Episode 181 - Chief Architect X18: Practical Fixes for Everyday Design Work

Welcome to The Designers Show by Chief Experts, where design isn't just an art—it's a profit center.

Chief Architect X18 has plenty of useful tools, but the small workflow details can still leave users scratching their heads. In Designers Show 181, Dan, John, and Rene spin the wheel and work through practical tips for organizing projects, copying layouts with linked plans, tracking time, adjusting labels, reusing stair settings, and preserving manual framing changes.

Through live demonstrations, they explore what works, where an extra step matters, and which questions still need answers. Tune in for ideas that can reduce repeated clicks and make everyday design work easier.

Bring your Chief Architect questions to the next live show. RSVP at www.designersshow.com.

📌 Episode Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & Introductions
01:43 – Using Picker Wheel in Your Design Business
03:42 – Upcoming In-Person Classes (Denver & Bloomington) & Pro Academy
06:00 – Community Spotlight: Rabbit Design (René) & Coaching (John)
07:18 – OneDrive & User Catalog Issues Explained
08:28 – Setting Preferences: Unmanaged Data Drive & Offline Sync
10:16 – Project Management Database vs. Unmanaged Cloud Folders
11:42 – Exporting & Importing Projects Between Machines
14:48 – Managing Revisions: Making Copies with Links to Document Folders
19:07 – Keeping Track of Versions: Saving Plan & 3D View Thumbnails
21:26 – Project Details Panel: Notes & Adding Hyperlinks
24:38 – Hyperlinks in Rich Text vs. Plain Text in Chief Architect
26:38 – Adding Links to Window Schedules & Exporting to CSV
29:04 – Spin the Wheel #1: Object Painter for Stairs & Library Replacement
33:12 – Spin the Wheel #2: Sorting & Batch Editing Time Tracker Entries
38:57 – Spin the Wheel #3: Story Pole Dimension Defaults & Camera Clipping
46:27 – Spin the Wheel #4: Room Schedule Preview Symbols & Room Labels
50:30 – Spin the Wheel #5: Technical Illustration Camera Line Styles
52:38 – Room & Door Label Controls & Dialog Tab Memory Preferences
56:30 – Spin the Wheel #6: Retain Manual Framing Edits (Walls, Roofs & Rooms)
01:00:06 – Viewing Wall Framing Detail: Exterior vs. Interior & Rebuilding Framing
01:03:00 – Chief Architect X18 Update Release Notes
01:07:00 – Exporting/Importing Custom Toolbars & Managing Backups
01:11:43 – Wrap-Up & Closing Remarks

📌 Upcoming Events:

📍Bloomington, Minnesota: October 26–29, 2026

📍California: January 2027

These are small-group, hands-on Chief Architect training events for designers, remodelers, builders, architects, and serious Chief users who want to work faster and produce better plans.

Event information and registration: https://www.chiefexperts.com

Upcoming event details were confirmed on the official Chief Experts website.

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Episode 181 - Chief Architect X18: Practical Fixes for Everyday Design Work - Designers Show #181