DavidJPotter

Sometimes a video just works better than images and text. Your welcome. DJP

You can agree or disagree with me on this subject. I do hope this helps you. DJP

Temporarily turn off object snaps and angle snaps and then click on the arc you wish to dimension and then left-click on the dimension that is connected to the arc. When the move object by dimension input box appears input 20' and then you should be done locating that arch edge. Trying to drag an object with precision is nearly impossible, so the way to proceed is to use dimensions for such a task. DJP

My best advice about foundations is to leave their design and construction to trained professionals. Why would you, your next-door neighbor or your Uncle Todd tell you how to design and build the foundation on which you build your expensive new home on (if you are smart you won't do that). Most States and counties require foundations to be designed, stamped and or sealed by a State Licensed Structural Engineer (not you, me, or even a licensed Architect). I have "drawn" (not designed) lots of foundation plans but ONLY under the supervision and advice of a State Licensed Structural Engineer licensed in the State where the home is to be built (no exceptions). Otherwise, my foundations are purely cosmetic and conceptual. The video is mainly about that and a little about editing terrain. There are adjustments you can make to foundations to get the look you desire, I cover some of those. Let those trained and licensed by your State do the actual designing of such a vitally important element of your new home please, and not two guys with a pickup truck. I do not mean to discourage you at all, I actually do wish you well DJP

The first thing I would check-update is your software drivers for your video card, they are free and easy to update. DJP

I did not get the results you are getting (take a look) so something is awry on your computer that needs adjusting. My PC is five years old and your file seems to look fine on it. DJP

If you want the rake wall gone, you simply open the room specification dialog for the front porch and on the structure tab, uncheck "Flat Ceiling over this room", if for any reason the rake wall stays, you go up to the attic level (<A>) and make it invisible. Every problem within this software is solved via settings, defaults, preferences, input boxes and so forth. It does take time and intention to locate and understand them all but it is worth doing. DJP

When you share plans here with others you should look at this video first, especially when the issue is with rendering: When I downloaded your file it had several missing material texture files, thus making it rather useless to answer your question with. DJP

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"Automatic" relative to Architectural software is a misnomer. It is in NO WAY automatic. What really happens is that you either pre-set conditions via "Edit - Default Settings" and via "Room Specification Dialogs" or you don't. This software was created by very smart people but by itself, it is just a stupid, mechanical, moron with no intelligence or judgment of its own, you supply that or you get nothing but chaos. You find out what the settings do and mean via study and practice. You notice an unwanted result then all you need know is that you misunderstood a setting or settings that caused that result, always. If you want some detailed help then Please post a copy of your plan file so it can then be studied as to its settings by others. DJP

Once the plans are cleared up you should also plan to share your plans with a licensed Structural Engineer who can, from your plans, design the exact specifications of the foundation and any other advice as to structural concerns. I can help you with the first part but a structural engineer should also be planned for by you. DJP

That error message indicates you are using the wrong of the two Dormer Tool choices, use the other one instead. You might also open "Edit - Default Settings - Dormer and make sure the default settings for Dromers fits the type and general size setting for the intended dormer. The Dormer tool is pre-programmed to not allow the placement of a dormer object across the intersection line of two or more roof planes (it must be placed within the boundaries of a single roof plane in order to work and be allowable. DJP

One other thing I might mention about your requirement for "Roof Battens" is this: in my experience as a drafter, a designer here in America, Plumbers, Electricians, HVAC technitions here are all licensed by the State they work in and do they must know and operate by established codes. What this means is that all I need to show in my plans is where plumbing, electrical and HVAC objects are to be located. Those licensed persons already know the codes that govern their licensed trades. The same is true for foundation design and other purely structural matters which are governed by State Licensed Structural Engineers and Architects. Though not licensed by the state, roofers that are allowed to work on projects know how to roof and need little-detailed instruction from me as to how to construct a roof. I would never hire a roofer who did not know his business, would you? That said, it is also alright for you to have whatever considerations and ideas you have about what Architectural software should be and have. Roof battens could easily be represented with 2D CAD lines in HD Pro or Chief (there is no native way to represent roof battens in Chief Architect Premier software either other than 2D CAD lines in plan view, manually drawn and Chief costs seven times more to buy than HD Pro). DJP

In terms of magnetic North, HD Pro has a "North Pointer" that you can set relative to the structure model, so the structure stays in the default position of the native PC or Mac screen (the bottom is native South and the top of the screen is North, left is West and right is East) so you use the "North Pointer" indicate magnetic directions relative to your Monitor. I am a Native Texan/American and I have never, until your post heard of roof battens, ever. I have numerous user friends who use Chief Architect Premier and Home Designer from Australia and New Zealand and they never mentioned Roof Battens, ever, so I do not know what you are talking about, sorry. Welcome to the forum! DJP PS: I did a search for "Roof Battens" and of course, I now know what you are talking about. Battens are used for tile roofs which are extremely rare and expensive (only very expensive homes have them up here). In my thirty year long professional career, I have never had a single custom home that the client wanted to spend the money for such a roof. I am not saying you are "wrong", rather I am just sharing what is "real" to me in my experience.

Whether my opinion is help or not is for you to decide. I think you would be better off upgrading to Home Designer Pro over a newer version of Architectural. Home Designer Pro allows you more freedom (once you learn its manual roof tools) to design roofs with greater ease and fewer barriers. It allows larger print sizes and it makes laying out more professional looking construction documents. It is more money, certainly but a newer version of Architectural adds but little compared to what HD Pro offers by default. DJP

Since you cannot selectively remove base molding in Essentials, Architectural, Interiors or Pro what you can do is to cover the unwanted base mold around fireplaces using a custom slab set to the same material as the fireplace, just enough to cover the base mold at the fireplace hearth. Another possible solution is to turn off all the base molding via the room Specification dialog and then replace the missing base mold using reshaped, soffits to emulate the presence of base mold. If you have Architectural or Pro you can emulate the missing base mold using the backsplash tool in elevation cameras to emulate the missing base molding as well. DJP

Is what you want to do to anything like what is shown in this recent video I made for another Suite User here? DJP

I commonly use auto-exterior dimensions on, early in a project, especially if it is a remodel project where I am emulating an existing structure. Once I have the exterior walls located I then turn auto-exterior dimensions off. It is not our place to tell you that you are "wrong" for wanting what you want, you are not. But the fact is that tools in HD Pro are pre-programmed to work in a particular way. They are not adjustable by the end-user to a significant degree. If I get dimensions where I do not want them, I edit them manually or delete them. My main focus is just getting my work done. Chief Architect Premier and Home Designer software are great tools to portray Architecture (not perfect but quite useful, none the less). DJP

You need to let us know what software you are using, its exact name and version before anyone can say, with certainty, what you should do. Help us, help you, please. Thank you for sharing a copy of your plan. DJP

I know you do not want to hear this answer but Suite is not suited for such produce. Having the demands and outcomes you desire you need to immediately upgrade to Home Designer Pro if you actually want professional grade output like your example. Suite is for hobbyists and amateurs to doodle-daddle with or "what if" concepts. The ability to create actual construction documents resides in Home Designer Pro, Not Architectural, not Suite, not Essentials and not Interiors, just Home Designer Pro. Get it now and then all you must do is to learn how to use its settings, procedures and tools to start getting exactly what you need and want. DJP

You are welcome! DJP

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