How can I make ^$&*#^ automatic "LIVING AREA" never, ever, appear?

I can confirm that plans created from scratch with 10.06a still have the "LIVING AREA" virus as well as a "DECK" virus. As somebody else reported, these seem to be triggered when you create a gap in the exterior walls that bound your structure. I've also seen the "DECK" label be duplicated when I moved a deck rail in a manner that created a gap. I'm starting to get in the habit of moving exterior walls in a manner that never breaks the perimeter but the trick of changing the label color sounds promising too. I assume the background should be set to transparent to avoid masking something that might just happen to be behind the unwanted label.

Changing the Room Labels color to be the same as your background color ONLY helps on the display screen, won't help a bit when you go to print.

And, it's printing that makes me crazy. I've had plans that the we've printed weeks previously, start printing "LIVING AREA" in a thicket of dim's. Wasted a lot of paper, and 2x time.

Moral: Check for this before you print!

I may need to type this 100 times to make me remember. ;)

On "DECK" and "LIVING AREA." I want in on this thread in case there is a fix. Doug BTW have tried your fix, but still comes through when sending to print file and sometimes covers up print you want to show as well. I once had to delete 46 copies of LA before finally eradicated it from one plan file. Dan

So, I'm setting with the client, right? Going over the final plans: True story just a month ago. He looks at me and points at the deck and says "How come I have a Deck-Deck?"

DOH!!!:o

Quote:

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Originally posted by DL Drafting
On "DECK" and "LIVING AREA." I want in on this thread in case there is a fix.

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There is a work around that will cure the problem. The cure is better than the disease, at least for me. I'm using it on all my plans because while it is some effort, its better than having the immortal living area and ghost rooms and decks.

1) Open the layer set dbx, check modify all layer sets, and set the room label layer to not display. This turns off living area and room labels. They gone.

2) Go to Edit Defaults, text, and temporarily define the default text box to have attributes of "centered", automatic height and width, and the font size you wish room labels and living area to have.

3) Using text boxes, type a room label in each room, add a macro on the second line to display your choice of area, dimensions, etc.

4) Using a text box create a new LIVING AREA label and add the macro on the second line for living area, and place where ever you want it.

5) when all the new lables are done, reset the text defaults and get on with the process.

Important note:

Every time you assign a room type, Chief Architect will try to turn the room label layer back on. So be sure the show room label check box is unchecked before clicking OK.

Fitch

Fitch,
That's a heckuvanidea. I'll put that to work right now before things get worse. The macro insert is a great piece of thinking and makes the work around realistic. Dan

To take Fitch's idea a step further...

I have created labels for all room types I use, i.e. Foyer, Great Room, Living, Bedroom 2, Bedroom 3, etc. Each label contains the macros for interior diminsions and room standard area plus I add a line for ceiling height. I then organized all of the lables next to each other and selected and blocked all of the labels then saved to the library. Having done this, each time I create a new plan I drop this block of labels from the library into the plan, unblock them and drag them to the proper rooms.

I have created a layer called Room Labels - Mine that these labels reside on.

I would like to see CA add several new macros to display other room attributes such as ceiling height, floor covering, etc. I could then create and configure room labels to match room types and save me a bunch of typing/time.

Hope this helps.

The "Living" and "Deck" labels continue to come on for me and its when the program keeps crashing when I go from plan view to Layout and Boooom!!!

George Russas
10.06a

Lavor:

would you be able to share your label library ?

sounds like a very nice idea, and one that could be used
for other things.


Lew

I will show what I do in the line of labels for rooms:

Here are a couple standard labels:

MASTER BDRM
%room.dimensions
%room.area.standard
stepped clg

GREAT ROOM
%room.dimensions
%room.area.standard
12' clg

M-BATH
%room.dimensions
%room.area.standard
Vault to 14'

BEDROOM 2
%room.dimensions
%room.area.standard
8' clg

I set ceiling labels to the most common use to minimize editing, i.e. most floor one ceilings around here are 9' with Great Rooms being an exception at 12' and Master Beds being stepped and most floor 2 ceilings are 8'.

I create a new layer and call it "Room Labels - My". I create the labels on this layer. (Create the layer in your template plan file so it is available in all new plans).

I created the following list of room labels using the above format:
FLOOR 1: (9' and 12' clg)
Kitchen
Great Room
Foyer
Hall
Pdr
Dining
Living
Breakfast
Master Bed
M-Bath
Bath 2
Closet
Garage
Utility
Lndry
Pantry
Pourch
Courtyard
Deck

FLOOR 2: (8' clg)
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 3
Bedroom 4
Bath 2
Bath 3
Bath 4
Closet
Stairwell
Lndry
Hall
Balcony

I create a label for each of the above and arrange them in a logical array. I then block them together and place the block in my library.

When I use the labels I place the block in my plan to the side of the house, explode the block then drag each needed label to its respective room. I then delete the unused labels. I do this on floor 1 and floor 2. Last I adjust any ceiling labels as needed.

Also, I use a different color for my labels so they contrast with the delivered labels.

Cool. Wish Chief did this automatically - but I am beginning to suspect there'd be a glitch if they did. Grumble grumble. bad day.

Fitch & Lavor
Thank you two for some Great Ideas not to mention the paper savings. I cannot count the amount of times that s.o.b. showed up un-anounced in a plot! ARRRRRRRGGGG
Bill W

You bet, happy to help... actually I jumped into this thread because I am very interested in seeing the labeling capability of Chief enhanced.

I have put in a request to enhance labels to be more automated and user friendly.

I would like to see labels be able to pull data from the item it is labeling, much like the macro labels do but do it for all item types, i.e. windows, doors, millwork, cabinets, appliances, etc.

Give the labels independent parts (macro and text), each able to have assigned its own font, size, underlining, justification, etc. Each part should also have the ability to define its location within the whole label.

For the label, as a whole, you should be able to define its default offset, rotation angle, etc. relative to the item it is labeling.

And the list goes on...