DavidJPotter

I do not agree with the above statement. I started doing exclusively remodel projects back in 1994 and later branched out to custom home and lite commercial projects using this software. Lots of remodeling firms use Home Designer Pro exclusively and yes there are some limitations built into software that only costs slightly under $500.00 that you do not have in Chief Architect Premier but by the same token Pro is a lot easier to learn for beginners than Chief Premier (there is less one has to learn in Pro versus Premier). As a casual user you are only limited by your imagination, creativity and your intent to graphically communicate using it. You must be willing to be honest with yourself and your intentions as to how expert you become using the software. The software by itself draws and knows NOTHING. You must supply the competence and guidance to lead the software to a desired result. This is done only by YOU based wholly upon your willingness to study, practice and create your own competence using the software. Are you willing to do this? Yes or no. Only you can make this determination for you. DJP

See if any of these Knowledge Base articles on "Landscaping" help answer some questions for you:https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/search/?q=landscaping&default_tab=support DJP

Others, in order to get greater orthographic reality also use reshaped soffits (found under cabinet tools) for lintels. This creates a more 3D type view for those architectural details for your plans. It is your choice as to how "real" you get. I suppose you could make sloped brick ledges in Sketch Up and then import the custom symbol into Pro to emulate sloped brick ledges. Again it is your choice. DJP

I am not sure what YOU mean when you use the term "Front Faces" relative to cabinets but I opened my copy of HD Interiors to have a look and found that I could easily select differing cabinet door and drawer styles from the library browser by way of "Edit-Default Settings-Cabinets-Door or drawer tab of the Cabinet Specification Dialog" Just like any other Home Designer software title. What are you then talking about sir? I do not care what Tech Support said, perhaps they did not understand your exact question. DJP

For a cross section which is basically a 2D view all you need do is to draw a closed poly-line box and add a fill and then label that area "Gravel" there is no need to make everything fully 3D. DJP

Read the prior posts above. Those answer unequivocally your question, just read them please. Those answers apply then as now, Pro has not changed that much since it was first published. DJP

No there are not. Sketch Up is free and rather easy to use. DJP

Not that I know of and that fact has never tended to ruin my life so far, you just change the width and other parameters by way of the Stair Specification Dialog as you need to. DJP

I first started using an early version of this software in 1994 called 3D Home Architect (now made by others). I worked for the largest remodeling firm in Central Texas. All we did is remodel projects. The procedure I developed and is wide use today is to make a relationally correct plan file calling it "As Built" which represents the starting point before any changes are made. I think make a copy of that file and name the copy Remodel-Version One and use that copy to make potential changes which I can view and evaluate as I make them. So when I go to make scaled-printed plans I can display the "as built" and on other pages the remodel plan that I settle upon and it is easy for other building professionals to compare the existing to the proposed to see clearly what exists and what is to be changed. Yes the software application addresses changes to a particular .plan file that each instance is "New" because any software is not "smart" or "Intelligent", rather it is a mechanical device that helps you to be intelligent about your choices and planning. You supply the intelligence and purpose, it is merely a servomechanism to your own mind and nothing more. DJP

When I need to do this (it is not required by most permit authorities by the way) I have used what is available on the internet, in a couple of cases, I merely made a map using a drawing program and text. If you want or need to do it, just do it. DJP

Yes and no, it is a matter of how badly you want that visual effect. To do as you wish you would have to turn off the auto planking of a deck room (the software is programmed to apply one material to decks commonly), So to get that customized you would have to manually make the deck floor out of individually placed 3D objects to represent individual deck planks, Those individual 3D objects could then carry differing materials each applied by way of their individual dialog boxes-materials tabs. I think it would be much easier to just use text with arrows to annotate such a customization in plan view. AS a new user you are now finding out what Pro can and cannot easily do, it is part of everyone's learning curve. The software is wonderful for the money but it just does what it is programmed to do and no further, to go further that job rests completely upon you and your willingness to apply additional manual efforts to get exactly what you want. The main limits of creativity are set by end users, not the software. DJP

HD Pro (all versions) are programmed to display either three stringers or a single stringer. This is also true of Chief Premier relative to the stair specification dialog. If you want a fourth one you would have to make such an object in Sketch Up and then import the custom object into HD Pro for manual application to your plan file. I think it would be easier to just annotate with text and an arrow in plan view that one intends an extra stringer than going to a lot of custom 3D modeling to graphically communicate the same thing, your choice. DJP

No one can know for sure with being able to inspect the settings you have applied and or misapplied within your plan file, share a copy of it and also we need to know WHAT software title and version you used to create the file (Different applications and versions have varying abilities and methods). Help us, help you. DJP

A 3D application like Home Designer creates fully 3D views using its camera tools. It feels like you want an more artistic looking 2D plan view. Home Designer does what it is designed to do. You might consider looking at other CAD programs like ArchiCAD, Softplan, Vector Works and others but you will also be spending a lot more on the applications than you have for Suite. I would guess that you are an Interior Decorator, most builders, developers, remodelers (the mainstream of those who use Chief Architect and Home Designer) are more interested in simple plans, details and elevations. DJP

Robyn, like a lot of such verbal instances (for me at least) I am not getting a clear picture of what you want to do. Are you speaking of a raised loft off the main floor by a distance of three feet? If I have guessed rightly there is more than one way to accomplish this. One would have to know or understand how the rest of the room into which this construct is to look. What would then be the ceiling height of the loft room relative to the rest of the room into which it is a part? I could sped some time creating what I "think" you mean to no avail. Can you sketch and scan a conceptual drawing in pencil or pen to share with us? DJP

What do you wish to accomplish exactly? In HD Pro the best renders come from manually adjusting your lighting sources and material properties which has little to do with the quality of your Video Card. You have a very good card which should give you great performance and speed just as it is. This software is not a video game with a high frame rate and so considerations one might apply to a game do not necessarily follow in 3D Architectural software. DJP

The listed tutorial you referenced is for Home Designer Pro, is that what YOU have? DJP

I charge $75.00 per hour for all my help services. The way I have done this in the past is in plan view I use text with arrows to show where specific Ties are to be placed (this data is usually communicated to me by the consulting Structural Engineer on a project. Not myself being an Engineer or Architect. I am not licensed to layout details and could be fined $5,000.00 by the State Architectural Board for doing so on my own without the consultation of such a licensed person.) I also would create a "Details Page" showing the ties in a 2D drawing per tie type usually using details downloaded from the Simpson website. I have done these as 3D details if the Engineer prefers them which takes a lot of additional work putting together 3D objects that emulate the Simpson Ties and other Structural instances all specifically directed by a Licensed Structural Engineer only. I liked the obvious skill with which you created the sample layout page that you attached. Do you have a consulting Structural Engineer with your project? If you do not then I would not want to help you with structural call outs, sorry I cannot afford such fines. Teaching you how to do such call outs is slightly different, especially if you are an Engineer yourself. DJP

I have used Simson Strong ties as 2D details and I assumed that is what you wanted to do (to add them to cross sections). I have used 3D models of Simpson Strong Tie 3D as well but less often as they are VERY small symbols. Perhaps you can tell us exactly WHAT you want to do and so save us a lot of wrong guesses. Why do you want such objects and how do you intend to use them please? DJP

"X,Y &Z" is how particles or 3D faces become parsed (located in virtual space) within a 3D CAD program. "X" values are determined from an arbitrary "Zero point", positive "X" values locate a point to the "right" and negative values locate to the "left". "Y" points locate points or particles up screen with positive values and down screen (in plan views) re quire negative "Y" values. Lastly "Z" values define locations of points above and below an arbitrary zero point in terms of 3D height, negative "Z" values define points below "Zero". This is how 3D points are expressed within computer 3D software and apply generally to Home Designers 3D nature and to how Terrain objects are expressed by way of "Elevation Objects". The main arbitrary within a structure is the fixed "Floor Height expressed by the first floor's "Zero" floor height. Terrain's highs and lows are expressed within itself-to itself and then aligned to the 3D model of the structure by way of the "Building Pad" input box found in the "Terrain Specification Dialog Box", raising or lowing the terrain plane to the house's first floor "Zero" level. DJP

I have used DFX files for terrain but I just import the file and then convert the topo lines to 3D topo lines in Home Designer. I do not know what a .nez file is so on that question I claim ignorance. You NEVER rotate the structure from its native screen "north-south" orientation. What you do is to rotate the topo elevation data and terrain plane and orientate that to the house. I have been using Chief and Home Designer titles since 1994 and I have never successfully imported any GPS data to create a modulated terrain plane. What I did run into is that such data can be so complex in nature that the resultant 3D object (terrain plane) is too complex for anything but a super computer to display in camera views (it is composed of too many 3D faces- Terrain is displayed as 3D triangle faces, that is what I am calling a 3D face). How I do terrain from GPS or a topographical map is to import the graphic terrain map as a .dxf file (usually from a surveyor or Architect done in AutoCAD) or an image file showing terrain elevation lines and splines after scaling it in the software. I NEVER USE POINTS because they create too many 3D faces (see above) and are hard to locate and edit after the fact (they are points and so are very tiny visually). DJP

I am not sure what exactly you are trying to do (I am not sure what you mean by Terrain Template). NO First of all, I have been using Chief and Home Designer titles since 1994 and I have never successfully imported any GPS data to create a modulated terrain plane. What I did run into is that such data can be so complex in nature that the resultant 3D object (terrain plane) is too complex for anything but a super computer to display in camera views (it is composed of too many 3D faces- Terrain is displayed as 3D triangle faces, that is what I am calling a 3D face). How I do terrain from GPS or a topographical map is to import the graphic terrain map as a .dxf file (usually from a surveyor or Architect done in AutoCAD) or an image file showing terrain elevation lines and splines after scaling it in the software. I NEVER USE POINTS because they create too many 3D faces (see above) and are hard to locate and edit after the fact (they are points and so are very tiny visually). I have watched the same video you have and the example they use is a lot simpler that what you will find in a surveyors topo map. You can of course ignore my advice above and do what you want to do; it is not my purpose to stop you or to advise against what you may believe. I use this software to make a living and for many years. I just need something that my PC can handle so I can get my work done in a timely fashion. DJP

The file format for all Home Designer titles including what you have is only .dxf you have to have Chief Premier to import .dwg files. DJP

No one can answer your question with certainty without first knowing what software application you have and its version number. Depending upon what you do have will determine your answer. Also one would need to know in what file format you wish to import into your software, do you know the answer to this query? DJP

You have done NOTHING WRONG. What you are experiencing is the learning curve of how the software is designed to work. It has strong and weak points and in my opinion Auto-Dims are a weak point (not the sharpest tool in the shed). I NEVER use interior auto dims because of the overkill of too many dimension strings and repetitive ones. When I do use the interior ones, I know I have a lot of manual editing and deleting to then do. Exterior Auto Dims I do commonly use after I alter or edit Dimension Defaults-Locate Objects. Automatic tools are, well, automatic in that they are preprogrammed to work in a particular way. Many users here and at Chief Talk have complained as you just have, so they are aware of such complaints. The best answer I can give you is to get good at manually editing dimensions so you can then have them as you need and want. Part of your learning curve is finding out what works well and what does not and then just stepping in and manually editing what you need to control yourself. DJP