Kbird1

There are 5 different HD Titles and also MAC Versions now which is why we recommend filling in your Profile Signature ,then you don't need to post what software you have or what OS you are using each time. Not Sure if Suite has it but in the Window DBX there may be a Frame Tab which is where you can adjust the depth and look of the frame. Fit Frame to Wall gives you a different look than setting the depth of the frame yourself. This setting maybe auto generated in Suite though ? Usually the Foundation wall is 8" Concrete , not the framed wall above ,eg level one walls are typically 2x6 today but could be 8" ,with 1/2 drywall ,1/2 ply, rainscreen ,etc plus the exterior cladding , something to check on the Arch. Drawings though as a typical wall is usually around 7 1/4" with no rain-screening or exterior foam. M.

the 1st pick is showing the "Exterior Room" , not the standard room but it looks messed up in the bottom left for some reason , not sure about the white box on the RH side but it maybe just the gap in the Exterior Room as it wraps around the foundation. Is the Plan small enough to post here? You could download the 2015 Trial Version of Pro , it's wall connection tools are better than our older versions where I find I get a message but never see the circle. Mick

do you have the IYUV codec on your system ? check with M$ for a codec Pack perhaps or try the other options eg MS-CRAM or H.264 see if they play. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows7/c00d10d1-iyuv VLC Media Play (free) plays almost anything too ( including youtube vids.) but it can also converts files if needed but have not played with HD Video's, as my old version just outputs .avi's M. edit: I checked my system and it only has a 32bit IYUV codec ,so your's maybe similar ? Codecs can be written for 32-bit or 64-bit operating systems. If you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you need to install 64-bit codecs. If you install a 32-bit codec on a 64-bit operating system, for example, the Player might not be able to play any files that require that codec. Note that many older codecs are only available in 32-bit versions. If the codec provider does not specify whether its codec is 32-bit or 64-bit, the codec is likely 32-bit. For more information, contact the codec provider. How do I tell which codecs are installed on my computer? If you need to see a list of the Windows Media Player components and codecs installed on your computer, do the following: On the Help menu, click About Windows Media Player. If the Help menu is not visible, click Organize, point to Layout, and then select Show menu bar. On the About Windows Media Player dialog box, click Technical Support Information. Your web browser will open a page that includes information about the related binary files, codecs, filters, plug-ins, and services installed on your computer. A technical support person might be able to use this detailed information to help you troubleshoot problems on your computer.

those are mighty long days Robyn 1200 plans in 3 weeks phew !!!! hope that is a typo M.

1st off you shouldn't be up that early on a Sunday ! ,Sat. afternoon here , but my Brother lives in Sydney too so I keep a track of the time difference. Both the Manual and User Guide download from HD as PDF's but don't Auto-save to your computer you must use the Save Button ( looks like computer floppy disk) or the File>Save As or Save a Copy Menu item to save files to your HomeDesigner Folder which is usually in : C:\Users\*yourname*\My Documents\Home Designer Pro 2014 Data\ ( or something close to that, My Documents is one of your "Libraries" , if you are using Windows 7 ,easier to find that way.) in the Data folder I made a Folder called Manuals to save them too and also save the KB Articles there too via Printing them to PDF instead of really printing them. I'll look for more questions in the Q&A section , if you have trouble with the Tutorials.....practice the new techniques on a practice plan or a copy of your original , don't practice on your Main plan till you have it down , most HD Tutorials start with a 40x30 rect. building so I have a plan saved with that and just open it each time I use a Tutorial, then do a "save as" and save the Tutorial Plan with a name matched to the tutorial for easy reference later. Enjoy your Sunday.. Mick.

Have a look in the KB Eric at the Tutorial on Clerestory Windows/Roof , it should help ....not sure if you want windows or not but you'll see what I mean. there are also a couple of threads where we discussed this too , if not here then in the old forum just before we switched over. Mick.

Hi Robyn , you should post new questions in the Q&A section, this is Sales FAQ but to get you started Note this is a End User Forum so all answers including mine are from other Users of the Software , but you can also contact HD Tech Support on the Website if needed. You can use the More reply options button and add pics directly to your post you don't need to post .docs , that way they will be easier to look at too. there is a thread on how to add pics in the Q&A section if you don't know how? 1. you set the 12 ° roof pitch in the wall DBX of the front/outer Verandah wall (where railing is) , use the Verandah/deck "Room" to set the height of the Verandah wall/posts. Is this a shed roof ? make sure your other wall settings are right,(for the type of roof it has). In the box under Roof Pitch you need to check "upper roof" and set the Angle/pitch for the main Roof of the house ,set the "in from baseline" measurement to the depth of the verandah from railing to wall. ( look at KB article on Gull wing roofs if unsure) 2. yes you need to return here to read/answer questions but you can set the Forum Options to email you if someone answers your question. I would remove your email addresses from the 1st posts , or the Spambots will find them and start sending junkmail....... 3. HD will print at any scale you designate/input in the Printer Dialog Box (DBX) however that is for plans only , not for the manual and other documents. I am not surprised you ran out off Ink ...paper will be next as the Ref. Manual is over 1000 pages , the User guide is 250? approx. 4. Fairly easy ,look in the Knowledge base (KB) ( see my sig.) at the article on how to build a storey and a 1/2 home.. and perhaps a few others like how to build a CapeCod Roof. 5. Also doable , search the KB for articles on Post and Beam and Pier Foundations. There is also and article on an Elevated House which might be what you are looking for. Mick.

David's video is a good reference to look at particularly if you have never used Layout Sheets before . Layouts are a HD Pro only feature though, so those of you with other titles have to use what HD calls Plan sheets , see this Tutorial : http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00485/192/Home-Designer/Layouts/Creating-Plan-Sheets.html The reason I suggested using Edit>Area and pasting into a new Plan is that HD Pro only allows ONE layout sheet to be associated with a .Plan file at any one time....( not a limitation in Chief Premier) ie as David also mentioned , it will only auto-update the CURRENT Layout file if / as you make changes . Once you have a Layout File associated with the Plan (save it in the same folder as the Plan) , Pro will auto open the same File each time , so if you have already sent the Site plan. floor plan , 4 elevations etc to that one page, it is gonna be pretty full already,so if you want to start sending things like just the Kitchen or Bathroom to layouts too you need to get creative. Most Construction Docs (CDs) these days are 12-15 pages long with the required pages for Permitting , so you need to use multiple versions of your Plan if you want Auto Updating Layouts associated with them. You can of course make your CD's one Layout page at a time , but if you make changes you have to got back to each layout sheet and make manual updates, so your file management skills will need to be able to keep up. Having multiple Plans also has it pitfalls ,so you need to separate Areas or Floors etc and only update things in the Correct plan, IF you need Layout Sheets? it is probably best to leave the Layouts to the end of you planning process ,so you are done Drawing more or less , until then you can print to scale etc at any time from most Views so you don't need to send to Layout early in the "Design Phase" usually and may find you Don't need Layouts at all. David may have more advise about how to handle this too ? not sure if newer versions have different features or not? Mick.

David's video is a good reference to look at particularly if you have never used Layout Sheets before . Layouts are a HD Pro only feature though, so those of you with other titles have to use what HD calls Plan sheets , see this Tutorial : http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00485/192/Home-Designer/Layouts/Creating-Plan-Sheets.html The reason I suggested using Edit>Area and pasting into a new Plan is that HD Pro only allows ONE layout sheet to be associated with a .Plan file at any one time....( not a limitation in Chief Premier) ie as David also mentioned , it will only auto-update the CURRENT Layout file if / as you make changes . Once you have a Layout File associated with the Plan (save it in the same folder as the Plan) , Pro will auto open the same File each time , so if you have already sent the Site plan. floor plan , 4 elevations etc to that one page, it is gonna be pretty full already,so if you want to start sending things like just the Kitchen or Bathroom to layouts too you need to get creative. Most Construction Docs (CDs) these days are 12-15 pages long with the required pages for Permitting , so you need to use multiple versions of your Plan if you want Auto Updating Layouts associated with them. You can of course make your CD's one Layout page at a time , but if you make changes you have to got back to each layout sheet and make manual updates, so your file management skills will need to be able to keep up. Having multiple Plans also has it pitfalls ,so you need to separate Areas or Floors etc and only update things in the Correct plan, IF you need Layout Sheets? it is probably best to leave the Layouts to the end of you planning process ,so you are done Drawing more or less , until then you can print to scale etc at any time from most Views so you don't need to send to Layout early in the "Design Phase" usually and may find you Don't need Layouts at all. David may have more advise about how to handle this too ? not sure if newer versions have different features or not? Mick.

Chiefhal has started a new thread for some reason David , this is part of this thread (below) ............. he was trying to print just part of his kitchen and following my advice. https://hometalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/256-select-and-create-new-plan-sheet/#entry1309 However , Chiefhal you are not following the instructions...... you need to paste the "Edit" into a new plan ,(not to layout) and from there "SEND to LAYOUT" at the correct /desired scale. eg 1/2" = 1'. Perhaps David has a better Idea/method ? M.

I am a bit surprised by David's News but am still running version 10 so I have the Image Library still , so I have exported the People Image library for you ,so you can import it as normal, it will end up in your User Library ,under Images>People My Version 10 file : HD_People Library.calibz their are also images of Animals. houses,vehicles etc too if anyone needs them, just ask..... edit: There is an Image Library for download from HD too but it doesn't say whats in it, you'll have to try it http://3dlibrary.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?r=site/detail/786 edit this library has Objects and Vehicles only so get above one if you want people Mick

Pro has the print limitation as well at 18x24 max so you still need to used PDF's at 200% if you need 24x36 (12x18@200%) Do a search , there has been several discussions on CD's in the past couple of months and how to print larger than 24x36 too if needed. It is definitely possible ,though no doubt slower than Chief but at 1/5th the price ,cheaper to do yourself than a Arch. if you have the time and inclination. Mick.

Sounds like the copy/Paste problem I mentioned above ...fixed by deleting and replacing..... M.

2015 also allows multiple screens now , you just drag the Tab to the other monitor , though you can drag the single window out to two monitors in 2014 and below as well and still use Shift-F6

Thanks Solver ...... I admittedly don't know what Chiefhal has but the "SaveAs" method should work in all versions , but I have no knowledge on whether other titles have Edit>Area like Pro does. M.

Pro only has one layer/layout sheet available so the way to do it , I think would be to copy/paste ,using the edit Area tool , into a new plan and do it there , or do a " SAVE AS" such as XXXX Residence_Kitchen.plan and delete the areas you don't need/want and send to Layout from there. You can use this method to do As_Builts,Demo,Proposed etc versions of the plans too. If you just want to print the Kitchen , just zoom in on it and the Print the current view , not the entire plan. M.

Most City's have documentation on their Websites about what is required for a standard set of Permit Plans for a Set Of Construction Docs (CD's). Then you need to Use Pro to produce/Print the required pages at the required scales. this might help too http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00485/192/Home-Designer/Layouts/Creating-Plan-Sheets.html some other KB articles on Layouts etc too http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/category/192/0/10/Home-Designer/Layouts/

More Thoughts : is it happening everywhere ? or just that one window? what happens if you delete the 9700 dimension ? ( or move it to other side of room) ,does it put up that window centre then ? If it were just the odd one then I'd probably go with Elovia's advice and move on ,but if multiple on a building that size , it could be time consuming. In your first image, bottom circle , it appears to be measuring from the Main Layer of the Wall , not the Centre , (zoom in) and though you have it set at Wall Surface, you also have it set to Primary side which is what it is doing.....I think , not sure why it is ignoring the Surface directive though. I have seen comments in the past were Items that were copy and pasted would not be "seen" correctly ,and deleting them and replacing with the same fixed the issue , perhaps you used copy /paste or transform replicate to do the windows? Are you using (+we seeing above) the temp. dimensions you get clicking on a window or are those the Auto Exterior Dimensions ? If temp , you could try Auto Exterior and move them that way too, try it , do the Auto ext. dims show the same error? I was thinking your interior dimensions were interfering with the Exterior/Temp dimensions which can usually be gotten around by not displaying them, but your setting look ok to me. M.

In display options try turning off Manual/Auto dimensions , as HD won't dimension something IF there is already a dimension in the area/too close. Of course you may have changed your Dimension defaults in Edit>Defaults>Dimensions>Locate Tab ? .... eg surface/dimension layer/centre openings etc. M.

glad I could help . Mick.

something else you could check would be to make sure the walls are all aligned properly above each other , if 1-2 " out you will get the align tool on the edit bar but if more you toolbar icon won't show as it assume it's a deliberate offset, so you'll need to zoom it or get real close to the wall and look up or down . M.

Floor cameras only show the floor you are on and it looks like you are on the top floor not the attic ? from there try the Full Camera

Sounds like 2014 has the same DBX as Pro10 or all other Older versions , so yes you have to do it in plan view ,width and depth of wall ( grab small edit handle in each case and drag out) too adjust the height off the Floor/ground you need to do that in an elevation view of the wall/window box ,select the window box and drag the bottom up as needed. edit: correction I am not sure why it makes the windows 36" high to start ,but after some playing in a test plan I discovered , that if you select the bay window , then click Next Object , it will let you edit the height and width of the Window you click to select the Bay on , this can be done in any view , on all 3 windows M.

sorry DBX is Dialog Box ..........a common abbreviation around here. select the bay and "open the object" either via the right click (RC) menu or with the icon on the Edit Toolbar

It has always been a problem with Pro , perhaps Chief Lite might work better for you ? it seems you are a pretty advanced User. M. Edit : might have to take that back for what you lose for the only $700 saving over Chief it may not be worth it....I thought the discount was better but having Pro you do get the $500 rebate , though not sure if it applies to Lite too ? if not it would be a no brainer to go with X6 Full. Lite does not do Ray Tracing , so depends on whether you want or need that ? comparison here http://www.chiefarchitect.com/products/compare.html