Kbird1

I still use Pro 10 but as far as I a know the "basics" are the same in all levels of the program as you go up levels , you get extra "Tools" and features to help productivity etc , not a more complicated Program to use on the basic level. looked at the Product Matrix and one thing you may have missed is that Essentials can not import Library Items from outside sources such as 3DWarehouse (.skp Sketchup files) Suite can, a useful tool , if Suite's library doesn't have what you need ,you can go online and look for it, it also allows saving things to you Own Library to reuse again and again ,which Essentials can't do. It can also do Reflections and Record Walkthroughs which Essential can't and has CAD options if you need them to mention a few. worth the extra $ , I would say ... from my point of view anyway I started with Suite , then AHD, and finally Pro . Mick HDS Product comparison-matrix.pdf

Haven't done this before Keith ,but you are right there is nothing in my Ref. Manual or the online help in Pro 10. The items in the Library are materials though not objects/symbols , so those two colours need assigning to something ...but what ? will post back if I figure it out... M. Edit The "What" is another Terrain Feature on top of the Road (very thin) , which you then colour as needed with the materials in the library. Not in the manual but there is a Tutorial. http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00864/ they actually appear to cut through the asphalt if set at the same height/thickness

your keeping me busy today Keith there is a setting in Defaults>Plan to turn show Living Space on or off That calculation is done from the ROOM DBX >General and how it is setup to be included or not. and is measured by the setting on the Defaults>Floor>General Main layer or Surface Yes this software has way too many DBX's and check boxes to remember I think they tried rearranging this somewhat in 2015 ,but don't know the success rate. I would just add my own text box as suggested once it has calculated the area for you. You may want to double check the total as some rooms aren't included by default (Room DBX) but I don't have a list of those that are by default not included sorry. M.

the walls in your image Keith have reversed layers by the look ? ,ie upper wall has "exterior layer" at the top but the opposite on the lower wall , that may effect things depending on how you have Dimensions setup to "Locate" in the Plan Defaults and whether "both sides of wall" is set for interior walls. M.

2015 uses TABBED views so it may not use your personalised setting like normal windows do , however that may change if you "undock" the Tab , ie drag it off the main window ,so it becomes it own window , same as you would do if using multiple monitors which is a new feature in 2015.

you can set additional angles too Edit>Defaults>Plan>Allowed Angles there is a checkbox for 7.5° and 15° but you can add a number of your own too, though I think it already has "inbuilt" angles for common angles eg 22.5° so you can't set it and will get a warning. I don't usually use Angle snaps by default (grid snaps are on though) , so in newer versions the cursor blinks if you turn them off ? can that be disabled? it doesn't happen in Pro 10 , at least not with Angle Snaps turned off in Preferences>Edit>Snaps DBX.... Mick

I am not aware of a "Stock Truss" but I am still using Pro 10 , so I may not have it? they are easy to make in Pro though as long as the Roof is built or they wont generate. Sloped Soffits are a Pita , for young and old , newbie or "Old Hat" , which is why I suggested the Truss be pulled out through the wall , you will need to play with the maximum Chord Spans until you get the desired result on the webs ....I'll attach some pics I made as I was playing around with this , so you can see what settings are in different DBX's (dialog boxes). Make Sure you have "Trusses" under framing turned on in Display Options for ALL views , same for Soffits , or you will "think" things aren't working as you wont see them. Splitting your screen between 3D and Plan view is a good idea for this kind of thing too. (Shift -F6) Depending on what look you want you may want to make the top chord wider or narrower , wider if you want exposed rafter tails, (which also gives you the top trim/sloped soffit) narrower if not, but that means you'll need Sloped soffits for the pieces up under the Eaves too. At least in Pro 10, the Help and Ref, Manual DBX's for sloped soffits appear different from what you see ( image added), and seem to work backwards from the stated info ( as I understand it) the "top" measurement for me is actually the bottom. the "top" measurement is supposed to be at the Top of the Roof (as I interpret the manual) and for me this isn't the case. Matching the roof plane only works IF the soffit is under the roof overhang and doesn't extend past it , thru it etc into space , so you need to get it close-ish 1st. You sometimes need to "set it " twice too when adjusting measurements. It does not automatically match the length of the soffit either, it is actually measured horizontally ( not on slope) ie it should be "about" equal to half the width of the building in this case. As Elovia mentioned it helps to know your heights top and bottom ,so for that I use a Cross Section View and place manual measurements for the top and bottom which get you close usually ,but probably needs refining in 3D (see image) Any pic on the forum can be right clicked on and "Opened in a new window" so you can study it while checking the text alongside. or for referring to as you draw/try things. help file vs DBX Cross Section Truss and Sloped Soffit Dialog boxes check the settings etc Turned out to be a good lesson for me too , so hope this helps you too.... Mick

You can blend the colour with the texture on the texture tab in the Material Definition DBX (rainbow icon) , eg in 3d mode but it will depend on whether you are using Room Definitions in your plan or not ? I think , if all rooms are "unspecified" each room will use the "Floor Default- Floor Covering" (edit>Defaults>Floor) , if you have specified rooms , it will use the floor material defined under materials in the Room DBX which may or may not be the default floor eg bathrooms / kitchens may have Stone or Tile. You maybe able to "Unspecify" rooms temporarily? assuming they are Open to Below or similar rooms with special features you need... lightened the colour the result

Elovia is correct there is only one Layout page to send too PER PLAN , and that is the trick just make a separate plan for each detail you need. Just use the File> SAVE AS DBX to save the open plan as for eg My Plan_Radiant ,then you have all your walls etc as needed , add your Radiant ,save , and send to layout ........you may end up with multiple "Plans" per home depending on how many details you need , just do the save as for each one and only use that plan for that. The downside is that each time you make a change on the MAIN PLAN , it does not automatically update the other plans or layouts. (Unlike Chief) If you don't need the old " Template Data " why not delete it ? perhaps do a "save as" 1st of the existing plan as OLD TEMPLATE DATA , so you have a copy if needed. Mick.

if the above way does not work , ie copying them from the desktop to your Data Folder/Plans in one go then open each plan in HD then click file>save as (Not save) and in the DBX that comes up save the file to your Data/Plans folder where ever it is ( sorry don't know Mac default folders to give you exact path.)

I'd try making a truss same as you did for the front porch at the gable end then Ctrl-Drag it outta the stucco 1 1/2 " or whatever you need , then copy paste it down the other end. Mick.

According to the product Matrix Interiors does have the ability to do walkthroughs ,( not stylised ones though) see top of page 3 HDS Product comparison-matrix.pdf if you have spline it should be here : Mick.

Yes ...... did you look at the tutorials on roofs ? http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00359/52/Home-Designer/Roofs/How-to-Automatically-Build-the-Basic-Roof-Styles.html or the videos ? http://video.homedesigner.chiefarchitect.com/?search=roof but basically you need to change the appropriate walls to Gables and set the correct pitch on each wall DBX if that is possible in Suite ? M. edit forgot to mention the youtube channel , the 1st 7mins of this video covers roof basics but some features you wont have since you only have Suite. there is actually free roof training this month too : http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/products/training.html

copy the files off the DVD to your Plans folder ,sorry don't know MAC for default locations but it should tell you under Preferences>General> Folders> My Data folder ( I usually make a "Plans" folder there), then open them as normal via browsing to them with the Open Plan DBX. M

Hi Keith , I had a quick play and actually set the casing to 60mm ,changed the materials to my brushed vertical stainless steel ( I posted a while back) , and changed the material on the call switch to the same S.Steel. Doesn't look bad but not sure of your needs.... Edit I realised after posing the pic I could save these to my library (1500mm and 1200mm and the switch) so I export the library for you. Done in Version 10 so any version 10 and above it should work for unzip the file and import the calibz as normal. Elevator Doors.zip edit 2 I imported these doors into 2015 Pro Trial tonight , the 3D pic in the library looks like a square block for some reason ( unlike in Pro 10) but it posts into the Plan like it should.

Do you really need a Lift / Elevator ? there are Elevator buttons in the Library and you can put in a double ( bypass) slab door with no casing , and make the door materials Stainless Steel , I think it should look fine. M.

Yes , sorry , I thought you had Chief version 15 (X5) not Home Designer Architectural 2014 , only Pro has the reset Toolbars button in the HD Titles. M.

Goto Tools>Toolbars>Customise Toolbars and on the 2nd tab "Toolbar" click the Reset Toolbar button. Also since you are use Chief and not one of the HD titles , you may want to try the ChiefTalk Forums too here https://forums.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/forum/7-general-q-a/

any room not defined elsewhere or in the Floor Defaults .....I believe ? , but don't use that DBX myself. You change the height for the Floor 1-2-3 etc with the Defaults>Floor setting , ie to 96" ( do this on each Level or reset when you "Build Floor" ) You can then change the height of individual Rooms in the Room DBX if needed too. M.

changing the 1/16th to 1/4 etc , doesn't change the wall length just how it is reported on screen , you will still need to open the box and put in 5' to be 100% accurate. Dimensions 'snap" to your grid setting , so this can affect things too IF grid snaps are on..... I am guessing you are not drawing the 2nd wall directly off the end of the 1st wall and it is auto growing to join up , as it doesn't normally change a wall's length if you draw away on an angle. try turning on "Show same Wall Type Handles" in Edit>Prefs>Architectural ( I normally also have Select room B4 Wall.....unchecked) this will give you an extra "handle" (diamond) at the end of the wall , that you grab to continue the next wall -in any direction ,without having to place your mouse to start it. you might want to increase the "handle" size in Prefs. too , I use 6 and having start/end indicators on helps too esp, if you are resizing stuff as you can then tell if it is the S or E end you want to grow or shrink. M.

Thanks Peter , appreciate the time you spent looking into it for me , gives me a place to start. Mick..

what you did looks fine to me , out of curiosity who is the Manufacturer of your log siding ? wondering if my Client wouldn't like something like that too as there is talk of a shed like yours too. Thx, Mick

yes my pic was a "Modern Take" on a garage a client (I am a GC/Builder) is hoping to make two storey like yours.... to use as an Art Studio, funnily enough the main "house" is a Real log cabin.... Your shed appears to be a conventionally framed building which was then "skinned" with log pieces rather than a real log shed which would account for the necessary corner-boards . on the Dormer there just select the wall and "drag" the corner of the drywall right into the point , should fix it .....can't explain why it's there , its common on the inside and out side of dormers , and is usually fixed manually. Only thing I can think to check is the thickness of the roof framing on the Dormer eg it maybe 3 1/2 " vs the 9.5 or ? it needs etc. HD/CA has issue with what is call Z Fighting . which is when two textures/items are "fighting for the same space in the Model , and you will literally tear your hair out , if you let it get to you..... let it go actually i'd say you are doing great

with Pro you can set whatever height you want , just make sure you delete the (D) after the number if its there or it will change back to (D) Default ( or uncheck the default box ,this behaviour is used throughout HD Pro etc) you can also change the ceiling structure and thickness under those tabs/buttons , once again remove the (D) or check from the default box or it will change back automatically. And don't forget to downloand the Reference Manual and save it... M.

If you change it to decimal places , it will show all manual/temp dimensions with 4 decimal places though , which you may or may not like ? though it shows if you are off slightly and I mean very slightly we are talking 1000th's of an inch.... in the above example , just delete the entry and type 5' though it was already 4'11".9903 (or 97/1000th inch out...)