binkpear Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 I am wondering if there is a way to input my windows in the design as my desired rough opening size and have chief do the appropriate calculations from there. Example: I want to input a 36" x 60" window that will show up and be dimensioned in the plan view as a 36" wide window. In my window schedule it would show the RO as 36" x60" but the frame size could be set by me (34-3/4" x 58-3/4" is what I would like it to show... minus 5/8" for each side). The way I have been doing it is just inputting the value 0" for my rough openings, but it would be nice to show the size of the window frame in the plans as well. If i put 5/8" in the RO I have to do the math and input the window as 34-3/4" x 58-3/4" but now when I try and dimension to the window it shows up as a 34-3/4" wide window when I want it to show as a 36" wide window. Am I missing something real obvious here?! Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 Setup your window defaults to reflect it. Hint you can actually set your manufacturer series etc in the defaults. Doing so you can set your rough opening to 5/8” and set your actual window size. So if it’s a 34 3/4” window you would input 34 3/4 and the ro would be 36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kbird1 Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 No way for CA to Auto size the window from the RO AFAIK , so it sounds like you should enter the Frame Size ( Heel size ) with the desired R/O distance Set ( 5/8" each side sounds big ) and then Set your Dimensions to measure to the Rough opening NOT the Opening Sides ........ do a small test house 20'x30' and play with it or post the Test plan for Others to check settings.... Mick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binkpear Posted February 27, 2022 Author Share Posted February 27, 2022 Yep, I have it marked to find the RO in my settings. This seems very clunky to me. With that same 36" x 60" window, you are telling me I have to do the math backworkds from my RO to input the size of the window... and also do some math when it comes to the top and bottom placement of the window? When I set it up with my 5/8" RO allowance need to make an adjustment for the location of the top and bottom of my RO. As it stands with adding my 5/8" in the RO settings I still end up with the Automatic Dimensioning tool locating the window size and not the RO strangely. I would like to have the auto dimensions show 36" on the plan and in the window schedule I want the bottom of the RO to be 22" (it shows 23-1/4 in my schedule now) and the top to be 82". I know I can do the math for every window and make this work, but I am surprised Chief doesn't let you specify whether your inputs in the general tab pertain to the RO or the window frame size. The majority of the time I pick even numbers for my RO's and location of top and bottom, so the idea of having to constantly work backwards is not worth it. I guess I will continue to put a zero value in my framing RO and not put the RO column in my window schedule. I have included a test plan in case I am missing something. Thanks for your help! RO.plan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binkpear Posted February 27, 2022 Author Share Posted February 27, 2022 I did just locate the RO setting for Automatic Dimensions, so that works. Still think I shouldn't have to work backwards from the RO for the correct window size and bottom location. A simple toggle for window size or RO would be sweet. Much like the toggle for finished floor, floor or absolute location of the height of the window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 9 hours ago, binkpear said: Yep, I have it marked to find the RO in my settings. This seems very clunky to me. With that same 36" x 60" window, you are telling me I have to do the math backworkds from my RO to input the size of the window... and also do some math when it comes to the top and bottom placement of the window? When I set it up with my 5/8" RO allowance need to make an adjustment for the location of the top and bottom of my RO. As it stands with adding my 5/8" in the RO settings I still end up with the Automatic Dimensioning tool locating the window size and not the RO strangely. I would like to have the auto dimensions show 36" on the plan and in the window schedule I want the bottom of the RO to be 22" (it shows 23-1/4 in my schedule now) and the top to be 82". I know I can do the math for every window and make this work, but I am surprised Chief doesn't let you specify whether your inputs in the general tab pertain to the RO or the window frame size. The majority of the time I pick even numbers for my RO's and location of top and bottom, so the idea of having to constantly work backwards is not worth it. I guess I will continue to put a zero value in my framing RO and not put the RO column in my window schedule. I have included a test plan in case I am missing something. Thanks for your help! RO.plan 4.38 MB · 1 download It is highly varied throughout the country. Many areas use window companies that are 100% customizable so when you enter a 3040 window they make the window exactly 36"x48" and the RO is 37x49... This is actually the reason why all my windows are dimensioned to the center of the windows. I will set all of my windows at my 84¨elevation throughout the plan and will go back and adjust the windows to the exact window size once I have the window order. If you set your default for windows to have the rough opening allowance for that particular window company (Almost everyone has a different amount.) There are hundreds of window manufacturers so pretty impossible for them to set it. In conjunction with that some window types with some window manufacturers have different rough opening allowances for sliding versus Double hung, etc. So what happens then? Sounds like it might cause a possible problem... Your idea of a sizing option could be a suggestion you can make to chief as it probably would not be a hard thing to program as chiefs input boxes are capable of doing math. However just as in everything else I am not sure if it is something they would put a lot of emphasis or if other designers would be supportive of this option as it could cause issues with incorrect sizing potentially. Again why I recommend the center dimension and the universal header heights. If we want something different we have to take the time to input the windows per the specifications of the manufacturer that we are specifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisb222 Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 10 hours ago, binkpear said: I am surprised Chief doesn't let you specify whether your inputs in the general tab pertain to the RO or the window frame size. I have this same issue and usually do the zero RO in window settings and either omit RO from the schedule or enter manually. 9 hours ago, binkpear said: A simple toggle for window size or RO would be sweet. That would make a great Suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey_martin Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 I'm 100%confused. Chief allows you to set the R.O. and frame size, and whatever size window you want. What am I missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binkpear Posted February 27, 2022 Author Share Posted February 27, 2022 The way I work, I prefer to specify to my window supplier RO's. Being a contractor, and typically building from my plans, I prefer clean measurements to specify the location of my windows during construction. This means (most of the time) whole numbers for the RO location in the plan and the top and bottom of the RO. Hence, I use a value of 0 for RO in the framing tab and ignore the RO in my window schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solution Kbird1 Posted February 27, 2022 Solution Share Posted February 27, 2022 15 hours ago, joey_martin said: I'm 100%confused. Chief allows you to set the R.O. and frame size, and whatever size window you want. What am I missing? He wants to Input the RO at say 36" x 60" and have Chief automatically size the window with his 5/8 " RO size accounted for ie window is 34 3/4" x 58 3/4" which isn't possible ( yet) but the Schedule can report it like that..... 15 hours ago, binkpear said: Hence, I use a value of 0 for RO in the framing tab and ignore the RO in my window schedule. continue what you are doing and just remove Chief's RO Column and add a new Custom Column of your Own called RO using the Width and Height Macros and then add a second custom Column call Window Size with a macro the uses the width and height macros - (minus) the RO macros built into Chief and the Schedule can / should display the way you want it to ( CA works in decimal inches and I haven't converted it below. ) and once setup in your template plan should be automatic. # RO Size MACRO CODE %width%" x %height%" # Window Size MACRO CODE w = owner.width - (2*owner.rough_opening_side) h = owner.height - (owner.rough_opening_top + owner.rough_opening_bottom) w.round(2).to_s + " x " + h.round(2).to_s Mick. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kbird1 Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 10 hours ago, Kbird1 said: CA works in decimal inches and I haven't converted it below I played around with some Code I found on the Forum for converting decimal inches so you can display true Inches not decimal Inches, I am sure Chopsaw, Solver or Michael could do it more elegantly ( I am no ruby expert) but these work , they are inserted into 1 window below. # Window Size MACROS - Import these via TMM into your Plan and Template MHD_Window Size From RO_Inches.json Mick 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binkpear Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 Thanks so much for all of your hard work! I will give this a try. Thanks again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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