Video: Features Introduced in Chief Architect X3

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Chief Architect Premier
New Features

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3D Rendering & Visualization

  • Photo Realistic Rendering
    New Chief Architect Ray Trace Rendering Engine (replacing the previous POV-Ray ray trace engine). The new Chief Ray Tracer offers significant performance improvement with its ability to use multiple core processors. Lighting and materials now have specific properties that can be set for very photo realistic rendering.
  • Ray Trace Wizard
    A New Ray Trace Wizard with predefined settings for indoor and outdoor scenes to jump start your photo realistic ray trace renderings. The wizard applies predefined settings which can then be edited to your specific rendering needs.
  • 3D Focal Blur & Enhanced control of ambient light
    Use depth of field in Ray Traced views, just like a real camera. Create renderings that exhibit similar detail as real photography. Enhanced control of ambient light within Ray Tracing.
  • 3D Views are optimized for multiple core processors and enhanced memory usage in 3D views
    Significantly enhanced memory usage, faster 3D views, and Send To Layout with multi-core processors. Adjust render settings for optimal processing speed and quality results.

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
  • Define Cabinets to sub-floor or finish floor height
    Define elevation for cabinets, furniture, fixtures and stairs relative to finished floor or sub-floor.

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

  • Stair Defaults for interior & exterior Stairs
  • 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.
  • Ramp Defaults
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Define or convert any dimension extension to a Centerline Extension
    Open the specification for any dimension and select an extension number to change its values or change it to a centerline.
  • Show or hide firebox dimensions for free standing fireplaces

Terrain & Landscape

  • Azimuth Bearings
    Display angles as Azimuth Bearings.

3D Design & Materials

  • Center Objects tool – center objects in 2D & 3D
    Center cabinets under windows, windows in walls, dormers on a roof, and several other items 3D and 2D.
  • Material Properties Settings
    Make rendered and ray traced views more photo realistic with Pre-Defined Metals. Specify attributes for these Pre-Defined Metals: Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Chromium, Copper, Gold, Iron, Nickel, Sliver, Stainless Steel, Tin Titanium Tungsten, and Zinc.
  • Material Class Definitions
    Use class definitions to define your materials: General, Plastic, Brushed Metal, Shiny Metal, Pre-Defined Metal, Matte, Mirror, Polished, Transparent, and Translucent. Preview the Material classes for standard rendering or ray trace. Ray trace preview includes the option to choose a sphere, cube, or teapot shape to help visualize the attributes of materials.
  • Define the Rotation Angle for Custom Patterns

Library / Catalog

  • Library Catalog Downloads & Updates
    Check for Library updates option. Download is faster and more efficient. Libraries are download on demand and can be mass downloaded or on an as needed basis. Library Catalogs are removed from the program file to reduce the program download size.
  • Multiple Select Library Items
    Use the Shift or Ctrl keys to copy, move, and edit groups of objects.

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.

Text / Annotation / Scripting

  • Annotation Sets
    Annotation Sets control a subset of defaults including Dimensions, Text, Arrows, Markers, Callouts, and Layers. Annotation Sets can be used to quickly change your defaults and streamline the annotation process - similar to Layer Sets.
  • Create Dynamic Label Macros
    Use Text Macros in combination with the Ruby Scripting tools to dynamically update object labels or other annotation in your design.
  • Text Macro Management dialog
    Create New, Edit, Copy, Delete, and Test custom macros from within the Text Macro Management dialog.
  • Ruby Scripting
    Use the Ruby Scripting Console for writing program scripts - such as a determining room volume, custom cabinet labels and several others. Includes an Interactive tutorial on how to create user-defined macros.

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.