Chrisb222

I use this method as a quick easy way to make pattern lines gray, keeping the edge lines black, and apply global line weights to both. All without changing the colors in the model. Shadows work too but I usually don't show them on CDs. With this method I can get close to what James does and still have colors in my 3-D vector views, which I like. Everything looks dark, crisp and clean on printed CDs, I only use gray for the pattern lines. I asked James about his method killing colors in other vector views because I didn't want that. The advantage to his method is it gives you much more control over line colors and weights of individual objects. As you can see in his pic, he also has a gray fill on his foundation walls, gray fills in window panes. My method won't allow that. I was thinking about going to that system but I don't want to lose colors in the model, or have two models of the same project.

You can get grayscale (or color) vector views in Layout without changing the model by checking Plot Lines, color fill unchecked, and then check "Use Edge Line Defaults" and "Use Pattern Line Defaults" in the Send to Layout DBX. You can also use shadows with this technique. This will preserve your color settings for other Vector views, AND give you some limited control over pattern end edge lines' thickness and color, independent of the model.

For Vector views, yes. You can still do color in Standard or any render style other than Vector.

Very nice. Does this mean that your model is always in grayscale in vector views?

It just looked odd, but maybe not. The perspective view showed a large gap beneath the roof but it turns out your exterior walls were defined as Foundation walls, and you need to reset them to Default Wall Heights in the wall DBX Structure tab.

They are all zero. Go to Edit > Reset to Defaults, All Floors, Floor and Ceiling heights. Rebuild roof. You have other problems, though, with your Current Floor defaults. Get that corrected too.

Again, if you're sending Vector View, Plot Lines with default settings, you can control line weights -- and colors -- in the layer (for edge lines) and material definition DBX (for patterns).

I send elevations, sections, etc as Vector View, Plot Lines. I like a black and white with gray tones look, with sharp lines. You cannot send other view types (technical, watercolor, standard) as Plot Lines, only as Live Views. Plot Lines are not "live," you do need to update the view in layout as the model changes. However, you don't need to resend a new view, and I wouldn't recommend it. Just use Update Layout View command, or if you want to make changes to the view double click the view in layout to open the original view, then close it and select "Yes" when it asks you if you want to update the view. This will bring your current model into the layout view. In the past I always sent elevations as Vector View, Plot Lines, and checked "Use Edge Line Defaults" and "Use Pattern Line Defaults" because this gave me the ability later, in layout, to go into Layout Box Specifications and make the pattern lines a gray tone. I like this look, and there you can also increase or decrease all edge and pattern lines. There is no control over individual objects' lines, however, and Chief actually discourages using this option -- according to Help it's only there for compatibility with legacy files. I'm experimenting now with keeping those defaults unchecked (the default method) which pulls the edge lines and colors from the layer settings (in most cases), and the pattern lines and colors from Material Definitions, which gives even more control of the line weights and gray tones (or color if desired), but it's more cumbersome than my previous method. More control but more work, so I'm debating. I've been happy with my previous method but I like the idea of having, say, Roof Planes have a much thicker line than the other edges in my layout display. In the past I have used Edit Layout Lines to do this manually but you lose that work if the view needs update due to a model change.

My default font for 1/4" floor plan prints is 5" Arial Narrow. It looks pretty decent sized to my old worn eyes. I would think 4" would be fine, if a bit small, but still easily readable. Here I compared 4" Chief Blueprint to 5" Arial Narrow. I think you'll be fine.

In the layout, click the layout box you want to be black and white, click Open Object. For plan views, uncheck "Show Color" For elevation views, uncheck "Color Fill"

Try using the Refresh Display command under the View menu. It's supposed to clear up randomly generated unwanted lines in the current view.

I'm going to guess you're talking about the brick mortar lines being too light in a black and white elevation in layout. In your elevation view, using the Adjust Material Definitions tool click on the brick wall and under the General panel, "Lines" option, change the mortar lines to a darker color or black, then when you close the elevation let it update your layout.

I liked that function too, but the current method allows you to pin the function which couldn't be done before. Different approach, with added function.

Excellent tip!

Okay but I'm curious if anyone else is getting footers like this...?

That worked... sorta. It got rid of the vertical footer but added the lines in the wall corners, and messed up the wall above: Just not sure why these odd vertical footers are being generated. The X9 behavior was correct...

Nevermind, realized I need to run Library > Update Library Catalogs. Duurr That corrected a lot of my problems but still have a lot of manual cleanup to do. Apparently I've introduced a lot of confusion in my materials by not doing that with each upgrade. I'll be sure and do that from now on. I'll leave this thread here Justin Case it helps someone else.

I noticed some of my Core Catalog materials were missing their textures. When I investigated, I found that some of my Materials are getting their textures from older Chief versions, even from before that, back when I originally used HD Pro. Is this normal? If not what am I doing wrong when I upgrade, and how can I force all the current materials to use X10 textures? Does it matter? I went to merge duplicate plan materials in my template plan, but doing so would keep the first duplicate in the list and many of mine refer to an older texture file in the first instance, and X10 texture file in the second instance. It seems if I merge duplicate plan materials I would want the material that uses the most recent texture...? Thanks

No, already checked that, as far as I can tell all the wall specs are the same when the file is opened in X9 and X10. So, it's affirmed that X10 changed the default structure of a footer to automatically generate this vertical footer? How odd. When I scoot the footer over to make it disappear, the view from 90° still shows a line at the corner of foundation wall: In X9, by default there is no vertical footer or line at the wall corner:

Just noticed this in X10. Is there a setting I'm missing to turn this off? I don't think it's a default setting because I opened an X9 plan in both X9 and X10 and the vertical piece is there in X10, not there in X9. Is this default step-footer behavior now? Vertical Footers.plan

Whenever your link is "youtu.be" it will not appear in the forum window. Change to the "youtube.com" address for the video.

Also depends on what version of the program you're using. Different versions have different control of rendering. Regardless, though, in my experience high quality rendering requires a LOT of trial and error until you figure out what works for you, especially when it comes to balancing a complex scene to your individual taste. I've spent hours tweaking renders that someone else might've thought was good. No magic button.

I was able to hide the underside panel using insulation air gap, the problem is that the risers are visible from the front view but disappear from the back view. That's exactly what I saw using insulation air gap as a material for the underside panel. So you're saying the underside panel is created to hide the fact that the risers disappear on a rear view. I understand that these objects are hollow, it's what makes a cross-section slider in 3D look unrealistic. But you don't see one face of a footer or a joist disappear when you rotate the camera...?

I noticed the Lake Point project linked a second plan file, too. I was surprised Chief designers did that, not sure what the advantage of it is. I'm curious about this too. Actually, I have always used external detail plan files, from early bad habits, and figured I was just doing it wrong. That was what surprised me about seeing Chief do it. I had actually been thinking I should keep everything in the main plan file. Do people use external plan files for support content in layouts? If so, what do you typically keep in the main plan file, and what is in external files, and why? I can see an advantage in my case, as it was easier to reuse a generic detail from another location than to create or add it to a new plan. But it causes a lot of extra links in the layout file that wouldn't be necessary if everything was in one plan file. Do people add common generic details to their template plan? Keep them in their User catalog? I'm curious how others use Chief as I'm spending a lot of time this winter upgrading how I use Chief....