Re-using composite assets

[johnny 372]

I'm growing more and more frustrated with Chief and the inability to adequately re-use resources between plan files, which contain multiple types of objects.  I realize you can block certain objects, but so often I have a composite group which may include walls or other "non-blockable" items in Chief.  Further, those items dont even copy and paste well without a massive amount of duplication of efforts on properly reconnecting everything so it works - which can often take longer than simply remaking or reassembling the entire group.

 

Common composite modeling resources Id like to reuse with ease are:

 

- Stairs, with shaped knee walls, solids, etc

- Fireplace surrounds that include wall elements.

- Box windows with paneling

- Window configurations with polysolids 

- Bookshelves that include wall build-outs.

-and more 

 

Has anyone found a way around this or is it a complete fail on Chief's part? 

[Richard_Morrison 363]

About the only thing you can do is have a separate "warehouse" plan with these items, which then will be available to copy-paste. I'm not sure what problems you're having with the copy-paste process, but I don't think you've listed anything that is a serious problem.

[johnny 372]

Ill put some pictures/examples together and let you guys see what I am talking about.  I've tried to isolate the composite in a new file, and that does "help" - but then to take the next step and keep everything in place while I precisely locate the group in an existing file just doesn't work well.  

[johnny 372]

Here is a good example.  I have a stair "system" I want to reuse in other plans, and I copied first into a blank plan (as you mentioned) and then into a new plan I was working on.  Id call this a fail.  Getting in there and cleaning this up is nearly the effort to rebuild.