Wooden porch...how to align posts with newels

[Jambruins]

What is the best way to get my porch support columns/footings to be aligned with the porch newel posts? Do I have to add them manually?  

 

I know with a deck it will add the posts/footings but I can't get it to add them for a porch.

 

If the only way is to manually add a post/footing is there a way to get the dimensions from center of newel post to center of newel post?  I know I can use the tape measure but I can't snap to the newel post.

[MarkMc]

Set railing specification, newels/balusters, plan display to only Draw Newels

You could then just take a CAD detail from view, copy it and paste in place so you have something to snap to. Most accurate method.

Alternate would be to manually break railing at center of each newel (this is by eye), reverse each wall in turn so they don't rejoin, pull a dimension line and adjust any minor discrepancy in wall length

Go to foundation level, turn on reference display and adjust what shows, place post with footing

[rgardner]

2 hours ago, Jambruins said:

What is the best way to get my porch support columns/footings to be aligned with the porch newel posts? Do I have to add them manually?  

 

I know with a deck it will add the posts/footings but I can't get it to add them for a porch.

 

If the only way is to manually add a post/footing is there a way to get the dimensions from center of newel post to center of newel post?  I know I can use the tape measure but I can't snap to the newel post.

Mark gives some good ideas.  I prefer to turn off my newell posts and manually place my deck posts all the way to the beam.  Effectively your railing is going to go through your post but will look usually good enough in 3d.  If you have a large post or it is looking odd due to layout you can take it one step farther and break the railing wall at those posts and make that small section invisible if you don't have a roof above, or change it to open with no lower and upper rail which is the most exact and will be the most exact for a materials list as well.

[Doug_N]

 

[rgardner]

57 minutes ago, Doug_N said:

 

Nice video Doug

[Doug_N]

Thanks Ryan, Happy New Year by the way.