DavidJPotter

If you had Chief Premier it has native tools to make such manual objects called "3D Solids". In Home Designer software you best friend will be Sketch Up online software. They have a free version you can sign for and use online to create custom objects for export , download and then import in to Pro as a symbol using the Sketch Up file name .skp which will import as a symbol into pro to be added to your Library Browser. They also have a library of symbols made by Sketch Up users for searching and download. Just make sure that the objects dimensions are accurately applied while making it so you will only then have to adjust it once imported, DJP

I feel you but actually the software is merely a robot or a machine that only does what you tell it to do, otherwise it just creates as it was preset and used by new users. I suggest that you set about to read, bit by bit in small study sessions your "User's Manual" which contains most of what you need to know about the software and how to get it to a particular product. It has certain preprogrammed routines but the software is NOT smart, it has no judgement or intelligence. Through study, practice and perseverance over time your competence will grow to a point where you just create. DJP

Procedure is the same in Pro as Premier. DJP

Tips and Tricks is where you post smart stuff that helps others. Asking questions you post in "Questions and Anwsers" area. And DJP

Strip or Rope lighting does not exist in Home Designer Products presently. It does exist in Chief Architect Premier software. I called Tech Support to verify this in case I had missed it with my own research. What one could do as a work-around is to create a custom slab with dimensions of 3/4" X 3/4" by the required length and then manually locate it and assign it "Electric Lighting White" so in camera views it appears to glow. One gets what one pays for. DJP

DJP

Object behaviors are controlled by way of their settings within the Specification Dialogs, this includes the "3D spaces" of rooms: Structure Tab: Ceiling Height, Floor Height. The walls used form the exterior of such spaces. If all walls of a room are properly connected one can, while in a plan (2D) window select a room or space enclosed by walls and when you left-click-select such a space whether in plan view or a camera view should allow you to access its dialog box in either mode. DJP

Zip it "plan files only" and see if that helps. DJP

What, exactly did you do? DJP

Delete the lights and then place them again in a new unit of time. When I set up for a vaulted ceiling first, my pendant lights hung perpendicular to the floor as espected. DJP

Dimensions have dimension points between which they measure distances. You can preprogram such intended dimension points and you can manually move them where and as you wish. DJP

Edit - Default Settings - Floors and Rooms - Floor One - Structure Tab - Uncheck "Ceiling over this room" to eliminate the flat ceilings to then have a common rafter vault situation. If you simply wish to have a single room with a common rafter vault just open that room's Specification Dialog - Structure Tab and there turn off that room's "Flat Ceiling Over this room" check box. DJP

I assume that you have Home Designer Pro, so what you can do is to manually edit the roof planes and wall polylines to get close to your desired look. There are tools in Pro sufficient to get this done but ONLY you and your persistence and competence will cause it to happen. DJP

I cannot tell from what you posted what you wish the outcome to look like. Chief Premier has what you want (a wall cap tab in the wall specification dialog) but Home Designer Pro does not. However you can use a soffit, reshaped and located to emulate what you are after or perhaps a custom slab. Also soffits can have molding profiles applied to them to add more creative choices. What you came up with is quite creative as well. DJP

Whoever does then plans will need from you: 1. The site plan of your intended building site showing its property lines, set backs and easements. Depending upon where in Texas the house is to be built you may also need to engage a State Licensed Structural Engineer to design the foundation and to call out structural elements. What you need is an Architectural Draftsperson, Architects generally will not take an others design and work it into plans, rather they tend to like to be more in control from start to finish. Being an Architect, in Texas they can design foundations up to around 2K SF, past that you will need an Engineer. Whoever you go with will need to know what version of Home Design you have (2023, 2022, 2021 etc.) Once I know more about your project I can then give you a reasonable estimate. DJP

To underline Eric's advice the software is preprogrammed to do what it does but that DOES NOT MEAN that it is or will become programmed to support what you wish to do. That you, as Eric said, have to step in and treat the software like you would a sophisticated wrench or other tool. It is a robot that requires YOUR orders and settings to perform. DJP

The way to avoid problems is to have ALL Default Settings and other settings correct before creating the model (.plan file). But that knowledge takes time to obtain. My best advice is to start and end with looking for settings that are "wrong" that cause visual anomalies, fix those and then manually fix the wall polyline and other visual problems. Just start with Default Settings, per floor and then out from there. DJP

The upper room names are not just names in the dialog rather they are programming commands that directly effect the room so named as you have seen. Proper naming of spaces is a fundamental place to start along with Default Settings catagories. DJP

Name it a "Balcony" then. DJP

Your attached document is too small to communicate anything useful, sorry. DJP

I commonly use a drawer and resize it to the full height of the base cabinet and then using the Door-Drawer tab - Drawer Handel controls to place a center drawer pull and using the "Distance from Top" input box to determine its height on the cabinet. As far as I know there is no such thing as a "Trash Pull-out" cabinet, but only powered trash compactor symbols. DJP

They are to be found in the Library Browser - Architeectural - Fences and Railings - Gates, have a look please. DJP

Using the "break line" tool you can make them appear to join, let that be good enough visually. DJP

Commonly when I do a remodeling project I first make a relationally correct copy of the home as it is, the save-as a copy for use of adding the proposed remodeling or additions. DJP

Jeff, my main point is that although they look the same, they are not the same in function. I have seen many posts here and elsewhere by confused users who simply do not know this datum. I think pointing it out is enough, to get people to look and think. DJP