Chrisb222

I bought an HP T520 about a year ago to replace an HP DJ120 that stopped working. The T520 is MUCH faster and better print quality. Normal quality Arch D prints come out as fast as letter size on my laser printer. Roll feeding is less problematic than with my 120. I'm very pleased with the price for performance, although it does act strange at times. A reboot fixes that, and I would buy it again knowing how it acts. Trying to figure out how to dispose of the 120.

Not sure I'm following you. Are you creating multiple separate plan drawings of the same building / project for different views? If so, yes, the program is designed to keep everything on a single plan drawing and allow you to control what is displayed. It's very doable but not easy to explain. Many videos and threads on the topic regarding Layer Sets, Annotation Sets, and Saved Plan Views. Good luck!

To explain a little further, the Layer drop-down list and Default checkbox allow you to specify (change) which layer the object is on. When you drew the CAD box, the program followed your instructions and placed it on your CAD, Roof layer like you wanted, right? The checkbox is not checked because the object is on your CAD, Roof layer, not on the program's default layer for CAD. Checking the Default box moves the object to its default layer, in this case the CAD, Default layer. Alternatively you can select from other available layers to move the object to using the Layer drop-down list, or create another new layer right there using the "Define" button, something I do often as it seems easier to create the new layer this way, when wanting an object to be on a new layer.

Use File > Export > Export Picture from Chief, select PNG as the output format. PNG will result in higher quality compared with JPEG.

I like putting a big shadow across the front yard on my exterior renderings and couldn't get this look with PBR, or even anything close... esp with no plant shadows. I'm a little bummed that PBR isn't going to work for me but at least I don't have to upgrade now. 10 passes, 2 minutes with my humble CPU Intel graphics...

That's more like what I'm used to getting from tree shadows. Thanks for your help.

Wow, they don't seem as realistic as Ray Traced plant shadows. Are those Chief plants? I get no shadow whatsoever from trees but it's probably my graphics. Guess I'll continue to stick with Ray Tracing... thanks

I just started playing with PBR again and cannot see plant shadows. Is this normal?

Agreed. Many people probably don't realize that JPEG is a lossy format (meaning that in compression, data is "lost" that results in image degradation), while PNG is lossless, which can make a difference depending on the amount of compression applied to the JPEG. Very minimal compression JPEG settings can approach a lossless state, but since Chief (unlike other programs) doesn't give you any control over the amount of JPEG compression it's best to go with PNG for the highest quality. Which is exactly what the Help Assistant within Chief recommends for image export.

You also have tons of control over the rise of the staircase via the tread depth and riser height settings in the stair dialog box.

Now that you have them reaching the next level, select the stairs in the floor plan view, and drag the end to where you want it. It should automatically adjust the threads to fit, but you might not like the result.

Hover over the dimension you want to change. If your pointer changes to a hand, you can click the dimension to open it and edit it. If it does not change, at least two conditions are possible: 1) the dimension is not connected to that object in a way that allows that dimension to be edited. Connecting the dimension to the object may allow you to edit the dimension. 2) you're zoomed out too far. When locating objects using temporary dimensions, at times you must zoom in to activate the hand cursor that allows you to edit the dimension. Other conditions may also cause dimensions to not be editable, perhaps other users will say if there are.

The "missing lines" are there, they're just being cancelled out by another line in the exact same location. Do some editing of your lines to eliminate overlapping lines and all is well.

How are you changing the color? Material Eyedropper/Painter? That's my assumption since I don't know how else you're changing the color of one of the stuccos and also changing its texture.... Some Stuccos have a Texture Source, and can have colors blended either with the Eyedropper/Painter or through Define Material, "Blend with Texture." Other stuccos do not have a Texture Source and in that case the Material Painter > Toggle Blend/Replace will do nothing, and the Material Painter will apply the source object's color --- and its texture. You must be working with one of these stuccos. You can, as Eric noted, change the color of any of the stuccos through Material Definitions > General > Colors. However if you need to match another object's color without changing the stucco's texture, use the eyedropper within the Define Material color selector:

Fantastic! Very interesting and lovely design and decorating, super photorealistic, simply a pleasure to view.

I set mine for 10 passes and get nice results in about 3-5 minutes. You reach a point of diminishing returns after so many passes, 10 works for me.

+1 Personally I feel no duty to offer engineering input here but you made a valid point, structurally speaking. This program is for designing structures, presumably that will actually be built, with humans occupying the spaces under and within them. I see no reason why a valid structural concern should be withheld. A wall like that built with wood will be shaky no matter how it's done, and your advice was wise and valuable.

Using two, need four.

What a mess! With all due respect, throw that away and start over.

+100

Yes. Preferences > File Management. Uncheck "Auto Save." Good idea, I might start doing this. Would be nice if you could instruct Chief to auto Date-Time stamp the file name...

+1, this is me. I turned auto save off immediately after starting out with Chief. Sometimes I don't want to save, and I don't want auto save saving something I don't want saved. Hitting Command-S is too easy, and 30 years in the computer design business, back before Auto Save or Archives, teaches you the hard way to SAVE SAVE SAVE

Deck framing should also have this control, Beams > Placement > "With Joists" or "Under Joists" I build decks this way more often than not.

In case any Mac users need this, the App Store has unRAR Free.

Just contact the governing building department where you plan to build, they should be able to help you.