Layer changes wall display

[stevenyhof]

Hello,

Anyone know why change a new (copy of a) layer makes it not display?

https://www.loom.com/share/74a91a05a39b4852b611ed0f7ce985b5

Thank you,

Steve

[stevenyhof]

I'll add this...
https://www.loom.com/share/55d3a1d485e249ec85b5e286e4fdd32b

[stevenyhof]

Not sure what it is in the template, but I took the wall from the older plan and pasted that into the template and updated the lines and color, renamed it to what I wanted and it works fine.

[Renerabbitt]

hey @stevenyhof long time 
You are creating a new layer and that new layer is visible in the layer set that is active in your current view. When you switch to a camera view, your layer set changes according to the plans defaults for that class of camera view. In the layerset associated with the camera view that new layer would need to be made visible.

I’ve noticed that you have a bunch of custom layers in your default plan. I would strongly recommend that you stay as close to default layers as possible. When you choose to scale your business or collaborate, it makes it that much more difficult for someone else to work with your custom plan.

[stevenyhof]

29 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

hey @stevenyhof long time 
You are creating a new layer and that new layer is visible in the layer set that is active in your current view. When you switch to a camera view, your layer set changes according to the plans defaults for that class of camera view. In the layerset associated with the camera view that new layer would need to be made visible.

I’ve noticed that you have a bunch of custom layers in your default plan. I would strongly recommend that you stay as close to default layers as possible. When you choose to scale your business or collaborate, it makes it that much more difficult for someone else to work with your custom plan.

Ah!! Of course  - Thank you!! I figured it was something simple. 

Yes, I have a few of custom layers, most I have abandoned. But I use some custom layers to set up my different foundation and floor joist types. 

Example

[Renerabbitt]

31 minutes ago, stevenyhof said:

floor joist types. 

Example

I don’t follow what you are showing me here, how are layers controlling your floor joist types? Maybe I have a better method

[stevenyhof]

1 hour ago, Renerabbitt said:

I don’t follow what you are showing me here, how are layers controlling your floor joist types? Maybe I have a better method

This will help explain what I am doing...

https://www.loom.com/share/5e075ef2a1a7424587fdc15e8c0a3af8

[Renerabbitt]

2 hours ago, stevenyhof said:

This will help explain what I am doing

I think I gathered that you are using layers to drive line style.
I personally think it is far easier to simply use line style from your library or even your toolbars instead, as it is just click and draw and doesnt require having additional layers, modifying multiple layer sets or changing layers/changing the active cad layer
 

[stevenyhof]

18 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

I think I gathered that you are using layers to drive line style.
I personally think it is far easier to simply use line style from your library or even your toolbars instead, as it is just click and draw and doesnt require having additional layers, modifying multiple layer sets or changing layers/changing the active cad layer
 

 

"I think I gathered that you are using layers to drive line style."

Nope! I am not drawing these lines. These have been setup to give me precise heights without having to think through this process again. Took me a few hours to setup. I have set up a number of things and now I can crank out plans faster than ADT. The plan I show in the video is like 3000 ish sq.ft. and was completed with 4 sections in less than 35 hours.

 

Thank you,

Steve

 

I should add that once I am done setting the heights of my walls, I turn the layer off as I no longer need the lines.

[Renerabbitt]

2 minutes ago, stevenyhof said:

But I am not drawing these lines. These have been setup to give me precise heights without having to think through this process again. Took me a few hours to setup. I have set up a number of things and now I can crank out plans faster than ADT. The plan I show in the video is like 3000 ish sq.ft. and was completed with 4 sections in less than 35 hours.

 

Ok so then I think there is a disconnect in my understanding. Is it that you have a CAD detail that is being used for reference heights?
You don't need to have additional layers just to have a different line style for an individual line. It's the additional layers that add a ton of complexity to a default template plan. Again, just trying to help simplify your template plan for scalability.
You could also be saving rooms to style pallets to drop structure to reference points without needing to drag walls.
 

[stevenyhof]

1 minute ago, Renerabbitt said:

Is it that you have a CAD detail that is being used for reference heights?

Yes. In ADT I made a program where I could enter in my wall heights and footings, floor joist and grade, and it would add these "section construction lines" to my 2D area generated from the 3D model. So I am setting up something similar in Chief using layers and objects. Instead of a program generating what I want as reference lines, I can just choose the layer that fits my heights. If there is another way, I am open to see it work on a video.

 

Now that my work is done and everything set up, and with only one click of a button I have everything I need, how could something else give me all my different heights with an example of the structure? These work in conjunction with my foundation pony walls which are all set up as well to a perfect daylight and walkout wall. I literally spend less than 2 minutes adding my foundation pony walls (daylight) to my generated stem walls and set their heights to frost walls if needed, in my four elevations.

 

Again, I would love to learn more of what Chief can offer.

Thank you,

Steve

[stevenyhof]

30 minutes ago, solver said:

 

Precise heights for what?

This will help explain what I am doing...

https://www.loom.com/share/5e075ef2a1a7424587fdc15e8c0a3af8

[Renerabbitt]

1 hour ago, stevenyhof said:

Now that my work is done and everything set up, and with only one click of a button I have everything I need, how could something else give me all my different heights with an example of the structure?

I didn’t watch the full video the first time through because I was having trouble hearing it in my office at the time, apologies, but now after having watched it I would definitely encourage you to look to some additional approaches. As most of the power users here would agree, manually dragging exterior walls is not a very good practice. This software is platform based and you are not modifying the platform assembly when you manually drag a wall. In fact many of the problems we run into in this forum stem from users manually dragging walls. Pulling a cross section confirms this, your floor heights remain unchanged. Not to mention you would need to manually adjust your walls in other elevations to match. I personally can quickly build out a multiple level walkout just utilizing additional floors with rooms to designate foundation steps.

About your layer settings, you could have a cad detail with different lines and simply delete the lines that aren’t used(again this is with the intention of cleaning up custom layers, which would be my preference) no offense to Scott Hall but trying to work on one of his plans is as dizzying as it gets with so many custom layers. At times it may be necessary to handoff for my workflow anyway.

Is there a reason you are not specifying structure in your floor defaults at the start of a project? Any reason not to specify your floor defaults?

pulling a cross section and using a different active dimension default with the manual dimension tool can perform a platform check Lightning fast

 

[stevenyhof]

44 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

I didn’t watch the full video the first time through because I was having trouble hearing it in my office at the time, apologies, but now after having watched it I would definitely encourage you to look to some additional approaches. As most of the power users here would agree, manually dragging exterior walls is not a very good practice. This software is platform based and you are not modifying the platform assembly when you manually drag a wall. In fact many of the problems we run into in this forum stem from users manually dragging walls. Pulling a cross section confirms this, your floor heights remain unchanged. Not to mention you would need to manually adjust your walls in other elevations to match. I personally can quickly build out a multiple level walkout just utilizing additional floors with rooms to designate foundation steps.

About your layer settings, you could have a cad detail with different lines and simply delete the lines that aren’t used(again this is with the intention of cleaning up custom layers, which would be my preference) no offense to Scott Hall but trying to work on one of his plans is as dizzying as it gets with so many custom layers. At times it may be necessary to handoff for my workflow anyway.

Is there a reason you are not specifying structure in your floor defaults at the start of a project? Any reason not to specify your floor defaults?

pulling a cross section and using a different active dimension default with the manual dimension tool can perform a platform check Lightning fast

 

There is a lot here, and I would say there is some bias as to dragging walls as my heights are perfect and untouched when I am done, again in seconds really. I understand where people can and do drag things and hope close is close and then fight for the rest of the time. I'm not that guy. I am a perfectionist by fault and for decades have figured out systems and processes to doing things. Not to say they are the best or that I will not change. But there is a lot of assumption in your statements based on many of the people in this forum which I completely understand as I know there are many people that will not figure out steps to assure accuracy. Yes, I do set up my heights in the Defaults before I start any plan, and in fact I also set up many of my materials which are also all set up to my defaults and into my Library. 

 

Your idea of using a room does intrigue me for my frost wall. If you care to share your idea in a video I would be happy to look into it. Thank you for diligently working the forum to help those of us who are still learning. I do mean that. But I have also drawn 120 homes my first 12 months of using the software, and many are not small or simple...  https://stevenyhofdesigns.com/contemporary-3d-models/

 

Have a great evening!

Steve

[Renerabbitt]

25 minutes ago, stevenyhof said:

But there is a lot of assumption in your statements based on many of the people in this forum which I completely understand as I know there are many people that will not figure out steps to assure accurac

Maybe I will record a video explaining my meaning. If I could draw a parallel to something that probably resonates or you can relate to, I would say that you caught me in a hopeful statement, and the hope was that you would just take my word for it. Decades in this software, and short of needing to produce a video explaining all of the reasons not to manually drag walls, I would rather just let it be letter of the law. Truth is that there are some instances when it is the preferred method, so we will likely never manage to get chief to block the function altogether. 
To be clear, it has has nothing to do with accuracy but rather the problems that can occur from dragging walls no matter how accurately you draw them. If you are truly one for accuracy, then you really should just be moving your floor heights instead anyways, unless there is a condition that I could not think of to handle with a pony wall/steam wall configuration. When you dragged your exterior wall, weren't you dragging a framed wall below your floor assembly level?
I can guarantee that with enough projects under your belt in this software that you will run into these problems. Not a matter of if, and not an assumption. Again, dragging a wall is not effecting the platform structure. 
Thank you for the kind words, and I do have a clunky old video about floor heights that I need to redo and i'll make sure to post it here. Please no love lost here, I have always enjoyed your post contribution including this thread, and  I like the opportunity to see new workflows even if I don't adopt them.

[stevenyhof]

Just ran out to see The Batman. One word, dark. 

(On my phone now)

trust me, I do honor your years of experience and skills and do take your word for it. I would just like to see an example of how you manipulate frost walls. When you say create a room I have in mind what I think you are on to. 
 

also, just to set the record, the house in the example and half of my larger homes have all the studs, floor joist and trusses added. yes I spend the time at times to figure out my trusses, girders and beams. When I say my heights are perfect, I mean they are perfect. My footings are exactly where I want them, my floor is exactly where I want it, my daylight wall, sill plates, joist and floor boards. 99.9% of my work is done in the dbx. My daylight walls are typically on target unless my basement height changes. I typically go into the dbx to set my pony heights, floors, etc. I mainly drag the frost wall down and adjust the daylight if I’m right there. Most of the time it is on only one or two of the elevations. And to be straight forward, I don’t know how to drop my frost wall from within the dbx. Can’t say I really tried after creating my layer section sets. So I believe I am using CA the way I think it was intended 99.9% of the time.
 

I will add that I wanted from the start to draw as CA intended and you and others have really jump started my learning curve. Thank you!
 

half the reviews on my website are in the last few years. 41 years designing homes and now with CA modeling makes for very satisfied and happy clients. Heck, I’m scheduling people into September now so I’m doing something well. I can’t begin to tell you at 60 years old how it feels to be at the top of my game again. Once again I want to thank you and others who were/are so willing to help out in the forum. I especially want to give a shout out to Steve Nestor @SNestor who scheduled a number of hours with me to teach me the ropes. Amazing fellow! I strongly recommend for newbies!!
 

thank you

Steve

[SNestor]

@stevenyhof - you are too kind. Thanks!