Dear Bruce,
First off When someone has a problem they need help with in CA this --
is a great forum.If you had simply said you were having problems with
line weights, lots of folk could have given you the answer you needed.
But to start out with this program sucks, it won't do the line weights
the way the Building dept wants to see them. Short answer Yes CA does
line weights just the way your building dept wants to see them. Just
the way you are used to. You are the one throwing a temper tantrum
because for some reason you can not find the answer you are looking
for. There is pretty much nothing you can't do in CA if you know how.
I am sorry if I offended you, but from time to time I see posts such
as yours and am reminded of an older gentleman I worked with, who when
he started using Chief threw a fit because he was so used to the way
cad did things he got frustrated. He finally took the time to learn it
and he now uses CA exclusively. I myself will use Auto cad on occasion to do
certain things, but not much of the time.
As far as the crashing part, I have been using CA since V9 now using X
, I have used it on 4 different systems, and have had no problems that
you seem to be having. Once again I could have been more PC, but I
really am not much of a diplomat and am sick and tired of PC

Bo Speer
- In chief-users@yahoogroups.com, "Bruce" <pinnhomes1995@...> wrote:
>
> Dear Bob Speer,
> Thank you so much for your sarcastic and ill-informed response, so
> typical of people who think they're being attacked when someone
> doesn't agree with them or doesn't share their passion for a
> product. As for the "crashing" Chief has consistently crashed on
> four different computers, all state of the art. It does this in CAD
> mode 99% of the time.
> I HAVE gone through the tutorials and the problems which
> existed still exist. I really resent your snotty and demeaning
> attitude and if anyone should "go away" it should be people like
> you. I will continue to use Chief for exterior renderings and as
> such I will continue to be a part of this forum. If that's
> something you don't like, then why don't you start you own forum and
> only allow praise for the products of your choice. That should make
> you very happy even if a little ill informed.
> If you read my posts, you'll find that I wasnt'trying
> to "trash" Chief, I just stated what so many other users have stated
> over the years about the problems in Chief that never seem to get
> resolved. Before you attack someone again, I would suggest that you
> actually read what they are saying and respond to that instead of
> having an infantile temper tantrum.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In chief-users@yahoogroups.com, "rrspeer" <bob@> wrote:
> >
> > I must say you have spent no time with chief, have not done the
> > tutorials, are so ingrained in the way you do things that you
> probably
> > should just ride out your carreer with what you know, and don't
> bother
> > trying anything new.
> > I am sorry but I get a little tired of people like you carrying on
> > about how bad Chief is.
> > The line weights work fine. Just different then the pencil and
> paper
> > approach which is auto cad.
> > I do not have a problem with Chief crashing. EVER!
> > You have something going on with your computer that has nothing to
> do
> > with Chief.
> > Please go away.
> > Bob Speer
> > Speer Home Designs
> >
> > --- In chief-users@yahoogroups.com, "Bruce" <pinnhomes1995@>
wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Line weights are a critical part of any architectural drawing
> and
> > > set of construction documents. The CAD side of Chief is very,
> very
> > > poor and delivers everything in basically the same line weight,
> > > which is VERY unprofessional.
> > > I am not trying to dissuade anyone from Chief, truly I'm not.
> But
> > > I'm also not a novice or an idiot, I've been designing homes for
> a
> > > quarter of a century and I KNOW what the industry upper level
> > > standards are for drawings, and Chief does NOT meet those
> standards
> > > without hours and hours of frustrating CAD work. And, if you do
> get
> > > a good drawing for your construction documents, it is totally
> > > disconnected from the plan generated drawing because you have to
> > > change all the line weights etc to get it there. Not to mention
> > > Chief crashing every fifteen minutes in CAD mode.
> > > I can take a set of preliminary 2d drawings in autocad and
> complete
> > > the entire set with finished elevations and floor plans and roof
> > > plans etc, in less than a day. To obtain the same look in
> Chief,
> > > I"m looking at a week or more and even then, I'm not totally
> happy
> > > with the results.
> > > Chief runs circles around autocad in any type of 3d format, but
> > > unfortunately for us, clients don't build off "pretty pictures",
> > > they build off of detailed, crisp, informative drawings. Don't
> > > assume that I don't know how to operate Chief, I do, I just see
> the
> > > limitations at present. As for floor plans (preliminary only),
> > > chief is much, much faster than anything else I've ever used.
> But,
> > > to finish those plans up takes at least 10 times longer to
> obtain
> > > the same results. If you like Chief for your final drawings, I
> > > think that's great and you must know something I don't know or
> you
> > > have a different set of criteria. Again, this post wasn't to
> insult
> > > those of you that love Chief (I do too for 3d renderings on
> simple
> > > plans), it was to state the obvious that Chief needs to fix the
> bugs
> > > that exist before moving on to yet another 'bug ridden" release
> that
> > > didn't fix the issues which plagued the previous version.
> > > I would love nothing more than for Chief to knock the socks off
> of
> > > Autocad in all respects, but right now boys and girls, they're a
> > > very long way off.
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In chief-users@yahoogroups.com, "nhted104" <simplyplans@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Steve,
> > > >
> > > > I personally couldn't disagree with you more wholeheartedly!
> Well,
> > > > except that I will definitely agree with you concerning
> > > > autoCad/autodesk (ever since they bought out Softdesk and
> > > attempted
> > > > to make a bteer horse with architectural desktop (disaster).
> > > >
> > > > Yes, Chief with indeed upgrade the plan along with the
> elevations
> > > > AFTER you take the camera shot and converty it to 2d at which
> > > point
> > > > that (those) elevations become completely disconnected from
> the
> > > > program as far as updates are concerned.
> > > >
> > > > Chief's 2d program is an ancient beast that is HORRIBLE to
> work
> > > with
> > > > IF one is trying to produce a good set of construction
> documents
> > > (for
> > > > the field, the building inspector, the sub-trades AND the
> client).
> > > > The problem is that it takes and incredible amount of time to
> get
> > > the
> > > > elevations to a point where there is decent (as well
> > > as "realistic")
> > > > line definition (not all the same line weight) and having to
> break
> > > > and stop lines from wanting to join and become a continuous
> > > polyline
> > > > not to mention the HORRIBLE window erase feature that Chief
> has
> > > never
> > > > gotten right. The "hatching" (or poche if you will) "feature"
> in
> > > > Chief really SUCKS! Right now I still do accomplish the
> building
> > > > elevations with Chief (and growl all the way through the
> process -
> > > > especially when Chief "decides" on it's own to change, or even
> > > > eliminate things AFTER they have been saved) but full building
> > > cross
> > > > sections are MUCH more quickly produced using autoCad (I still
> > > have
> > > > and use R14) and I can show WHAT I want and the dimensioning
> > > (Chief's
> > > > dimensioning program is also horrible - I hate being "told"
> that I
> > > > really didn't want the dimensions I picked and then have
> > > to "fight"
> > > > to get the damn thing to move to the correct point I initially
> > > > wanted) can be very easily accomplished (and "adjusted"
> manually
> > > even
> > > > if the drawing is "off" by a fraction of an inch). Maybe some
> day
> > > > Chief will "learn" (at least on the CAD side of things) that
> doing
> > > > line weights by color is a LOT easier to work with than
> > > > using "WYSIWYG" especially when trying to edit particular
> lines.
> > > >
> > > > I won't even bother to get into the frustration of the
> elctrical
> > > > portion of Chief (on the CAD side of the program). It
> would "nice"
> > > if
> > > > the symbols for many of the electrical components were NOT
> > > strictly a
> > > > true representation of the item. In a set of construction
> > > documents
> > > > (2D) the guy in the field doesn't give a fat rat's butt what
> the
> > > item
> > > > is going to look like in 3D - he just wants to be able to see
> the
> > > > item on the drawing so that he can install it. In other words
> > > Chief
> > > > really needs to have a separate library of 2D symbols that can
> be
> > > > inserted into the construction documents at a scale easily
> read by
> > > > the guys in the field on a set of blue (or black) line prints
> that
> > > > have been folded, spindled, mutilated, rained on, coffee spilt
> on
> > > > etc..
> > > >
> > > > Chief is a GREAT residential three dimensional program that
> can
> > > > produce extremely wonderful "pictures" of a design and that is
> > > where
> > > > it stops! Sorry for the arnt but Chief is definitely LIMITED
> and
> > > they
> > > > really need to recognize that they are very quickly pricing
> > > > themselves out of the market - especially when they seemingly
> > > refuse
> > > > to listen to the voices of the people that use the program and
> are
> > > > the ones that find the bugs!
> > > >
> > > > Ted Crombie, CPBD
> > > > New Hampshire
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- In chief-users@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Callaway" <avds@>
> > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > What about when the client changes his mind?
> > > > > Drawing elevations in autocad means that you have to go and
> > > change
> > > > > the plan and the elevations. In Chief you change the plan
> then
> > > > update the elevation to the layout.
> > > > > A lot less painful!
> > > > > Personally I refuse to deal with autodesk even after using
> > > autocad
> > > > for 20 years.
> > > > > I like the product (within limitations) but loathe the
> company.
> > > > >
> > > > > Regards
> > > > > Steve
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: Bruce
> > > > > To: chief-users@yahoogroups.com
> > > > > Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 12:14 AM
> > > > > Subject: [chief-users] Re: Fix the bugs first
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Andy,
> > > > >
> > > > > I use an old version of Autocad, but I'm going to upgrade
> to
> > > the
> > > > > newer one. I find that 3d is not very time effective,
> > > especially
> > > > > when you have go in and "fix" the issues that consume
> chief.
> > > > >
> > > > > I can do a magnificent set of elevations in 2d which
> excite my
> > > > > clientele in a couple of hours, and to do the same thing
> in 3d
> > > in
> > > > > chief would take days and days and still not look as
> crisp.
> > > Hope
> > > > > that helps.
> > > > >
> > > > > --- In chief-users@yahoogroups.com, Andy&MaryAnn Robertson
> > > > > <a.robertson7@> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Bruce,
> > > > > > I am always curious. What is the other CAD you use? I do
> > > > > renovations and
> > > > > > find Chief 10 not particularly helpful when doing as
> build
> > > on a
> > > > > 100 year
> > > > > > old house with three additions, dormers on dormers and
> other
> > > > > > non-standard construction. Always looking for an
> alternative
> > > > > > - Andy R
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Bruce wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > This is the first I've heard about x2, I have x1 and
> don't
> > > > use
> > > > > it much
> > > > > > > anymore. I use another CAD system which is much
> quicker
> > > for
> > > > me.
> > > > > > > As for x2, it seems to me that they should have fixed
> the
> > > > bugs
> > > > > that
> > > > > > > have plagued Chief for years before trying to roll out
> > > > another
> > > > > version.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Stairs need to be editable and show rails in plan view
> for
> > > > one,
> > > > > the
> > > > > > > cad tools need to be more user-friendly and not make
> the
> > > > system
> > > > > crash;
> > > > > > > and different wall types need to be able to join at
> the
> > > > corners
> > > > > > > without making some arbitrary "45 degree" joint.
> Lunacy
> > and
> > > > > > > unprofessional. I still use 10 on occasion to do
> > > renderings
> > > > if
> > > > > the
> > > > > > > house isn't too complex and trim-laden, so I haven't
> > > really
> > > > > looked at
> > > > > > > x1 much. I hate the buttons and their appearance in
> x1,
> > > they
> > > > were
> > > > > > > cartoonish in 10, but x1 is ridiculous. That said,
> I've
> > > had
> > > > very
> > > > > good
> > > > > > > luck with Chief support being friendly (except for one
> > > > person),
> > > > > and
> > > > > > > they have always tried to fix the issues. But for that
> > > much
> > > > > money,
> > > > > > > there shouldn't BE that many issues.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > __._,
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>