DavidJPotter

That term gets bandied around from time to time. I thought I would try to define it in terms of Chief Architect Software. A power user is someone who uses Chief Architect after thoroughly studying how to use the software. A person who when they incounter a problem, reads the Reference Manual Section or sections about the tool with which he or she is having trouble with. When they increase their theory understanding of the tool or action they then implement that new knowledge using the software to validate that they understood what they just studied. (Demonstrated competence) This places them in the viable position of just creating what they wish to create, using the software and it arms them with the certainty that no matter what they are presented as a problem, they already have a workable solution. A good deffinition of "Power" is merely the ability to efficiently solve Life's problems. It is a condition that one earns through ardent application and effective study. This condition can be created or achieved with speed or over time, the deciding factor is an intention to know. DJP

a lanai is a large outdoor area encased in screening. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanai_(architecture) popular in Florida (at least that is where I have designed and 3D modeled them in the past). The ones I did I did completely with poly-line solids and 3D molding poly-lines. Here is a rendering of the last one I did: DJP

When I reinstall or install a version of Chief, I customize my Preference settings and then open my "profile.plan" and customize it. Then I open and customize the layout templates I commonly use. I ahve never done otherwise than the above, nor felt the need to add to that routine. DJP

The ability to place a niche in one click with its own dialog box so you could define its depth and shape as well as width and height. DJP

I have been annoyed by that as well but when you confront the purpose of "Anno Sets" it makes sense that someone might want different arrows for different purposes in a set of plans. The current set up allows for that eventuality. I usually use the same arrow type for all dimensions and a different arrow type for text annotations. DJP

I do not experience this in my plans, I wonder if there is an existing situation within your PC-MAC that is the source of this as opposed to Chief? DJP

The ability to define a wall's vertical angle. DJP

You are under no duress to pay the SSA fee unless you consider it a positive exchange and that decision is completely yours to make. If the current version serves you then perhaps the upgrade is not for you. Older versions continue to function within the hardware and software environments they were designed to function ( I still have version 7 running when I require its services). My business is about serving those who use Chief Architect and Home Designer software so I have lots of it in many versions available to run on my PC. Part of my business is to stay current so the SSA is a vital fundimental for me. Not everyone is the same. DJP

I just finished some ray traces for a remodeling project here in Austin, I allowed each exterior render to run about 20 passes each (about five minutes with all light sources turned off except for the Sun). My PC also works harder during Ray Traces (makes more noise) but do not worry about the hardware, you bought it to serve you and it will until it wares out or is replaced. Your comfort and speed while working is more important than the comfort of your hardware. DJP

Troll again, that setting is in Preferences-Edit - Show Start and End Indicators. DJP

Do a Search for threads-posts by Scott Hall, Architect in San Diego. He switched to Mac as soon as the software was available for that OS and makes a lot of posts and videos to share here. DJP

Here is my humble attempt to plum the mysteries of this window: http://youtu.be/iBS2uqo-3ZM DJP

Are you needing this for a 2D detail (if so just draw it in 2D using existing 2D tools) If you require this to be fully 3D (why you would need it fully 3D, I cannot imagine) then it is a bit more work to do, manually adjusting the stem walls and framing. I do that in 2D on orders from an Engineer all the time. I have never been required to do such a detail in 3D or isometrically but that would just be a few more steps to do. DJP

What you would want to do is to learn how to draw custom Molding Profiles and then learn how to assign them to window sills and lintels along with custom material assignments. That is how that is best done but it is based upon learning a process to lead to a wanted effect. DJP

I would say "yes" but only for creating Custom Muntins. That is completely manual but at least you can then exactly control, shape and location of them. DJP

Home Designer .plan files can be edited back and forth between X5 and 2014 titles only if when opened in X5, the file is inabled to do so in "Plan Defaults- Allow Editing in Home Designer Titles" by placing a check-mark by that atttribute. Once that is done then yes but until it is done in X5 such plans can only be viewed but not edited. After so marking the file in X5 you can thereafter share the plan file back and forth between X5 and 2014 Home Designer titles. X6 and HD 2015 tiltes, X5 and 2014 titles, X4 and 2012 titles and etc on back is what works DJP

Yes, same file format (.plan) BUT! Once opened and saved in Chief Architect X5, it cannot be opened in any Home Designer or Chief Architect Premier title after X5 HD 2014. Older files can be upgraded to newer ones but NOT backwards. DJP

While ON the layout, only the "Edit Layout" tool allows for editing (removing, adding and editing) CAD lines autogenerated by 3D (Architectural) objects in the view. 2D CAD Lines and text you may have added to the elevation or cross section view using 2D CAD tools would have to be edited or changed with the view open in the plan file from the layout and then allowed to be closed so those changes could then be "updated" to the layout. I hope this makes the way it is programmed to function more clear, it is often easier to show another than to explain just using language. DJP

There are at least two basic ways to handel unwanted holes in terrain: 1. Turn off the setting in Terrain Specification dialog "Hide Terrain Intersected by Building" or 2. Using a slab, poly-line solid, soffit or other object type to plug the hole setting its material to "Grass" or indicated material DJP

That type of unwanted anomaly are bad or poor wall connections. Redo the connections until they appear right in both plan and camera views (you connect and disconnect and then reconnect such junctions over and over until they snap together properly). The main thing to apply is the intention that they behave and persist until you get good behavior. DJP

I suppose this sort of thing is a rite of passage or so it seems to me. The day that you fully realize and understand that only you and nothing or no one else is responsible for outcomes. The other realization is that "Gone" is GONE in some cases. I had such a episode back in 1999 and since then I have taken steps to make sure that I never loose a flipping thing: I manually save (F3 or CTRL-S) while I work so I never have to then depend upon automatic-mechanical devices to "save" or back up my work. When a plan starts to show evidence of "stress" I immediately save it as a new name as insurance against just this sort of thing occuring. Additional hard drives are cheap, my time is not. This has happened to me once or twice in twenty two years of use of Chief Architect Inc software but once is too often. I also use a software program that backs up my stuff to another hard drive automatically. I have a Carbonite account as a further back up. How long it takes you to personally take steps to protect your data is the wild variable. Join the Club. DJP

Yes, they should be. You can import his layer sets and wall definition files if he shares them with you by exporting them for you to then import but they should be resident in the plan file he shared with you (take a look and see). The difference is that such data should be part of the plan file shared but if you want that data available for future plans then you should consider exporting and then importing such data and makeing a template plan for that person's work or amending your profile plan at your choice. DJP

"Stud-height" is controlled by way of the "Ceiling Height" setting of each room specification dialog - Structure Tab - Ceilng Height input value. It appears to me (us) that you have it set unusually low for just that room with the unwanted low roof planes. The software just reacts to settings per unit of time, so find the offending setting or settings and then all will be well. The software just does what it is told to do or in a lot of cases what one fails to tell or set and thus you get unwanted results. Straighten out your settings and it will deliver the expected results, always. DJP

How to achieve various specific outcomes using programs other than Pro or Chief one carefully studies the data found in the "Build Roof" Dialog - "Roof Styles" tab where how to set up for each roof style is explained. Generally speaking, all Chief Architect Inc software does what it does based upon either factory default settings or those settings that the end user sets to guide the software to wanted results. When you know where those settings are, what they are for and what they then do, you have the software mastered where it then becomes a tool, to do otherwise (guessing, trial and error or being "intuitive") just takes too long when all the answers are already resident in the Help Files, Reference Manual and in help videos. It just costs some of yout time and attention followed by practice of what was studied. DJP

I assume you have-use Chief Premier. Chief has manual editing tools for roof planes. You would select the offending roof plane then using the "Break Line" tool you edit the edge of the roof plane that is intruding into your room so that its edges are moved outside of the room's wall. It takes some practice to get this smoothly done but it is a skill you need to develop and use. Here is a related You Tube video where I display some manual roof editing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgJ_gq4-qQA DJP