jeffreybianchi

I'm using HD Pro 2015. I'm working with a designer and she has a newer MAC version of HD Pro than mine. (I'm PC) Two questions: 1. See thumbnails below...when she opens up the file I sent her, there are pieces of wall missing although my version is fine. Is this just an idiosyncratic bug in the program? 2. There are a few places where I have used materials that I created in my personal user catalog. Yet when she opens the plan file, none of these materials show up in the renderings. Is there a way to export the materials along with the plan file? Thanks as always for the help. Baker Cottage Final.plan

For what it's worth...I'll investigate my graphics card but I have had good results with this method (albeit multiple steps!) 1. Make the rendering as large as you can on your screen. 2. Do "print screen" and copy to Microsoft PAINT 3. Crop the image and save into a new Chief Architect PLAN file. 4. Send plan file to layout, then follow the steps to save as a PDF. I get ten times better resolution for presentation drawings when using this method. If someone has a better way to build the mousetrap, I'm all ears!

That did it...thanks!

I'm using HD Pro 2015. Two quick questions: - First Thumbnail...try as I might I cannot get the section in the middle of the facade to apply a roof return to BOTH sides, even though that's what the wall definition is set to do. - Second thumbnail...I'm getting this funky wall section (up around where the roof won't return). Plan attached...thanks in advance as always. JPB February 18 First Floor.plan

Eric...thanks so much...You've brought enough logic to the drawings that the truss guys can give a legitimate estimate. I really appreciate all of your help!

Thanks, this looks great. Other problems? I'm afraid to ask. I'm aware that the walls have to be shifted slightly where I have the three roofs coming together over on the left. One last question, is there a reason why every time I try to edit the dormer on the second floor, it says it isn't attached to a wall and then disappears?

Here you go, Eric. Master Plan.plan

I'm using Home Designer Pro 2015 Two questions: First thumbnail shows holes in the upper portion of two gables...not sure why this is happening. Further, as you can see from Thumbnail 2, this is a somewhat complicated roof with a bunch of 10-pitch gables converging and a 4-pitch section at the back of the house. Third Thumbnail shows a portion of the floor plan. Try as I might, while I have finally (after a week) been able to make the roof line appear the way it's supposed to be in a rendering, I can't actually generate a framing plan because many of the roof planes overlap. I have spent HOURS trying to edit them in the plan view and each time I do, it either throws off the fascia height, or the pitch, or any number of bad results. I guess part of my disconnect with the software is that I don't understand why when I try to join two roof planes that are practically touching, I get all of the messages as to why they can't be joined. I've read tutorials, watched tutorials, etc. etc, but this is clearly beyond my skill set. Any suggestions? Apologies in advance...I'm incredibly tired and incredibly frustrated.

Home Designer Pro 2015

I'm using HD Pro 2015. Will try to keep this brief. I'm trying to add a second floor over just one section of my floor plan. THUMBNAIL 1 Without adding a second floor, I finally got the roof and dormer into some semblance of what I want. THUMBNAIL 2 This shows the portion of the house that has a second story. THUMBNAIL 3 This shows what happens to the roof when I try to build it after adding the second floor. Questions. When adding a partial second floor like this, am I supposed to use add "Blank Floor"? I assume yes or else the program will give me an entire second story and raise the roof line. Is there a specific wall type that I should be using? Exterior vs. Interior, or even attic walls? When editing roofs, am I supposed to edit from the first floor walls or second floor walls? I've tried it both ways and cannot get it to look like it's supposed to. Thanks...apologize in advance that these may be pretty basic questions to some but I am truly stumped.

Alan: To Eric's point, just make a curved exterior wall with the curved wall tool in the edit menu, and place windows. Shouldn't be any trouble at all.

Thanks, Eric. This board is a lifesaver!

David: As usual, you provided a fix that took 10 seconds vs. hours to try and figure out...I didn't realize that there was even a break tool in the edit menu...thank you! JPB

My roof angst continues... Attached are three thumbnails. One shows the plan I'm trying to emulate. The other two are what I currently have. I need to extend a portion of one roof edge to "tuck under" the adjoining roof edge. Tried editing the plane with the F2 command but all that's doing is moving the entire edge of the roof. Also, what is the "X" that's showing up on my plan? I apologize in advance if this is simple, and I realize that a lot of this is "trial and error" with the software, but I've been trialing and erroring for about 3 days and I'm completely stuck. Thanks. I'm using HD Pro 2015.

Thanks, Eric...will take a look at it tomorrow and thanks so much for your help!

Duh... ROOF.plan

Sorry I guess I don't know how...it's not accepting the file.

Ah...got it. Here you go

Thought I'd also add two more thumbnails...1) where I'm at and where I'm trying to go.

Thanks, Solver. Two thumbnails attached...outline of the plan after using autobuild, and a copy of the original framing plan. As you can see, (maybe), it's a complex combination of gables, hip and shed. I've managed to convert the gable ends manually, but now I've got this hip roof to deal with that's in the middle of the whole structure, and some of the gable surfaces form the sides of the hip. The program, naturally, wants to create about three times as many surfaces as I actually need. (Not something I would have designed, but the client wants to replicate it.) Hope this isn't too confusing and thanks in advance.

I'm using HD Pro 2015. I'm adapting a house from a set of plans the client purchased. There are multiple roof lines. See attached drawing. I have the roof planes in the proper location and the proper pitch, height and overhang, but I cannot for the life of me edit them or get them to join up. I seem to recall using the F2 button to set points on the roof plane where you want to edit, but I just can't get it to work. (The fact that I have spent almost 2 days on this probably doesn't help.) Am I missing something or is there perhaps a tutorial that goes beyond roof basics? I can't find one. Thanks.

David: Thanks! I just discovered the "sloped" soffit option in the soffit menu, when you refer to "custom shapes" is there another tool that I'm missing or are they one and the same? JPB

Ahhh...in that case, if I'm understanding you correctly, see attached thumbnails. By holding down the CTRL key as you elongate the soffit, you can "punch" through the wall. (In fact, by holding down the CTRL key you can move anything anywhere.) Of course, this doesn't make for a great plan view, but frankly I find that I always end up with two sets of drawings for any project anyway...one that shows a cleaned-up top view (for the client), and one (for my own use) that incorporates all of the gimmicks I need to use (like this one) in order to make the perspective views come out right. I hope this makes the remotest bit of sense...I'm usually seeking rather than dispensing advice on here!

I'm using HD Pro 2015. Is anyone aware of any way to represent 3-D gable trim (such as what's pictured on the attached photo? There doesn't appear to be anything in the library, and 3D Warehouse doesn't really have anything either. I would normally use my best friend - the soffit tool - but to the best of my knowledge you can't rotate soffits vertically. Thanks in advance.

Just realized something...use the CAD line tool to draw the lines for your soffit and then highlight the line to open the menu and specify the line type (solid, broken, etc.).