New To Chief

[TSmith]

Help! I am new to Chief in the last 2 months. I am previously a CAD user. I have figured out most of the actual drawing issues, but my time and my sanity are being swallowed by management issues. First let me say that I am NOT a scattered file keeper, i am very organized. I am completely lost by where and how Chief saves and stores things. Dozens of archives. Where why and how with layouts, camera views. It doesn't matter what I can create if I can't get it from my screen to paper.

[Joe_Carrick]

Don't worry about the Archives.  This is just Chief's way of insuring that you will have a backup in case something goes wrong.  Where files are located is specified in "Preferences" and you generally would not need to change those settings.

 

Most of Chief's data is located in C:/Users/<your_name>/Documents/Chief Architect Premier X8 Data/

  Archives

  Backdrops

  Database Libraries  (Symbol Libraries, etc)

  Hotkeys

  Images

  lex

  Scripts  (exported Ruby macros)

  Templates  (Plan and Layout)

  Textures

  Toolbars 

You can set a location for your Plan and Layout Files (normally the Layout File for each project should be in the same folder as the Plan)

 

Naturally, the executable and supporting files are installed in the "Programs" folder.

[Athenian_CAD]

KB-00562 - Guide to File Management for Chief Architect Files

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00562/

 

Video 5411 - Saving and Storing Plan Files
https://video.chiefarchitect.com/player/player.php?id=190&th=1&autoplay=

 

KB-03003 - Using the Project Browser

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-03003/

[Gawdzira]

A fairly typical file structure for one of my jobs. All the plan and layout files live in the Plan folder. Printing goes to the Plot folder.

[DavidJPotter]

I use several different versions of Chief and of Home Designer software (made by Chief Inc) and if I did not keep my files straight I would be in immediate difficulty (see attached image like Alan's)

 

DJP

[VHampton]

Help! I am new to Chief in the last 2 months. I am previously a CAD user. I have figured out most of the actual drawing issues, but my time and my sanity are being swallowed by management issues. First let me say that I am NOT a scattered file keeper, i am very organized. I am completely lost by where and how Chief saves and stores things. Dozens of archives. Where why and how with layouts, camera views. It doesn't matter what I can create if I can't get it from my screen to paper.

 

 

I make yearly Desktop folders for "Chief Drawing files".  It's easy to navigate from year to year on various projects this way.

 

The "Archive" folder is intended for resurrecting an old file in case you need to open up a drawing from a previous save. You'll see a whole bunch of both plan files and layout files stored in here. They are basically your safety net in the event of a crash.

 

Archived plans are saved in your Documents folder (Chief Architect X8) along with the core libraries, textures, patterns and everything else. There's really no need to go poking through there unless you have to.

 

Regarding embedded images in your plans...you can make a project folder for each drawing file, and save your information there.  Just a thought...  It's easy to keep things simple with a basic organizational method.

[English]

Are you using a Mac or a PC?  For a Mac I keep my plans and layouts for example in Documents>Architectural Projects>John Doe Construction>Nightingale Lot 23.   I add a PDF sub-folder for plots.  Make sure you have a rock solid backup procedure.  I use Apple's Time Machine on a Drobo (a multi hard drive backup device so if one drive fails I don't lose all my work).  You certainly don't want to be half way through a client's project and lose everything.

Alan