Line Weights - Elevations: Still Confused


SNestor
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Ok...I'm still messing around with line weights, layersets and elevations.  

 

Perry stated that he controls all line weights via a specific layerset...ok, that's what I've done.  I created a specific layerset for "Elevations".  I specifically edited all the weight to be in the range I want them.  However, "patterns" related to materials (brick, roofing, siding) are not controlled by layersets.  These have to be edited in the specific material DBX.  However, I did that...but it doesn't really change the line weight (with color off).  At least for me it didn't.   

 

I've attached two pics.  The first is the view I get in layout...heavy lines...kine of blurry, which I gather is ok because it does clear up when I print to PDF.  I've also attached the PDF printout of the elevation from layout.  

 

- I'd like to know how to make the lines of the FRIEZE thicker/bolder.  How do you do that?  

- How do you control the edge line weight of the roof planes?  Is it the weight you assign to the "roof planes" layer in the layerset that controls this?  

- Patterns...those lines controlled by materials.  I have no idea how to control the color or weight when you turn color off.  

 

I sent the view to layout using "Live View"...update on demand.

 

Any tips or clues would be greatly appreciated.

 

58e42a13bb888_TestPlanFrontElev1.thumb.png.d3fe892a88e506dcdc2822733aea512b.png 58e42a24ae6df_TestPlanFrontElev2.thumb.png.2c49b9d6dcd0a504f3b1a2aeff66eae7.png 

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Steve,

 

I don't have the time or energy to get into it in a whole lot of detail so you'll have to play around with this a bit but here is the short of it...

 

Those pattern line weights can be controlled by either the material settings OR the Layout Box Pattern Line Defaults depending on how you sent the view to layout  (maybe re-read that thread I referred you to in your last thread on this subject).  Make sure you refresh the view after you change any of the material settings too.

 

Color settings are a little more complicated.  Just like the pattern line weights the color can also be controlled by the materiel settings or by the Layout Box Pattern Line Defaults depending on how you sent the view to layout.  In addition to that though, there are at least a couple other things that come into play...

  1. Whether you have Color Off set to Grayscale or Black and White in your Preferences and...
  2. Whether you are printing in color or not.

NOTE:  Even though you may not SEE color in layout you can still print in color.

 

Edge lines are similar to the above and can be controlled by either the layer or the Layout Box Edge Line Defaults depending on how you send the view to layout.  Specifically with regard to the roof, if those are being controlled by layer settings they would be controlled by a couple different layers...

  1. Roof Planes
  2. Roofs, Ridge Caps

The frieze moldings lines would be controlled by the Roofs, Trim layer settings.

 

In addition to the above you can also:

  • Edit Layout Lines to change any of the above.
  • Create a CAD Detail From View to change any of the above
  • Draw extra CAD lines to create overlayed thicker lines in select locations (either in plan or layout)
  • Any combination of the above.

 

Anywho, I know that looks like a lot of information but that really IS the short of it. 

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12 hours ago, Alaskan_Son said:

Steve,

 

I don't have the time or energy to get into it in a whole lot of detail so you'll have to play around with this a bit but here is the short of it...

 

 

 

Michael...thanks so much for the tips...and taking the time to respond.  Very much appreciated.  The info provide helps a lot...but not completely.

 

I've been experimenting with line weights and elevations...and unless I'm missing something, there really isn't much control, especially of the pattern line weight and color in vector views.  If I'm wrong...please, someone enlighten me.  

 

You can control the line weight via the layer set of "roof planes"...you can make the line thicker so the roof is bolder, same for walls, windows and doors...and related casing.  

 

If your elevation is set to "line weights on", "color off", and you send it to layout via "live view, update on demand"...then you don't really have control of the pattern color or weight.  Pattern line weight can be controlled via the material definition DBX.  

 

Also...knowing what layer turns material patterns on and off in elevation views is not transparent.  I only discovered the layer via trial and error - turning layers on and off.  It took me a while to learn that "Patterns, 3D views" is the secret layer that turns on your siding and brick and roof patterns.  In hindsight...it seems logical, but the "3D" was confusing...since my elevation view wasn't "3D".  Also...if you change the line weight of this layer...it doesn't seem to have any affect on the pattern.  I'm not sure what it does...maybe it controls the line weight in plan view.  I have no idea.   

 

Things I haven't found a way to adjust...

   - Fascia boards

   - Shadow boards

 

The BIG question is...why is this so confusing.  Also, why doesn't CA have a tutorial video on sending elevations to layout with different techniques that shows the relationship between layers, layer sets, line weights etc.  It would help.  I can't be the only one struggling to learn this...

 

Attached are two views showing the gable edge of a roof plane.  In one view (close in) you see a normal gable edge line.  In the next view...just a couple click further back, you see another gable edge view...only this time you see the "shadow board" on the gable end.  There is no way to turn this layer off.  The only way to get this line off of this view is to delete the shadow boards.  Is this a quirk with the software...or is there a way to control this line/object that I'm missing.

 

58e4f24d55687_TestPlanElev-rooftrim1.thumb.png.3ff4ca070b1cf72fcde597b518ff7e5a.png 58e4f25317d76_TestPlanElev-rooftrim2.thumb.png.51dc6d72a711d8afca332fcc4a398b55.png

 

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Are your pattern lines black or gray, and did you adjust the correct color in the pattern section. I like them gray. try and see how it shows when actually printing to paper. It's a lot of hit and miss to get exactly what you want.. It does work believe me. You preferences could be different than what I like.

 

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33 minutes ago, DRAWZILLA said:

Are your pattern lines black or gray, and did you adjust the correct color in the pattern section. I like them gray. try and see how it shows when actually printing to paper. It's a lot of hit and miss to get exactly what you want.. It does work believe me. You preferences could be different than what I like.

 

 

Perry, 

My pattern lines are black.  I edited the lines of the brick and siding material...and changed the line color to a light gray.  Nothing changed.  

I gather that Chief just defaults to black when "color off" is selected.  

 

I changed the preference to "gray scale" when "color off".  Nothing changed with "color off".  What am I missing?

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With color off to gray, you have to be carful not to make the gray to light or it won't print. This goes for all colors using grayscale, keep them on the darker side of gray. Re-think all your colors if you want grayscale as any light color might not print b/c it's too light. Also check the line weight of your pattern lines, if you didn't , it might be 1 thus to thin.

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 Steve, did you refresh the views after you changed the color? 

 

 Also, you control the line weights of those pattern lines in a different tab than where you set color.   I'm away from my computer but I think you set the color in the material tab and the line weights in the pattern tab. 

 

 Anyway, I hope that helps. 

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3 hours ago, Alaskan_Son said:

 Steve, did you refresh the views after you changed the color? 

 

 Also, you control the line weights of those pattern lines in a different tab than where you set color.   I'm away from my computer but I think you set the color in the material tab and the line weights in the pattern tab. 

 

 Anyway, I hope that helps. 

 

Michael...yes, refreshed views.  I know where to edit the lines/colors of materials.  However, the lines do not change if you have "color off".  See attached.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me out...very much appreciated.  This exercise has at least helped me to get a better understanding of things...

 

- What's typical:  Elevations in vector view sent to layout with "color off"?  Live view, update on demand?  These are the settings I'm using.

 

I've attached an example of an elevation produced by Joey Martin (an expert...).  Notice that his fascia boards on the gable ends have thicker lines.  Also the light pattern fill of the roofing.  I have a feeling Joey used a "fill pattern" to get this look.  Which means you have to change the material definition from "shingle" to maybe "Area"?  Maybe Joey will chime in and fill us all in.

 

58e55897ce8ba_DefineMaterial1.thumb.png.01c600321265efd016811aa8dd31dcf0.png 58e5589bd28f4_DefineMaterial2.thumb.png.a9b15d373a24301561e9c64994e6ac60.png

 

58e558a23a6cd_elevationexample1.thumb.png.4101cda144024f0cc57ff5dfd054908e.png

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29 minutes ago, DRAWZILLA said:

I know Joey uses different line weights to get his look. He use to do some cad lines over the top of his live views years ago, but now I think he uses special layer sets to send to the layout.

 

I don't know of a "special" layer (or layerset) that will control the line weight of the gutter board fascia or shadow boards...if you know how to accomplish this let me know.  Same goes for material pattern lines in vector view/color off.  Does not seem to be a way of changing the color or the line weight.  If color is "ON"...then there is control.

 

The Chief Example plans always have the elevations sent to layout in "COLOR"...is this typical?  

 

Upon close inspection of Joey's elevation...it does appear that he is using CAD LINES to emphasize the rake fascia and gutter boards.  Maybe that's the answer...but, seems like a lot of work...and if the plan changes there goes a lot of work down the drain.  

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25 minutes ago, DRAWZILLA said:

I can change the gutters and roof trim in section elevation view. you have to change them in the section camera view DBX

 

Perry...yes, you can control the line weight of the layer "roofs, trim"...but, this does not change the weight of the board that the gutter attaches to (called a gutter board in my area of the country)....

 

  58e587d9a75b8_GutterBoardLineWeight.thumb.png.9b16a8c95f3dabce202fc824f6d463cd.png

 

Also, if you use "shadow boards"...which you define in the roof dialogue, I don't see a way to control the weight of that item either.  However, it's the weight of "patterns" in vector view that really has me pissed off.  I know how to change the weight...and the color of these lines, but if you turn "color off"...then there is a default color and weight that appears.  I think...

 

I've beaten this horse to death...I think I'm going to call Chief tomorrow...and get one of their gurus to tell me what I'm missing.

 

Thanks again for responding and trying to help me out with this issue.  It may be I'm just too dense...:wacko:

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46 minutes ago, DRAWZILLA said:

I don't know what you are doing, but I can control the patterns in the vector view, or sometimes I have to create a pattern view when there is none. I do it in the edit material DBX. good luck with TS.

 

I don't doubt it's possible...but I can't do it.  

Show me an example of the same siding or brick pattern, color off...one with a dark thick line and and another with a thin gray line.  I'd love to see it...

 

Then...show me how it's done.

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1 hour ago, SNestor said:

 

I don't doubt it's possible...but I can't do it.  

Show me an example of the same siding or brick pattern, color off...one with a dark thick line and and another with a thin gray line.  I'd love to see it...

 

Then...show me how it's done.

 

Steve,

 

Don't send as a Live View.  Send as Plot Lines...

 

Example.jpg

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5 minutes ago, Alaskan_Son said:

 

Steve,

 

Don't send as a Live View.  Send as Plot Lines...

 

Example.jpg

 

Thanks Michael.  That looks like the answer.  Very much appreciated! 

 

That said...I'll have to dig into what the difference is between the view types.  

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  • 9 months later...

I seamed to have lost the ability to control line weights on my elevations sent to layout.  I recently switched from PC to iMac.  Previously on my PC setup, I had my exterior elevations layer set set up with thicker line weights for the roof plane, corner boards for a thicker perimeter look from the rest of the lines.  I usually send my elevations to layout as plots lines vs. live view and change the pattern lines to a lighter gray.  That worked fine for me on PC (see attached sample).  I had a similar setup with my floor plans with main layer walls having a thicker line weight.  Since I've switched to iMac, I seamed to have lost the ability to control my elevation line weights like I did before.  I didn't change anything in my layer sets.  My floor plan line weights show just fine like before but my elevations don't.  The only way I can control the elevation line weights is to use edge line defaults.  Which I don't want because this will change the windows line weights as well.  I don't understand if I missed a setting somewhere when switching to Mac but my floor plans are working fine like before.

PC setup.jpeg

elevation view in chief before sending.jpeg

elevation when sent to layout.jpeg

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