DavidJPotter

Share the plan and post some images of what you have and perhaps what you expected, hoped for. Too many unknowns to make any useful guesses. Helpers need to fully understand what you wish as an outcome in order to help. DJP

Commonly you create a Terrain Plane and then set its relationship to the structure using the "Building Pad" input box to raise of lower it relative to the level of the house. Then it is easy to auto-create stairs based upon that relationship. Outside, stairs auto-seek out the surface of the Terrain Plane, once created and located. DJP

I am getting different results in Chief Premier X13 and HD Pro 2022 (My dialog opens just as expected for me). You should call Tech Support for help, you are probably just missing a basic step to obtain that kind of control. DJP

Using the instructions available in the "Build Roof Dialog - Roof Styles Tab" on how to set up for automatic roof generation for detailed help. You mark where you wish to have "Full Gable Walls" where each gable is to appear in their "Wall Specification Dialog - Roof Tab - Full Gable Wall" and then command that roofs are to be built using those instructions. When the settings are correct, the results will also be correct. DJP

There is no place to mark walls as "Load Bearing" in the Wall Specification Dialog. There is a tool called "Bearing Line" tool found under "Build - Framing - Bearing Line tool" for manually marking "Load bearing" walls, so when framing is actually built, the ceiling joists will then "Break" over walls designated as "Load Bearing" using the "Bearing Line tool". DJP

If one does their job as a draftsperson/designer then it becomes the full responsibility of the Structural Engineer of record, the General Contractor, Sub Contractors, Inspectors and Owner of the property. It is a dynamic group process of creativity. DJP

It is easier to just draw the first floor on "Floor 1" and then draw the second floor on "Floor 2", the foundation or basement goes on "Floor Zero" but an existing plan file can be sorted out (rearranging the floors on different levels within the plan file. BUT this needs to be done carefully and deliberately and you create a copy of your plan BEFORE you start to try to rearrange the floors. You create a blank plan, set the defaults properly for the first floor, then in your copied plan you use the "Edit Area" tool to select the floor you now wish to be the first floor and then copy-paste your other floor into the blank first floor of your target plan file. Then i your plan that now has its first floor in place you use "Edit Area" tool to select your target second floor using "copy-paste- paste hold position" into your new plan, so the are properly stacked, floor to floor. You can use the "Reference Display" to make sure all walls are properly aligned, floor to floor. You repeat this until you have all of your floors properly arranged, floor to floor, walls aligned and so forth. A VERY SCARY JOB for a new user indeed!!! DJP

Study these articles at the Home Designer website please. DJP

Yes, the software has always been backwards compatible but old versions CANNOT open plan files created in newer versions. This has always been the case. DJP

To "finalize" your plan it must meet the requirements of your local Permit Authority as well as State and Local legal requirements for New Homes. I and others can straighten up the plan and layouts but you MUST also find out from your local permit authority what their requirements are for plans submitting and then do what those requirements indicate. You may need to share the plans with a local, State Licensed Structural engineer so they can design the foundation plan and any other structural advice or requirements needed to adhere to local building laws and policies. Find out for yourself what those requirements are locally, most permit authorities have websites that can be searched or an office with personnel who will advise you. I can help with the purely Architectural plans but not the structural. DJP

That is do-able but hard to describe just using this forum. It takes several precise actions to pull off successfully. I have done it successfully doing apartments, duplexes etc. I suggest you make a copy of your existing plan and then experiment combining, reversing and combining your structures and if you mess up, you can start over with the original plan file (you probably will make some rookie errors (anyone would), so keep a back up to fall back on. DJP

The "Floor Camera" you were using only shows the floor on which the camera was created, it will not ever show the stairs as it was programmed to do. Use instead the "Full Camera" which is programmed to show the entire model from the viewpoint you choose by "left-clicking". DJP

In thirty years of professional drafting, I have seldom added plumbing lines, fresh water, hot water and waste water. The fact is plumbers in every state are required to be "State Licensed" and thus they know how to plumb without my assistance. I have seen plan sets that included such data but they were drawn by State Licensed Engineers (Mechanical, Electric and Civil). Since you and i are not trained professionals, I recommend you leave that job to those trained to it. DJP

." Do I have to use CAD to show it?" That is the way everyone else does it and you would put the drain lines on the floor level they are to exist like everyone else, it IS called Architectural drafting. DJP

Whatever you are using, use a "Terrain Feature" instead of a "Sidewalk Feature", only the "Terrain Feature" can be flared or custom shaped in any title or version, but especially Home Designer. DJP

Just keep in mind that when the Tech Support people look a copy of your plan they will be using their more modern, up to date computers and not YOUR computer (which may be why you are having the problem you ARE having), they cannot address the problem like you are seeing it due to the different hardware involved on each computer which IS a variable in terms of outcome. DJP

Here are some articles and videos on "PBR" at the Home Designer website: Search the Home Designer Website (homedesignersoftware.com) With my new computer (see signature) I often now just Ray Trace since it is lightening fast using Chief Premier. I probably like you have found PBR to be a "dice roll" in that sometimes it works and sometimes not. Since it is fast I often try it first. It is very sensitive to light, material and light settings, especially "Sun" settings and backdrop. DJP

The software is programmed to present an "error message" when materials become "missing", in your shared images above I saw NO evidence that ANYTHING was missing or out of place. Can you be more specific as to how the materials are "missing" please? DJP

Yes, but is not a good idea to do so. Maintaining the "North/South" of your plan view will serve you better than turning it at an angle. That is what the magnetic "North Pointer" tool is for, so you don't then need to turn the structure, you turn, instead a "North Pointer" instead indicating magnetic North relative to the structure. DJP

Search the Home Designer Website (homedesignersoftware.com) take a look at these help articles on your subject of interest, please. DJP

Working with software that is pre-programmed to work as it works then causes one to have to do what is required to graphically display, in detail what one wants. In terms of the unwanted wall connections you can, as in AutoCAD just add 2D fill and other 2D CAD objects over such junctions to make them appear exactly as you visually wish. The 3D is mainly for exterior elevations, interior wall cabinet elevations, 3D views and renderings. For purely structural views I mainly use plan views with CAD overlays and cross section views with added 2D CAD overlays to spruce up what the software does naturally. Like Eric said above, more specific help can be offered once we know exactly what software you are using; needing help with. Also providing a copy of your problem plan file is also VERY helpful. DJP

I would use a custom slab object to emulate the level pool because terrain features follow the terrain and a pond is not sloped like the tilted gradient of a sloped terrain would be. The pool area is level in order to hold water, thus my choice of using a custom slab or one could create such a symbol using Free Sketch UP online software to then import into Home Designer Pro as a symbol object to then place as a symbol into your plan to emulate the pool you wish. Either method should reasonably work. DJP

This guy is VERY good, check him out please, especially if you need a symbol that you cannot get elsewhere. DJP

Click on this link and then study the "Help Articles and videos offered". DJP

When the "Living Area" display vanishes, you go to "Tools - Checks - Plan Check" , run the plan check tool. This action brings back the Living Area display if it had been deleted earler. It can also be turned "On" or "off" in "Edit - Default Settings - General Plan Defaults", check it out for yourself please. DJP