DavidJPotter

Call and sort this out with Chief Architect Sales. They will help you. DJP

Like a lot of things in this software getting the right Default Settings is the Key. You can just look for the sections in the Reference Manual that cover foundation defaults and your "Main Layer" in your exterior walls must match the setting in your Foundation walls. I assume currently that they are not set in agreement with each other. DJP

You will have to upgrade to Chief Premier to have that ability. Home Designer does not have that capability. I suppose if you were really intent to have that, you would have to make the crown mold object at the correct angle in Sketch Up and then import that custom object into your software. DJP

you need to reprogram your image via its dialog: on the Texture tab of that image you check mark "stretch to fit" that way it should as you resize it then display just a single instance of the image. DJP

I would suggest that you do not use the material eyedropper. Instead I would open the dialog box of the intended wall only, go to its "Materials Tab" where you will find a setting for the exterior wall or interior wall. That is the recommended way to do this. The eyedropper has four "Modes of Use" and it sounds like you used the "Room Mode" instead of the Component Mode which would have achieved your objective. Finding out how to find and use tools is in detail described in your "Reference Manual". Until you are willing to really understand how to use your software it will remain "mysterious". The answer is to make yourself provide and use time for detailed study and practice only if you are willing. DJP

I favor in Pro setting up my plan views one at a time. One layer set up for structural plan view. Then send to layout and print to PDF. Then arranging my layers on and off for an Electric plan view per floor, sending to layout and then printing a layout for each floor with that set of layers on or off as is appropriate and then print to PDF. When you use just one .plan file you only have one plan to edit if your client wants to make changes. Otherwise if you go the multiple plan route as Elovia suggests then you have multiple plan files to edit so they all agree with the new edits. DJP

I am sorry I attempted to make two videos, one of step by step how I created the attached file and then a second video speaking of the steps necessary to do what I did. This example contains a lot of guesses due to you not providing essential facts but I hope it does help you. DJP Debbie447.plan

One other thing about layers is that there is a "Display Options" dialog for Plan views, and each different camera views. There is not one for all views but rather there are several different ones that control what shows (is visible) or not. DJP

I rather doubt it. Such features as custom layers, layer control etc exist in Chief Premier already and for many years. If you really require the best, most full featured Architectural software then Premier is what you should acquire. I am not being mean spirited, it is merely a fact. DJP

Take a look at this video of me working on your plan, it still need a lot of adjusting and editing. The main problem is a lack of data and views of the intended house: DJP

One should also look at the "Roof Styles" tab of the "Build Roof Dialog" where tutorials exist for each roof type. DJP

You can make a copy of your plan and remove unnecessary objects (Not walls, windows or doors, invisible walls or interior walls). You can remove all furniture, fixtures and cabinets so as to lighten the file and have enough of it to address the roof issues you are having. or you can open a free Dropbox account, upload your file as it to a folder you make in dropbox and then post a link here to that folder, either way will work. DJP

I assume that you have Pro so what you need to now do is build framing. DJP

In Premier but not any Home Designer title. DJP

Here is a short You Tube video with a solution to your problem: The auto roof generator has its limitations, so to get past those limitations you manually edit as I have done. David

What software do you have specifically? You might post a copy of your plane file and a picture or sketch of your existing home. DJP

"Designer 2014" communicates absolutely nothing, you have Essentials 2014, Suite 2014 , Architectural 2014, Interior Designer 2014 or HD Pro 2014. In most of those titles you can do what you want by default, what do you have exactly? DJP

You would first have to lean how to create a custom pattern file (.pat) and then learn where to place it in .my documents/your software's name. I have written .pat files and I do not recommend wasting such time for so little return. You might try creating a room poly line manually and see if your options increase but then you forever after have that poly line to deal with. DJP

IMHO plans are graphic communications. No carpenter worth the name is going to make those walls smoothly transition and what I see in your image can only slightly be improved. Your plan file is a communication, not the Ten Commandments, get it as close as you can and then move of. If you want it perfect for camera views then you have to pay in terms of extra time. DJP

I searched for a Knowledge Base Help article and found nothing pertinent. I searched my own videos with the same result. You can try these simple procedures: slightly move the dormer up and down using your arrow keys set to a one inch increment. Slightly change the roof pitch of the dormer and or main roof. What I mainly do myself is to once I have the dormer located where I want it I "explode" the Dormer from its initial condition as basically a symbol to individual pieces (three visible walls, one invisible wall, two roof planes and "Hole in the roof poly line") so I can then edit the offending walls manually using an elevation camera. That way you can reshape the wall's shape. This takes patience but is a potential solution. Sometimes the Hole in the Roof Poly Line needs a slight adjustment (the purpose of such a poly line is to cut through the roof making a hole in the roof for the dormer to rest upon, often times certain walls come in marked "roof cuts wall at bottom" in which case the poly line hole will be located to the inner edge of walls so marked. I such a case you might need to adjust the poly line to reveal more side walls. DLP

There are two things you need to check: 1. Edit-Preferences-Toolbars and 2. Tools- customize Toolbars- configurations-switch to (probably default configuration Then reboot your HD software. Helpful Knowledge Base articles: https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00113/restoring-toolbars.html https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00467/troubleshooting-missing-toolbars.html DJP

Set Framing-rafters FIRST before building your roofs. Generally speaking setting all pertinent defaults is the ONLY way to go, saving you hours of grief. DJP

You have two choices: 1. You can make the driveway object a little thicker via is dialog or 2. and this is what I usually do, I raise or lower the terrain plane so the driveway object aligns with the terrain plane. I usually do that as soon as I create the terrain plane. Adjusting the terrain elevations is then done. DJP

I would (if I wanted a gradual slope) add several elevation lines progressively lower, one to another to smooth the driveway out, Placing them one at a time and checking each change with an overview camera to evaluate each change to an acceptable change. DJP

https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-01095/home-designer-minimum-system-requirements.html But do keep in mind that minimum requirements only deliver minimum performance, that is why I spend a little more when I buy a new laptop to get the best performance I can afford. I require a separate video card that does not share RAM with the Laptop, it has its own dedicated video RAM. DJP