Noob - Best Place For Hvac/plumbing/arch Views

[FullSpectrum]

Hello All,

 

I have extensive experience with Autodesk Revit, ACA, sketchup, etc, (both from user and developer) and am new to Chief Architect. Could anyone please shed light on what is the best way to manage differing disciplines content so that they may be better represented on sheets? I have contemplated the idea of using CAD Details of the Floor Plan and managing layer visibility and annotations there, however that is static and not dynamic. Please advise or inquire further. 

 

Regards,

MSH | Matt

[DavidJPotter]

Commonly I use mainly floor plan views with different layer sets on and off to organize that material. Cross Sections I usuallly do using a crosss section camera that again potentially is dynamic in nature and allows for easier future changes.

 

Where I use fixed CAD details is for those views that are repetitive or "bloiler plate"in nature, those I customize and save to my library for reuse as my Engineer dictates. CAD detalls usually are merely 2D snapshots of parts of the plan file with text and 2D lines, and overlays that communicate the detail.

 

DJP

[rlackore]

I was in the same boat as you when I was compelled (forced) to change to Chief Architect. The best advice I can give is to thoroughly familiarize yourself with Chief's Annosets and Layersets - these are the central components in Chief's paradigm of how to control the display of different content, or disciplines. What follows is a brief overview of how I approach the problem (your mileage may vary):

 

1. Use the Layer Display Options dialog box (dbx) to create all the layers for all the disciplines you'll need. You can use whatever naming convention you want, but be aware that though you can rename Chief's "hard coded" layers, you can't delete them (eg the Walls, Normal layer cannot be deleted because Chief expects it to be there whenever you invoke one of the normal Wall commands). Also create layers to hold the annotations for each discipline (eg Electrical, Dimensions; Electrical, Text; Electrical, Callouts; and Electrical, Markers).

3. Use the Layer Set Management dbx to set up your Layersets (sort of like layer filters in ACA). Layersets allow you to control which layers are visible, as well as the line style, line weight, and color of those layers. These layer properties can be different in every Layerset (eg for your Electrical plans you'd turn on the layers that hold all the electrical discipline content, including the annotation layers).

4. Use the Annotation Sets dbx to set up your Annosets. You will need one Annoset for every drawing scale of every discipline (eg if you typically create Electrical drawings at 1/8", 1/4", and 1/2", you will need three different Annosets, one set for each scale).

 

When you're working in the plan file, use the Layerset to control what you're seeing while you draw. When you're ready to annotate, use the Annoset appropriate for the discipline and drawing scale - this will ensure all the text, callouts, etc are drawn on the correct annotation layer and at the correct scale. When you're done, you can assemble the document set by sending each "drawing" to Layout.

 

Good luck.

[ragetoca]

Robert,

So now that you have (or were forced) been using CA for quite some time, have you learned to loved it? is it growing on you?

[rlackore]

Robert,

So now that you have (or were forced) been using CA for quite some time, have you learned to loved it? is it growing on you?

Simple answer is no. The greatest tragedy is that I'm slowly becoming unemployable because my ACAD/Revit skills are degrading at an incredible rate. Plus I'm 50 years old. No firm is going to hire an old Chief user.

[Nicinus]

Simple answer is no. The greatest tragedy is that I'm slowly becoming unemployable because my ACAD/Revit skills are degrading at an incredible rate. Plus I'm 50 years old. No firm is going to hire an old Chief user.

 

Age is a number, cheer up!

[HumbleChief]

Simple answer is no. The greatest tragedy is that I'm slowly becoming unemployable because my ACAD/Revit skills are degrading at an incredible rate. Plus I'm 50 years old. No firm is going to hire an old Chief user.

If I needed help I would hire a 50 year young Chief user in half a heartbeat.

[FullSpectrum]

I was in the same boat as you when I was compelled (forced) to change to Chief Architect. The best advice I can give is to thoroughly familiarize yourself with Chief's Annosets and Layersets - these are the central components in Chief's paradigm of how to control the display of different content, or disciplines. What follows is a brief overview of how I approach the problem (your mileage may vary):

 

1. Use the Layer Display Options dialog box (dbx) to create all the layers for all the disciplines you'll need. You can use whatever naming convention you want, but be aware that though you can rename Chief's "hard coded" layers, you can't delete them (eg the Walls, Normal layer cannot be deleted because Chief expects it to be there whenever you invoke one of the normal Wall commands). Also create layers to hold the annotations for each discipline (eg Electrical, Dimensions; Electrical, Text; Electrical, Callouts; and Electrical, Markers).

3. Use the Layer Set Management dbx to set up your Layersets (sort of like layer filters in ACA). Layersets allow you to control which layers are visible, as well as the line style, line weight, and color of those layers. These layer properties can be different in every Layerset (eg for your Electrical plans you'd turn on the layers that hold all the electrical discipline content, including the annotation layers).

4. Use the Annotation Sets dbx to set up your Annosets. You will need one Annoset for every drawing scale of every discipline (eg if you typically create Electrical drawings at 1/8", 1/4", and 1/2", you will need three different Annosets, one set for each scale).

 

When you're working in the plan file, use the Layerset to control what you're seeing while you draw. When you're ready to annotate, use the Annoset appropriate for the discipline and drawing scale - this will ensure all the text, callouts, etc are drawn on the correct annotation layer and at the correct scale. When you're done, you can assemble the document set by sending each "drawing" to Layout.

 

Good luck.

 

Thank you for your input. This was very helpful and greatly appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

MSH | Matt

[OldCKD]

If I needed help I would hire a 50 year young Chief user in half a heartbeat.

 

Me too, in a heartbeat! 

 

See, to me you're a youngster...it's all in the perspective (and cross section, and elevation, etc.)  LOL