Joe_Carrick Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Do you use different Toolbar Configurations ? Have you created additional Configurations for: Kitchen Design Bath Design Appliances Mechanical Electrical Plumbing Dimensioning CAD Details Rendering (Elevations, Sections, Perspectives, etc) Obviously, Custom Toolbars (especially used for "Place Library Objects" and "Style Palettes") can greatly speed up the process by using objects that you consider standard to your designs. However, I'm finding that there is just so much screen space available and too many Custom Toolbars - particularly for customization using Style Palettes. Establishing Configurations to limit the clutter is IMO a necessary project. I've seen some screen shots that have so many Toolbars displayed that I don't think I'd be able to find anything I wanted to use. I would be really interested in what other users are doing to avoid the clutter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 28 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said: Do you use different Toolbar Configurations ? Have you created additional Configurations for: Kitchen Design Bath Design Appliances Mechanical Electrical Plumbing Dimensioning CAD Details Rendering (Elevations, Sections, Perspectives, etc) Obviously, Custom Toolbars (especially used for "Place Library Objects" and "Style Palettes") can greatly speed up the process by using objects that you consider standard to your designs. However, I'm finding that there is just so much screen space available and too many Custom Toolbars - particularly for customization using Style Palettes. Establishing Configurations to limit the clutter is IMO a necessary project. I've seen some screen shots that have so many Toolbars displayed that I don't think I'd be able to find anything I wanted to use. I would be really interested in what other users are doing to avoid the clutter. I used to have different toolbar configurations for Standard, Site Plans, MEP, & K&B. I have since simplified to four configurations: Standard (for basic model work) and Extended which has all of what I used to have on Site, MEP, & K&B plus select tools from the standard. I then have a version of each of those called Laptop and Laptop + that is design to fit on my laptop screen so as to not break my toolbars. I generally have my edit bar floating as well as PB, LB, & ALDO over on second screen. I also use a Logitech G-602 mouse and Space Connexion 3d mouse with lots of hotkeys setup on them to keep me as efficient as possible. The toolbars work well as I laid them out specifically with my workflow and techniques in mind. This helps me to not have a hard time memorizing the locations. At this point it is all muscle memory. Benefit of all the custom tools and toolbar locations is that you have to open less dbx which just keeps everything moving much faster as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Carrick Posted June 30, 2022 Author Share Posted June 30, 2022 Hi Ryan, Your screen is exactly what I'm trying to avoid. While I like the idea of having the Library, Project and ALDO on separate screens I find that with current wide screen monitors those things don't interfere with my Plan. However, I really only want the Edit Toolbar at the bottom and a maximum of 3 rows of Toolbars at the top. That's why I'm tending towards more Configurations. Also, I like to use my left side monitors for Chieftalk, MS Edge, Text Editing, etc. My right side monitor I like to use for 3D Views. I only need my Kitchen Cabinet Toolbars when laying out Kitchen Cabinets, along with some standard Appliances that takes up the 3rd row. For Electical I don't need the Kitchen Cabinet or Appliances Toolbars, etc. For Dimensioning I don't need anything except my custom Dimensioning Toolbar. Vertical Space for my Plan is for me the critical real-estate. I do wish that Chief would remember the widths that I have the side windows set to from one session to the next. Having to resize them every time I open Chief is a PITA. Here's a pic of my typical Kitchen Design Configuration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 6 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said: Your screen is exactly what I'm trying to avoid. That’s why Chief allows us to customize it how we want. 7 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said: I really only want the Edit Toolbar at the bottom and a maximum of 3 rows of Toolbars at the top. That's why I'm tending towards more Configurations. I liked using more toolbar configurations before. I recently changed over to this new arrangement to try it out and do not have an issue with it. I may add more configurations back in eventually but as I generally stay in standard config except when I detail out a kitchen or a bath I am not staying in the extended view so it’s kind of like a temporary condition just like swapping into your K&B toolbar. I find lots of time when I want MEP and cabinet tools together which is why I melded them together into one configuration. 11 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said: I do wish that Chief would remember the widths that I have the side windows set to from one session to the next. Having to resize them every time I open Chief is a PITA. I was having this issue and it seemed to cause a crash with toolbars in particular and was able to iron it out with TS (that crash was Mac OSX specific with my system configs). With that problem solving I found out the following from Roy in TS that should help with your side bar issue: “After arranging your side windows the way you want them, try the following:1. Save the plan that you’re in2. Go to File->Close All Views3. Open a New Plan4. Go to Chief Architect->Quit Chief Architect5. Reopen the program and your plan and continue workingThe process we just went through is to make sure that the side window positions save completely.” Well best of luck figuring out what works best for your toolbars and I hope that helps with your side windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 17 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said: Vertical Space for my Plan is for me the critical real-estate. Can you add your extra toolbars on the sides instead? Max OSX does have a limitation on the way icons are displayed that fights with chiefs programming and doesn’t allow me to have larger toolbars on the sides but I was told that doesn’t affect PC as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robdyck Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 23 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said: I do wish that Chief would remember the widths that I have the side windows set to from one session to the next. For a few days last week this was working for me...I have no idea why. Now X14 is back to the OOB window sizes, except for the Tool Palette window. If I resize it, Chief remembers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robdyck Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 As for tools, mine are pretty stripped down. Awhile back I customized to remove tools that I rarely use. I'm happy using the tool palette. I have several different configurations setup but I rarely need to switch to them. I prefer the real estate for working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 1 hour ago, robdyck said: For a few days last week this was working for me...I have no idea why. Now X14 is back to the OOB window sizes, except for the Tool Palette window. If I resize it, Chief remembers. 2 hours ago, rgardner said: was having this issue and it seemed to cause a crash with toolbars in particular and was able to iron it out with TS (that crash was Mac OSX specific with my system configs). With that problem solving I found out the following from Roy in TS that should help with your side bar issue: “After arranging your side windows the way you want them, try the following:1. Save the plan that you’re in2. Go to File->Close All Views3. Open a New Plan4. Go to Chief Architect->Quit Chief Architect5. Reopen the program and your plan and continue workingThe process we just went through is to make sure that the side window positions save completely.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robdyck Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 @rgardner I appreciate you posting that, Ryan! I definitely gave it several attempts but I'm SOL so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Gia Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 As a result of unstable toolbars on a Mac I’ve learned to rely on hotkeys extensively. The good news - It’s really sped up my workflow. I took a page out of Revit’s hotkey convention and use their two letters assignment system. You’d be surprised how easy it is to remember them since they closely mimic the name of each command. p,i = paste in place d,m = dimensions manual d,a = dimensions angle r,l = reverse layers r,a = reflect about r,d = reference display. etc… Using 2 letters gives you a wider range and helps group similar tools. When your toolbars randomly disappear you need to get creative. I only use Chief’s default toolbar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renerabbitt Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 220705-Compressed (4).mp4 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now