MarkMc

Bennie Moore was last updated December 2018, Silestone was updated this past February and that is in X11 catalog it is NOT in my X10 catalog. The X11 file is 30 MB while the X10 is only 12. It may be that the X11 catalog will not install in X10, check with support before purchasing the catalog.

If you are using a Bilco door on it there are some threads with symbols on the forum, one cuts the terrain and has stairs, just add a doorway- real easy. The other way I've done it is with a terrain hole and retaining walls and make stairs. With that one you have to adjust the retaining walls in section.

Thought about it a bit. Floor 1 is always at 0", can't lower or raise the floor. You can however alter a room. So possibly make floor 1 a single room and move that in room DBX, then floor below in floor dbx?

Did not try your plan, not a lot of time so just made a simple 2 story with foundation. Insert new floor 36" high below first floor, went to top floor added 36, second floor added 36, first floor-no ceiling no floor, set floor below to minus 36 and ceiling to 0. Let it settle, then delete that floor. Worked on test.

I tried a couple of things the only thing that works on the existing is adjusting all floors. I'd think adjusting terrain individually is out of the question. TM move did not work for either the building or the terrain. Thought you need to move it a few times to see where? Setting plan default snap distance to a foot or two allows raising and lowering the symbol in elevation quick, drag in or 3D. I'd use the symbol to get and mark site location then move the building in plan-then the fun begins adjusting all the floor heights of each building. First one will you could likely do with defaults, second one could be interesting. Or take the short way out and use the plan with symbols where you need to show terrain and leave the buildings alone? New reference sets may help with that. Edit- if you need good 3D with terrain and building then make a second symbol that has detail-and replace from library

Just tested one making a shell as simple as possible converted to a symbol (exterior fixture). Performance was good-original model I used was not well developed, textures minimal, footprint 1600 s ft, terrain with a few slopes-YMMV.

Mick is correct, importing a symbol as a cabinet doesn't behave like a native cabinet. It's a last resort, can't remember how last time I bothered. Cut lists are only needed if making cabinets, there is other software suited to that (not something Chief should bother with IMO) OTOH you can readily get appropriate drawings of custom configured cabinets if needed to send to a maker using "Detail from view" combined with an annoset/layerset specific to the purpose.

This is the correct place to ask. However I thought it useful to have the answer in tips so I put it over there for you.

You were right to ask the question over in the Q & A section, this is for tips on how to not for questions. That said I thought it was such a good question when I saw it over there I decided to answer it over here. Setting up a cabinet brand library This is how I have do it. My goal is to maximize productivity when working and to get everything that is needed into a cabinet shedule. 1-Determine the type of cabinets you use the most and include those that have accessories or major modifications. You want to end up with about 2 dozen or so cabinets. You can add to it as you go but this part is really worth sitting down and doing. Keep a plan file with 4 walls and all of the cabinets you make in it. 2-Make most of the cabinets 15” wide while it appears that you won’t get a “won’t fit” message as of X11 it’s still good practice. There are exceptions-Fridge, Oven, maybe a wide drawer base, micro cabinets. Make things like trash pullouts the minimum size your maker allows. 3-Don’t overlook parts-things like fridge panels, shelves etc. While we can now include partitions and shelves in the cabinet schedule I still make them from cabinets since it allows more control (you can’t add a panel to the side of a partition) For millwork and molding go to the end. 4-Change the label for each cabinet to match the brands nomenclature. I’ve messed around with macros for labels but I find that with all of the cabinet hacking I do the macros often become unusable. It’s just as easy to have the labels in place. That said you label should include macros for the sizes needed in the final label -such as W %width%%height% NOTE that there are macros around on the forum that will format dimensions to something better than the ones from the drop down list under “Object Specific” I have macros that read to 1/16ths, 1/8ths, inches, and 3” increments. What you use depends on what the maker requires. (order cabinet in 3” increments then specify reduce width would use the 3” macro) 5-Learn about the custom object information fields (located in the schedule defaults) you are going to want to create some of those and use them. Other nomenclature that I like to have listed would be typical mods for a style of cabinet. It is easier to delete nomenclature than to go around typeing it. You may want to use the built in Code field for modification macros which may or may not help if you get around to an item list. Because of how I hack cabinets I have OIP filed for door swing and cabinet sides (keep the names of OIP fields short but understandable) Example-I always flush finish exposed sides of cabinets so every cabinet in the library lists both left and right options for that as a mod. 6-CRITICAL-you want everything possible in the cabinets set to use default. A few things won’t work that way-I for instance you use a different style for larger drawers than smaller ones you can’t set that as a default (yet), the top row height of drawers are not available as a default. Go through the DBX and learn what they are. The best way is to set the defaults for the file your working in-make a few cabinets, then change the defaults and see what happens to your cabinets. Do not overlook the accessories tab. A note about material defaults-you want to use the Defaults Materials to change door style and cabinet materials. Unfortunately there is also a default material in the cabinet defaults that will override that setting-until you add a new door which will follow the Default Materials instead (PIA that shouldn’t be but explore it so you understand it until they change it….some day) NOTE_ I often set these all to a special layer such as Base Cabinet 2, Wall Cabinet 2 7- Once you have all the cabinet to your liking you need to add them-one at a time. IF your user library is not tidy, IOW if you have stufff floating in ther that is not in a folder, make a new folder and put all of the floating stuff into it. You want your new cabinets to be the only things floating in the user library. Now -First open the cabinet and copy the label, close, add to library (is use a keyboard shortcut for that), immediately hit the F2 key (for rename since the newly added cabinet is highlighted) then ctrl +v (to paste the label you copied). Work your way around the plan. I usually have a schedule in the plan and order it so I can keep track of which cabinets I’ve added and have a final count. After all of the cabinets are in place, make a new folder-something like “ _brandX” (the spaces and underscore are used to postion the folder to the top of the tree) Then select ALL of the new cabinets, copy, go to the folder and paste. Don’t cut in case you made a mistake or missed something. Check the quantity in the folder against the list of floaters. IF they match delete the floaters. 8-Using the new library. I design enitirely with standard generic cabinets from the build menu.(hotkeys for each type) and just keep track of the sizes I want along with a mental note of what will go where. Once the layout is done then I go around and use replace from library (also a hotkey) One at a time. After all are swapped out fro the library I configure any that need alterations-if those are important they can get added to the library. IF they are minor or unsual I will add them to a project specific folder instead of my cabinet brand folder. Now is a good time to reorder the schedule numbering and double check the modifications listed. (multiple monitors help here-use “Open Row Object” from the schedule to make changes. Door styles-IF your brand is not supported by Chief don’t fret. Door symbols are easy to make. At some point you will end up with a collection of parts for doing this which is really handy if you work with a truly custom brand. Search in both the Symbols and the Tips forum-I’ve posted how to and sample plans in the past. Always set your new custom doors style material to “Use default” prior to adding it to your library. Millwork and other-you can include anything in a cabinet schedule and list the correct size. Millwork,corbels, range hoods, even a car :) To get an item into the cabinet schedule you first turn it into a cabinet door symbol. You will need to fiddle with this and learn about symbol origins and strecth zone, planes and the like. Once it is a door symbol you can then use it on a cabinet as a side panel inset. Size the cabinet to be what the schedule should read. A sample plan is included but you can find more info seaching Tips forum and the like. Moldings-this one gets to be tricky. I’ve recently become willing to design with moldings include in the cabinet DBX-BUT rough design ONLY. I use molding lines for moldings (until Chief gives us control of the side overhand on cabinets). I keep them in a warehouse plan but have taken to also using the new stacked modling feature. My molding lines label includes a macro that calculates how many stick need to be ordered based on total run and number of cuts. Problem with that is they don’t end up in the schedule. Now Chief has added moldings to the compnonent list-hence the material list BUT there is no way to get a total for order from that into a schedule. SO- I have architectural blocks of various individual modlings in 8 ft lengths with a molding label and sized to match the molding, (and some in 10 ft lengths). Once everything is done and ready to order I drop those into a plan from my library. They are set to sit below the floor (so careful if you are also doing any structural work). If I need 5 pieces of crown I copy in place 4 times to get a total of 5. This works best if you have the schedule set to group items that are the same BUT that is not good for cabinets (no mfg I know of allows you to order multiples of a cabinet except maybe truck load brands). To get around that if you have identical cabinets in the schedule add a different something to an OIP field that is included in the schedule-it can be just an extra space at the front. Arch blocks also work for miscellaneous objects like touch up kits, extra hardware etc. just bury them in the floor. The one issue with arch blocks is that the dimensions in the schedule are going to read according to the items placement in a cartesian plane NOT on the size you set the object. Sample included in plan. Corbels in schedule.plan

On the job I had it was the foundation level that had rooms. Issue was house is on steep slope and wanted to add another room below the foundation level (as a foundation) that overlapped an existing room on the current foundation level that is being demo'd and expanded. I'm pretty happy with how inserting a floor worked, only a little clean up (about the same as I found testing it on yours). I'm not convinced that using level 1 is wise but don't know yet the pros and cons. Will see when I get the revisions and have to go to docs. As a general rule if I can work within the prescribed parameter of the program I prefer that. Too many times have found a gotcha late in the game when mucking around.

No idea what's going on, works for me.

- then account for the thickness of the drawer sides?. I gave you my opinion.. to me it makes no sense to build it (with or without drawer sides-waste of money and function) so why show it. If you really want to show it make the symbol with the door and corbel on it-lock the dimensions and change the origins then place it as a rollout shelf instead.

I turned snaps off in both, resized cabinet to 6" -may have changed minimum cabinet size or size increments but don't think I did that until I tried to get something narrower than 6". I wouldn't.

You have grid snaps turned on in cabinet default and in plan, making the one cabinet 5-3/4" instead of 6" (I never use grid snaps working with cabinets). At 6" it shows back up. It appears 6" is minimum which makes sense to me. The narrowest manufactured PO that go into a cabinet mfg is 4-1/2" (and that has glides on one side only). In wood the narrowest is 5", below that they are filler pullouts. Sure maybe someone could make something narrower to fit into a cabinet box but why.

Might have an idea if a plan was here.

It's controlled by the mullion depth.

More than a few I think. We see plenty of folks who are fairly regular on here that don't get them all. Since I switched from kitchens to working with pros I've not yet run into someone who uses plan views and very few that understand annosets (none that use them to the fullest) I spend a fair amount of time setting these up for them, then I teach them ways to work and leave them alone so we don't end up with wonky layouts along the way. Maybe there should be a sticky for FAQs with links to answers. Then again folks don't read the sticky posts either.

I use custom OIP fields for things like this. Often I keep something like this with both options, (N) & (E), somewhere so I only have to delete and set as default for drawing existing, then change and delete set as default for new (or just types since these are shorter than some things I need this for). Like attached. Problem is the COIP fields are global so still working on that. Window exist and other.plan

I suppose that is so but I wonder just how long that needs to be. I've watched very few videos, once in a while but not often. Was thinking the other day that they may actually inhibit learning but maybe I'm just old school. What I do- as soon as the reference manual is available for a new release I download it. Then go to the end of it "What's New in Chief Architect X.." I read through the first part, even though I read the migration guide before installing, when I get to the meat "New and Improved Features by Chapter" I bookmark it in the PDF and start rummaging around starting with whatever interests me most, or later what I'm using at the moment. Follow and all links to more info.... then again people don't read directions much and that isn't going to change; why do what works?

Make one, alter label to suit and add note in OIP-ADD to library. Then replace from library when needed. Keep in dedicated folder like " _most used" will be at top of user library because of spaces and forward slash

Powerful features are rarely simple-until we are replaced by AI that is. From what I see a lot of folks just don't use plan views, very few bother to read the directions much less read about how to use new features, the default icon is to save the plan view rather than "save as" (which needs to be added to toolbar to use), compounded by the pop up message do you want to save (plan view) which gets a knee jerk reaction of sure I want to save. I think Chris may be on to something useful, IOW might work, with default being none (I'd want to be able to change that though)

Look into "plan views". If you open the layout views you will notice that they are using the same plan view. Several threads and methods on the forum and in documentation. My preference is to use dedicated plan views, some set plan view to none.

I just had to do this for a client yesterday. Ended up inserting a blank floor, zero height, at absolute zero, no floor and no ceiling to start with. Had screen shots of existing structure DBX. backclipped section and detail from veiw made from it, pasted the detail back in for reference, and a 3d cross section slider. After inserting made a room away from the house and adjusted the foundation 0 level rooms. Did a quick run at yours yesterday and the clean up didn't look all that bad. I think having things set to absolute is better than from floor as on mine I had a couple of windows end up in the newly inserted room and had to move them. Used reference sets and adjusted layers to show what I need in plan views The client did something different in the mean while-inserted new foundation level below but used foundation walls on level 1, haven't looked at that yet and not sure which is going to be easier to deal with for docs or finishing off the model.

Have you tried ctrl + tab to see if that gets you out of it? I have had it happen in any of the X11 releases so no help about why. I do occasionally completely lose the mouse cursor when switching programs. That appears to be the other programs fault and not Chief specific, cause seems to be a program that does not always give up focus with Alt Tab. I use UltraMon and it has a script to center the mouse on the primary screen which always solves the issue (helps when I get myself lost too:)