kylejmarsh

Since we're discussing skylights here, I wonder how I can get my skylights on to my window schedule?

Agreed x2

This has the root of a very valuable suggestion. I usually don't post on this forum much anymore because i don't feel like my suggestions, which are pretty good (though nothing as good as alaskan son or others) but I get no indication of if they'll ever be implemented. Some kind of running list, where we could vote on items, would be awesome. I put forward a similar kind of idea where we could all chip in some money on the ones we wanted the most, to potentially buy some hours from a programmer to get this stuff fixed. I would gladly pay some $$ for some of these items, especially if it means the difference of getting it next release or in 3 years... I can make my SSA subscription with just a couple billable hours, it stands to reason that if Chief could save me a couple more hours a year I would give them a bigger chunk of cash...

That would be awesome - good suggestion. Gene I'm going to go ahead and disagree with you on this one

When I multiple select roof planes, I am given the option to change their baseline height or their pitch, and nothing else. So I have to go into each roof plane and set it's fascia height individually - which stinks, partly because of CA's dialogue-box heavy interface. If I have to open up a dang dialog box, can't I at least have the option to override all and set the fascia and pitch or ridge and pitch, etc. for all the roof planes selected? This is a larger part of the underlying issue, which is that CA needs to invest in a GUI redesign because this one is so clunky and cumbersome. Please Chief, please. Please.

I bought a mac mini with the thunderbolt ports - got the 6-core 3.2/4.5 GHz boost model for $2k. Then did an eGPU using the thunderbolt port which plugs in between the mini and my monitor, and in that I installed the Radeon 8GB video card. Honestly it rocks and is very fast - but the bluetooth on the mini sucks it gets interference and had to go back to a wired keyboard. Other than that, very happy. It honestly shows some of the flaws in the CA architecture - specifically in layout - as everything runs so fast you can see when CA is struggling to keep up. My other machine is a Macbook Pro w/2GB Video card and especially when doing larger models or Layout items the new one shows it's value.

Kind of along the same idea as my 'marketplace' for the updates - I like the modules concept.

I agree here - ADU's are a great way to gently increase the density of neighborhoods, and were a common part of the Urban fabric until ham-handed zoning laws outlawed them in the 70's. They're as American as Apple Pie. I've done a couple around my area of Michigan and the owners were nothing but thrilled with them. If you're interested in the Philosophy behind them, as well as Urban Infill / Traditional Neighborhood Design then look-up a guy named Andres Duany - he's got a bunch of excellent talks on the subject, one I think will be front and center in the coming decades. The time of Sprawl is ending - the people are turning against it, clamoring to move into cohesive walkable downtowns and small cities, so much so that there's a massive premium around here for 'in-town' houses. However, it doesn't have to be this way - these are small properties, with relatively small and simple houses, and they're fetching top-dollar. What's so hard about creating this, that we don't seem to do it these days? You'll have to seek out Mr. Duany to find the answer.

I like the one with the projecting gable/bay, since it is an asymmetrical design which goes with the offset garage door below. Once you go symmetrical upstairs, you should center that garage door. Like the comparison shots.

Glad you like the book Steve - it's one of the best I've found as far as an intro to 'good design'. Once I started using the lessons in this book, it's led to bigger commissions, clients with better 'taste' (and deeper pockets), it's given me the confidence to educate clients away from bad ideas or 'trendy' whims... it's really been the key that has unlocked the golden door, so to speak. I do agree there are a million giant, terrible houses built everywhere in our great country. I'm actually ok with doing different styles of houses, as long as they are done 'right' - this book helps lay out the pitfalls that are avoidable, and will improve the look of any house. As for the mcmansions, may I direct you to another fun website - www.mcmansionhell.com. https://mcmansionhell.com David - Never new about that book, but have just ordered a copy. I see it's by another one of my favorite authors, Charlie Wing - who did the update/reissue of one of the greatest homebuilding books ever created (especially for a young me, when I read it, it was transformative) - Your Engineered House. Thanks for the recommendation.

Do yourself a favor - get a copy of Get Your House Right. It is a map through the thousand design decisions you'll be making as you design a house. It is a dictionary of the Architectural Vocabulary our predecessors worked to perfect and articulate, and is your key to taking your designs to the next level. You have to drive around this life and see houses designed by total amateurs, littering the neighborhoods and fields along the roadway - don't let your designs fall into this category. You owe it to yourself to buy this book and study it.

Yes It's somewhat of an annoying feature, but it's also somewhat of a lifesaver. There tends to be so much manual editing of the deck framing to get something that approaches reality that it is a real bummer to lose it (there are a few other threads about deck framing so I wont go into it here). But the problem is if you change the wall the deck is attached to, then your framing is wrong and then if it auto-regenerates, the old framing is still there so you've got to go through and manually delete it. There should be a third option, or a sub-option for what to delete when rebuilding the deck. something like 'auto-delete previous deck framing even when manually edited' or 'keep manually edited objects when re-framing' - the second item would be more like how the auto roof-planes system works

I've never seen it. But why bother? For windows/doors you don't really need to say it's the centerline do you it should be obvious to the framer. Only time I mark CL is with a cad object I made, and I mark CL for steel beams in the basement. But I've never had anybody complain that the CL isn't on my windows / doors, and that's how I dimension them on the drawings anyway (less liability than calling out RO's, plus often I don't know what windows they're going with). Just my 2 cents, I wouldn't waste time on that.

Uhoh - I have a Logitech too. Maybe I'll hold off on the update...

Too bad we need these workarounds - would be great if Chief would update the Retaining Wall tool to make it more intuitive / less buggy

The codebook has a detail for a basement wall of 10' CMU, no engineering needed. Check out tables in section R404 - here's the 10" block version for reference. For an unsupported retaining wall, code requires proper engineering calcs. But if it's supported, the codebook tables should be legally acceptable.

If you're using the 'keep the window smaller' method, does that mess up your sizes on the window schedule? Seems like a workaround that would not be worth it. Besides, if he's doing drywall returns there's no way he's paying you enough for a 3d walkthrough anyway...

Go on the SketchUp 3D warehouse they have a good selection, though it ranges from really detailed (and way too large / boggy) to really crummy. You have to sort through and find model files that aren't too high-poly - they exist if you look for them. Then import into chief as a 3D obj

Just put a corner cap on it. Other than that, it's got to be something with the wall layer extents. Or your railing is sitting just a bit further 'out' than the other wall maybe - make sure they're aligned? Sorry this does seem to be a glitchy item in chief

Do to drawing sheet setup, switch it to Portrait from Landscape. You'll have to do it in Layout view as well. Another way is to go up to Tools > Plan View > Rotate Plan View, which rotates your actual model. I always do it this way as I feel it is the more 'correct' way to build a model, even though that may just be my bias.

Having an issue with wall framing height. Never had this before and have recently upgraded to X11, so wondering if it's operatior error or the program, etc. Anyway here goes: This shows exactly what happens. The wall framing does not go up to support the plate height. Have checked the following to no avail: Verified ceiling height was accurate Wall is marked 'baloon through ceiling above' so we're not talking about a hidden attic wall messing this up - the wall actually does go up to the rafter - just the framing does not. Any insights?

I wonder if their stock layerset is better looking? I have fine-tuned my display layers quite a bit so they look really nice, but if you were just going from the basic blue/yellow chief walls, their stock dimension text, etc it can be a bit cheesy looking. I was turned off from trying SP because you have to like send in something via snail mail just to buy it. Thought that was a bad indicator of the software, they can't even get a website with a shopping cart thrown together...

Also, those aren't even for chief I realized - those were my old ones for SketchUp but it just shows how I mapped my most common tools or actions then lined them up to the easiest keystrokes. For chief my tool list would be quite different, but just wanted to illustrate the method.

Great Idea - I didn't know I could do that but I will expand it. I have a pretty efficient toolbar setup too, nothing like the original chief format, which keeps me rocking.

Posted as a reply on another topic, but maybe worth it's own thread. I did a spreadsheet where I mapped all the possible combos for my left hand - including with modifiers, etc, and ranked them by how difficult they were to physically do. For example, 'F' would be probably the easiest key to press. Then I did another spreadsheet where I listed the tools I use in chief, and how frequently I use them. For example, I use 'open object' quite a bit. I also flip door swings, make dimensions, do point to point move, etc. I listed all these out, and ranked them by how often I use them. Remember to consider 3D views as well, and Layout - because you only get one set of hotkeys - they don't change based on the view. Then I mapped the two lists together. It took a bit of work. But I almost never put my right hand on the keyboard, and I never have to look at the keyboard, so I'm blazing fast and it feels very natural. It's a lot of work but was worth it for me. Image below is from back in my SketchUp days, that's when I first did it. Also, I'm a Dvorak Keyboard guy so AOEUI are actually ASDFG on the left hand home row - but you get the idea.