Streamline Area Polylines

[PitMan71]

I am trying to streamline the process of creating my area poly lines to have the color, fill, label, and schedule selections that I want. Living, Garage Porches, etc.... I have tried creating objects with the labels I want and adding to my library but that didn't work, program sees them a trim poly lines when I drag them into the drawing. Is there a way to accomplish this? It would be nice if I could invoke the polyline tool and it just draws it with the properties I want, but I haven't found a way to do that yet. Is there something I am missing?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Renerabbitt]

6 hours ago, PitMan71 said:

I am trying to streamline the process of creating my area poly lines to have the color, fill, label, and schedule selections that I want. Living, Garage Porches, etc.... I have tried creating objects with the labels I want and adding to my library but that didn't work, program sees them a trim poly lines when I drag them into the drawing. Is there a way to accomplish this? It would be nice if I could invoke the polyline tool and it just draws it with the properties I want, but I haven't found a way to do that yet. Is there something I am missing?

 

Thanks in advance.

Just curious, why not use rooms to report area instead now that we have an OIP for floor defaults

[PitMan71]

22 hours ago, Renerabbitt said:

Just curious, why not use rooms to report area instead now that we have an OIP for floor defaults

I'm not 100% but it seems like early on this year when I first starting using Chief, there was some uncertainty about the calculations and I opted to go the route of poly lines so that I was sure of the reported numbers. Is that included OOB or what kind of setup is involved? If it makes life easier, it's worth at least giving it a try. Send me some info or a link to check out.

 

Thanks

[Gawdzira]

See if this is what you are after. I did this quickly to spit out a tabulated list for some site area calculations. I did not refine this and you could easily lose the labels and use the names of the individual areas (renaming the headings). I did not try to copy these polylines into a new plan yet but I suspect they would retain the schedule association.

RIC As Built V1p.zip

[PitMan71]

On 5/6/2025 at 7:33 PM, Gawdzira said:

See if this is what you are after. I did this quickly to spit out a tabulated list for some site area calculations. I did not refine this and you could easily lose the labels and use the names of the individual areas (renaming the headings). I did not try to copy these polylines into a new plan yet but I suspect they would retain the schedule association.

RIC As Built V1p.zip 1.99 MB · 8 downloads

Thanks for posting..... So far I have done all my SF reports using polylines and schedules. I like to use fill on the plines so I can be sure the edges are where I want them....Different Area types have different fill colors..... I wanted to streamline that task to where I didn't have to spend so much time editing the properties of the poly lines after I drew them if that makes sense. my idea was to create library items, but that doesn't work.

 

I like Rene's suggestion but I am not exactly sure how to do what he mentioned AND I would want to make sure the SF's are figured the way I want them to be.

[ValleyGuy]

On 5/8/2025 at 11:06 AM, PitMan71 said:

Thanks for posting..... So far I have done all my SF reports using polylines and schedules. I like to use fill on the plines so I can be sure the edges are where I want them....Different Area types have different fill colors..... I wanted to streamline that task to where I didn't have to spend so much time editing the properties of the poly lines after I drew them if that makes sense. my idea was to create library items, but that doesn't work.

 

I like Rene's suggestion but I am not exactly sure how to do what he mentioned AND I would want to make sure the SF's are figured the way I want them to be.

There seems to be two main paths to reporting SF information, basically because of the way the SF information is obtained. CA will split the walls between adjoining rooms, ex: the garage and house through wall will be divided evenly between the house SF and the garage SF (the same idea inside the house envelope, bath to bedroom,...). Some people are fine with this and some people are not.

1) If you are fine with it, you can use a macro in any one of the room's Object Information listings (code, comment, description, ...) and make a schedule to report that information. 

2) If you are not fine with it, then the poly line method is another option.

I use both methods for different schedules as well as a few macros to differentiate between New and Reno rooms, you can get as deep down the rabbit hole as you like / are able.

Here is my method to accomplish both ways:

1) Room Reporting the Area: I programmed all of my room types to have a macro in the description. Room -> Object Info -> Description -> insert macro -> Global -> Room Info -> Standard Room Area. I then include the column 'Description' in my SF schedule (change the Description label to whatever you like). You can customize the schedule to include, or not, whatever room you like. It's dynamic and doesn't usually need any edits. NOTE: Making each new room retain the macro; there isn't an OIP (object information panel) in Room Defaults (little wrench) to add in the macro under description. To get around this I deleted all but one of the OOB room types. I made a room (in my template plan) as it does have an OIP, open up the room and insert the Standard Room Area macro in the description (I also added the Room Name macro in the comment and have the comment column in my schedule), and adjust all the data to fit the room; name, conditioned or not, flooring, schedule, ... While the room is still open, go back to General -> Room Type -> Define -> Copy. You can now change names and data as needed for every room you create. Save your template and you will retain all that information. 

2) Poly Lines: I made a saved plan view and layer set for my p-lines in my template. They live there with all the programmed info, (macros, labels, colours, ....) and report to text box saved on a CAD sheet. The text box is my schedule and lists the info I want to report. The only real maintenance is to size the p-lines as you are doing now. I saved the CAD sheet on my layout, however, it needs a poke to properly activate - open and close a p-line (just one on the SPV) and open and close the text box on the CAD sheet. This will activate the p-line data and activate the calc's in the text box to show the proper numbers.

 

I'm fairly new at using them too and can't stray too far into the deep end yet, so I'm sure there are lots of variations of how to accomplish little to no maintenance in streamlining the p-line task. 

 

[Renerabbitt]

On 5/10/2025 at 7:37 AM, ValleyGuy said:

Some people are fine with this and some people are not.

Your Muni is fine with it .
Chief actually splits on garages correctly.
Regarding interior rooms, dont use standard area, use interior area.
Total sq ft is correct, percentage of coverage is correct, conditioned vs unconditioned sometimes is off ..but it is off less than 0.05% discrepancy and that's if the house is built exactly to the size you drafted it at. You could also build in a discrepancy modifier like I did

See conditioned area working exactly as it should on a garage, my lot analysis is come from room standard area, and I show a P-line confirming its accuracy

Quote

there isn't an OIP (object information panel) in Room Defaults (little wrench) 

Oh but there is one in Floor Defaults
and yes there are streamlined approached to p-line stuff.

[SHCanada2]

On 5/8/2025 at 8:06 AM, PitMan71 said:

I wanted to streamline that task to where I didn't have to spend so much time editing the properties of the poly lines after I drew them if that makes sense. my idea was to create library items, but that doesn't work.

save them in a CAD detail on your template plan

[Renerabbitt]

On 5/8/2025 at 7:06 AM, PitMan71 said:

library items, but that doesn't work

why not?