Help Database

Incorporating colors from various external files such as web pages, picture files and movies can be easily accomplished using the Color Chooser dialog.

Begin by opening the Chief Architect plan you want to use the color you found in, and then open the source of the color you want to add such as a web page or a picture viewer program.  Tile the two windows so that both can be seen on-screen at the same time.


To Create a New Material

1. Launch Chief Architect and choose to Open  the plan in which you want to use your new color.
   
   
   
2. Select Library> Library Browser , then navigate to the User Catalog.
   
   *Right click on User Catalog and select New> Folder and name your new folder Materials.
   
    
   
   
   *If you have already created a folder in your Library Browser in which you want to store the Material, you can skip this step.
   
   In Chief Architect X3, right click the My Library category and select New> Folder
   
   In Chief Architect X2, right click on the User Libraries category and select New> Folder
   
   In Chief Architect X1 and prior, browse to the Materials folder, and click on the plus beside Materials to expand this category and right-click on the -My Materials library.
   
   
   
3. Once your Materials folder is created in the User Catalog, right click on it and select New> Material.
   
    
   
   In Chief Architect X1 and prior, from the menu that appears select New> Material.
   
   
   
4. In the Material Name field at the top of the Define Material dialog box, enter a name for your material.
   
   
   
5. A color bar appears under the Material Color heading. This bar is white by default. Click on the color bar to open the Color Chooser dialog.
   
   
   
   

To Choose your Color 

1. In the Color Chooser dialog, click on the Eyedropper tool found on the far right side. 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Position the eyedropper tool over any visible area of your computer screen, including digital photos and websites.  As you drag the Eyedropper over a particular color on your screen, a preview of that color appears in the Color/Solid field of the Color Chooser dialog.
   
   
   
   In the example above, the Eyedropper has been dragged to the image of the kitchen to pick up the color from the wall.
   
   
   
3. When you have placed the eyedropper over the desired color, release your mouse and that color will be selected in the Color Chooser.
   
   
   
4. Click the OK button in the Color Chooser to return to the Define Material dialog.
   
   
   
5. Select the OK button in the Define Material dialog to add the new color of material to the Library Browser, where it can be accessed from any Chief Architect plan file. 
   
   
   

Applying Your Color to Objects in Your Design

1. Materials such as your new color are only visible in 3D views, so it is easiest to visualize and apply your colors while in a vector or render view.
   
   
   
2. To apply your new material to an object in your design in a 3D view, click the Material Painter  toolbar button to open the Select Library Object dialog to the Materials category of the Library Browser.
   
   
   
3. Browse to the Materials category, select a custom color that you have created, and click OK to close the dialog.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Click on any object in the 3D view, including walls, floors, or cabinets to apply the your custom color to that object.