katalyst777

I don't believe Suite has control over this setting. Pro does.

Looking at the "Compatible With" option for them in the 3D Library, you'd need to upgrade to Premier X8 to use the Andersen catalog because they haven't made their catalog available for any of the Home Designer programs.

Yes, and there are lots of resources in the videos and Knowledge Base that explain how to customize your terrain, add plants, garden beds, fences and a lot more.

Go to File-> Print-> Drawing Sheet Setup and make changes there before going to print.

KB-00888: Importing 3D Symbols

Microsoft Article - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/266738

When you try to single-click a Microsoft mouse button, the computer responds as if you double-clicked the mouse button.

When you initially go to export the view, it's going to be exactly what you see on your screen.  Don't mess with the aspect ratio because it'll end up distorted.  Just resize the program window until what you see in the export dialog is close to the ratio you want.

Or just export it normally and then crop it in Gimp or some other photo editing software.

Much thanks but I elected to go back to El Capitan by going through these ~ http://www.imore.com/how-downgrade-macos-sierra-back-os-x-el-capitan

I'm confused, did Home Designer's Technical Support folks tell you to do that, or is it something you decided to do on your own?

I have a 2d graphic program on the iPad that cost a fraction of HD suite which enables grouping of objects that can be moved, or copied and pasted.

You CAN group select objects to move, copy, and paste them in all of the Home Designer programs.

KB-00624: Group Selecting Objects

You just can't permanently group them together as a single unit in some of the less-advanced versions.

Under your Help menu, click View Help.  Search for the word break and when you see Break - Wall, double click on it to read how to use the tool.

Yes I knew that but with as advanced as the program is a person still has to draw a polyline, break it many times to figure out the square footage! Should be a way simpler way!

Post a feature request in Suggestions.

Home Designer doesn't let you change the Newels/Balusters associated with a staircase directly.  BUT, you can set their material to "Opening (no material)" so they don't display, then put the wrought iron scrollwork items from Arcways and adjust their heights to follow the stairs.



I don't know of a good way to create the volute on the ends though except maybe importing something close from SketchUp

The Pro version allows you to make a copy of materials and modify their offset (where the material starts) to adjust where tile or brick starts along a wall to make it look more consistent.  Does Interiors have this option?

In Home Designer, "Living Area" is not the same as "Square Footage" - check out this article.

KB-00309: Calculating Living Area and Square Footage

Only if you don't place the break and mark the whole wall as Foundation.

This belongs in the Q&A, not Tips and Tricks. 

You need to upgrade to Premier to get curved ceiling planes and polyline solids (basically shaped objects like soffits but better).

In Architectural though, you could create a shape in SketchUp and the import it into Home Designer to fake the look, just bear in mind things like ceiling mounted light fixtures won't work right with it.

Sounds like Jo_Ann has a better handle on what you're trying to ask. 

Need to see the plan to be sure, but it looks like you need to place a Wall Break and mark part of that other wall to the left as having a footing too.

You've already got a 6/12 gable roof in your design over the structure and decks, but that's about the extent that Suite will let you do.

See this prior thread - https://hometalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/1193-scissor-truss/

You can't add Ceiling Planes like Pro would let you to make a true vault, but you can follow these instructions to create a cathedral ceiling.

KB-00160: Creating a Cathedral Ceiling

Those look great!  Glad you got the floor reflections figured out in Suite!

How did you get the images so large in your post?  Mine always come out like tiny thumbnails that you have to click on to see any detail.

I don't think the current version of Home Designer 2017 has had an update yet to make it compatible with Sierra (I've held off updating to it myself for other reasons).

At any rate, the System Requirements on the article don't have it listed yet.

There's also an article for KB-02940: Troubleshooting Chief Architect Software Closing Unexpectedly on a Mac that has a bunch of information on fixes and contacting the company's Technical Support if you need to.  They're probably better equipped to be able to handle this kind of question anyway than those of us on the forum.

Thirding confusion over the "KNX" acronym.  As near as I could tell from Google, it might have something to do with smart home automation, but nothing relevant in an image search is clear on what the hardware would look like applicable to a 3D symbol for use in modeling it in Home Designer.

Some of the more advanced versions would let you do that, but in Suite, you should be able to fake the look by putting a Wedge from the Library Browser resized on top of a half wall.

Yes, create it manually.  The pier article is the way to go.  Just make the first pier that you copy/paste as tall as needed to reach the terrain, and then you can decrease the bottom height of the others as needed to match your terrain.

Can someone do me a favor and group the two wall lights I’ve put together in this plan, then export the object?

Can't create an Architectural Block out of two lights (even with Pro, not sure about Premier).

I don't know how to import light source from Sketchup like I do for 95% of the furniture I use in my plan.

The Home Designer programs import any third party symbols as an "Interior Fixture."  You'd have to upgrade all the way up to Premier to be able to control importing things as lights and having them actually behave like lights in the software.