Possible to convert an existing plan from standard to metric, or visa versa?

[New_Bee]

I am American who happens to live in a metric world, and have for going on two decades. So, standard, typically, doesn't work well for me as it did while I lived stateside. 

 

While looking around, I find some plans started using standard measurements that I would like to convert. But, either I am missing something in the search, or it isn't possible to do in HDA 2016? 

 

Can anyone address this issue for me, please?
 

So far, I love the software and what I am learning by using it.

[DavidJPotter]

I have not tried this myself but it seems to me that if I wanted to do as you do, I would open a blank plan in Metric units (that is something you do when starting a new plan, you choose Imperial or Metric Units for the plan). Then in the blank plan I would set its defaults in metric to match the existing plan to be copied. Then using the "Edit Area" command I would copy-paste each floor from the imperial plan into the metric blank plan, one floor at a time, using the "Reference Floor Display" to realign the floors to each other (Architectural has the command "Edit - paste-hold position"so you should use that).

 

DJP

[New_Bee]

Thank you, again, Mr. Potter. I will try this and see if it works for me.

 

This seems to be something that could be a software improvement suggestion, me thinks. (I think I will do just that.)

 

It shouldn't be that difficult to be able to add a feature in the software, allowing the user to switch between metric and standard measurements on a plan. 

[zippitydodraw]

I have not tried this myself but it seems to me that if I wanted to do as you do, I would open a blank plan in Metric units (that is something you do when starting a new plan, you choose Imperial or Metric Units for the plan). Then in the blank plan I would set its defaults in metric to match the existing plan to be copied. Then using the "Edit Area" command I would copy-paste each floor from the imperial plan into the metric blank plan, one floor at a time, using the "Reference Floor Display" to realign the floors to each other (Architectural has the command "Edit - paste-hold position"so you should use that).

 

DJP

 

I have tried this previous, it does not work. Sizing is not maintained with copy/paste between metric and imperial file types of the Home Designer.

[DavidJPotter]

"Does not work" means that you gave up, I mentioned that default settings must be updated in the target plan (that is probably what you missed) or you update those settings after copy-paste but it certainly can be done by the end user (not the software by itself).

 

DJP

[zippitydodraw]

David, you have say yourself you did not try, is no harm in not reply if you cannot offer helpful advise. I have tryed and default settings have nothing to do with copy/paste between these file types, the size scale is not kept.

[New_Bee]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Well, I guess that is even more of a reason to have offered it as a "suggestion", to add it as a feature to this software. 

 

Maybe the developer gods will hear my request.

[solver]

 

While looking around, I find some plans started using standard measurements that I would like to convert. But, either I am missing something in the search, or it isn't possible to do in HDA 2016? 

 

 

I suggested the metric conversion last year. 

 

The best way to learn the software is to use it. Just take the imperial plan and draw it. You will learn and get more proficient with each plan you do. It takes minutes to do a plan with these products, so just go for it.

[New_Bee]

I suggested the metric conversion last year. 

 

The best way to learn the software is to use it. Just take the imperial plan and draw it. You will learn and get more proficient with each plan you do. It takes minutes to do a plan with these products, so just go for it.

 

Well, with more of us suggesting it, maybe they will eventually add it as an option. 

 

While it is fine and good to learn the software - I use it almost daily to learn it to design my own little rest house in the province, adding a convenience such as this could possibly improve sales, especially if their competitors (whomever they may be) do not offer this feature in their products.

 

Also, this is not too much of a headache for me, as I will do just that - view the standard plan and manually draw each dimension to metric. But, what about a complex drawing? You could be looking at some serious time, possibly very valuable time to the user, that could be saved just by the click of a button.

[DavidJPotter]

As an exercise I did change an Imperial plan file to Metric and as I postulated after the copy-paste one then has to re set defaults in Metric (this is not done automatically by the software but must be done by the end user). It is a bit of careful, pain staking work but is doable. This includes roof planes which are aberrated by the copy-paste (they must be redone after default settings are repaired). But if you must do this, that is what is required. Also terrain objects are lost in the copy-paste and so would have to be recreated after the copy-paste. It would be nice if Chief Architect Inc could add a routine making this action easier to do but like I said, it can be done, it is just a lot of work for the end user.

 

DJP

[New_Bee]

It would be nice if Chief Architect Inc could add a routine making this action easier to do...

 

I agree. So many steps shouldn't have to be completed just to convert a plan. That, along with other rebuilds would be completely unnecessary if this could be accomplished. I can only imagine trying to convert a large plan. 

 

I'm actually surprised more members haven't suggested this in the past, to possibly encourage the company to add this ability. Perhaps, the vast majority of users are in the US? Who knows?

 

Either way, thanks again, for your input and time.