Large commercial project

[GCGAssociates]

As a newbie to CA X1 I may have taken on more than I can chew. I have a large project with multiple buildings and multiple floors on a 4 acre site. I have the main building on one plan file and the other two on their own plan files. Now I'm trying to combine them all onto one plan with the site/terrain plan. Was it a mistake to create them all separately? Can I import the other two buildings into the main file without having to export them as .dwg/.dxf files? Can I copy/paste all floors of one file to the new main file? Its like reading the instructions after you've broken the toy....

[Allen Brown]

You can use the "edit>edit area>edit area all floors" to move an entire building from one plan to another. The biggest problem you may have, is you have to have the same amount of floors already set up the plan you are moving from and to.

[Don Randall]

I am answering this assuming you are using X1.

Was it a mistake to create them all separately?

No. Too much in one plan can result in a huge file size and slow down Chief as you work. Your computer power (CPU, RAM, etc) will define just how large a Chief file you can tolerate.

Can I import the other two buildings into the main file without having to export them as .dwg/.dxf files?

Yes. Open your main plan file, then from the file menu open the 2nd plan file. Go to your 2nd plan file and "select" all that you want to import to the main plan file and click copy. "Selecting" is best done with Edit Area Tools (several options). Then go to Window Menu (bottom) and click on the main file plan (shifts you back to the main file) and then paste from the Edit Menu.

Can I copy/paste all floors of one file to the new main file?

Yes. Same process - Edit Area Select and then Copy/Paste

To get comfortable with this process, create three simple plans (place representative items like landscape, CAD etc) and save. In the main plan file create your site plan and through the process described above copy/paste over the parts of the other two plans you want. Play around with all the copy/paste options.

Also, read the manual on Edit Area Tools, Copying and Pasting Objects and Translate/Replicate Tools. There are other special items that can be copy/pasted via Special Paste. There is pretty good flexibility in copy/paste functions not only within a plan file, but as well, cross-plan files.

[GCGAssociates]

The biggest problem you may have, is you have to have the same amount of floors already set up the plan you are moving from and to.

Exactly right Allen. Main plan has 2 floors plus attic. In new plan I tried creating new 2nd using blank first for overlay, attic is supposedly automatically created. Then tried to create blank 2nd floor. Neither worked only 1st floor came through in the all floors edit area select. What am I doing wrong?
BTW thanks for the help.

[Allen Brown]

If your tallest building has 4 floors, you should make your main plan have 4 floors. Just keep clicking on the build new floor tool and highlight the blank floor radio button. It will move your attic level up to the 5th floor on the main plan, but as long as you have that building's roof done, it shouldn't matter.

If that explanation doesn't clear it up, email me & I'll take a look at it.

[rgwhite]

If you have alot of buildings on one lot the file can be huge and slow down the computer. I have made symbols out of the exterior (remove all interior first). Then paste and move around the site plan.