Lighthouse

got it, thanks very much

thanks for the reply- I can't find the 3d tab you mentioned- the attached screenshot shows what I get when I right click on the item in the library

Some of my plans in X9 are super slow both in 3d views and cad details. (I have a fast video card and 24gb RAM). CA suggested that my third party models may have too many surfaces, which makes sense. 2 questions: 1) once an object (e.g. a chair) is in a model, is there any way to know how many surfaces it has? In a 3d view I see a surface count at the bottom of the screen, but that seems to refer to the entire view, not the selected object. I guess I could take each object and stick it in a blank plan, but I'm wondering if there is an easier way? 2) I'm surprised that multi surface models would be slow once they are in a 2d cad detail, but they sure seem to be. Is it because CA is drawing many overlapping lines, which aren't actually visible in 2d? thx

thanks, that worked

I tried to create a new tile by: choosing an existing 10x10 tile in "plan materials" saving a copy renamed 12x24 changing the size to 12x24 (the size shows correctly in the dbx pattern window) adding to library then I open room and change floor material to 12x24 tile still shows up as 10x10 in camera views what did I miss? thanks!

thanks, balloon framing works! re zipwall, this is a special R6 zipwall. It consists of 1" rigid insulation and 1/2" osb. My standard wall assembly is 2x4 with fiberglass batts and the R6 zipwall. I think having the continuous insulation over the studs makes more sense than high R in the wall cavity, but then no insulation at all the framing members (studs, headers, etc).

thanks for the replies, I uploaded the plan

Hi, any simple answer to why my siding stops short of the roof? Is it a setting the the structure tab of the roof dbx? The siding is stopping at the ceiling height. I have 12" rafters, and a 6" fascia. I want the siding to go up to the bottom of the soffit. thanks! new flat roof.plan

Has anyone found a laptop powerful enough to run X9 at a decent speed? If so, could you provide the specs? Last time I looked into this the only thing that came close was an Alienware gaming laptop for about $2600.

I got an email this morning from Topaz Engineering saying they are having a clearance sale on wide format printers, in case anyone is interested. I don't know if their prices are any good, but thought I would pass it along. https://www.topazeng.com/

I find myself doing a lot of topo measuring recently, both to site the building on the lot and to do some landscape design. I typically use my old pls laser, which has the drawback of being very hard to see in daylight, and no ability to measure angles or heights. I'm considering buying a Leica Disto, and wonder if anyone has used this or other methods or tools. Ideally I'm looking for an efficient way to measure terrain and object (house, tree) height and distance. I would like to set up in a couple locations, and then pick spots with the tool which would create a file showing the distance and height relative to my setup. Thanks

Thanks Curt, that video is really helpful

That worked!! Yay, thanks Dermot

Joe, would it be possible to do a 2 minute phone call? My problem is that when I edit one annotation set, it changes the default for the other annotation set. My number is 781 259 1221 if you have a minute

this is where I'm changing the annoset dimension defaults. I still can't get it to work where I have two different annosets with different dimension defaults!!!!!!

oh, I just found it, let me try changing it in the annoset edit box

maybe I'm changing the dimension default in the wrong place, Where do you modify the dimension default in an annoset?

I'm trying now still now working. I created an annoset called 1/16", and set the dim default to 1/16. I sent that view to layout with a box that was measured in 1/16" increments. I created another annoset called 1", and changed the dim default, etc and sent that to layout. It still changes the other view, does not show the 1/16" fraction on the first detail

So I guess this means I have to learn how to use annosets, which I've been avoiding. Are you saying that within the same plan, I can create distinct annosets that have different dimension defaults, and these different defaults will appear intact on the layout? Because I just created two different plans, and sent details to the layout from the different plans (with different defaults), and even that didn't work!

Thanks Joe! That's what I was afraid of :-(. I don't know why dimension defaults can't be layer-set specific- seems useful to me. Creating another plan just for different dimension defaults, and keeping it in sync, seems nightmarish.

I'm trying to send two different CAD details to the same layout page. I want detail 1 to have 1/16" dimension default. I want detail 2 to have 1" dimension default. I cannot accomplish this, as whatever dimension default I choose in any window changes the default for all windows. I thought the answer way layer sets. I created one layer set with 1/16" dimensions and sent to layout. I created another layerset with 1" dimensions and sent that to layout. It changed the 1/16" set to 1", even though the two CAD details were on different layer sets. What am I doing wrong? The foundation sub will think I'm insane if the foundation plan has 1/16" dimensions. I should mention that I'm changing the dimension defaults by clicking on the dimension icon in the toolbar and editing "primary format". Maybe there is another way to change dimension defaults that is view specific?

ah, that makes sense- thanks

right, but then it doesn't update with changes.

I'm trying to send perspective overviews of framing to the layout. I want to send various views, where some show the floor joists but not the rafters, and vice-versa. My problem is that when I send a view showing the joists but not rafters, and then I create a new camera that shows the rafters but not joists, it changes the view I send to layout. So I can't seem to create multiple views that have different layers turned on or off. I'm surprised that when I create a new camera view, the layers settings of that view affect a previous camera view. How do I de-couple these, so that I can show a variety of view with different layer settings? thx!