Eric and Dave,
You sent me down the right track. I found a HD Pro training video regarding creating a custom template .PLAN file and saving it in the \Templates sub-folder under the Home Designer Pro 2015 Data folder.
The idea, as you probably well know, is to create an empty .PLAN file that contains all the my customizations and new defaults including new Wall Types.
To use this template, I would start HD Pro, select Open Plan, navigate to the \Templates sub-folder and select my custom template .PLAN file. The video also recommended immediately saving my plan under a new name to avoid adding drawing content or changing any of my new default and/or custome settings.
I wanted to see if I could add my new Template to the drop down list of standard templates.
I played around a bit more in the \Templates sub-folder and opened the “Home Style Templates.DAT” file with Windows Notepad. This file is a flat text file with rows of info corresponding to each of the eight Home Style Template choices.
There are four fields in each row separated by semicolons. Each row contains 1) the file name for each template.PLAN file, 2) the drop down menu listing for this template entry, 3) a .JPG file containing the image that displays to the right, and 4)a blurb of text that briefly displays describing the style template.
I created a LogCabin1.PLAN template file that contained my custom wall type definitions. I stashed this file in the \Templates sub-folder.
I added the following line as a new entry in the “Home Style Templates.DAT” file:
LogCabin1.plan;Log Cabin 1;Null.jpg;Log Cabin 1 - Log cabin with 8, 10, and 12 inch log walls.
Now when I start up HD Pro and select New Plan, I get the Choose Template dialog box. My “Log Cabin 1” new template shows up in the drop down box under “Home Style Templates”, and when I cursor down to it, I see my description blurb show up at the bottom.
When I select OK, HD Pro opens and I can see my customized wall types.
I don’t think I screwed up anything, but kept a copy of the original .DAT file just in case.
Hope this info helps others. Thanks again for getting me pointed in the right direction.
John