I have recently been introduced to Chief Architect V. 9, a CAD style design software. I am very impressed with what it can do with regard to drafting and rendering. Is anyone familiar with this software and is there anything out on the market that is comparable or better. I am planning on purchasing it and I want to make sure that I am not missing a better product.
Thanks,
JMC
Replies
Autocad & Autocad Lite are better for 2d drawing, but can't touch the 3d feature. Be sure you look at SoftPlan...they have a free demo cd they will send you.
Do it right, or do it twice.
JMC - Take this in a kind way - your best bet would be to do a search on this website for Chief Architect. There have been numerous discussions on the question you pose. Personally I am not intimately familar with Chief but am familar with its baby brother, 3D Home Architect Deluxe Version 3.0 and like it a lot. But then again my uses as a HO are probably different than yours. The most (?) important fact that you could present is what you are going to use the software for.
Eric S.
i use Chief... have since '97 ( version 5.0)..
if you want 3d... the big three would be Chief, Softplan , and Vectorworks... they all have their following
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
From the newer stuff I've been reading Archicad 8 is a killer program, that is of course if you can afford the $3500.00. . .
Edited 10/4/2003 8:34:33 PM ET by Resurrected
Better for what?
Joe touched the hem of the garment with his mention of price. We have discussed this here several times if you can find the search working on one of those good days. For a new discussion, you might do better with more info like what will youy intend to use it for, what is your budget, how versatile are you in the PC environment? Want site plans?, etc.
You are wise to look for something good because the time you invest learning will be more than the money you invest in the program.
Chief is a little easier to learn and use from all I hear. Softplan is a little more powerful. Chief has more items in it's libraries but with SP you can create and import items as well. Vectorworks is a junior grade by comparison but still a very good program.
I chose Softplan and love it but all three have come a long way.
None of them will do your thinking and designing for you - or read your mind.
;)
Excellence is its own reward!
Mr. Pif
I live in Baton Rouge LA, and 90% of the houses down here all have a "Bell" around the house. By this I mean that we do mostly multi pitched roofs and in-order to make the fascia line up we change (On the side of the steeper pitch) the pitch at the plate witch creates a "Bell" look. Excuse my ignorance I don't know what the proper term is but a Bell is what we call it down here. I do know that you can make the fascia line up without putting a bell on, but only if you have skilled carpenters. I have only meet one here besides myself that knows how to do it though.
Anyway my question is about softplan and how it handles that situation. Does it put a bell or what? I have thought about switching to softplan but am unsure about this one issue. I like eveerything else that I have seen with the software. I sould draw the roof without the bell but am afraid that the contractors would shun me.
I am attatching a pic of what I am talking about. Maybe it will be more clear.
I didn't look at the picture because it is pretty big for me to download but I understand what you are saying. I have built with that type of change in pitch but for different reasons. It sounds like an interesting way to deal with the problem of keeping plate heights and overhanging soffits equal.
I am still on V 11SP but I believe I can do what you describe. In SP it is called a gullwing roof style. I had never heard that or bell before and I've always made up some name.
SP also has what they call a double hip which is a gambrel style roof. Either way, you have twin options for pitch and pitch distance ( how far run before changing pitch.
You can set roof options for heel(HAP), pitch, rafter size, fascia size, overhang, trim style, etc and it will draw all roof sections that way - or you can select and edit each roof edge individually.
Some guys who deal with a lot of varying roof pitches have charts for settings. I do it by trial and error.
The roof functions in v12 are supposedly even better with more power and options..
Excellence is its own reward!
ive been into architectural computer programs for years now. im using autocad 2002 right now. its an excellent program with a user friendly screen which is compatible with 3d studio viz 3 for renderings. autoCAD is only worth the money if your gonna work on complete sets of construction documents, i wpuld recommend autoCAD desktop. the major problem with autoCAD is memorizing all those command prompts. you should basically know the program inside and out if you really want to use it to its full compasity. when you get involved with 3D you gotta know how to use the user coordinate system(ucs) as well as showing each material as a polyline(pl). theres also many other programs such as microstation as well as other 3d rendering programs such as 3d studio max or formz. if i where you i would stick with what you got. i have chief architect lieing around ive never really tried to install it but i heard its a great program, like 3d max/viz you can make movies through the interior spaces. excellent way to visualize the space.