DavidJPotter

Additional helpful Videos by Dan Baumann (He helped to teach me how to use Chief Architect): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7FbMhMjt-E and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bgGeOyqQug DJP

My general advice is to take more personal responsibility for computers specifically. To do otherwise is to place your life in the hands of others and others opinions. Learn about computers for yourself, even if only so you exercise better judgement as to what you do and who helps you do it. Learn how the different hardware components work together to produce a computer experience. Get special nomenclature defined so when you read an technical article you then understand what is being communicated. When something goes wrong while using your computer you are better prepared as to what to do and why it is happening. Computer repair persons commonly charge over $100.00+ per hour, the smarter you become the more money you can save and minimize the amount of lost time due to problems. It is time well spent! DJP

Brad, I learned how to use Chief Architect Premier back in 1995 while supporting a family. I started with a program then called "3D Home Architect" (a forerunner of Home Designer). I was never sorry I did, I also love working with Chief Premier and Home Designer Software as a profession. I started out as merely a remodeling sales designer, then chief designer, then started my own drafting business in 1999. When younger I was a sub contractor and punch out Man, then Construction Supervisor. Chief Premier is rather expensive compared to Home Designer Pro but you are also buying every possible tool and choice to support and implement professional 3D modeling and plan production. Chief Architect Premier has helped me have something that I love to do and make a good living while doing so. The software does nothing by itself, it must be learned to be of any use to anyone. It is worth the trouble, just be honest with yourself and your own intentions towards it. DJP

TS, That is goofy and unwanted behavior, no matter who you are or what you use. Please contact Tech Support and discuss this with them. They will get you up and running in most cases, unless your PC does not meet published minimum requirements. DJP

Suite has "Edit Area" but no other choices or variations, just edit area. But the point is that this is only a starting point UNLESS all buildings in your plan are exactly the same topographical height (their floor levels match in other words), which is rarely the case in the "real world". It is more usual for adjacent buildings to be higher or lower than their neighbors. So "Edit Area" would only be valid in the unusual case where all buildings are exactly the same topographical height. It might be easier to just draw the buildings all in the same plan and then adjust their topographical heights to themselves, Like I said in my earlier posts, you plan it out and think it through and then draw what you planned out. I have done this many times so it is not just "what I think works", rather it is how it is best done, no matter what software you have and use. DJP

Eric is correct, use the "Glass House" render camera and technique which also comes with a dialog to adjust the degree of "Transparency", you will find it under "Render Techniques" DJP

On the Catalog and Downloads web page it states which titles of Home Designer each library will be useful to, check and see if you downloaded some libraries that are "Home Designer Pro Only" (there are some), even if you download and install them, if they are not intended for your title they will not appear in the Library Browser, just check to see which ones are for you and which are not. DJP

Your choices are rather limited if you have a laptop, just due to space concerns. Check with HP to see if they offer any video card upgrades, if they do not then a new laptop or desktop will be in the offing. Get authoritative advice before giving in. DJP

Edit - Default Settings - Cabinet Defaults - Base and wall cabinet defaults - Materials tab - backsplash DJP

I tried to do what you said in Suite and in Architectural with no success, I do know that if you had Home Designer Pro and a few additional steps, you would be able to do what you wanted to do, just not in Suite or Architectural or Essentials. I am sorry but often is the case that you only get what you pay for. DJP

Open the symbol in Sketch Up and then rotate the symbol, save and then re-import. DJP

It would also help to know what kind of printing you are ordering ("Print Image" or what exactly you did that then got unwanted results). What printer are you using? Have you checked the ink levels recently? More detailed data will help us, help you. DJP

Here is a short You Tube Video demonstrating the use of the "Centering Tool" in Architectural 2015: http://youtu.be/LjaYIPhsv1E DJP

2015 titles have a feature that shows where bad wall connections are (there should be a "circle" where your bad wall junctions are and you should have a "circle" attached to your cursor until they are fixed (by you). This feature can be turned off but is on by default unless you changed that setting ( Edit - Preferences - Architectural - Wall - Circle Unconnected Wall Ends). so if you turned that off, it is harder to find bad wall connections. If that is not "it" then posting a copy of your plan will help us help you. DJP

I agree with Mick, a copy of your plan will lead directly to useful answers, otherwise we and you have to guess and hope for the best. If your Floor defaults (Edit - Default Settings - Floor - Structure Tab - Ceiling Height") is set to a zero height value then nothing would show in any camera views worth mentioning. Another simple but more common error is that "Fences" can be visible in "Plan View" in that "Display Options" but unchecked (turned off) in any camera view (each instance: plan view, full camera views, elevation-cross section camera views, floor camera views) each one has its OWN "Display Options" that controls what you see or don't see per unit of time. It is under your control and choice. DJP

Chief Architect X6 comes with several ICF wall types by default. Are you sure you have Chief Architect X6? Default wall types in X6 are found under "Edit - Default Settings - Wall - Exterior Wall Drop down" and you can create custom wall types or edit existing ones to suit your building needs. Home Designer Pro 2015 has one default ICF wall but like Premier any wall type can be edited-altered to emulate what you need. Take another careful look please. DJP

In Architectural you can also just use the "Hatch Wall" tool which will change the walls you use it on to a black and white hatch appearance. Also you can take a wall type that you were not otherwise using in the plan and alter it to look like an "Interior 4" wall" but with a different fill type to designate "Load Bearing Walls" so at least you could show that in a plan view. Either method will work but will not influence auto framing. In Home Designer Pro you additionally have a "Bearing Wall" tool that you can use to mark walls as "bearing" and then when framing is built the ceiling/floor joists with then "break" -bear on those so designated walls, the same tool exists in Premier DJP

You need to download and learn Trimble Sketch Up, once learned you can make custom objects and symbols for import into Home Designer Pro (I am sure you already know you can download shared symbols and objects at 3D Warehouse as well). With some study, practice, trial and error you can get good with the free version. A second way to emulate custom objects is by way of custom created texture files (images) that you make in an image editor like Photo Shop or Paint Shop Pro and then apply that to a 3D face of a custom object in Home Designer. More complete freedom in terms of custom objects can be more easily had by way of Chief Architect Premier, in terms of greater control when dealing with such custom constructs. Just buying the software is just the starting point, ahead lies a lot of hard study and work to arrive. DJP

I did a short You Tube Tutorial Video about what I think you want to do: http://youtu.be/pBp65Z2lMFM DJP

Your Architectural 2014 is fully capable of sharing in ".dxf" format right now with anyone who uses AutoCAD (Most Structural Engineers use AutoCAD). For plan views you just export that and for each elevation (North, South, East West) you create an elevation camera view and then export each of those (4 usually). and then anyone can then know what you want to do, it saves a lot of time and work thereby. DJP

Here is information about "Settings" including "Signature" : https://hometalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?app=core&module=help If you want to add "notes" just create a "Text" object and type, you will thereafter get the hang of what works and what does not. DJP

Something is amiss, you should call and speak to Tech Support so that you can understand what is wrong and find out what needs to happen for you to be happy. DJP

Your software should include a "Curved Railing Tool", if it does not, then you may have to upgrade to something that does, what DO you have currently? Take a look for that tool. DJP

You can make one from a resized cabinet and a little creative thinking. You can make one from resized soffits or custom slabs also. DJP

If the majority of your ceiling heights are to be a figure, you set that as your default "Ceiling Height" in "Edit - Default Settings- Floor-Structure Tab - Ceiling Height". That is the most usual way to control how tall walls get. Once you have your rooms created and after your build roofs, you can then turn off "Auto Build Roofs" and once done you can then easily order selectively which rooms are to be 15' and which have a lowered ceiling of 10'. DJP