Chain link fencing

I have tried to use the chain link fencing from the library. It was not a pretty picture. First, when I tried to just drag the fence along the property line but it does not put the intermediate post in at 96" OC. So I try to transform replicate. This works ok but the property is not at 90deg so I select multiple copies. This sorta works but you end up with double post on every copy. To top it all off the gate only works if there is a wall there! I had to do a work around and forget the library items. I had to use a cylinder from the library for the top rail, half wall as a railing with balusters at 96" OC. then put the gate in. The fence fabric was from a png pattern I had in stock. Why put a gate in the library if it does not work with the fence? Why not make the fence an easy item with no work around? Chain link fence is a very common item when doing site plans. Maybe in ver 5?

Did you try making it as a railing wall with the Chain Link as the Panel?

Joe, thanks for the suggestion. I will try this and hope it saves me some time. My comment on the uselessness of the library items still stands. Why put it in there if it does not work or intuitive to the user?

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Originally Posted by rgwhite

Joe, thanks for the suggestion. I will try this and hope it saves me some time. My comment on the uselessness of the library items still stands. Why put it in there if it does not work or intuitive to the user?

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You must be doing something wrong. The chain length fences work perfectly for me, but I would never use them because they take forever to create in 3D. The solution I believe is a CHAIN LENGTH TEXTURE that I believe Pat the 3D Diva has.

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Originally Posted by rgwhite

Joe, thanks for the suggestion. I will try this and hope it saves me some time. My comment on the uselessness of the library items still stands. Why put it in there if it does not work or intuitive to the user?

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Joe's suggestion should work. And there are a lot of items in the library that fit your description, but they're not really meant to be used as standalone items. Cabinet doors for example, door hardware, windows, mouldings, etc. They need to be used through the appropriate DBX, and for the reasons they were created in the first place.

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They need to be used through the appropriate DBX, and for the reasons they were created in the first place.

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Chain link gate won't fit in the chain link fence? Because is was not meant for this? Have I missed something? When I look at or use ANY program the one thing look for is how intuitive it is. Has CA been made aware of this or any similar problems and what would be their response?

This works exactly as it should.

To create a Chain Link Fence you simply create a Railing Wall and set it as a "Panel". Then select the Panel Type fro the Library.

Next in the Library select the type of Gate you want and place it in the "Railing Wall".
The Fence in Chief is a Wall and the Gate is a Door. It's that simple.

You can open the Fence(Wall) dbx and adjust the Posts (Newels) and the materials as needed. The attached pic show a Chain Link Fence with a gate that took me about 45 seconds to create.

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Originally Posted by rgwhite

Chain link gate won't fit in the chain link fence? Because is was not meant for this? Have I missed something? When I look at or use ANY program the one thing look for is how intuitive it is. Has CA been made aware of this or any similar problems and what would be their response?

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Again, its not a problem. Simply a side effect. Those items need to be located in the library. It doesn't mean they should be pulled directly from the library though. Joe summed it up pretty well in his last post.

It doesn't mean they should be pulled directly from the library though

so how does one know the difference ???

Is there an indicator or a warning or ???

Lew

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Originally Posted by lbuttery

It doesn't mean they should be pulled directly from the library though

so how does one know the difference ???

Is there an indicator or a warning or ???

Lew

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Do you not know the answer??

No, there is no warning

Its not that you can't use those items directly from the library, it's just that you usually shouldn't because there's a better way.

ahh !!!, so its a catch-22

you gotta know it - to know it ....

well, that's what this forum is good for

Lew

That's right:)

I see the point. Some of the items in the library can be pulled directly from the library and others are for use to modify other items, such as walls. Where in the user manual does it inform us of which ones are which? Are we on our own to try to figure this out on our own? In my opinion there should at least be a pop up window (or something) to inform a user of which ones are which. Thank goodness for this forum.

Actually, the Library access is often limited to those items that would be appropriate. Some Examples:

If you insert a door in a wall and then select that door and the "Library" option from the Door dbx Chief will limit your selection to Doors.

If you select a Molding Polyline and the add a molding from Library your selectionwill be limited to 2D Molding Profiles and 3D Molding Symbols.

Most of the items in the Library are Symbols that are assigned a specific category and have specific behaviors. Once you have learned the basics of Chief you will recognize what items are appropriate and how to make your own Library Items to function as you want them to.

It's important to understand Chief's main components:

1. Rooms
2. Walls
3. Doors
4. Windows
5. Cabinets
6. Appliances
7. Fixtures (Interior and Exterior)
8. Moldings (2D Profiles and 3D Symbols)

There are many more but those are the main ones and once you've mastered how they work you will be able to make Chief sing. It's just a matter of learning the basics well.

ps: The experts here have been using Chief for many years and we're still learning. I don't think there's any way that CA could document all the fine points but there are many articles, videos and discussions in ChiefTalk that can help.

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Originally Posted by Joe Carrick

Most of the items in the Library are Symbols that are assigned a specific category and have specific behaviors. Once you have learned the basics of Chief you will recognize what items are appropriate and how to make your own Library Items to function as you want them to.

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What if CA had the symbol's use information display in the status bar when an item in the library were highlighted?

Example: highlight a sofa, and in the status bar "Interior Furniture - sits on floor" would be displayed.

While I agree, this becomes pretty intuitive after using the program for a while, it is not in the beginning.

Also, there is no downside to displaying the info in the status bar, and probably requires very little programming.

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Originally Posted by NW Dave

What if CA had the symbol's use information display in the status bar when an item in the library were highlighted?

Currently, the sy

Example: highlight a sofa, and in the status bar "Interior Furniture - sits on floor" would be displayed.

While I agree, this becomes pretty intuitive after using the program for a while, it is not in the beginning.

Also, there is no downside to displaying the info in the status bar, and probably requires very little programming.

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Great idea!
Or as my visiting French Architect design instructor would say: Bone-E-Day ;)

Thanks Joe for your response. I still think it would be good and more reasonable for the program to have some sort of note in the library (each folder) to indicate this so more users do not spend a lot of time finding this out.

Big thanks Joe, took me about 60 seconds to follow your instructions and works great.

Now to try and get a roll of barbed wire across the top...

Done it, Sketchup warehouse barbed wire. The 2D is wrong but fine in 3D