Cannot get any kind of dormer on roof

[rockyshepheard]

I'd like to know how to fudge  two dormers on the roof over the front porch. I'd like them moveable no matter what is under the roof.

One method complains there's no wall so cannot create. Other method says cannot create because of a wall in the way.

Can someone easily add two dormers using some kind of magic?

Thanks!

front roof done.plan

[Alaskan_Son]

23 minutes ago, rockyshepheard said:

I'd like them moveable no matter what is under the roof.

 

Then you're out of luck.  That's just not how those tools work. 

[joey_martin]

Go to the floor above and delete all the auto generated attic walls Chief puts in the plan. Then turn off the auto generation of those attic walls, which should allow you to move the floating dormer around without hitting walls that are in the way.

 

See if that helps.

 

[Alaskan_Son]

24 minutes ago, rockyshepheard said:

Can someone easily add two dormers using some kind of magic?

 

No.  But if you read up on the tools and adhere to the rules and recommendations Chief supplies then you can make them work.  For example, don't make them so tall...

 

[rockyshepheard]

Thanks Joey, I'm sure I'll be doing it manually but I'd like to try your method. Can you plez direct me to auto gen for attic walls?

 

[rockyshepheard]

1 minute ago, Alaskan_Son said:

 

No.  But if you read up on the tools and adhere to the rules and recommendations Chief supplies then you can make them work.  For example, don't make them so tall...

 

I tried modifying the dormer defaults but didn't see a height or width entry box.

 

[joey_martin]

2 minutes ago, rockyshepheard said:

Thanks Joey, I'm sure I'll be doing it manually but I'd like to try your method. Can you plez direct me to auto gen for attic walls?

 

Open the defaults for Walls. Under general there is an option to turn the off.

 

The defaults for the dormers can be set by double clicking the tool.

[rockyshepheard]

Thanks Joey, found it!

 

[rockyshepheard]

4 minutes ago, rockyshepheard said:

Thanks Joey, found it!

 

Tried your method. Chief said dormer too close to another dormer...but there were no other dormers. I checked in all layers. No other dormers. I will have to try manual.

[rockyshepheard]

CA should delete a dormer if it throw an error message. 

 

[rockyshepheard]

$10 to whoever adds two dormers.

[Kbird1]

You have the Auto Dormer Layer turned off in this plan ? so you can't see them .......  and for some reason every single layer is locked ? 

 

Have you looked at this KB Article: https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00449/creating-a-manual-dormer.html

 

[Kbird1]

I normally do my Dormers Manually as some of the others mentioned , due to all conditions not being meet usually for the Auto ones to work.

 

Here are some videos on doing them manually too.....

 

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/1520/creating-openings-in-roofs-for-manually-drawn-dormers.html

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/1521/manually-drawing-dormers.html

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/9923/focus-manual-dormers.html

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/26/constructing-dormers.html

[Alaskan_Son]

2 hours ago, rockyshepheard said:

Can you plez direct me to auto gen for attic walls?

In my opinion, deleting your attic walls and turning this setting off is a poor solution.  It’s going to just cause other problems.  Sure, you might be able to place the dormers, but then you’ll most likely have to replace the necessary attic walls and figure out how to tie those in with your dormers without breaking the dormers again.  
 

2 hours ago, rockyshepheard said:

but there were no other dormers. I checked in all layers. No other dormers. I will have to try manual.

When you mentioned 2 dormers in your OP, I figured you must have known you had 2 in the plan.  As Mick said, the layer is turned off.  And just FYI, you don’t check IN layers.  If anything, you check in IN Layer SETS.  You turn Layers on and off in those Layer Sets.  
 

1 hour ago, rockyshepheard said:

 

$10 to whoever adds two dormers.

 

I already did that.  I just didn’t post the plan.

 

2 hours ago, rockyshepheard said:

I tried modifying the dormer defaults but didn't see a height or width entry box

Did you read the Help files on Dormers?  And did you check anywhere except the first tab in the Dormer Specification dialog?  I’m away from my computer now, but it’s on the Walls tab I believe.  
 

Don’t mean to come across as rude, but if my posts sound short, it’s because the nature/wording of your question coupled with how long you’ve been active here kinda makes it feel like we are doing your homework for you.  Dormers are tricky and unless you take the time to learn them properly you will struggle with them on every project that you want to use them on.

Anyway, like I said, you can either change the height (by opening the dormer and modifying the height) and reposition the dormer.  That or you could do it manually.  Turning off Auto Rebuild Attic Walls at your current skill/knowledge level though is an extremely short sighted solution at best.  It will likely solve your problem right up until you open a 3D Overview 2 minutes later.  
 

 

 

[rockyshepheard]

11 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

I normally do my Dormers Manually as some of the others mentioned , due to all conditions not being meet usually for the Auto ones to work.

 

Here are some videos on doing them manually too.....

 

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/1520/creating-openings-in-roofs-for-manually-drawn-dormers.html

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/1521/manually-drawing-dormers.html

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/9923/focus-manual-dormers.html

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/26/constructing-dormers.html

 

[rockyshepheard]

Thanks Kbird, I have seen all of those. 

What I have never seen is a video where someone actually shows a dormer not being able to be built for one of two reason. 1. There is a wall in the way. 2. There is no wall.
I need to see a video whereby someone says "Ok, this isn't working so I am going to go to the dormer settings and make some adjustments so it will work." 
Could the problem be that I don't have a second floor? I have successfully done it manually but I want to understand the reason that CA gurus easily plop dormers on roofs and never get an error message. It seems to have to do mainly with the absence or presence of a wall under the roof. 
 

[rockyshepheard]

[rgardner]

Auto floating dormers worked for me as soon as I turned on the layer, removed the two you had already placed, and placed it according to the dialog moving it closer to the eave allowing the walls to connect properly.  They did have to be smaller because of the roof line and I dropped it to a 5:12 pitch but you should be able to play with it and get the largest size possible that you want.  

 

front roof done.pdf

[rockyshepheard]

4 minutes ago, rgardner said:

Auto floating dormers worked for me as soon as I turned on the layer, removed the two you had already placed, and placed it according to the dialog moving it closer to the eave allowing the walls to connect properly.  They did have to be smaller because of the roof line and I dropped it to a 5:12 pitch but you should be able to play with it and get the largest size possible that you want.  

 

front roof done.pdf

But i need an 8/12 pitch. Did you have to create or delete any walls to get this to work with a 5/12 pitch?

[rockyshepheard]

The problem must be I need an 8/12 pitch but it will only work on my 8/12 roof plane with less than 8/12 dormer roof plane pitches. Manual is the only way. Thx all!

 

[rgardner]

41 minutes ago, rockyshepheard said:

But i need an 8/12 pitch. Did you have to create or delete any walls to get this to work with a 5/12 pitch?

I didn’t actually try to do any other pitch as I didn’t spend much time with it.  Sorry.  Didn’t have to do anything with any walls.  I had to move it forward closer to the eave and made it 36” high and 60” wide.  12:12 pitch would not work but just put in a lesser pitch for the look.  A shed roof I think would look good on that as well though.  My two cents, for free. ;)

[rockyshepheard]

Thanks!

[rockyshepheard]

5 minutes ago, rgardner said:

I didn’t actually try to do any other pitch as I didn’t spend much time with it.  Sorry.  Didn’t have to do anything with any walls.  I had to move it forward closer to the eave and made it 36” high and 60” wide.  12:12 pitch would not work but just put in a lesser pitch for the look.  A shed roof I think would look good on that as well though.  My two cents, for free.

So if it throws error message you can move it and it may work? Or do you have to delete it and replace?

[rockyshepheard]

I have never had it work after error msg by moving it.   That was the reason for question.

[Kbird1]

some of the Error Messages for Auto Dormers are dealt with in this KB article, the KB is a great place to start for a lot of questions as usually you are not the 1st person to run into the Issue. You need to clarify/be specific on whether you are talking about manual Dormers or Auto Dormers as they are two different animals....

 

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00751/message-placing-an-automatic-dormer.html

 

 

 

M.