan, resize, sometimes changing the stretch planes in the sizing tab of the "Open symbol" DBX. Then shoot a 3d view, tools, symbol,convert to symbol-check advanced options. During that process I change the size of the bounding box.... sometimes it works ? sometimes not so good. I've taken to making, defining a lot of appliances as just face items, like the front of an oven. I've started to float those in plan instead of inserting into cabinets so that I can have both a correct opening AND good accurate 3D and 2d views. Still fiddling with that though. Along those lines I might just make an induction or electric top from psolids and convert . That is likely an exercise worth doing. Symbols in general are worth getting comfortable with IMO. There is some great stuff on the forum, especially from Joe Carrick (check the old forum too- go to the Chatroom to find a link that actually gets you there) in the meantime since I have 2020 I exported a dwg from there and converted it for you. attached. wolf 24 contemporary induction.calibz

I see, thanks Michael, guess that's why I use no fill for those :0

I'm missing something. I couldn't even remember what fills I use so had to check. I do roughs/massing with countertops on the default cabinet for clarity of overhang. After that is settled I use custom tops exclusively so that the cabinet height reads correctly in the schedule. Most often I'm building them from the icon, not converting them. Looks like I have the same fill for cabinets and counters when they start as default, and no fill for the ones I usually build. Hasn't been a problem. Attached screenshot-??

Not for nothing but I use a single cabinet for massing- one corner cabinet stretched, one along the wall, one for the island, suppress labels. The big advantage is that then the countertop overhangs are correct so that work aisle dimension are also correct. NKBA suggested minimum is 42" (yours are a tad less before overhangs) I'm always getting plans from architects that don't account for counter overhang. There are times that losing 3" to two counters is an issue giving the client what they want.

I took the Riverstone sample plan (88mb) and layout (15mb) zoom and pan are fluid and fine. Add one plan view from the Minnehaha file and that is jerky in both. Not sure this is hardware. Fixing the balcony, changing the grid snap size, moved model to origin, all did nothing. Also checked for duplicates (my assistant gets those a lot using copy and paste in place), none. I do remodels the way Perry except recently started to also save a copy of the as built as a template. Find it easier send multiple versions to the layout that way without having one already sent change it's reference if both are open when doing a save as.

I'd agree it might be easier live but you do get a preview in the dbx. I make benches from base cabinets- yes you have to add the dividers but have more control over them (would love to have a "divider option") but you have control over the face (toe, panel, flush, baseboard..) and can then show the "lid" partly open if you make it separately. edited-alwys forget to click attach

Changing the deck did not help. I opened a fairly large layout file, added some to it, was all fine until I sent a view from your plan. I think the problem may be in the plan.

Still not sure but I should mention that we have less trouble on the Dell listed here (with lesser quadro than you have)

Lagging here too. Opening the plan directly is fine BUT clicking a view in layout opens plan with nothing showing,can't figure it out.

Some symbols, such as cabinets, walls, doors-don't rotate. I can't see why I'd want to.