Archnot-Boltz

15 hours ago, mthd97 said:

I think I would also be quite skeptical about going to Autodesk for Revit LT or Autocad LT as I see it ? But it’s up to each persons scope of work to decide what they will use and not use.

 

I am mostly retired and only do the occasional job here and there and I happy with X10 but if I still had my builder clients to work for, I would simply have kept SSA active.

 

I don’t need to be on SSA with other cad either because I don’t use my software very much at all now but if I did, I would prefer to own my license to use the software and not be forced to pay a yearly subscription fee.

 

The CAD companies that stay away from yearly subscriptions only agreements will probably do much better because they still offer perpetual licensing.

 

As much as I like Chief Architect, I 100% disagree with its new policy because it may hurt them quite a bit down the track.

 

I think Autodesk may have shot themselves in the foot ? I see some Revit users moving over to other cad so that they can actually own a perpetual CAD license.

 

I think Chief Architect inc will have its subscription clients demanding allot more from the CAD software because of this new arrangement ? It could force them to have to deliver a much higher level product than they would have if they just stayed perpetual ? With Autodesk being the other main competitor offering yearly subscriptions, it becomes the measuring point of what you can expect for a yearly subscription fee for CAD software agreements.

Softplan is Chief's closest competitor as far as I'm concerned and they are at $95 per month for a subscription or you can buy it outright for $3395.00. 

4 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

 

You need 526.86 or 526.98  as recommended by CA   ......all Drivers after 526.98 have issues CA is working with Nvidia on.

 

https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/topic/16205-nvidia-drivers-updated/?do=findComment&comment=281778

 

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The 526.98 11/16/22 Studio driver is the latest driver that is approved to be used, the later drivers have an issue, we are working with Nvidia to resolve this issue.

 

Ed Schafer

SW Testing Manager

Chief Architect Inc.

 

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M.

Thanks, the only time I crash is when moving around in a 3d view. Mostly in a 3d perspective framing view it seems. My co-worker has the same laptop & operating system but hasn't crashed yet.

I've been having the same issue as the original OP and recently updated to 528.02 and it still freezes the screen with the same message as the op and crashes when you say ok. I switched from gaming to studio and it still crashes when panning or rotating the view with my left mouse button. This all occurs on my office laptop system. I can't run x14 on home cpu because I still have windows 7 and never upgraded to 10.

19 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

 

Well it was only 5 weeks ( Nov.29th) and came during the Holiday period and the Email looked like another "Offer" for Training or their usual Newsletter , so I think many ignored it and will pay the price in the next 6 months especially if not frequent Forum Visitors. 

 

Personally I think the switch should of happened with the Release of X15, giving people time to to find out and update their SSA or in some cases Sell ( transfer) their software license as was previously allowed, I personally know of a small 3 man company who's Owner is now stuck with two additional licenses as Chief refused to let his employees buy those two licenses, and wanting to stay Perpetual the Employees were forced to buy at Full Price last week, so they were all losers in that scenario.

 

M.

Ok, Mick, I was only guessing and maybe Chief would offer a last chance deal to any regular users who might have missed the boat. It did kind of come out of nowhere and I can see how someone (whom I've never seen on this forum) could have missed the memo. 

On 1/14/2023 at 1:38 PM, SheriC said:

I have those licenses then upgraded to CA. However, I sometimes want to add furniture, etc. or show a 3D model overview. I may design another home and would need a professional product. The learning curve of AutoCAD was just too much for me 'way back' when I did decided to upgrade to CA. I may be as old as dirt but I can learn!  I do not want "just a simple plan". I have to compete with other professional floor plans. Home Designer is not what I want. I'm having to throw my feet back into the game and wanted to upgrade to the newest program. My mind will not allow me to do this.

 

Chief has been warning of the impending lease only option and giving offers to entice folks to upgrade from older versions and or renew their SSA for a couple of months now. Kind of stinks if you missed the memo about the cutoff date of Jan 10. I don't foresee many subscribing at $200 per month when Softplan is $99.00. Of course then you would have to learn SP, which is still more user friendly than most of the other Big Boy CAD programs (Autocad, Archicad, Vectorworks(Nemetschek?) and Revit). Cadsoft has a goofy one out there too. The SSA path was/is fair and my hope is that they will treat continue to treat the legacy users fairly.  

13 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

 

CA will need to Clarify but it appears they are offering Users of ANY older version a 1/2 priced ie $995 upgrade to the latest version ( x14) if they upgrade to the Subscription Model for the 1st year...only.... but it is $1995 per year after that , my question was because MTHD has upgrade since X10 due to cost I assume, what happens come 2024 if he decides $2000USD is too much to spend "on a hobby"  , can he continue using X15 he'll receive in the 1st yr or does he lose access to X15 and have to revert to his last legacy version  (X10 ) which is an issue since X10 can't open anything done in X14/X15..... or can the User continue using X15 in perpetuity? ( with a SSA-like fee perhaps?)

 

M.

Certainly an important question. But, would have possibly been cheaper to upgrade prior to the change and continue with SSA depending on his long term projected use. Someone would have to do the math to determine which model was more economically viable.  Of course, a person could subscribe monthly if only doing design work at certain times of the year, say the spring, summer busy season. You would get use of the current version every month you subscribe.  Chief would have to give  12 month discount to keep that from possibly happening.-BB

Archicad is very intensive and expensive. Vectorworks used to be a great deal but still a bit complex. Are you saying that Chief is giving  you a first year subscription at $99.00 per month and then the full $199.00 the following year or that you can upgrade and older version to X14 (w/ included year of SSA and free upgrade to x15) and then if you discontinue your SSA the following year you lose any rights to ownership beyond X15 and would need to subscribe $199.00 per month for any uses of future upgrades? Eg, has Chief said that folks with older legacy licenses would be able to continue using the program without any support from Chief? bb

Unfortunately, this wouldn't be happening if all users had subscribed to SSA. Folks should have gotten onboard back when it was only $199.00 per year. SSA was/is the best way for Chief to pay for R&D & to sustain the previous status quo. Hopefully, our loyalty (mine since 1998) for all the years of continuous upgrades and SSA will be taken into consideration in future SSA price increases.-BB

On 12/13/2022 at 5:36 PM, lbuttery said:

severely restrict all transfers, i.e. to only within the same company etc.....

 

This is what CA has posted on this forum and what I was told when I called in

 

If anyone doubts this - then call CA yourself 

 

Prove me wrong

as I would love to be able to sell/transfer my license for $2,500 approx.

 

Lew

 

 

Hey Lew, maybe try selling your company for $1.00 to the person interested in your license. I don't understand why Chief wouldn't want to keep your license with the annual $599.00 SSA fee in the revenue stream. I just don't see folks renting Chief for $199.00 per month with no ownership path as being a sustainable business model. Give em hell Harry! And have a happy retirement to boot.-BB

45 minutes ago, ChiefUserBigRob said:

I have a fellow local residential designer who swears by SoftPlan but are the renderings as cool as CA?

Not quite but pretty decent, and they have GAF Shingles colors/textures and their stair railings are correct as well as having an automatic graspable handrail (to name a few of many). Their command structure and drawing method is more cumbersome but my coworker seems to like a lot of their features. I used it back in '96 or '97 for a couple months in a builder's office and then bought Chief  for  well under a grand while SP was closer to $2k, so economics and ease of use won out. Looking at the new version of SP, I still like Chief's intuitive commands better.

I'm hoping for some nuts and bolts stuff in x15 (stair framing, better railings and handrails, smarter library items like joist hangers, post caps, etc).

10 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

 

Chief is $3295 when not on Sale , not $2395.......   ( currently 10% off )

Sorry, typo is $2965.50 on sale. Softplan is currently $3395.00

 

Yes it's always been in the same Range as using your Credit Card ie 20% - 22% , started at 18 months to get a Perpetual License and has slowly gone up as the price of Chief has, to 22 months.

 

But with no Perpetual license at the end of a Rental now , I agree the price should be halved.

 

M.

One-Time Payment from SoftPlan version 2020

Upgrade to SoftPlan 2022 $1345- So, as you can see Chief's annual SSA at $595.00 is similarly priced with SP's upgrade cost.
Upgrade Extra Station to SoftPlan 2022 $995*
Upgrade Network Station to SoftPlan 2022 $795**

48 minutes ago, ChiefUserBigRob said:

I couldn't even get past the floor level settings on the properties box. CA flows easier.....

I spent a month or so in an architect's office trying to wrap my head around Archicad. Nice program but one bad wamma jamma of a learning curve. Chief and Softplan are the only two that I can do. 

45 minutes ago, ChiefUserBigRob said:

I couldn't even get past the floor level settings on the properties box. CA flows easier.....

Softplan is the only other program that I've tried that even comes close. I recommended that they get it on with Chief and make a badarse baby!

On 12/7/2022 at 3:00 PM, DanielleDubuc said:

This is very sad news. I was pointing the SSA advantages to my students when comparing with the other drawing softwares. The lower price was more affordable for young people that start in life. Now that the SSA is not a point anymore what would be the advantage for them to learn another software than the one they studied at school?

 

I think it is important to target young clients since they are still experimenting with new softwares. Once they made their mind and get used another to another software, they won't be as willing to spend time in learn something else. It will be more difficult to convince them to change for Chief Architect. So if the price is not a point anymore, they will stay with what the already know.

 

I hope, no I beg Chief Architect to change their mind and keep the SSA for the new subscriptions. This would keep CA in an advantageous position compare to other drawing software.

I agree that what Chief is doing is a colossal mistake. 1) Chief's Rental program after January is $199.00 per month vs Softplan's $99.00 per month rental program. with no purchase options  #2) Chief's current Rent to Own should be kept because you would own the program after 22 months of continuous payments (about a grand more than an outright purchase) which is basically an interest charge for those who can't afford the initial $2395.00 outlay 3) $595.00 per annum  for SSA is a great deal when weighed against the $199.00 per month rental program (they also give you a break on the SSA for additional licenses- currenty $416.50 per ). So my annual  SSA for two licenses is currently $901.50). SSA is what allows Chief to continue improving and upgrading the program. I guarantee that part of the push to go to the Rental and eliminate the for purchase model is all the folks that sit back with older versions and don't contribute to the future of this program.

4) I do wish that Chief moving forward would offer the following options 1) Offer Purchase Option of $2395.00 plus require the payment of SSA annually or lose your license 2) Continue to offer the current Rent to Purchase option $199.00 per month with 22 consecutive week requirement 3) Offer a more reasonable Rent Only option at $99.00 per month  (to realistically compete with Softplan's subscription service  because, quite frankly at $199 per month, I think Chief is going to go out of business and I'd hate to see that!).

-BB

Thanks, guess I'll have to learn how to use a #!!

I'm wanting to get GAF roofing products (especially shingles), added to our library. Our roofing and remodeling company are one of the largest regional installers of GAF shingles in our part of PA. I've been remiss in not bugging our rep. thanks-bb

13 hours ago, glennw said:

Another way:

Temporarily make the rear existing slab foundation wall No Room Definition.

Select the roof plane and on the Edit toolbar, select Build Framing For Selected Objects.

Change the rear existing slab foundation wall back to a room definition wall.

 

 

Great tip Glenn, thanks. Still a bit of a work around because of Cheif's issues and their conflicts of Beams, Room Definition, Ceiling Area, Soffit Area, Railings and of course why the hell does a foundation wall's location have any business controlling a roof framing member and it's display? ( Riddle Me this Batman!)- but seriously-thanks. BB

Yeah, I fixed it myself after some screwing around. Thanks for the help. But still, why does Chief throw a goof notch at it? It still bugs me that I have to draw an additional three invisible walls and designating an open to below room in order to get the ceiling correct because of floors defining ceilings. bb

More images due to file limit of 14meg.

Dear Chief, isn't enough, enough? Common, man! Here we are in x14 and I'm still getting unwanted Rafter Notching. It just makes using Chief a pain and is the reason that my co-worker at a large remodeling and roofing firm is "demoing" Softplan at $95 per month because of it's better material's list and various construction oriented and design features. 

In this example, see attached images and attached drawing file. I've railed many times regarding Chief's inherent issues with conflicts caused by the way rooms are defined using walls and the interference caused by the foundation wall below if the beams above don't align, same with rails and beam conflicts and the way it also screws up the ceiling areas. I shouldn't have to explain any further. Just please fix the program so that we can do it right when creating our "Professional Drawings". 

Heck, Softplan gives you automatic 3d joist hangers  but I'd give that up in a heartbeat if Chief would allow for correct framing and wall intersections. Sorry but I'm tired of wrasslin' wit woika-rounds!! bb 

1259207018_NotchedRafterBSinx14Still.zip

21 hours ago, SNestor said:

@Archnot-Boltz - In order to get a ceiling you have to create a room. No room - no ceiling. There isn’t a room below the cantilevered floor.
 

I usually just use a solid for this…but you could use invisible walls on the first level to create a room with a ceiling. This will work but can create all sorts of other issues to deal with. 

Exactly, why do I need a room under a cantilever that does not have a room under it. This is a huge issue with Chief that relates to interference and conflicts with Railings, Beams, Porch and Deck boundaries, foundations below porches, porch roof soffits, porch ceilings etc. I guess I really should take this to Suggestions. bb

The floor should be cantilevered to support the mansard framing, which is how I have it. Cantilevered floor should be able to have a soffit ceiling underneath.

Well, I was going to put this post into Suggestions such as "Please Don't Make it so easy for this to occur" but figured it would get more traction here. Roof soffits seem touchy, sometimes they display correctly and sometimes they are screwed up by a roof or wall intersection.

I have attached two images and the obligatory plan file.

My solution, was to turn off Rafter Framing in Elevation and 3d views. And I'm sure my issue is caused by user error (but why so easy for an experienced user?)

thanks for any input.

-Brad

Hotel Transilvania-RafterTails.zip

4 minutes ago, robdyck said:

It's obviously extremely difficult. What other explanation could there be? 

The're holding out until my stubborn arse learns how to do a macro!

How difficult would that have been to have the programmers include it as a toggle or option in the label's dbx?