Hourly Pricing Help

[Alaskan_Son]

5 hours ago, DMIAF1 said:

Sorry for any confusion I caused when asking for pricing help!! I am new to Chief so my verbiage is not quite as advanced as you all but I definitely appreciate the help and advise. Now that I'm reading all of your submissions I am really concerned the AutoCAD to Chief transfer will not translate properly. Am I understanding people correctly? Go to file --> import --> import drawing (dwg)? I tried it this way several time (ie: keeping the cad block, separating out on layers, polyline, and so on).The CAD file is relatively large so it would be a HUGE time saver if I could import it successfully but all I am able to come up with is a tiny block with a "walkway" inside that block.  See the attached photo below of what is coming into the program versus what should be. 

 

I noticed some of you were saying you just ended up having to trace over the CAD drawing in Chief but how were you able to get the whole file into the Chief program to trace it? 

 

Oh, I hope I'm not in too far over my head. I was thinking it would be on the simpler side having the construction drawings already. I do agree with you all that it would be ideal to be using the same software. Unfortunately, I don't think that's an option.  

 

Post that DWG file here and I'm relatively certain you'll have an answer in just a few minutes.  More often than not, the line work is just hiding somewhere.

[LevisL]

6 hours ago, DMIAF1 said:

Sorry for any confusion I caused when asking for pricing help!! I am new to Chief so my verbiage is not quite as advanced as you all but I definitely appreciate the help and advise. Now that I'm reading all of your submissions I am really concerned the AutoCAD to Chief transfer will not translate properly. Am I understanding people correctly? Go to file --> import --> import drawing (dwg)? I tried it this way several time (ie: keeping the cad block, separating out on layers, polyline, and so on).The CAD file is relatively large so it would be a HUGE time saver if I could import it successfully but all I am able to come up with is a tiny block with a "walkway" inside that block.  See the attached photo below of what is coming into the program versus what should be. 

 

I noticed some of you were saying you just ended up having to trace over the CAD drawing in Chief but how were you able to get the whole file into the Chief program to trace it? 

 

Oh, I hope I'm not in too far over my head. I was thinking it would be on the simpler side having the construction drawings already. I do agree with you all that it would be ideal to be using the same software. Unfortunately, I don't think that's an option.  

If I had to guess, you're importing the layout/paper space page instead of the model space where the floor plan actually is. That would explain why you only get the drawing titles and revision clouds...

[MarkMc]

9 hours ago, Alaskan_Son said:

More often than not, the line work is just hiding somewhere.

Switch to the all on layer set, bet everything shows up.

 

EDIT- one reason you can't see all the lines could be color. A lot of CAD users work on a black background and the lines can come in white hence you don't see them. 

8 hours ago, LevisL said:

If I had to guess, you're importing the layout/paper space page instead of the model space

I didn't notice the scale listing but that says you are correct it is paperspace. However all the line work should still be there.

In that case in the directions I wrote earlier - with everything selected in the Chief CAD detail use transform replicate-resize. If it's at 1/8" to the foot resize by 96. You can do this so long as everything in the view is selected and not locked, even if you have already blocked it.

[mrscott]

15 hours ago, MarkMc said:

Menu-CAD, CAD detail management, new detail. Import the cad file to there. I usually just drag it in from windows explorer. IF you have a CAD program (or maybe some viewerrs?) I turn off layers I don't want before importing -I leave walls (and dimensions if they aren't a mess). I do the same for good PDFs (usually made from CAD) and then convert them to dwg with another program.

I don't use CAD to walls.

As soon as it is imported I  "open object" (ctrl + e) and place all of it on one layer (I use CAD import- a layer I made for the purpose), then change the color of the lines to something like orange or bright green, while it is all selected turn it into an architectural block, then immediately "open object" (ctrl +E again) and change the layer of the block to the one you are using (CAD import). Now you can copy and paste the block into a blank plan, lock the layer,  and trace over it. NOTE that you can unblock it after pasting and prior to locking the layer. Then Chief will snap to the lines but often that is worse than not having snaps.

 

Mark,

 

Fantastic example! I started a plan in a that I want to do the same thing but don’t want to use Edit Area as I want it only for a mask to trace over and not have the old models layer sets. Would you apply your same approach to this sort of application?

[MarkMc]

Yes, plan open with layers you want, detail from view and go from there. For remodels that have demo I use build,walls, hatch wall before detail from view, delete hatching from plan when done. 

[mrscott]

16 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

Yes, plan open with layers you want, detail from view and go from there. For remodels that have demo I use build,walls, hatch wall before detail from view, delete hatching from plan when done. 

Awesome! Thank you.

One other thing I have recently became aware of is making a symbol out of an existing model.

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00344/modeling-a-subdivision-or-lot-with-multiple-structures.html

 

This is especially valuable when modeling a scene in Lumion.

Cheers!

 

[Alaskan_Son]

6 hours ago, MarkMc said:

Switch to the all on layer set, bet everything shows up.

 

EDIT- one reason you can't see all the lines could be color. A lot of CAD users work on a black background and the lines can come in white hence you don't see them. 

 

Those are a couple possibilities but one I have seen much more commonly is one where you get the drawing showing up super small way off in the opposite corner of the line work that you do see.  Best way to find that stuff is to turn on all layers, hit Control+A, hit F6, and then check the borders (most likely one of the corners).

[Kbird1]

I have come across the PaperSpace Issue and the White LineWork on Chief's White Background Issue before , changing Chief's background to grey may help. ( in Preferences ).

 

It may help to have them export the File after Flattening it for you to trace/import too?

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Flatten-3D-model-to-2D.html

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-flatten-a-drawing-so-all-linework-is-at-an-elevation-of-0.html

 

http://cadtips.cadalyst.com/object-properties/tips-help-flatten-objects