DavidJPotter

https://roomplannersoftware.com/help/sharing.html Here is a link to the original article about Room Planner DJP

Share a copy of your plan here so others can look and then report what was found please. DJP

I suggest you call Tech Support, I have used these people's products since 1994 and was never once failed to get satisfaction Please try again. DJP

If you have first floor walls in an area that is clerestory, the software will automatically fill in the second floor walls above such spaces unless you set the first floor space to "No Ceiling above this Room" on it Room Specification Dialog- Structure Tab. When you try to delete such walls they of course come back with an error message, so take this as a lesson learned. DJP

Not really, when you use third party symbols and objects you must also provide light sources and apparent wiring using 2D CAD, only symbols programmed by Chief Architect Inc have built in utility, third party symbols are useful but are mainly for show. DJP

The software does not do this kind of thing, rather you use its tools to emulate what you wish. Columns can be emulated using soffits (cabinet tools) or custom poly-line slabs. This can easily be done in Home Designer Pro and Chief Architect Premier and to a degree in Home Designer Architectural. Home Designer and Chief Architect are basically 3D modeling programs but also have sufficient 2D CAD tools to create 2D details that can portray most building methods. You learn how to use its tools and then you draw and emulate-annotate what you wish. There is no "button" to push or dialog to use, rather you just emulate what is required with 3D, 2D CAD tools and Annotations, the trick is merely know what the objects are supposed to look like and you then go about creating that look using custom slabs etc. You do it, not the software per se. DJP

In terms of switches, you can add the "3" and "4" by a standard switch so it then appears to be a three or four way switch. For non-Home Designer electric and lighting objects one can use 2D CAD arc's to connect such items, light fixtures will not emit light by default either so you must add a light source for those and adjust those manually as to location and intensity.. DJP

That page number symbol only works in Chief Premier where the layout file has 1,000 blank pages. In Home Designer Pro you manually number each page (layout file), I commonly name them : plan.layout, elevations.layout, electrical.layout etc. it is a little more work compared to Premier but for a lot less money. DJP

Here is a You Tube video of me looking over your files (thank you for sharing them!): https://youtu.be/zkTyuvSQags DJP

At first, I thought the grid lines were caused by the Page Set Up dialog (paper size of your printer might be set to a smaller size than your Drawing Sheet) but I could not duplicate your outcome on my copy of Pro 2014 (I did not get nor could I reproduce the grey gird lines in plan or layout views). So I am at a loss to explain the phenomena you are getting, since I cannot reproduce it. The view label can be manually moved as to its location or turned off or edited via the "Label Tab" for each view sent to layout. Can you share a copy of your plan and layout file so others can see if your unwanted results repeat on other machines? DJP

I fully agree with Keith in that, in terms of windows there is little you cannot emulate just using the Window Specification Dialog in Home Designer Pro. DJP

I rarely ever use that tool, it does have its uses but I like to keep my elevation data simple, using mainly splines and elevation lines. I avoid using elevation points because they are often hard to find and edit after placing them. Terrain modulation takes practice and patience to do (make a change and then view using camera tools to evaluate the changes made, one change at a time. I expect you will want to delete the joined elevation objects and start over and then just use elevation lines and splines with occasional "Flat Area" objects. DJP

The key is having your "Default Settings - Floor - Ceiling Heights" set correctly and then Wall Dialog box-Roof Tab settings to guide the roof generator to the roof system you want. DJP

I am not sure what you are talking about. What software program are you using? What precise tools are you describing the use of? I could guess but I had rather not guess. DJP

Convert the DWG file to a dxf file, then import that converted file and then trace over its contours using Terrain Elevation objects and a terrain plane in Suite. It is unnecessary to duplicate each and every elevation point or line as this tend to make such a complicated terrain object that most PC's and Mac's cannot easily display. Keep it as simple as possible, a gradient change of elevation is created between cogently laid out elevation lines and splines. DJP

Imports are dependant upon the competence of the person who exported the dxf file. In AutoCAD you can export views from "Model Space" where the drawing is at "real world scale" (1' = 1') but an AutoCAD or other application can also export from "Paper Space", similar to Home Designer Pro's layout where the real world scaled objects shown in plan view are scaled down to fit a particular paper size. In Home Designer Pro you have the "Transform Replicate Object" dialog tool for precisely changing the size of a selected object (Resize input box). this can be used on dxf files, image files to precisely upsize or down size objects as you require. You upsize or downsize and then check with dimension tools as a quality control of your resizing, I do it all the time. DJP

That is a baseboard extending from that 45 degree corner. You can turn off moldings in that room to handle or repair the 45 degree wall corners that are allowing the baseboard bleed through. DJP

You are welcome to your opinions always. My opinion based on using this software since 1994 is that it works exactly as it was designed to work. New users often guess too much as opposed to actual study followed by practice and thus get unexpected-unwanted results. It is only Human to blame another source for one's lack of responsibilities and lack of competence. I would recommend competence over "rightness" but it is your choice to make. DJP

You can also simply place a wall cabinet of your choice and make it an 1" thick and place it where ever you like. DJP

You create a ".layout file" for each intended printed page (ten pages = 10 layout files). DJP

Home Designer used to offer a program called "Picture Painter" where you could select and alter parts of the photo using a library of materials. They discontinued making the application several years ago, sorry. I am not sure if there are any other similar applications being created and sold for substitutes. DJP

Here is a short You Tube tutorial about the stair dialog in Suite: https://youtu.be/iPAi4w6QqaM DJP

Yes, but you are better served to create the terrain inside the plan file that you also have created your structure. It is often asked if one turns the structure to fit or orient to the terrain, this is a bad idea and leads to other unwanted and hard to handle problems. You always orient the terrain to the structure, leaving it in the plan view "North is upscreen" orientation, the terrain and elevation objects are rotated as necessary in relation to the structure, a magnetic North Pointer can be added to point at any angle necessary to indicate true magnetic North in relation to the structure. When you copy paste terrain elevation data and a terrain plane, it must be reconverted (after being copied) into a Terrain Plane in the new plan file. In my opinion it is a waste of time and merely makes it easier to allow mistakes to enter into the process. You can and I am sure you will do as you think best, I am merely sharing my opinion based upon using this software since 1994, you are free to find out for yourself what is and is not workable. DJP

Here is a short You Tube video done in Pro 2014 doing these jobs: https://youtu.be/OFZlotfdYlQ DJP

https://youtu.be/vwKOBPYGSPQ Additional thoughts about this design. Detach the garages from the house. Unless your son has no intention of ever reselling this home, it needs to be redesigned for resale in mind and not so ultra specialized design that no one but your son would like. Unless your son is made of money so sanity must also be applied with the future in mind. Build a free standing barn for the equipment and not as a growth on the home. DJP