DavidJPotter

Watch some of these tutorial videos please: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Walk+out+Basement+in+Chief+Architect (Found through "Search" at the Chief Architect Website - Knowledge Base of Help Articles) DJP

Are you, as you said: "cannot create a second floor" or are you needing help creating a walk-out basement relative to terrain. after reading your post twice, I am not sure at all what you are precisely asking for. DJP

All framing is capable of manual editing. That is what manual framing tools are for. You set Default Settings - Framing to as close as is possible to your desires, built framing and then edit manually to suit. The software is a semi-automated tool but in the end, it is you who does the drawing. DJP

In Home Designer titles that do not have the ability to create custom objects and symbols, the best alternative is to use Sketch Up to make custom symbols to import into Home Designer titles for use. DJP

DJP

The safest answer is to ask a local State Licensed structural Engineer about that question, walls should be able to withstand weather and geological forces throughout the life of the structure. In Coastal Areas that occasionally get high wind loading forces (storms and Hurricanes) need additional bracing and strength to do their job. Where snow loading is a concern the same might be true as to stresses and loadings that walls and roof framing structures must withstand. Ask a trained professional is my advice, you do not want to guess where a large investment of treasure and labor is expended. DJP

DJP

How to set up and create a barn roof is described in "Roof Styles - Barn Roof" in the "Build Roof Dialog" in your software. To then obtain a dormer in such a roof is rather difficult using the "Dormer Tool" due to 3D Geometry limitations of that tool (a dormer must fit within a single roof plane area, it cannot cross the edge of its parent roof plane which makes it difficult to adjust "Dormer Defaults" so that one can easily be created in such a roof system. For Barn roof dormers I commonly create them manually after carefully laying them out in plan view first. DJP

DJP

Temporary Dimensions can be turned "ON' or "Off" as you choose. Look for an Icon that when you hover your mouse cursor over it says "Temporary Dimensions" and left-click on it to turn the tool mode "On". DJP

Only if you have Home Designer Pro can you accomplish this using a wall object. Varying right-angle heights can be emulated using a series of soffits or geometric shapes in any Home Designer Title. Like others have said, your question is so general and open to interpretation that we can only guess as to what, exactly you want to do. DJP

DJP

That is a door style as opposed to hardware, I do not believe that Home Designer or Chief Premier offer that particular door style. In my plans I merely add a note saying that the doors are of this type because the visual of such doors is not all that obvious nor necessary to communicate a design. DJP

You cannot if you want the buildings to appear 3D (2D lines etc will not show in 3D by default) The height of room floors is determined generally by "Edit - Default Settings - Floors and Rooms - Current Floor" per floor. Local changes as to floor and ceiling heights are set by way of a particular Room Specification Dialog Box - Structure Tab - Ceiling or Floor input box. Your questions are all directly addressed by the Help Files in your application, Training Videos, Reference Manual (found under Help in your application), a searchable Knowledge Base of answered questions found at the Home Designer Website and other places like my YouTube site. Also lots of kind users here at this forum. Please ask a single question at a time, making sure that such questions are specifically stated and backed up by screen capture images or even a copy of your .plan file so questions asked can be then answered with some certainty. DJP.

Take a look, please. DJP

This article should get you going: https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-01202/importing-and-creating-custom-library-materials.html DJP

Your plan that you shared opened just fine within my copy of Home Designer Pro. I could then edit the door and window labels as I choose. I could find NOTHING wrong as you said. DJP

Make sure, "Angle Snaps" tool is "ON" then. DJP

Without having your file to study, no one can exactly know with certainty what is a miss. Post a copy of your plan for others to study if you wish actual help as opposed to guesses and opinions. Generally speaking, the software application is purely mechanical and its error and warning messages are purely mechanical in nature. The camera tools do not "convert" anything, whether in plan view of camera views you are creating a fully 3D virtual construct. Camera tools depend basically upon the quality and functioning of your Video Card. New users often report visual problems because their video card does not fully support purely 3D applications like Chief Architect Premier and Home Designer software as listed here:https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-01095/home-designer-minimum-system-requirements.html If your video card does meet minimum requirements then the next step is to manually update your software driver for that hardware to the latest version. This software is offered free of charge by the company that made your video card. You go to their website and download the proper driver for your hardware and that might help solve the lack of function. As the error message indicates you should also contact Home Designer Tech Support for additional help. DJP

Some of what is in the video is relevant only to Chief Premier but at least 90% is directly relevant to Home Designer Pro. You have not indicated exactly which HD Title you actually have but this should help generally DJP

Make it a suggestion if you like. Light fixtures made by Chief Architect Inc can be so controlled but 3rd party objects do not contain the proper pre-programming necessary to have the control you want in the symbol itself. You can add light sources and align them with a third party symbol and have the same appearance. DJP

That is most likely caused by your use of an invisible wall to separate the kitchen from the living room. Move that invisible wall slightly away from the upper cabinet where the molding is missing and then it should come back into view. DJP

I have posted a link to articles that address custom pattern files .pat here: https://www.google.com/search?q=custom+vector+pattern+files+(.pat)&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS818US818&oq=custom+vector+pattern+files+(.pat)&aqs=chrome..69i57.14596j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 You can import already existing .pat files by simply copy-pasting .pat files in your "pattern" file located in C:/My Documents/Home Designer Pro 2019/Patterns file folder to make the additions accessible to the program by way of the "Define Material" dialog-Pattern Tab. I do this from time to time in Chief Architect Premier. I have not done this in Home Designer Pro but I assume it is possible. I have even, some years ago, written my own custom .pat file just to see if I could create one (not my cup of tea but I did create one). I opted to simply searching the web for available .pat files, downloading those and using them. You are free to do whatever you like. DJP

Spikes are caused by terrain elevation objects being too close to each other generally; also using the "Flatten Pad" command can cause spikes around the edges of a structure; I have abandoned using retaining walls where the terrain is complicated as they are too sensitive to elevation changes. As I mentioned in the video, I use instead, custom slabs, showing a stepped approach to apparent retaining walls. It just makes finishing up less complicated, especially in Suite, Architectural, Essentials, and Interiors. DJP

Hope this helps get you started again. DJP