Video: Features Introduced in Chief Architect X3

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Chief Architect Lite
New Features

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Plans & Layouts

  • Open Files is unlimited
    Removed limit of 10 plans or views in a session. It is now a function of your computer’s resources.

Rooms

  • Specify when a room is calculated in the Living Area
    For example, specify the garage or attic to be included or excluded in the living area calculation.
  • Display any combination of Room Label Size Layers
    Display the Dimensional Size and the Square Footage labels for a room at one time.
  • Accurately Layered Floor & Ceiling Platforms
    3D model includes Finished Floor and Finished Ceiling heights. Use these layers to add dimension details and define cabinet and stair elevations.
  • Raised Floor Platforms
    Specify raised floor platforms that are automatically framed

Walls

  • Half-Wall tool
    Draw half walls and specify their default values (also known as solid railings).
  • Solid Railing & Half-Wall material options
    Include wall assembly layers and control them just as you would a standard wall.
  • Invisible Wall Defaults
    Invisible Walls are typically used for room definition when a regular wall is not appropriate. Define the default attributes.
  • Defaults for Corner Trim
    Set their size and material attributes.

Cabinets

  • Rounded Countertop Corners for Automatic Countertops

Doors & Windows

  • Pass-Thru tool
    Create an opening between two rooms.
  • Atrium Door options
    Create Center Swing Double-Doors, also known as atrium patio doors. Define a variety of other ways to open the doors
  • Bay or Bow Windows Multiple Select

Roofs & Ceilings

  • Gable & Hip Roof Toggle tool
    Toggle the roof between these two styles using the Gable / Hip tool in 3D and 2D.

Stairs & Ramps

  • Define Stair starting elevation
    Specify whether stairs and ramps are located at the sub-floor or the finished floor elevation.
  • Ramp tool
    Default Ramp is ADA compliant. Specify length, slope rise and run. Specify overhangs, railings, tread surface, open underneath, baluster and newel styles, shapes, and hand rail profile.
  • Landing tool
    Create Custom Landings to auto-connect Stair sections or Ramp sections together. Choose auto adjust features for the height and thickness based on stair or ramp connection. Turn railings on or off per Landing edge.
  • Automatic Handrail width on Wall width
    Define the Handrail width based on the width of the Wall.
  • Independent Railings
    Create custom railing styles such as glass, cable, or panels.
  • Railing Opening & Wall surface offset
    Control whether an automatic opening is created when attaching a Stair or Ramp to a wall or railing. Control the offset of the automatic wall surface under a Stair.

    * Excludes Wall surface offset

  • Multiple Stair Select
    Group edit the Stair attributes.

Foundations

  • Vertical Footing Control
    Define stepped foundations with vertical footing control. Choose to show or hide vertical footings for stepped foundations.
  • Specify Foundation Piers as Round or Square

Framing

  • Enhanced control of Birdsmouth cuts for Rafters
    Turn off auto calculation of birdsmouth and manually specify the birdsmouth seat.
  • Post & Beam framing tools - specify Round or Square posts
    Set the Default Material for Posts in the framing defaults.
  • Deck Planking - change the materials applied to all planks
    Paint one deck plank in 3D and all planks will update.

CAD Tools

  • Over 500 Architectural CAD Details
    Over 500 CAD Residential Details for residential structural elements. Detailed assemblies for floors, roofs, decks, walls and foundations (400 are new or enhanced).

    * Includes a subset of CAD Details

  • Align / Distribute Objects tool
    Define distribution and automatic alignment of CAD objects.
  • Auto Purge CAD Blocks option
    Unused CAD Blocks can be automatically purged from plans when the program is closed.
  • Specify Insertion Points for CAD Blocks
    Define an exact location for inserting and placing CAD Blocks.
  • Close Polyline tool, Filleted Polylines radius
    Select any polyline and choose Close Polyline to automatically connect the start and end points. Editing of filleted polylines retains fillet radius.
  • Current CAD Layer & CAD Points saved with plans and layouts
    When a plan is closed and re-opened, the CAD Layer used in the previous session is active.
  • Preference control for Roof Intersection CAD Points
    Control the display of the auto-generated CAD points.
  • Angle Snap preview while drawing

Layers

  • Layer and Line Style Information are stored with cabinets, CAD blocks, and other objects stored in the Library
  • Reference Layer Sets
    Reference Layer Sets are retained for each view sent to Layout pages.

Dimensions

  • Multiple Dimension Defaults
    Define multiple dimension styles and attributes for your specific needs, such as defaults for floor plans, cabinet elevations and site plans. For each Default, define the attributes for number height, unit of measure, arrow, fonts and more.
  • Tape Measure tool
    Use the Tape Measure Tool to find the measurements of any item.
  • Dimension locations for wall tops, bottoms and cross sections
    Wall Elevation Views include dimension locations and extension for wall tops and bottoms. Cross Section Views include dimension locations and extension lines for finished floor and ceilings.
  • Show or hide firebox dimensions for free standing fireplaces

Materials List & Cost Estimating

  • Cut & Buy Lists
    The Structural Lumber Table can be used to calculate lumber materials for a Cut List and a Buy List. This calculation is in addition to square feet and lineal feet calculations and can be especially helpful for your framing and decking board calculations.

Printing

  • Control line style begin and end size
    For example, for a dashed line define the start and end dash size.

Import / Export

  • Import & Export Chief Objects
    Import/Export Annotation Sets, Layer Sets, Hot Keys, Wall Types, Line Styles, Macros, and Ruby Scripts. Share with other users or transfer them from plan to plan.

    * Excludes Hotkeys, Ruby Scripts, and Line Styles