Alaskan_Son

I see a huge dark gray "fill" covering your elevation in the PDF you attached. I see it in my PDF reader/editor before even trying to print anything. It looks like perhaps you have something in your layout causing the problem. Maybe something on page zero? Can you attach the plan and layout that you're using?

Stair tools are actually not quite the same (very similar but not the same), and neither are the snaps and edit handle functions. In this instance they were both able to do the same job, but I agree. Chief is easier. For an extra $2,000 it better be :-)

Pretty good progress for only having used the software for 2 or 3 days!!

Here is my very first shot at making a video. Sorry I don't have a microphone on my desktop so there's no sound. I actually used the trial version of Home Designer Architectural 2016 so it should work the same for you. As far as I've figured, the key is to get your landing correct before you try to build the stairs. The stairs seem to only want to make the wraparound connection once (upon initial construction). If they are disconnected or messed with too much, the connection doesn't seem to be possible. Anyway, its pretty crappy, but here it is... http://screencast.com/t/m2rf0zvrS

Not an ideal solution, but if for whatever reason you need to have BOTH a room fill and a material region, you can place a CAD block of the toilet in the plan, explode it and clean it up so that all you have is a single closed polyline in the shape of the toilet outline...place that new polyline directly over the top of the toilet, select the material region, click on polyline subtraction, and then click on the toilet CAD outline that was just created (you may have to temporarily move the toilet symbol out of the way in order to select it). This will cut the shape of the toilet into the material region.

Open the Material Region DBX...Line Style>Drawing Group>select the Back Group radio button

I'm not actually working today, just surfing the web on my phone from time to time. I'll have to check that out next week. Before then though... All I did was create a landing and then 2 matching sets of stairs (one on each landing edge). The moment I drag the second set of stairs to the corner the stairs automagically connect. Honestly I only tried with a rectangular landing though and didn't try to reshape it (either before or afterward).

Sounds like one for tech support. Just in case, can you attach a plan where you've experienced the problem and mark the object(s) and dimension(s) you are having problems with?

Is it possible you were using the point to point dimension tool?

I'm going to have to learn to make videos. I was able to build with internal stairs with no problems at all.

So...I just downloaded the trial version of the software you're using, and the technique in the article I attached above WILL work for you.

Not sure if this will work for you or not, but here's what I think you're looking for... http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00788/160/Chief-Architect/Stairs/Creating-Mitered-or-Wrap-Around-Stairs.html Please note, this is in the Chief Architect knowledge base and may not work the same with the Home Designer product line. Also, the article is talking about stairs for a deck, but at least in Chief, the same technique works using a landing. I find it easiest to just build the one set of stairs, then copy and paste to the second location and reposition and connect to landing as necessary.

Eric, you may want to post your question over on the HomeTalk forum. This forum is more specific to Chief Architect which has more features and capabilities. We're likely going to have a hard time helping you over here because your version doesn't have all the options we're used to using...Specifically with regard to stairs and customizable landings. I'm sure there's a way if you get creative, bust quickly looking at the tools you have available in the Home Designer product line, I think you may have a bit of difficulty creating that set of stairs using the tool set you have available to you.

I've had the "Unexpected" error several times. I could be wrong, but if I remember correctly it was when I was trying to download older SKP (Sketchup) models and the problem was solved as soon as I switched the model to a different version (SKP 6, SKP 7, SKP 8, etc.). The "malformed" error I DON'T recall having seen before. Maybe one for Tech Support.

I basically created an orthographic floor overview, used the cross section slider, changed the rendering style to line drawing and then sent that view to layout. Then I sent a standard plan view with dimensions to the same layout page, resized and repositioned the line drawing so that it overlapped the normal plan view, and then turned off all layers except dimensions and room labels. I just picked a text style that looked somewhat hand written. It could use some work...One could definitely spend a little more time than I did refining the look (line drawing settings, text and dimensioning, layer settings, etc.) but I think its pretty close to what was requested too.

I agree, the first definitely looks better. It doesn't look like you quite compared apples to apples though. Your second picture doesn't have shadows and the ray trace/renderings don't appear to have the same settings.

That's some beautiful work !!

Nice work Jon. Looks good. You prolee realize this, but I'm relatively certain you can achieve the same thing all within CA by layering in Layout (no Photoshop necessary).

Took a bit of time to see what was possible. Nothing fancy, but all done within Chief... The hardest part is dealing with dimensions. Without the need for dimensions its much easier.

What you're really looking for if I understand you correctly is control over the box itself. I think this is something we could really make huge use of. Adjustable box panels (all the way to zero) would be immensely useful...both sides and back. Would solve a lot of problems we have with building custom units.

I think Jon might be onto something. I thought the "®" or brand symbol (R with a circle around it in case you are seeing anything different on your end) was a pretty commonly used font. It works on both of my computers (Windows 7 and 8), works online, and with every program that I use, however in the screenshot you attached with the warning message there seems to be an extra character added that I didn't put there... Are you perhaps running on a Mac? I wonder if perhaps fonts don't work the same on Mac's?

Hmmm...Not sure what going on Dennis. They just downloaded fine for me. And I'm just using the newest version of X7

A few symbols we had to make for a bathroom remodel we're working on. Couldn't find them anywhere else so I had my son make them for me. I think they turned out pretty good... Material could be changed and could be used as a ceramic sink as well. Its a rectangular design that we've wanted for other jobs as well. Anyway, here they are if you can use them... Native Trails® Hana copper sink (with grid drain).calibz Native Trails® Hana copper sink (no drain).calibz Grid drain.calibz

Sorry Bill, I wasn't aiming that last response at you. Jut pointing out that there are several possible methods to reach the desired outcome, however none really do the job quite right (at least not for the reasons the OP was after). For that matter one might as well just copy the plan and delete all the widows an doors...done.

I think the challenge is to create a situation that leaves the plan correct AND keeps everything live.