Lighthouse

Hi, I would like to inset a band of windows, so they are recessed into the wall about 3". This horizontal window band would also include sections of wall between the windows. I would have a 2x4 wall that was padded out to 2x8 above and below the windows. I can't figure out how to model this. When I try a material region I can only recess the area about 1". A pony wall allows an upper wall and lower wall, but that is only two wall planes, and I need three: 1) lower 2) windows 3) upper. Please see attached sketch. Any ideas much appreciated.

that's what I had to do. thanks for your help. I'm not sure I understand why I can't change them as a group after the fact, but I guess if I set things up right in the first place it wouldn't be an issue.

ok, so that is what I suspected, they can't be changed globally after the fact other than by group selecting? I guess if I lock all the layers but those it will be quick- or is there some method I can't remember of only selecting things on one layer without locking the other layers?

I'm working on a foundation plan with a lot of interior footings that I want to locate. I used the manual dimension, point to point, to add the dimensions. Then, I created a dimension default layer called "foundation defaults" that was set to 1/2" as the smallest fraction. I chose "foundation defaults" as the active default in the foundation plan, but my dimensions still show small fractions, rather than rounding to 1/2" as they should in the default. When I select an individual dimension, I see that it is still using the "1/4" dimension defaults", rather than the "foundation defaults". Is there a way to get all dimensions to change to the foundation default that I have created, or do I have to select each one manually to correct it? thanks!

Is there a way to get Chief to cheat siding courses? Good carpenters create a story pole to get siding courses to align with window heads and sills, which often means cheating the interval spacing. For example, 4" clapboards might be cheated to 4 1/2" in a particular area to make them align. I know that I could create a material region and assign a different siding with a wider interval. It would be ideal if I could actually just grab individual pieces of siding and move them. Any workarounds besides material regions or polyline solids? Similarly, I would like to be able to control the amount the siding overlaps the floor platform. In some designs, I like to change siding materials at the subfloor level, rather than at the bottom of the floor platform as is Chief's default. I can adjust the wall manually, but then I'm moving the whole wall, not just the siding. Ideally I would like a setting the controls the top and bottom of the siding relative to the wall plates. Does that exist? thanks

is there any way to figure out which objects or cad blocks might be large without individually hunting them down? And how do you determine the size of an object, once it's in the plan?

yes, I meant to write 300,000 kb which is the same. When you purge cad blocks and materials (don't know how to do that), I assume it retains and ones that are present in the plan?

I have a plan that is over 300KB. That seems to be about three times larger than my typical plan. It takes a long time to open and close. Is there a way to analyze the plan to figure out what is making it so large? It's possible that I have imported some third party sketchup models of furniture, etc. I can't remember. Is there a way to find these models in a plan, and delete them, without searching for each one individually? Are there other factors that could make a plan large? Is that a lot larger than other peoples' plans? thx

I can add this to my long list of workarounds :-) Hopefully this feature could be added at some point, seems useful and easy to implement.

Hmm, didn't work for me. I did 3d framing view and unchecked all framing, but the walls are still there. I also tried to delete the surfaces and save the camera view, but when I reopen the camera the walls are back

I'm doing a foundation with pony walls that step down. I would like to show the step down foundation walls in a foundation camera view, without showing the upper half of the wall. I know there is a control for what part of the wall displays in plan view, but I don't see how to control what part of the wall shows in a perspective view. I know I could make the upper part of the wall out of something like glass, but I want to keep the real wall definition so it displays correctly in overviews, etc. Any clever ideas on how to show just the lower (concrete) portion of the wall and not the upper (framed) part? Thanks

Now I see the points (lots of them!). Did you use some fancy math to calculate them? I assume you didn't measure each one. Wait, I didn't see the new video, let me study that to see if it answers my question

Thanks for posting the plan. Would you mind reposting where the roof is not a symbol (just the actual terrain model)? I'm trying to study the exact elevation points that you created, but that info seems to be embedded in the symbol and not available. Thanks. Looks like a good charity!

No way! you win the prize! But you have to post the plan. What's the secret? Where should I send the donation?

For years I've been obsessed with trying to model a parabolic roof. I once got it to sort of work by using the terrain and changing the material, but it wasn't exact. Now that we are up to x12 (or 13?) I wonder if there is some new function that would make this possible, if someone is clever enough, which I am not. I have built the frame and rafters in the attached model (a tedious task in itself), I just want to skin it with the roof surface (and ideally a ceiling below that follows the parabolic shape). I know I could make a hole bunch of PS and arrange them, but I'm looking for a more elegant solution. I'm offering a $50 donation to your favorite charity to the winner. Anyone interested? btw, it doesn't have to actually function like a roof in terms of cutting off the walls, I could do that manually. parabola roof.plan

well, I have to take back my snide comments. I spoke to them today and they said they have to do it manually, but it turns out that I had a free upgrade to X11 so the cost to go to X12 was much lower. So worth the wait. I must learn patience.

it must be more complicated than one would think. Maybe someday you will be able to order things from an online store after hours. Hey Amazon, there's an idea for you!

yeah, I was hoping in this digital era that a human being didn't have to be involved in something like this. of course, I could have decided to upgrade during the workweek, but that would have been easy...

Hi Eric, Thanks for the reply. Please see attached

I finally bit the bullet and upgraded from x10 to x12. I got an email receipt with a link to my digital locker. However, the option to download x12 does not appear in the locker. Does it take a while? Am I missing something? I hit upgrade, but it upgraded free x11 ,not x12. thanks

Hmmm, I changed it in "edit preferences, appearance" which worked for plan view, but not camera views. I tried 3d preferences but don't see an option there. Is there a way to change screen color for all types of views? Also, you mentioned a stone "theme". I don't see themes, just colors. I'm in x10, maybe themes are a later version?

thanks very much! I changed my background to gray and already feel better (placebo effect :-) But I think it will make a difference

I'm suffering from eye strain and wonder if there is a way to change CA so the screen is black and the lines are white. A friend does this with Datacad, not sure if possible in CA?

Here's the design so far without a railing. Thanks everyone for your help!

Glenn, that worked! How did you think of that? It just didn't occur to me that it was screwing up the winder by making a room. Why is everyone smarter than me :-)