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Can't figure out anywhere to change the orientation or why it's appearing this way:

I tried again by dragging and dropping the file onto HDP7 and it asked me to download the file again, and I did. I downloaded the windows vista file 7.08b from the CAHD official website and this time the browser didn't give me the question or warning for some strange reason ? The file installed fine and everything worked ok after entering the CD Key and having the dongle in place. The important thing is to install the update otherwise the dark red HASP dongle key will return errors when you try to run the program. The other thing to do when installing the program on a newer machine, is that you have to manually double click the .exe file so that the program will install. In this case there are two program CD’s. One more trick that @Bob_Medvetzhas shown me, is to edit the registry so that the drivers for the HASP dongle install correctly. You can see his posts on the ChiefTalk website. Please search Chief Architect version 10 on newer windows machines. The newer versions of Chief Architect are the best to use and I have CA X10. But much of my work like others was done in much older versions. So if you have a client from say twenty years ago and they want to add or remodel their home, you don’t have to start from scratch. Beware you need save older CA files via X8 to get older files to display more correctly in plan and in layouts. You will still have some editing to do but most of the model will be correct. Hope that helps others who are in a similar situation as us older users are.

well what fixed it? Curious peeps wanna know

I did it! Thank you!!!

Thanks for your reply! The main issue is that none of my walls are load-bearing. That is why I attempted to apply a single rule for headers (which I do not need) to all my walls, as there is currently no "Load bearing wall" option available for walls in the application. While there are workarounds, such as manually removing the "header" option for each opening, this core issue still exists within the app.

Hi, the download is safe becuase it is from an official Chief Architect website so I trust it. When I try to run it as an administrator it looks for another program to open it and provides a program list to choose from. I have tried dragging and dropping the update file right onto BH&G HP7 icon but all to no avail. I will put up another screenshot to show what is happening and what the update file type is. Maybe someone could help ? I have this software BH&G HDP7 running on new computer with XP pro on it. So if it doesn’t work on the newer machines, I am not that worried about it. But I like to try and see if it will run on windows 10 & 11 machines as well with a little help from other users. Edited: Problem solved now and it is indeed working on my newer windows machines. Thanks for the support.

can you post picture of PLAN with CROSS SECTION Camera location/lines

it is a WIN safety thing. might need to lower your security settings to allow you to download but it looks like it downloaded and is just giving you warning about opening it. what comes up when you click SEE MORE? If it downloaded click the download arrow button and OPEN FOLDER for downloads. then you can RUN/open file by right clicking on it and hit RUN AS ADMIN.. BUT make sure you trust it else an EXE file is an executable which if written by BAD guys can kill your computer or give you virus etc.

Hi Bob ! Thanks once again for your help. Here is a pic of the download message I get after downloading the BH&G HDP7 update.

Thank you! I will try. One of these is sure to work.

I am having a persistent issue using the Cross Section/Elevation tool in Home Designer Pro When attempting to create a cross-section on the second floor of my story-and-a-half house (specifically to measure knee wall heights), the tool fails to cut where I draw the line. No matter where I draw the cross-section line on the overhead 2D floor plan (along any axis/direction), the resulting 3D view is always an orthographic exterior elevation that is a cut through the forward-facing garage on the first floor. It will not generate an interior cross-section view of the walls or roof framing as intended.

This "DIY" subscription pricing CUTS ME OUT, after 26 years of shoveling tolerable amounts of money toward CA for a product that I just want to own, not one I need. I am truly DIY, not a contractor. I have been using this software since 1999 and have paid annual upgrades for many years. Why would any DIY buy this?? Over time I designed an addition to my house and a couple of renovations. I used it to arrange furniture in my gazabo. My wife and tried to design our dream home, but after time the kids grew up and moved away. I assumed that when we got serious and wanted to actually create construction drawings, I would either upgrade or find an architect that uses CA. (Now we see several really smart stock plans from builders available and they provide customization services_ Some years I don't even open it, or open up a plan just to get some measurements. Most of my use is to visualize moving my furniture around, adding shelves, etc. Recently, I roughly captured my daughter's house to brainstorm renovations with her and help with furniture purchases. 3D Home Architect WAS a DIY product, with a DIY price! My receipt below is April 1999: 3D Home Architect® Deluxe 3.0 Win9x CD $49.95 ($97.62 in today's dollars). With all upgrades over time I have spent about $550... just to have this DIY designer. I bought many of my annual upgrades are just to make Home Designer Suite perform better, do 3D better, to support Windows 7, 10 and 11, or to avoid the bigger cost to re-purchase if I didn't upgrade. The price was low enough for me to just do it. It was annoying at times, but I just wanted to be able to use it on my new computers and open old files. A quick review shows I have spent almost Home Designer is not really a DIY product anymore, it has enough to market professional services, yet as I read, it seems that it is just a frustrating version of Chief Architect. Now you are pricing it for small shop professionals. If I was a small shop pro making money on the 2025 perpetual license, I would just do it, without upgrading ever. It really seems like CA is killing a market segment, instead of creating one that pulls users toward the higher priced versions when they need it.

Just realized that 2026 is a subscription. I have both cancelled my 2026 subscription and guess I will be using 2025 until its not viable anymore. I have also sent an email to the sales dept expressing my disappointment with what I believe to be a short sighted decision to move to a subscription revenue model. It's not about the money, it's entirely about putting access to my work product in the hands of a 3rd party that can decide at any time to cut me off. I've started moving away from adobe, Microsoft and any other software project that is a subscription only offering. I don't rent tools!

Can you post a screen shot of the error message?

No this is ancient because it goes back to CAV10. (Better Homes & Gardens) BH&G HDP7 is based on CAV10. About 20 years ago lol. . I do have HDP 2025 though, the last perpetual version. I can get CAV10.08b working on these newer machines as of today with help from other users and with the old red HASP dongle key. I was trying to find out if I can do the same with BH&G HDP7 that also has an old red HASP dongle included with it ? X17 in reality is version 27 of Chief Architect as you may know ?

have you checked for each door/opening under the FRAMING tab what the headers are set at? Why would you set them @ 3.5" Depth (height) or width? for a load bearing wall the depth depends on the opening free span and if your door width is less than or equal to 49" you should get 3.5" which i see it drawn in your framing picture. But you want to leave that default table set as when you purchased software as it pretty much goes by the Lumber tables for header sizing. Remember headers are for Doors, windows and any other wall opening and meant for load bearing walls but framing crews will fit them on all wall openings even those not load bearing since it is just what they do and know and play it safe for little money. you would not want a 2x4 going across an opening of 10ft with a hip roof load on top....

Pro 7? never heard of that version Latest is subscription based titled HD 2026 one before that was HD 2025 etc based on year it. OR do you mean Chief Architect X17?

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone here was able to use Home Designer Pro 7 on a newer Windows PC like windows 10 or 11 ? I have installed the program from the disks and have downloaded the program updates but I am having difficulties in installing the program updates. I get a red triangle on the download with an exclamation ⚠️ mark on it, asking if I trust the download before opening it. Of course I trust it becuase it is an official download from CAHD site. I have dragged and dropped the files onto HDP7 but they do not install. How do I get these updates to install on a newer windows PC with either windows 10 or 11 ?

Hi, I am currently working with Home Designer Pro 2025 and encountering an issue when attempting to globally change door header sizes. I am trying to change all my door headers to 3 1/2". I navigate to *Build Framing -> Framing defaults -> Openings* and set all Header size depths to 3 1/2", then click OK, and either perform an automatic or manual rebuild of the framing. However, no change occurs, and all headers retain their original sizes. Deleting all framing via *Edit -> Objects* and rebuilding also does not resolve the issue. It appears the rebuild framing function may be pulling values from another default setting. While I am manually changing all my headers to 3 1/2" in the framing view, I am still incorrectly getting 2x6 headers listed in the Materials list. Could you please provide suggestions on how to resolve this? I prefer not to use a different version, as this version contains framing defaults that should be functional. Thank you for your help. Best regards, Alexander

As I said, that line had nothing to do with the camera that was present during the screen shot. It was there before I created that camera view, and when I closed the camera, the line was still there. The line was created when I did the plan check to restore the living area text to the new rooms on that floor. Which is why the line points to the region between the two new rooms (the library and the hall / stairwell at the top). It is like it made the line to point to the living area the text was in reference to. I don't mind that in practice, but the fact I couldn't select just the line to modifiy it / move it when I moved the living area text is a bug IMO. Anyway, as I previously posted, I managed to remove the line by selecting a larger region and de-selecting most of the other items before cutting. Then I just had to put the missing items back. Easy fix, but annoying.

Yes, there was one. The one in question looks like it has a "V" in it, which is why I suggested there was a vector view camera active somewhere in the plan. Possibly saved from when a view was sent to layout page or something. Posting the plan often helps more than playing guessing games. Anyway, good luck with it

In that screen shot I did have an active camera, but even without the camera the line remains. And like I said, I cannot select it or anything to delete it or modify it. I finally got rid of it by selecting the area, deselecting most other things, and then cutting. I had to put the other things back but it wasn't too bad.

Looks like you have a vector view camera active or saved in that are, which is giving you the line

Update to the plans changed the rooflines and they are ALMOST perfect except this one frackin wall! I have a balcony wall and for some reason the roofline next to it makes a peak to intersect it. I've tried changing the interior-exterior options, removed the gable ends, adjusted every interior wall, etc. but nothing fixes this. It should be a simple roofline with gables at both ends.... Any help? This is the final piece as the layout is 100% done finally, but this roofline issue is driving me nuts.

So, I was going through the plan check to re-create my missing living area texts and this strange polyline showed up... I can't select it, move it, delete it, or anything. Even if I hide the living area texts (either by deleting them or turning the feature off), it still remains! Anyone? Bueller? Bueller...?