How do you keep track of all of the symbols that CA offers

[dshall]

What a problem to have... too many symbols I can't keep up with them.  Whenever CA offers another bonus library,  I dutifully download it.

 

But I doubt i have used many of the symbols.   There are so many tables in so many different folders,  it would take me 15 minutes to find the right one.

 

How do you guys keep track of them?

 

BTW,  somebody was looking for a vacuum canister.....  it is now there in the last bonus library content.

[Alaskan_Son]

Here's my method Scott, and you'll have to bear with me a bit...

 

I leave them in the folders Chief provided.

[MarkMc]

I've taken to putting more and more in my user library- but keeping that tidy is like keeping the garage clean. I also no longer download all of them and recently deleted most of the cabinet mfg catalogs I had.

[Joe_Carrick]

If I use one from Chief's Libraries, I put it to my user Library, organized in folders as I like - which isn't always the same categories as Chief uses. 

 

If I don't need to make any modifications, I just make a link in my user Library, otherwise I actually make a copy.

[Nicinus]

I find that I almost always want to make my own 2D version of the symbols for plans, so I typically copy them to the user library. Good also if I ever want to find them again.

[dshall]

I am thinking of using the WAREHOUSE METHOD.  

 

Create a plan,  call it TABLE WAREHOUSE PLAN,  and put all of my tables in the plan so I can then do a quick floor overview and see all tables at one time.

 

Same with cars,  create a AUTOMOBILE SHOWROOM PLAN,  put all my cars in there and when I need a car,  do a quick overview and select the appropriate car.

 

It is just so hard to keep track of all the different tables in all the different folders....  I have a feeling I am missing out on some good stuff CA is offering.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys.  

 

You know what we should do is hire someone to create these warehouses.......  hey,  wait a minute......  how about if each one of us takes it upon ourselves to make a warehouse plan that we can share with others.  It will then be that person's responsibility to keep the warehouse stocked with the newest items that CA provides.

 

I will start a new  thread,  I will sign up to take care of a particular warehouse,  anybody else interested,   please sign up for the area you want to keep up to date.  We can then share those WAREHOUSE  PLANS with each other.

 

At the end of the year,  we can give a  prize to the best WAREHOUSE MANAGER.......  maybe an all expense paid trip to a golf course  (travel costs not included).

[Alaskan_Son]

I am thinking of using the WAREHOUSE METHOD.

Create a plan, call it TABLE WAREHOUSE PLAN, and put all of my tables in the plan so I can then do a quick floor overview and see all tables at one time.

Same with cars, create a AUTOMOBILE SHOWROOM PLAN, put all my cars in there and when I need a car, do a quick overview and select the appropriate car.

It is just so hard to keep track of all the different tables in all the different folders.... I have a feeling I am missing out on some good stuff CA is offering.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

You know what we should do is hire someone to create these warehouses....... hey, wait a minute...... how about if each one of us takes it upon ourselves to make a warehouse plan that we can share with others. It will then be that person's responsibility to keep the warehouse stocked with the newest items that CA provides.

I will start a new thread, I will sign up to take care of a particular warehouse, anybody else interested, please sign up for the area you want to keep up to date. We can then share those WAREHOUSE PLANS with each other.

At the end of the year, we can give a prize to the best WAREHOUSE MANAGER....... maybe an all expense paid trip to a golf course (travel costs not included).

This sounds like a very interesting plan. I'm curious to see who cares enough to participate. I'm liking the warehouse plan idea though. Very cool idea.

[dshall]

This sounds like a very interesting plan. I'm curious to see who cares enough to participate. I'm liking the warehouse plan idea though. Very cool idea.

 

 

What would be really neat is if CA used the warehouse idea in lieu of the library.  But not a big deal,  we can work it out.  

[lbuttery]

Scott:

 

I am a collector - I want "everything"

 

for almost a decade I saved "everything" posted to this forum

 

I bought every collection offered by other users - my user library was hugh

 

I even setup a website for a chief repository where other users could post items

 

I tried staying current with CA's libraries until X5 and the due to many hassles

and never knowing if I was current with "everything" I gave up

 

I think you setting yourself up for a maintenance "nightmare"

I hope it works for you - but ???

 

Lew

[joey_martin]

So rather than just search, or look in the library for the table you want, you will have to open a different plan, take a camera overview, find the table, select the table, copy the table, select the tab for the plan you are working on and then paste the table? 

 

And this method sounds good to you? 

 

I think you have reached the point in your use of the product, that you are now searching high and low for items to "fix", when the current method isn't so bad. 

 

Unless I am working on an interior design project, and the client wants a specific table and chairs, I just go to my user folder and drop the same table and chairs into every plan I create. 

[Richard_Morrison]

What would be really neat is if CA used the warehouse idea in lieu of the library.  But not a big deal,  we can work it out.  

I think the warehouse idea has merit. Let's not forget that Chief has 30 floors available. (5th floor - tables and chairs, 24th floor - stationery and leather goods, etc.)

[joey_martin]

I think the warehouse idea has merit. Let's not forget that Chief has 30 floors available. (5th floor - tables and chairs, 24th floor - stationery and leather goods, etc.)

 

My guess is that the file size would become bloated and the software performance would be next to nill with all those items showing every time you needed an overview, or were working in 3D.

[Alaskan_Son]

No no no. This idea is not that crazy. I don't feel the need to use it for very many things, but for a handful of items like light fixtures the library is just a huge hassle to search through. Only a couple clicks to open a light fixture plan and create an overview where you could quickly and easily see all the various options and compare/contrast.

[lbuttery]

wow, news flash

 

I am in agreement with Joey on something

 

Lew

[glennw]

Guys,

 

I think I will stick with the library as it does everything that I want.

 

BTW,  somebody was looking for a vacuum canister.....  it is now there in the last bonus library content.

 

 

And how easy is it to find by searching for "vacuum"?

Would a warehouse plan be any easier?

Would they be metric or imperial plans?

[Dennis_Gavin]

I think moving things to the user libraries is the best method at this point.  IMHO.

If you did it consistently it would be pretty painless.  HOWEVER, the original setup........not so much!  ;o(

[country]

As I use symbols, I move them to folders in my user library. Similar to Joey, I use fairly generic items for most plans just to show clients how spaces work. Occasionally I do more detailed interiors but only if the client is paying for my time hunting through the libraries. These items then go into a client user folder that I can pull from for other similar style jobs.

[TheKitchenAbode]

I do as Joey & Sherry. Just use common generic symbols from library most of the time. When it comes to customization never really have a need to save these beyond the plan they are created for as they are one-offs. After 10 or more years I only have about 20 items in my user catalog, mostly just some special textures.

 

Graham

[MarkMc]

After 10 or more years I only have about 20 items in my user catalog, mostly just some special textures.

Wow-I have 3 dozen folders many with sub-folders !?!

[country]

Mark. That is exactly how my user library is. Folders and subfolders. If I think I am going to use an item frequently it immediately gets saved to the proper location.

[TheKitchenAbode]

Wow-I have 3 dozen folders many with sub-folders !?!

 

I understand that needs and work style vary for every user. For myself if the tools to create and modify objects is properly done then I have very little need save them. The cabinet tools are now a fairly good example, it takes very little time to just modify a basic box, which is what I do all of the time. Never use any of those catalog cabinets.

 

It's more of a personal thing, use to use 2020 and really hated all of the time spent going through endless levels of drop down menus and the still having to modify the item. It's was for this very specific reason that I chose Chief.

 

My preference is to have tools that provide me with the ability to easily create what I want; not tools that attempt to predict what I want.

 

Graham

[Chief_Content]

Please be aware that objects placed in a plan will not be updated when library catalogs get updated. This means that any bugs fixed or quality improvements made to the source items by Chief Architect will not be reflected in objects in a plan, but will be reflected in the library browser when "Update Library Catalog" is run. Also, objects in your User Catalog that are Shortcuts to the original items will reflect updates made to the original source.

[DavidJPotter]

Dear Chief Content, I do wish to complain that I am tried of doing a Library Browser Search using simple search terms but either getting "no results" or beau ceau returns that are not what I am interested in viewing. I am no genius but I am sure, given some careful thought a better organizational procedure can be developed and implemented by the pointed head guys at Chief Architect Inc.

 

DJP

[MarkMc]

Graham-I understand and yeah to each his own You just surprised me.

FWIW 95% of my user library is something I made, altered, or imported. Per brand/construction I have cabinets, doors (all custom), modling profiles and blocked stacks, branded appliances, details, walls, accessories already set to proper height...

 

I too never use the catalog cabinets, I love that Chief makes building and altering so easy-I just don't want to keep redoing it. Once done placing in the library allows using "replace from library"  for the inevitable changes, as in- client switches from a Bosch oven to a Wolf installed flush inset.

I also always use the cabinet schedule. To get modifications listed in it (that don't disappear on editing the cabinet) requires some gyrations in the component list. Having cabinets in the library with sub categories set up (a few per brand with common mods in them) speeds things up immensely. Been working on that as I go for a while now.

 

BTW-I also dislike 2020 (used it for a very long time), but I still occasionally use it for very quick lists or ballpark pricing.

There is no reason to be going through drop down lists. I only ever used them when learning a new brand. You can just type in a code (or even the beginning of one) to get to whatever you need. It's one of it's few strengths. It's particularly good for mods, I can add mods to an entire room and get a list in far less time than in CA.

 

Now accessing dimensional changes is another story requiring muddling through horrendous DBXs  forget about decent drawings thanks to disappearing notes and user dimensions (not to mention crashes, printing failures, trying to change colors, corrupt files....)

[TheKitchenAbode]

Mark - I think both you and I are good examples that demonstrate the range of individual preferences as to how we like to work. This was also one of the key factors in my decision to go with Chief, it affords one the ability to configure and structure Chief to suit their particular work flow methods versus forcing one to adopt someone else's idea as to how one should work.

 

Graham