DavidJPotter

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

DJP

You need to think of non-floorplan walls as Temporary walls for the purpose of guiding the roof generator to obtain the roof result you need and want, then once the roofs are in place, you turn off "Auto Rebuild Roof" command in the "Build Roof Dialog" and then remove the temporary walls and finish you design without thereafter rebuilding roofs. DJP

I was busier than I then thought. DJP

Sorry, no one answered your question but as far as I know, there is NOTHING that delivers "Photorealistic" render views created in Home Designer Pro. The reason is that HD Pro does not have the capability to export highly detailed 3D models to existing 3D render packages, Like Lumion, Thea Render, Vray and many others like Chief Architect Interiors (Not Home Designer Interiors) or full Premier applications natively do. DJP

When I get time today, I will create a tutorial on these tools. DJP

Elevation and cross-section cameras MUST be manually updated, you open the view in layout by double-clicking on it and then once opened you close it and allow it to update to the layout, or you can also select a cross-section or elevation camera view on a layout page and then while selected, left-click on the tool icon in the Edit Toolbar that says "Update View". Only plan views "Automatically" Update as you make changes. Render and other isometric camera views CANNOT be updated but only deleted and resent in a new unit of time. It was not clear what you were asking EXACTLY earlier by your first posted questions. I hope this clarifies matters a bit. DJP

If a camera is actively open you cannot make that camera not show in plan view while still open. You can turn off "Cameras. Inactive" in "Display Options" but they must be "inactive" for that action to be carried out. There are NO other options, if you do not want to see them in plan view, close the camera view (which will make the camera icon "inactive" and then turn off that layer "cameras, inactive" to make them completely invisible in plan view). DJP

The only thing I know of is to defeat the purpose of a big monitor by reducing the screen resolution, which makes everything else bigger (I have two 27" monitors). DJP

Each foundation wall must be in perfect alignment with first floor walls, if the foundation walls are a little outside of where they should be relative to the first floor walls, they will cover them up as in your posted image. Manually align using the alignment tool provided in your "Edit Toolbar", the foundation walls, one at a time with the first floor walls and that should take care of the problem. It is just the pre-programmed behavior of objects you are viewing. When the foundation walls ARE aligned properly with the first floor walls, the unwanted outcome with also go away. DJP

You need to be a little more specific by what you mean by "unfinished", unfinished in what exact way? DJP

I Suite, The only way I can think of is to build roofs and then turn off auto-rebuild-roofs and then lower the ceiling height by way of a room specification dialog. You will have to plan this out so as to have the height of the roofs correct but that will only cove the ceiling edge where they meet the roof planes. In terms of symmetric applications, there is no solution that I know of with Suite. It has VERY limited abilities compared to Home Designer Pro or Chief Premier. I suppose if you are really intent on doing this, you could download a copy of Sketch Up, learn its tools and then make whatever you want for importation into Suite or other HD programs. DJP

Yes, I have done a project recently that required compound pitch roofs. You need to set up the pitch changes in each wall specification dialog - roof tab before building roofs. If you are not working from drawn plans you may need to do a little trial and error to figure out the right combinations of roof pitches (the steep pitch set up in the Build Roof Dialog and the lower pitches in the wall dialog box - roof tab input boxes. Once you get the hang of it, it will go rather easily. It may also require some manual editing and manual roof editing is learned by excruciating and rather difficult.trial and error practice and study until you master thinking in your mind's eye while you manipulate the roof plane polylines in plan view. But it is a skill all Architects develop and it is a valuable skill. DJP PS: the attached image is of a project in Houston, Texas. The home was built in a flood plane and had to be elevated above the flood plane and this is an image of the existing home, raised 10' above that flood plane conceptually.

Leave it in place until you no longer need it. Then delete the PDF. In Home Designer there is no way to assign things (and PDF's) to custom layers as in Chief Premier, so your only choice is to delete it when finished with it. DJP

Pro only imports-opens .dxf 2D files as 2D only. It does not import-open .dwg or other AutoDesk file types. DJP

Asking such questions here will gain opinions, a call to Home Designer Sales will gain you Truth and actuality. Upgrades are upgrades when you upgrade to the latest version, it includes all prior fixes and feature upgrades and changes. DJP

In order to obtain full manual control over stair objects, you would have to upgrade to Home Designer Pro or Chief Architect Interiors or Chief Architect Premier. I am sorry but that is the Truth of the matter. Architectural costs what it costs and does what it does. All you can do with Architectural is to vary and or lock the "Tread Depth" and then add or subtract treads With Pro, Chief Interior and Chief Premier you can manually set the bottom and top height as well as lock "Tread Depth", add and subtract treads manually, it does make a big difference with Stairs. DJP

I am sorry but your post is incoherently posted, relative to grammar to a point where I am not sure what, exactly your problem is in order to answer it with some certainty. You might be better served to repost this, with better grammar and details at Chief Talk. I will answer it there if you can more clearly state what your problem is, please. DJP

Respectfully, if you require "after high levels of component detail" then you need to upgrade to Home Designer Pro or Chief Premier or perhaps "20 - 20" (the common software used by cabinet makers). Otherwise, you can export from Suite as a DXF file and then refine it as a 2D CAD file in AutoCAD or some other 2D CAD program. DJP

A good question for Home Designer/Chief Architect Sales, not here, we answer User Questions, not Sales ones. DJP