What'st the Fastest way to Align Cabinet top heights with Crown molding....Why bottom height?

[zowie123]

Hi,

When cabinet sizes are different, the DBX toggle to align bottom height is cumbersome.

 

Ideally, I would like to group select all upper cabinets, open a DBX and be able to type in a Top Height..but I don't see that's an option.  

 

What's the fastest way to align multiple cabinet top heights?

 

Thank you,

Barry

[Greg_NY61]

Barry, I think you have to do it manualy... I select all upper cabinets one size and in DBX under Molding I select from top and add negative number for the molding height.  So if you molding height 4 1/2", you will add "From Top" value of 

-4 1/2", or whatever you need to be. Do that for all cabinets of same size. 

[Kiwideziner]

currently with a handheld calculator, put in a suggestion.

[dshall]

Hi,

When cabinet sizes are different, the DBX toggle to align bottom height is cumbersome.

 

Ideally, I would like to group select all upper cabinets, open a DBX and be able to type in a Top Height..but I don't see that's an option.  

 

What's the fastest way to align multiple cabinet top heights?

 

Thank you,

Barry

 

Isn't that interesting.  All upper cabinets are relative to the floor from the BOTTOM OF UPPER CABINET,  not the TOP OF UPPER CABINET.  I think more times than not,  all top heights line up and the bottoms do not,

 

 i.e.  upper cabinet above a cooktop with a microwave under upper cabinet.  The top of that upper cabinet will align with the other upper cabinets but the bottom of cabinet does not.

 

Hey,  CA,  fix this please,  thank you.

 

Yeah Barry,  you might want to put this in the suggestion box,  they don't always listen to these threads.

[TheKitchenAbode]

One way is to place a soffit the same height as your crown. Then in camera view or elevation veiw you can just bump the uppers to the underside of the soffit.

 

Graham

[Alaskan_Son]

currently with a handheld calculator, put in a suggestion.

 

You can also complete simple + and - calculations right in the DBX.  For example, if you have a 96" top height and a 42" upper cabinet, you can enter 96"-42" and either hit tab or enter and it will automatically calculate for you (54").

[Dennis_Gavin]

I think they are working on that. ​ I had requested it a while back.. 

[zowie123]

Thanks guys, just one of those things that takes time I'd rather be spending somewhere else.  Cheers! Barry

[glennw]

I think they are working on that. ​ I had requested it a while back.. 

 

Dennis,

 

Have you tried it?

[Dennis_Gavin]

Not one of the beta testers.....

[WendyatArtform]

I find it's sometimes faster to put crowns on manually - molding polyline, all one piece.

[glennw]

Not one of the beta testers.....

 

Have you tried it in X7?

[Dennis_Gavin]

Glenn - not sure I understand your question.  There is no setting in X7 for top height of cabinet.

I was not aware of Michaels solution to do the math in the dbx.  That is a big help.

[glennw]

Dennis,

Maybe a misunderstanding.

I thought that you were referring to the math in the dbx being worked on by Chief and I was pointing out that it is available now in X7. 

[Dennis_Gavin]

Glenn - I was talking about the ability to set TOP of cabinet height.

[MarkMc]

Interesting-the varied approaches and wants.

I do exactly what Michael does- math in the DBX at the same time I'm changing the height of the cabinet-easy. And as Wendy suggests,typically I'm using plines for molding, keeping single lengths of “stacks” in a warehouse plan.

 

2020 sets wall height from the top down so I guess it would be more familiar to folks changing over. But 2020 does have a nasty habit of overlapping wall items though (appliances, valances, wine racks, cubbies, etc also get set from the top.) but at least it has a graphical collision warning when it does that so you can find them. In CA you could lose them (didn't I already place that?) Since it is a default setting with a capricious nature I sometimes end up with wall cabinets set at the to low to the floor and have to go in and change em all anyway.

 

I've always preferred Chiefs approach of up from the floor. True, as Scott says, practically all kitchens have some shorter cabinets set higher while only 10-15% have tops that don't align. Still, to me "from the floor" is the critical dimension: clearance to cooking is measured UP from the base cabinets, maximum height of microwaves is UP (inspectors use mfg specs for code around here),  clearance for countertop items is UP, and installers work UP from the finished floor.

Now that last one gets to be an issue with badly out of level floors and talls in the run when I get an installer that is a "walls first" guy. Getting them to determine finished top height first, before they slap a cleat on the wall is a challenge that often necessitates a site visit to do the layout for them.

 

I wouldn't mind having both but doubt that I'd use from the top much. I certainly don't want the default to be from the top as in 2020. Seems to me that either way will sometimes require some elementary math, at least it's not calculus.

[WendyatArtform]

The reasons I sometimes just do a manual polyline for moldings:

 

1. Don't have to edit multiple cabinet types - uppers, full heights...
2. Have freedom to handle any unique conditions quickly and easily.  Continue across soffit over window?  No sweat.  Return mitered here but cut off flat there?  No sweat.
3. You can even eliminate the use of soffits for soffits - just add another profile to your molding polyline, adjust height and materials, and bam - done and done.

[GeneDavis]

The math works in the dialog box, but I would rather not have to type in the inches symbol.  Typing in just the numbers (i.e., 96-42) returns 94 and not 54.

[Rich_Winsor]

No need to type in the inches symbol here Gene.

Just the number for a positive amount and a minus

sign and the number for a negative amount.

[RayCas]

You can also complete simple + and - calculations right in the DBX.  For example, if you have a 96" top height and a 42" upper cabinet, you can enter 96"-42" and either hit tab or enter and it will automatically calculate for you (54").

Good one , thanks

[GeneDavis]

I'm sorry, but I do not get this math thing.

 

I am using X7 and can get addition and subtraction to work, but only if I include the inch symbol following my numbers.  Thus 96"-40" returns 56" when I either press ENTER or TAB, but without the inch symbols, 96-40 returns 96.

 

To add to the strangeness, I can get good results by dividing with the / (dash) symbol, and 96/3 returns 32.

 

I cannot multiply using the asterisk, and Chief gives me a warning message if I try 32*3, saying that the * is not a valid number.

[MarkMc]

From what I can tell Gene is correct-if there is no quotes " , then it doesn't work.

Since it sounds like he's tabbing entering anything automatically removes the inches. Trying to duplicate the problem I realized what I do is click into the first box, and subtract from the cabinet height while leaving " in place, then click into the off the floor box and add that number. Tabbing would require hitting the right arrow key once in the cell then it works, but then you are still working "off the floor" and not from the top.

[Alaskan_Son]

I can get + and - to work in one of 2 ways...

 

1.  X" +/- Y

2.  X" +/- Y"

 

Division only seems to work because it is essentially calculating a fraction for you and NOT dividing a dimensions for you, so it will also only work in one of 2 ways...

 

1.  X/Y    As usual, Chief will by default add the " for you once the fraction calculates.

2.  X/Y"  The inch mark is really in connection with the X/Y number (a fraction) and not the Y number (a divisor).