Create symbol from building

[Randino]

Creating a site plan with multiple buildings on one terrain. Other post suggests the better way is to create each building in a separate plan file, make a symbol, add the symbol to the site plan. HOW?

I've got the plan, I select the working plan view and I don't see the option to create symbol. 

 

Thanks in advance

 

Randy

Chief Architect Premier X16

 

[JiAngelo]

In a 3d camera view of your plan export to a collada .DAE file.

Then import the .DAE file as a 3D model and it will add it to your user library.

Place this model in your terrain plan.

 

One shortcoming of this method is if you make changes to the floorplan you need to export a new model and replace it the terrain file.  That applies to every model.

 

A better option is to use the reference plan tools.  Similar to referencing an upper or lower floor, you can reference an entire plan file.  Then if you update a floorplan, when you reopen your terrain file it will update its reference plan files.

 

 

 

[JKEdmo]

2 minutes ago, JiAngelo said:

A better option is to use the reference plan tools.  Similar to referencing an upper or lower floor, you can reference an entire plan file.  Then if you update a floorplan, when you reopen your terrain file it will update its reference plan files.

 

John,

 

I used the reference display tool to show multiple buildings on a common site plan recently.  However, I believe it has some (big) limitations.  For instance, if you send to layout an elevation view with camera view plot lines option enabled the elevation will not show the referenced buildings.  Similarly, if you export the plan to a Chief 3D viewer file, the referenced buildings will not show in 3D.  Is this your understanding too?

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

 

[DBCooper]

This tech article talks about how to make a symbol:

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00344/modeling-a-subdivision-or-lot-with-multiple-structures.html

 

Personally, I like using referenced plans too but sometimes a symbol can have some advantages.  You can make the building symbol smaller by making sure you turn off things you don't need.  Of course you do similar things with the reference display layer set so it might not be that big of a deal.  The other thing you can do with symbols is quickly change cosmetic things like paint and materials and generate several symbols with having to make a bunch of plan copies.  No easy way to change materials using layer sets (although that might be cool).