Controling resize of walls

[Mikef]

I just got Cheif 7.0. I set up the outside walls with proper dimensions. When I began to place and size inside walls, I found the exterior walls had resized. How can I controll this?

[Glenn Woodward]

Mikef,

When you say "resize", I asume you mean the walls relocate or move?
If so, I can gaurantee this is not happening by itself.
You are doing something to make this happen.

It is probably when you are moving the inside walls.

To move a wall, you select the wall and then select the dimension, change the dimension , the selected wall moves.

If, on the other hand, the walls change thickness, then you must be redefining the wall definition. If you are redefining the wall definition to draw the inside walls, the walls you have already drawn with that definition will also change to the new definition.
You need to define a new wall definition, not change the existing one.

Can you supply some more detail of the problem and the stages you go through before the walls "resize".

[Gene Hughes]

! am having perhaps a similar problem: Some of the exterior
dimensions keep changing by 1/16" of an inch. I go back and
straighten them out by moving the affected walls via dbx
and everythig is copasetic for a while; then they go off again!

Diabolocallly frustrating! Now I remember why I gave up
on version 6 and went back to DataCad and Solidbuilder.
What is going on? Is just me, the neophyte user, or is it the
program? I have decided to devote the time necessary to
learn CA but am annoyed at having to spend so much
time chasing 1/16" dimension errors.

Gene H.

[Mikef]

I have tried to set up a simple box 41'4" by 45'10" The resize here seems to be about the measurement location of the wall.
When I get one dimension right and go and resize the other it changes the first dimension.

[Dean]

The main key is to draw in a clockwise direction.

Starting in the upper left hand corner draw the first wall left to right, then in the right corner top to bottom, then from bottom right go right to left, and then from bottom to top to complete the rectangle.


Next hit the dimension tool and select autodimension. Now switch back to the wall tool. Select the west wall and then click the top dimension. Enter the east to west dimension.

Select the south wall and click the left dimension. now enter the north to south dimension.

Usually this basic approach will align your walls to a stable position. You must alway draw things thinking clockwise to make the outside in the right place.

If you want to make sure the walls are on an even increment with the CAD origin, you can do this by locating the origin and drawing two reference lines to dimension to.

Switch to CAD mode and select the point tool. This is the icon that looks like an X. Place a point on the drawing by double clicking the mouse. You will get a dialogue in which you can enter 'Absolute coordinates'. Enter -24 for x and 0 for y. [ENTER]

Double click the line tool and enter relative to current point 48 for x and 0 for y. Now you have a line for the x axis that you can measure your walls to to align the main wall with your frqming centers.

Do the same for the y axis.

From this point on if you add wall you have a base set of wall to dimension to. When you want to do your framing the automatic snaps will be on the spot and in sync with the CAD origin.

Chief has many tools that help you if you don't line things up like a framing reference marker and multiple copy tools that drop copies on predefined centers. But the most important step is to get off on the right foot by drawing clockwise and dimensioning in the correct sequence. Lining the model with the CAD reference has many hidden advantages that you will appreciated down the road with a large project.

Dean