Detailed Feature List

Create 3D presentation views and 2D technical views using camera tools for real-time representations of your designs. Use layers to turn off or on different elements, like framing. Camera views can be named, edited, saved, and copied. Use 3D Settings Controls to adjust the display options and settings.

Show the XYZ axes indicator and the project origin location in 2D and 3D views. Use toolbar toggles to display the Axis style and Origin Indicator.

Set navigation camera views to automatically hide the backs of walls that prevent seeing into a small room. Use the Hide Camera-Facing Exterior walls tools to easily navigate small rooms.

Turn on solid fill for walls, roofs, and platforms in plan and camera views.

Use key frame editing controls to quickly adjust and modify individual keyframes directly from the preview dialog and the edit toolbar. Join multiple walkthrough segments as one path and retain the keyframe details from the original pieces. Use the Complete Break tool to break an existing walkthrough into individual parts or use existing, longer walkthroughs to record sub-sections as smaller animations without generating a new path.

Post recorded walkthroughs to a Chief Architect SSA cloud account and share them via e-mail, hyperlinks, or embedding them onto websites.

Control settings for the sun, moon, horizon, and their impact on a scene’s lighting from within the camera’s specification dialog

Assign 360 spherical images as backdrops. Control offsets, orientation, and Eye Level for spherical backdrops.

Export images suitable for post-processing in HDR format.

Use Grass Region tools to create areas that simulate 3D grass; specify the length, density, color, and other parameters to achieve more natural-looking grass in your scenes.

Choose to Draw Lines on Top option in Standard, Duotone, Watercolor, Physically Based, and Clay styles to include the sketched line drawing technique. Use an edit tool to show line drawing over top rendering techniques.

Use the Denoise feature in the Physically Based Rendering Technique settings and with the menu command to clarify Ray Traced views during the sampling process or when sampling is complete for the scene.

Turn ON Depth of Field in perspective views; set focal points using the camera tools and set the intensity of the blur with F-Stop settings.

Set up camera defaults to leverage Default Sets in your Template plans and for projects; for example, control the Dimensions Defaults used for Wall Elevations vs. Cross-Sections.

Control the darkness of shadows in Vector Views and Technical Illustration views using an intensity slider.

Use orthographic cameras to create elevation or cross section views. Back-Clipped Cross Section views control the cut distance generated for a cross section. Cross Sections can also be clipped at the sides to control the width of view.

Wall Elevations for rooms with vaulted and sloped ceilings include the full wall height; the elevation can be set to crop at the top of the wall plate using the “Ignore Walls Above” setting.

Set camera defaults and specifications to display foundation and items below grade as hidden lines or other line styles.

Use the Center Objects tool in Elevation Views to control the location of CAD objects.

Easily set up view callouts directly from the camera object. Show Elevation, Section, and Cross-Section cameras as Callouts in Plan Views. Add callout labels and descriptions; callouts remain when sent to layout.

Generate schedule callouts and labels for windows, doors, cabinets, and other items in Cross-Section and Elevation views.

Start projects from pre-defined Plan Templates or create your own. Use the Save as Template feature to convert an existing project to a new template.

Provides a review for basic room egress, roof, wall layout, and more.

Use this zoom tool to quickly set the screen view’s extent to only those objects that are currently selected.

Excludes attic and basement or foundation.

Create new layers, change object layer assignments, customize the appearance of layers, and group layers together into task-specific Layer Sets.

When using the layer painter tool, copy, add, edit, and delete layers to manage them as you work. Use ‘Set to Default’ to reassign an object to its default layer.

Create and save multiple plan views (similar to saved cameras). Each view retains Layer Set, Default Set and Active Defaults. Open multiple Plan Views in Windows or Tabs, and manage saved views in the Project Browser. Edit the settings in your Plan Views from the Project Browser through a specification dialog; choose to save or ignore Zoom Size and Floor Level with saved plans. Import and export between plans

Easily navigate your saved views by displaying a preview window in the Project Browser that displays a thumbnail image of the selected view.

Create a plan database to organize your plan portfolio.

Layout sheets are used to organize plans, elevations, CAD details, schedules, site plans, and other items for construction documents. The drawings can be scaled and printed at any size. All views are linked to the original model reflecting any updates you make. Reorder the Layout pages dynamically. Create templates for Layouts with borders and title blocks.

Set up default behaviors for views sent to layout to control properties like the label, scale, and border. Create multi-line formatted labels for View Boxes on Layout Pages. Relink plans, change active layer sets, and rescale views displayed in a layout box from its specification dialog. Select and edit multiple layout boxes to modify shared attributes at one time.

Edit line views sent to the layout, rescale views sent to layout, re-link views on the layout to reference different files.

Specify multiple Template pages in a Layout and assign individual pages to reference a template.

Create drawing schedules, like Table of Contents, for layouts by controlling each page’s attributes such as Label, Title, Description, Revisions and Comments.

Use the delete objects tool to clear unnecessary elements like CAD, Images, Text, and Layout Boxes from your layout documents. These controls make it easier to transition between projects when copying layout files and in developing templates.

Control initial behavior by specifying default values like ceiling height, style, moldings, wall covering, floor materials. Define room attributes by room type. Preview of room construction in the dialog.

Specify which rooms should be included or excluded in the living area calculation.

Automatically generate a molding polyline derived from the room's perimeter. Reshape the polyline as desired and attach multiple molding profiles. Designate sizes for each profile and specify its height off the floor. 3D Molding Polylines create horizontal and vertical moldings.

3D model includes Finished Floor and Finished Ceiling layers. Use these layers to add dimension details and define floor coverings, finishes, and sub-layers.

Specify raised floor platforms that are automatically framed.

Select multiple rooms to change their attributes simultaneously; change room type, convert from flat to a vaulted ceiling, set ceiling and floor heights, and modify the platform structure.

Define the display of the dimensions supplied with a room label. Edit units, fraction or decimal display and other settings much like standard dimension formats.

Draw and edit walls in 2D and 3D. Wall Styles include interior, exterior, railing, pony, half wall, curved, angled, raked, stepped. All styles are customizable with unique layers. Wall Types include structural wood, stucco, ICF, SIPS, glass, railings, partitions.

Specify interior and exterior railing styles with unique attributes like newels, balusters, panels, materials, handrails, and heights. Control the size and shape of panels, balusters, railings, and shoe. Use offset values to inset or overhang the railing from the platform edge.

Control heights of walls, add breaks and adjust in Cross Section and Elevation views. Define stepped foundations with vertical footing control.

Use the Select Same Load Same tool to quickly apply properties from one wall to another wall in your design.

Create recesses in walls like a shower niche or wall display. Define the niche depth, casing, arch, and other attributes similar to windows.

Place New, Existing, Demolition and Remodeling Walls on unique layers.

Add custom wall definitions to the Library for reuse.

Design wall areas specifying different materials and assemblies.

Manually control wall intersections by dragging the intersecting wall to snap to a specific layer of another wall.

Right click to enable continuous wall drawing mode - speeds up wall draw time.

Create any style of Cabinet using the smart parametric tools including Framed, Frameless, Curved, Angled and Bow. Adjust drawers, face frames, doors, styles, shapes, shelves, moldings, backsplashes, appliances, countertops and more. Use a specification dialog to define and customize your cabinets.

Control the initial behavior by specifying default values - define, colors, sizes, doors and drawer styles, moldings, materials, countertops, hardware, and several other attributes for the cabinets as you begin a new design.

Attach custom shelves, storage, and hardware items into cabinet boxes and specify their behavior per face item. Attach appliances to the face of cabinets.

Automatically specify the edge of a custom counter as “Waterfall” to create a solid section from the counter’s top to the floor.

Click to generate a Custom Backsplash that automatically fits around cabinets, openings, and appliances.

Turn On or Off Automatic Blind Corner Cabinet behavior.

Discover the overall size of cabinet doors and drawers while selected in the cabinet specification dialog.

Specify left and right extended stiles for cabinets; extended stiles automatically clip when near walls and other cabinets, and can be represented in schedules and materials lists.

Specify the reveal amount for a cabinet’s front, side, and back; set reveal individually for cabinet separations.

Use the "Cabinets, Doors & Drawers" layer to show or hide their display in Elevation, Plan (when drawn open), and Perspective Views.

Specify rounded or chamfered corners on a cabinet box and Automatic Countertops.

Pilasters, feet, legs, and moldings. All resize automatically as the cabinet changes. Define End Panels or Finishes to the sides and back of cabinets. Panels can be set to be automatically generated when an end or back is exposed, or they can be manually turned on or off.

Add multiple moldings to objects and specify vertical and horizontal offset distances with different Molding Profiles to create stacked moldings. Use the Auto-Stack feature to allow the software to group moldings together automatically.

Cabinet display options conform to NKBA standards including countertops, line styles, labels and more. NKBA approved software for professional certification testing.

Create any style of Door, Doorway, and Window including Arched, Shaped and Mulled. Use the Smart Parametric tools. Doors styles include interior, exterior, sliding, barn, pocket, bi-fold, atrium, fixed, double-swing, shower, and garage. Hardware Library - Hinges, Handles and Locks. Window styles include interior, exterior, pass-through, single/double hung, sliding, casement, corner, recessed, louvered, bay, and box.

Independently set the top, bottom, left, and right sides for panel and glass panel doors. Create garage and entry doors with asymmetric windows. Choose to set all garage door panels to use glass.

Specify retractable walls (also known as stackers and Nanawall) using the panel configuration options for Sliding and Pocket Doors. Create bifold doors with multiple panel sections to create accordion door types.

Break parametric bump-out windows into their wall and window sub-components to be edited fully.

Create custom Mulled door and window blocks. Move, dimension, and label them as single units and add them to the Library. Mulled Units that contain Doors are automatically recognized as Door objects for Schedules and Schedule Labels.

Assign custom CAD Blocks to symbol windows, like Garden Windows, to control their display in Plan View.

Adjust curtains by the height off floor and height above casing. Blinds fit inside casing when attached to Windows.

Specify sills, lintels, and aprons for openings and set the height, width, and overhang. Attach custom symbols to Window or Door casing and set the height and width.

Create gable, hip, shed, Dutch gable, gambrel, mansard, and other roof styles automatically. Use the Auto-Rebuild Roofs feature to automatically update the roof as your design changes. Define roof attributes per eave wall including multiple roof pitches, overhangs, and roof returns.

Specify pitch, overhang, raise off plate for energy heels, curved roof information, framing details, fascias, gutters, exposed rafters and roof returns and many other options. Includes roof and ceiling framing and trusses. See the Framing section for details.

Design with both the 2D and 3D views up at the same time to visualize the changes in design.

Specify rafter spacing values for individual roof planes in a design.

Automatic ceilings are created once a roof is generated. Manual Ceilings can be drawn and modified to reflect non-standard ceiling designs; create cathedral, tray, coffered, and barrel ceilings.

Create roof assemblies with multiple layers, much like floor and ceiling platforms; great for specifying SIP roofs.

Apply Shadow Boards to the fascia of roof planes automatically. Specify molding profiles and stack moldings to create the desired molding build-up.

Specify tread width, length, tread number, overhang, and thickness. Set riser height, top and bottom height. Specify details about stringers, open underneath, runners, railing details, baluster and newel styles and shapes, brackets, handrails on walls next to stairs, around corners, and hand rail profile. Specify riser heights, tread width, start height, and bottom height.

Customize curved sections, flared treads, starter treads, winders, definable walk line, maintainable tread width, and landings.

Easily create staircases with different tread widths. Perfect for creating a stair that has exposed railing on the bottom, and is encased in walls at the top.

Split landings into multiple segments using dialog box controls for U-shape and L-shape stairs.

Creates stairwell and the platform to match the staircase.

Create Custom Landings to auto-connect Stair sections or Ramp sections together. Auto-connect multiple landings together to update their height values to suit the staircase. Use Landings to create custom winder stairs and starter treads. Choose auto adjust features for the height and thickness based on stair or ramp connection. Turn railings on or off per Landing edge.

Choose from newels and balusters in the Library Catalog or import your own.

Save preconfigured stair and ramp sections to the library browser. Click to place a copy into your design. Click and drag to draw a new variation using the style and settings from the library version.

Specify returns at each of a stair’s handrails and specify horizontal extension lengths to meet code requirements for stair handrails.

Set up a default foundation type, controlling stem-wall height, footing size, slab or pier information. Edit the foundations settings after it has been built.

Select Round Piers or Square Pads and control their size and position in the dialog. Toggle between round and square with a single click.

Generate automatic footings and supports under Bearing Walls, control footings for slabs, and define stepped footings with vertical pours. Control the pattern fill, layer, and line types for Wall Footings within the specification dialog.

Floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, openings, headers can be framed and updated automatically as the structure evolves. Define Trimmers and Headers based on opening sizes.

Choose to “Build All Framing” in your project, generating Roof, Wall, Platform, and Deck framing in a single click. Choose to generate all or a subset of automatic framing from the Build Framing Panel.

Choose from a wide selection of framing types when designing your structure; from lumber, to steel, to engineered materials like LVL, PSL, and VSL. Framing labels reflect the type of material specified.

Optimize framing designs for panelized construction and use with automated sawing machines. Export to .EZF format.

Specify roof overbuild conditions for a remodel or in new construction and automatically generate framing with shoe plates.

Floor, ceiling, and roof trusses. Create trusses that automatically conform and fit between platforms or overbuild using a truss base; manually edit and customize trusses. Truss options include scissor, attic, step down, girder, sub-girder, drop hip, jacks, kingpost, gable end, reduced gable, energy heel. See a preview of trusses in their specification dialog; previews update as parameters change.

Quickly rebuild a truss’s automatic configuration using the Truss Rebuild edit tool when it is selected.

Specify roof battens or purlins in the surface structure’s assembly layers to automatically generate horizontal framing members on top of trusses or rafters. Define framing member sizes, material, type, spacing, and offset for top and bottom purlins.

Specify Round or Square posts. Customize the default attributes of framing posts and beams; show cross box in plan view, width and depth, materials, and other attributes.

Set automatic framing tools to generate true balloon framing and offer flexible settings for specifying where to include or exclude this framing technique.

Create wall types with multiple framing layers and automatically generate framing for both layers; ideal for furred basement walls. Specify the number of top and bottom wall plats in the wall type.

Specify that window and door openings use custom or default settings for Headers, Trimmers, Sills, and other framing related components on the Framing tab of the specification dialog. Create Box Headers and Built-Up Headers with up to 10 members and 5 trimmers for each opening.

Label controls for posts, beams, and other framing objects. Set up custom labels and assign them to layers.

Choose to generate floor framing for a selected room or those included in a framing group; for example, create framing for an addition or remodeled space.

Choose to generate framing for a single object without re-creating the framing for the entire plan.

Automatically generate floor framing platforms inside the foundation which hang from stem walls.

Build framing for tray ceilings using the Build Framing edit tool for individually selected sections and retain framing for certain trays.

Define spacing, offsets, and generation of automatically generated deck beams through the Deck Specification and Framing dialogs. Choose whether beams are placed under or in line with joists.

Comprehensive CAD objects and editing tools: Points, Lines, Polylines, Splines, Arcs, Circles, Ovals, Boxes, Arrows, Fence, Trim Extend, Parallel, Perpendicular, Reflect, Replicate, Transform, Fillet, Chamfer, and several others.

Snap indicators – center, end point, tangent, and several others. Snap to objects or a grid. Snap to Reference Floor layer (a floor above or below the current floor).

Accurately move or copy objects. See visual indicators of starting and ending locations while using the Point-to-Point Move and Point-to-Point Resize tools.

Quickly convert CAD to 3D Solids, Molding Polylines, Countertops, Slabs, Landings, Distributed Regions and Paths, Holes in Roofs and Platforms. Convert Arcs and Circles to Polylines. Convert polylines to Revision Clouds and Material List Areas. Convert to Elevation and Terrain data, Sprinklers, Garden Beds, Terrain Walls and Curbs, Roads, Road Markings, and Sidewalks.

Create custom solids with a variety of shapes. Edit polylines using Polyline Subtract, Polyline Union, and Polyline Intersection. Create solid faces, extrude and revolve them to create custom objects. View and rotate a 3D preview while adjusting the attributes of 3D shape objects. Edit any edge or face of a solid object in any direction. Edit solid objects in plan views and 3D Views, regardless of the view in which it was originally created.

Perform Union, Intersection, and Subtraction editing on combinations of 3D Solids and perform these edits on objects created in different planes (plan view vs. elevation). Use the fillet and chamfer tools on any edge of a 3D Solid object.

Quickly edit polyline corners, like custom counters, with fillets or chamfers with the click of a button.

Details for residential structural elements. Detailed assemblies for floors, roofs, decks, walls and foundations. Over 500 details are included in the premium SSA catalogs.

Draw customized details and diagrams, print them to scale, and save for reuse in the Library. Specify insertion points to control how details are added to a design.

Duplicate CAD Details from one project and add them to another using Copy/Paste tools in the Project Browser. Set up templates to include your favorite CAD Details.

Choose the Concentric Resize tool from an object’s Edit Toolbar to make concentric jump modifications to the item.

Turn on the Action History window to interact with the list of commands and actions that have occurred. Perform multiple undos/redos at once by navigating the Action History list.

Set up unique layer groupings for display and printing. Create separate Layer sets for Electrical Plans, Framing Views, or Space Planning. Edit, copy, and rename existing layer sets; use the Layer Set toolbar to quickly swap active Layer Sets or swap Layer Sets using Default Sets.

Select a layer assigned to an object using the Layer Eyedropper tool, then apply that layer to a different object with Layer Painter.

Quickly and easily modify the layer properties for any object from the Edit Toolbar.

Use the Reference Display controls to show layer sets from other plan files. Display remodeling changes and construction options by showing layers from one design overlaid in a different file in both 2D and 3D views. Create ‘ghosted’ camera views that include As-Built and Addition designs together.

Baseline, Running, Centerline, Angular, End-to-End, Interior, Point-to-Point, and Temporary dimensions. Use One-Click Auto Dimensions™ for exteriors.

Select any object, and enter a corresponding dimension number to move the object a set distance. Use simple arithmetic formulas while editing dimensions to easily move objects in a design.

Adjust wall lengths by selecting dimensions or temporary dimensions that run parallel to the wall. Display Wall length as you draw; press TAB to input an exact dimension.

Create a construction line grid with callouts for referencing between floor levels and across elevation views to mark key planes in your project. Dimension and snap to lines, modify callout display, and use layers to control printing. Use automatic ordering to set up sequential labeling for construction line callouts. Define different rules for individual sets of construction lines.

Set up automatic leader lines for dimensions when there isn’t space for the value to fit between extension lines. Choose from various style defaults and manually edit leader lines to customize the look.

When dimensions snap to the center of an object, it will automatically display the CL dimension indicator. Toggle ON or OFF the CL indicator using the Centerline edit tool, or by editing the dimension string from the specification dialog. Control the location and orientation of the marker relative to the extension line.

Show two formats of dimension text on the same dimension string.

Use an edit handle to rotate dimension text, or set up your defaults to use specific rotations.

Use the Auto Elevation Dimension tool to add dimensions to Elevation and Cross Section views.

For each dimension tool, set up location snapping; for example, set the Center Line dimension tool to pick up only walls and fixture centers for kitchen and bath dimension defaults or only pier and post centers for deck or framing defaults.

When setting up Dimension Defaults, control the behaviors of Automatic Dimension features. Customize how each level of dimensions locate items in your projects; set up multiple defaults to create automatic dimensions for different uses (Kitchen and Bath vs. Framing, for example).

Set up behaviors for Angled Dimensions within Dimension Default.

Create Electrical, Plumbing and Heating / Ventilation plans. Electrical – place lights, switches, outlets, low voltage, and wiring. Circuit Connection tools draw the connections and circuits for your electrical layout. Connect components together to create circuits. Adjust the lines and arcs of the circuit design. Connections will automatically change switches for 3-way and 4-way. Specify Electrical, Fixture, and Furniture items to attach to ceilings and roofs and auto-rotate to match the pitch of roofs or vaulted ceilings.

Place outlets at regular intervals based on room type. Use the Auto Place Outlet tool to add GFCI outlets to your kitchens and bathrooms.

Define custom lighting with shadows and intensity; turn lighting on or off per fixture to control whether a light is used for a 3D scene.

Define Lighting groups to control which lights are ON at any time. Assign Lighting Sets to view defaults, individual cameras, and Ray Trace Views.

Define a North Pointer and Sun Angle. Specify latitude, longitude, date and time; generate shadows in 2D and 3D. Sun Angles are listed by date and time stamps in dialogs for easy identification.

Display angles as Azimuth Bearings, Quadrant Bearings, Degrees, Minutes, or Minutes + Seconds.

Input accurate length, bearing and setback information.

Input elevations data for Terrain by drawing splines, lines, and points. Attach elevation value to each object, then automatically generate the terrain contours. A Clear Terrain tool is available to remove contouring and adjust elevation data.

Hills, Valleys, Elevated Regions, Flat Regions.

Stepping Stones, Streams, Garden Curbing, Pre-defined Garden Beds, Blocked garden beds.

Include the volume of Roads, Driveways, Sidewalks, and Terrain Walls and Curbs in materials lists.

Design Straight and Curved Decks. Define roof and ceiling attributes for a covered deck. Control the orientation and size of deck planking, gap, width, overhang, direction, border planks, beams and joists. Full Deck framing – see framing section for more details. Polygon Deck tool, specify the number of sides and the size of a deck.

Place sprinkler heads and connect them to create irrigation runs and zones.

Import photos of plants and add them to the Library Browser to use in your designs. Add plant growth information and adjust transparency attributes.

Detailed plant information – common and scientific name, type, sub-type, characteristics, height range, zones, sun and water needs, bloom time, and leaf and flower color.

Use sliding scale and grow the plants up to 20 years from the current maturity.

Place and edit objects directly in 3D and 2D Plan View or Elevation View. Design simultaneously in 2D and 3D for any of the views.

Apply colors, materials and textures to objects or components of the object. Apply colors as solid or stain. Use the Default Painter tool restore items to their default material.

Attach Ambient Occlusion Maps, Roughness Maps and Metal Maps, along with Normal and Bump Maps, to add realism to your material properties. Control Emissive materials with more physical accuracy or set a material as Metallic with refined material property controls.

Control the scale and rotation angle, offset, transparency, and color of Patterns and Fills. Use the Fill Style Painter to apply fills in plan view with a scoped painting tool, similar to the Object Painter.

Use class definitions to define your materials: General, Plastic, Brushed Metal, Shiny Metal, Pre-Defined Metal, Matte, Mirror, Polished, Transparent, and Translucent. Preview the Material classes for standard rendering or ray trace.

Use Translucent material properties in PBR Ray Traced views for light shades, curtains, and other materials that allow light to pass through.

Enhance material definitions using custom maps, like Normal, Ambient Occlusion, Metal, Roughness, and now Gloss, Transparency, and Opacity maps. Use the Invert option for Roughness maps to represent Gloss. Mix combinations of maps to control various effects like metallic, translucent, and transparent on a single material.

A search bar in the Plan Materials dialog makes finding entries faster than scrolling through the list.

Use automatic controls and thresholds to derive vector pattern lines from custom maps, browse to files or choose a map referenced by the material. Easily create matching 2D patterns for custom tiles and other unique material surfaces.

Curate design options like finish colors and door, window, and cabinet styles that can be stored in the Library Browser and applied to your scenes. Make as many palettes as you’d like so you can update your designs on the fly.

Match properties between items of the same type. Edit similar items, including Electrical and Images.

Import and create smart objects with behaviors specific to the software's feature. Sinks that insert into cabinets, decorations that hang on walls, light fixtures with brightness properties.

Draw your own molding profile. The software will extrude the molding in 3D. Create stacked molding combinations, then add these compound moldings to the library for reuse. Flip moldings both vertically and rotate at any angle so they can be applied in several different scenarios.

Access thousands of Objects / Items, both Manufacturer and generic. Download, import and create new objects. Search for objects in the Library or use the advanced search features to filter the results. Number of Library Items is displayed in the status bar.

Check for updates for catalogs distributed by Chief Architect from the menu, or using the Update Library Catalogs tool button. Catalog Downloads automatically restart if Chief Architect is closed then re-launched. Notification dialog lists which catalogs have been updated after the updated catalog process is complete.

Search for Library items by keyword, object type or style. Instant Search bar is integrated into the Library, just start typing in the search bar to find objects in the Library. Customize Library Search Attributes, view or modify key words for searching on Library objects.

Use terms “AND”, “OR”, and “NOT”, and create search groups using parentheses ‘()’ in library searches to refine results.

Use the Edit Block tool to temporarily open an edit view window for CAD Blocks in your designs and the Library Browser. After modifications are complete, save edits and choose to apply your changes to all the matching blocks in your work.

Save and reuse Notes, Callouts, and Markers by storing them in the Library Browser.

Create shortcut items to any object in the Library Browser to customize your organization.

Update and replace library items by 'painting' them onto objects; see visual feedback through the cursor and when hovering over objects. Update doors, cabinet doors, and parametric items, or replace entire objects in 2D and 3D views.

Once saved into the Library, open and edit the properties of Cabinets, Windows, Doors, and other parametric items.

Determine whether or not a selected object exists in the library browser using an edit tool, or through the Replace from Library dialog.

Automatic Materials List with columns for equipment, unit costs, percent markup, and labor costs. Change order of the columns. Generate a list for the entire plan, single room, or defined area using a polyline. Materials List updates as design changes to reflect product, quantities, prices, and general costs of the goods and services required for your project.

Select items from the materials list and choose to Show in Plan to identify and locate them in your design.

Find the components panel in the specification dialog for objects that are reported to the materials list. Adjust calculation methods and other details for the object from the Components panel.

Leverage Ruby Scripting to create custom formulas for calculations in the materials list. Leverage reference codes for elements in the program to write custom text macros and Ruby scripts.

Create Schedules for Doors, Windows, Cabinets and Materials, Fixtures, Appliances, Furniture, Electrical, HVAC, Notes, Plumbing, Plants, Room Finish, Walls, Molding Polylines, Roof Planes,Ceilng Planes, Skylights, Millwork, Sprinklers, and Shapes. Automatically Customize the information contained in the Schedule and label controls for Schedules.

Use the Object Information Panel in an item’s specification dialog to assign custom fields which can be displayed in Schedules.

Specify which column to include totaled values. Custom columns and fields can calculate totals and have number formatting.

Generate schedules that include multiple types of objects, and specify in which schedule grouping individual objects belong; for example, specify Glass Sliding Doors as Window Schedule objects or separate objects into “Existing” and “New” schedules.

Choose to include CAD polylines and polyline based objects like backsplashes, counters, material regions, slabs, and terrain objects in schedules. Report the number of lines and perimeter.

Select a row of items from your schedules and choose to Show in Plan to locate them in your design.

Display a preview thumbnail of objects as a column in schedules; change the view type to control the style of the display.

Export schedule tables directly to .CSV, .TXT, and .XML formats to easily manipulate them in other applications.

The Structural Lumber Table can be used to calculate lumber materials for a Cut List and a Buy List. This calculation is in addition to square feet and lineal feet calculations and can be especially helpful for your framing and decking board calculations.

Control font, size, weight, color, position, justification, and more.

Use the Find and Replace tool to modify the selected text only.

Arrows recognize text justification (left, right, center) and automatically orient appropriately. Add tails using flag parametric objects. Use edit handles to automatically generate new leader lines on text objects.

Place Callouts and Markers in Plan, Elevation, Layout, and Detail views. Adjust fill color, line style, line weight, and double-headed Callouts. Callouts and Markers have unique layers. Use multiple default styles for Arrows, Markers, and Callouts.

Type your own customized labels objects; include macros to make them dynamically update with the item. Control label size, orientation, and on which layer it displays.

Automatic labels for layout views will display the camera name for elevation and section views or the floor plan name for plan views. Create custom labels that will move with the views as you set up your layout.

Default Sets control a subset of defaults including Dimensions, Text, Arrows, Markers, Callouts, and Layers. Default Sets can be used to quickly change your defaults and streamline the annotation process.

Use the Convert to Note edit tool to turn Text and Rich Text objects into Note objects.

Add links to website or other files using the text tools.

Create New, Edit, Copy, Delete, and Test custom macros from within the Text Macro Management dialog.

Encircle objects with revision clouds, or draw your own. See a preview of the Revision Cloud you are creating or editing from within its specification dialog. Define Revision Cloud defaults to easily manage clouds with your Saved Views.

Save to a PDF file for outsourcing print jobs.

Displays printable area, paper edges, and line weights.

Import or Export DXF and DWG files.

Image import - specify transparency color and add plant data or image information for materials and backdrops. Display Metafile on plan, elevation, and layout views. Specify fill style to show through and transparency on the image.

Import/Export Saved Plan Views, Default Sets, Layer Sets, Hot Keys, Wall Types, Line Styles, Defaults, Macros, and Ruby Scripts. Share with other users or transfer them from plan to plan.

Group import texture image files and convert them to materials automatically.

Choose to migrate your settings after the initial installation of X13. If you forgot to migrate a file, or want to review the X13 Out-of-Box settings, you can do so and then migrate your custom settings like toolbars and hotkeys later.

Chief Architect can be installed and run natively either on Mac or Windows operating systems with a single license. Includes native ARM support for Mac M1 processors.

Free download version of the Client Viewer and your projects with peers, sub-contractors, and customers, allowing them full access to view (but not modify) your work. Include relevant Saved Plan Views to make communicating and sharing ideas easier.

Tabbed view windows can be torn or undocked from the main user interface and moved between monitors independently.

Toolbar buttons and high definition icons scale to fit screen resolutions and increased DPI (128px vs 20px)

Use a 3Dconnexion Mouse as your input device to efficiently navigate camera views. *Not compatible with Mac OS.

Projects that have not been named or manually saved for the first time are archived through the Auto-Save rules set up in user Preferences.

Export an archive of a project that combines all files into a single .ZIP for easy storage. Use the Backup Plan feature to overwrite files into an existing folder instead of requiring an empty directory.

Set up Chief’s User Interface with color and style themes of your choosing. Set preferences for the look of dialogs, menus, buttons and other interface elements; import, export, and share saved themes.

A collection of tools on a toolbar set organized by discipline: Default, Terrain, Kitchen & Bath, Space Planning, and Mechanical Electrical Plumbing.

Leverage HTC VIVE™ and Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headsets to view your Chief Architect Designs. In addition to experiencing the 360d area of a scene, teleport from point to point in a model to experience multiple virtual spaces. Choose to view your models in VR from a First-Person orientation or from an Overhead view; interact with each view type to experience the details of your design.

Export energy calculations to U.S. Department of Energy’s REScheck™ software.

Deactivate a license remotely from your Chief Architect online account in order to access the program from another computer.