Missing Piers

[bbuilders]

Hey,

I am following Chief's instructions on how to build a pole barn

I am to To place the posts and have encountered a problem: my piers for my posts are not being created and I do not know why. So, could someone shed some light on this?

Thanks!

[dshall]

No info, close the plan prior to zipping and posting.

[Tommy Blair]

Try building a terrain.

[bbuilders]

Here is the correctly attached file (I hope)

[dshall]

I looked at your plan, I do not do many if any pole barns so it was a new experience for me. Bottom line, listen to Tommy B. build the terrain, you will not get any footings without a terrain. There are several ways to do what you what you want to do, but TB is on the right track, without a terrain you will not get the footings, thanks for the question.

[bbuilders]

But here is what I don't get: Why isn't it working when you follow the steps put forth by CA in the article? There is no mention of terrains (at least not to this point in the article). Building a terrain is not an option for the application I need. I was hoping that maybe I had something hidden or not checked or a value wrong or missed a step...

But if the ONLY solution is to build a terrain, then I will abandon ship and go back to doing it the hard way.

[dshall]

But here is what I don't get: Why isn't it working when you follow the steps put forth by CA in the article? There is no mention of terrains (at least not to this point in the article). Building a terrain is not an option for the application I need. I was hoping that maybe I had something hidden or not checked or a value wrong or missed a step...

But if the ONLY solution is to build a terrain, then I will abandon ship and go back to doing it the hard way.

CA's videos do not always point out the ifs and buts, but to build a poe barn is not really isn't that hard to do, I do have a vid cooking that I will post in the am. But without a doubt you need to build a terrain which really isn't a big deal. What is worthwhile noting is the predefined top of footings for posts is dependent on the terrain elevation. So, if you set your terrain correctly prior to building your post/footings, the top of footings will build at the height you want them and you can still adjust the terrain elevation to the final elevation and this will not change the height of the footings. Many ways to do what you want, but you must understand the ifs and buts to speed up the process.

[Tommy Blair]

If you don't want a terrain, then don't put one in. Build your piers, posts, footings or whatever manually. Use slabs, solids or what ever. It's not real hard. Once you make one pier, just copy it around. There's generally more that one way to do things in this program.

[dshall]

If you don't want a terrain, then don't put one in. Build your piers, posts, footings or whatever manually. Use slabs, solids or what ever. It's not real hard. Once you make one pier, just copy it around. There's generally more that one way to do things in this program.

Or put in a temporary terrain, build the footings and then delete the terrain.

[Tommy Blair]

Never thought of doing that Scott. Good answer.

[bbuilders]

OK, I checked out the video dshall made. I think it left me with more questions than answers, but it was good to see it built. I will concede that terrains don't appear to be difficult and it did indeed fix the issue. I am still, however, baffled that the tutorial makes no mention of terrains.

Thanks for taking the time to make that. I will continue to play with this and will try to post a final product (if I get that far!)

[Glenn Woodward]

Spencer,

A couple of basics.
Firstly, you can forget about the terrain if you want - it's not mandatory to have one.
Having said that, I recommend you use one as it allows you to easily control the height of the footing.
When you click to place the post and footing, I assume you are on level 1?

If you try to place the post and footing on level 1, you only get a post.

You only get a footing with the post when you place the post on the lowest floor of a building AND if you place it inside the building.

Go down to floor zero and try and place a post whilst dragging your cursor inside and outside the building and see what happens.

But, if you have a terrain, it makes it all a little easier because you can place the post AND footing outside the building, but within the terrain, and the terrain determines the footing height.
And if you have a terrain built, you are not restricted to placing the post and footing on the lowest floor level (unless that is where you terrain is built).

Simple and straight forward, isn't it?

[gteacher]

OK, I checked out the video dshall made. I think it left me with more questions than answers, but it was good to see it built. I will concede that terrains don't appear to be difficult and it did indeed fix the issue. I am still, however, baffled that the tutorial makes no mention of terrains.

Thanks for taking the time to make that. I will continue to play with this and will try to post a final product (if I get that far!)

Thats because a terrain is not needed.

Zoom in on one of the corners on the right side of the structure, select Build> Framing> Post and click to place a post with a footing close to the intersection of the two walls

The initial post should have been place inside the building NOT outside, If placed inside, it would see a floor and produce a footing.

[Glenn Woodward]

The initial post should have been place inside the building NOT outside, If placed inside, it would see a floor and produce a footing.

Gerry,

Exactly.
And with X5 thats why you can place a post and footing on the monoslab on level 0 - because the mono slab is really a room made up of footing walls and a floor platform.

In X3, the monoslab built on level 0 was a simple slab with square footing - no rooms.

[Curtis Johnson]

BB:

Do you have all the layers you need on selected in Layer Display Options. I can get a footing (pier) to generate under a post without terrain within the perimeter of a building, but I have to use the 3D full overview camera to peak under the floor to see it, unless I change its properties so that the top of the pier is above the floor surface. If you use your camera tools you should be able to see everything you've done if you have the proper layers checked for display.