DavidJPotter

Home Designer is not capable of "Photo Realism". It is useful for general space concept planning and beautiful render views can be achieved once the software is thoroughly learned. This requires a commitment from you to achieve such results. That said, to achieve good professional results as to "Photo Realism" requires Professional grade Architectural software and a professional grade, learned user to achieve which from your post I perceive that you are NOT willing to 1. spend the money to become a design professional and 2. You are not willing to spend the personal time necessary to do so. If my assumptions are correct, you need to post at the Chief Talk website in the "Seeking Help" section where respondents will be professional users of Chief Architect Software, many of whom are also certified Interior Designers as well. They can work closely with you to obtain the end product you seek which you can then also see "Photo Realisticly". Software designed for hobbyists like Home Designer get DIY (useful but not "Photo Realistic") results. DJP

No Home Designer software has the ability to export to.dwg. You can export to .dxf which your landscaper guy can import, try that. DJP

My point is that to get an accurate Materials List, the End User must model the column, post or whatever accurately in detail that object.So if your calculations are off it is because you have not accurately modeled the object in detail. This is true in Chief Premiere and in Home Designer titles. DJP

Yes, you want to set the "Ceiling Structure" from the first floor from the default "2x6 wood ceiling joists by default" to a slab using your intended thickness for the roof rafters to set upon in you require a slanted roof. If you require a flat roof with parapet walls you simply create a second floor, set its dialog box to "No Ceiling and No Roof" and set the ceiling height of the second floor to the intended height of the parapet walls. You change the "Floor Structure" of the second floor to a slab (No wood floor joists), then You set the second floor's floor covering to be impervious roofing instead of flooring. Either way works, just two different approaches. All achieved with settings and perhaps a custom slab if no parapet walls are needed. DJP

Draw invisible walls directly under the dormer on the first floor and then designate that enclosed area on its "Structure Tab" to be "No Ceiling above this room" and that should then remove the ceiling revealing the upper dormer from the first floor vantage point. Give that a try please. DJP

Stair objects seek out the "DEFAULT" floor height you set or failed to set in "Edit - Default Settings - Current Floor" for floor zero, they will not seek out an added slab as you have done. Set the Default floor height for the entire floor to your basement height and the separate area you want higher set that by its local Room Specification Dialog - Structure Tab - Floor Height. When you have done that the stair object will then "behave". Software, any software is just a preprogrammed mechanical device and "knows" only what you tell it to know. You you do not do it properly, you get what you got. DJP

Camera views are not like the Human Eye in that if you place a camera viewpoint too close to a wall, it merely cuts through that wall you are too close to. That is "Usual behavior" and that is probably what you are seeing. If something is visually missing but you know it is there, it is probably on a named layer that can be found alphabetically in a "Display Options" dialog found under "Tools - Display Options". . Plan view and each camera view has its own "Display Options" dialog when that camera view is active. So in plan view or any particular camera view visual objects can be "turned on or off" at your command. Take a look and see if your missing dimensions are just "turned off" or unchecked in Display Options. DJP

Duplicate libraries can simply be deleted by right clicking. Manufacturer libraries should be editable using the provided command found in Chief under "Library". As far as I know Core libraries, Bonus Libraries and only be updated or deleted. (Not sure about deletion but you can try and see, if you delete something you wish to keep you can download the core libraries in a new unit of time). I recently spent some time reorganizing my "User LIbraries", deleting duplicates and organizing them into general categories for my own use. You are free to ask Tech Support for advice as well. DJP

I have been using Chief Premier and Home Designer software since versions 4 (Chief) and (6) Home Designer. Since 1995 I have always had dual monitors with which that software works perfectly well. With Dual monitors each one is a different size, the ones I have now are 18" and 30", At need I can change the font size and icon size in those programs ( in Windows and in Chief but not HD) anytime I wish though I generally leave their resolutions alone at their maximum resolutions with no problems for a 70 year old dude with waning eyesight. DJP

Windows and your video card do the scaling, not Home Designer. You can change the screen resolution to see it larger on screen. DJP

That is one of the most onerous shortcomings of Home Designer software I am sorry to say. If I only used Home Designer software what I would do is to import a .dfx file into a blank plan first and then copy paste the dxf into my developed .plan file so I could if having trouble, not save and start again with a new copy-paste copy. DJP

Well I exported the Simpson Strong Tie library from my copy of X9 and then tried to import that into Home Designer Pro and Architecture 2018 and neither of those could do so. I an only surmise from that the command intention is for that library to be only for Chief Premier users, sorry, I tried. DJP

Pam, my apologies in that I assumed that Suite was enabled for soffits to be slanted. After checking in Suite 2017 I found that this is not the case. In the ensuing versions since I last looked this feature has been removed by Chief Inc. I suppose your only choice is to make a symbol using Sketch Up and then importing that object into Suite as a symbol and then placing that symbol where you need it to cover the gable hole in the ceiling or you can upgrade to Architectural 2018 that does have the sloped soffit feature in it. I am sorry for the misinformation earlier posted by me. DJP

The missing tool in Suite is called "Custom Ceiling Planes" which only Home Designer Pro and Chief Premier have. You can repair the interior vaulted ceiling by covering the void with a custom slanted soffit (found under cabinet tools), It will have to be made very thin, probably 1" thick so it only appears to the interior, otherwise it will also be seen in exterior and exterior overview views but can be done in Suite with ease. DJP

It is not clear to me just from what you have posted what it is that you are trying to do or what it currently looks like nor what it should look like. Need for help from you to help you please. DJP

As Eric has pointed out it is essential to know what software Home Designer title and version you have in order to answer with certainty what to do because of the varying abilities of each software title. Also one would nave to know exactly what kind of winder stairs you need and want as not all variations of winder stairs are produced the same way, it depends upon what you intend (not all winder stairs are structurally the same). So a photo or diagram would help clarify for others to help you with useful advice. DJP

IF you need this sort of creative structural freedom well that is what Home Designer Pro and Chief Architect Premier are for, any other software title is for hobby persons and tinkerers only, Pro and Premier are for Professionals, that is all you are confronted with. DJP

Then please do as Eric and I have asked you to do. You might also post a copy of your plan file that we can then look at and report on, your choice. DJP

In Essentials you would create an elevation view of your structure then using your "Tape Measure" tool you can then get the value you desire. Only in Home Designer Pro can you permanently draw such dimensions for printing purposes. DJP

Call Chief Premier Tech Support or Sales during their office hours, M-F Pacific time for a real answer. That sort of question asked here will only gain you opinions. DJP

The "No Room Select" is caused only by a bad or several bad or improper wall connections, Zoom in and check them all and fix any found to look improper. The bad wall connections (no room Specification dialog boxes) is most likely caused by bad wall connections, see above for that remedy. A missing ceiling could be due to YOU choosing the wrong camera type to view the model (there are two basic camera types: the Full Camera tool shows the entire model from a selected viewpoint (where you left click to create the camera viewpoint) and the "Floor Camera which by default leaves out the entire model except the floor level on which you create it on (no ceiling in such views). In short there is NOTHING wrong with your PC or software, THis was caused by poor end user procedure. DJP

Whatever file you posted cannot be read by any Home Designer or Chief Premier software, try again please. DJP

Manually in Home Designer Pro or Chief Premier. DJP

All such settings are in one of two places in all Home Designer titles and versions: 1. Default Settings - Dimensions and 2. Edit - Preferences, take a look please. DJP

That roof device is called a "roof cricket" and if it is not there your roof will leak at some time due to the presence of a "Dead valley". If you want the gable to extend, you merely manually extend it IF you have Home Designer Pro, with Architectural, Suite, Essentials or Interiors there is NOTHING you can do about that to extend the gable line. DJP