DavidJPotter

Whether PC or Mac, core libraries, bonus and Manufacturer libraries must be manually downloaded and installed by the end user (Go to "Library" and in the drop down select "Install Core Libraries" ), Then if you like more content can be had from the Chief Architect Website - Content page.

DJP

No Chief Architect or Home Designer title imports "Zip files" (compressed archives), you first decompress or un-zip the downloaded files and then IF those files are in a file format that the software does import you can then import and use those symbols (check the " File - Import Symbol" dialog for which files are acceptable.

DJP

PS: BTW this forum specializes in end users of Chief Architect Premier only, there is a specific user forum for Home Designer Users called "Home Talk", I suggest you use that forum in the future.

I commonly make an as-built model then make a copy (save as the as-built) for showing before and after views. You can use the hatch wall tool for demo walls or just create custom walls for existing and new plus annotations on each plan view (before and after) to communicate the intended changes. I would not try to do all that in a single plan as it is problematic to do so. Two plans clearly communicate both instances quite well.

DJP

I have over 40 Chief Architect and Home Designer titles on my PC divided between two hard drives (one for XP x32 and one for Windows 7 x64). I save these files to another hard drive that does not contain either XP or W7. I have a software program that backs those plan files to yet another hard drive and that hard drive then backs up to Carbonite.

Since 1994,  I have never had any problem backing up, maintaining and organizing these files. It is not something anything or anyone does but me. One should increase their own PC and Chief knowledge, there is no short cut to being responsible for one's affairs and Life.

DJP

I know several Chief users that like to have very personalized looks to their plans and like the person in your stated example, they make these things using Chief tools and then add them to their library browsers for future use. It is a personal preference per user.

DJP

Google images

DJP

You might check with (communicate to) JCaffee as he uses image editing software to enhance his renders, he is a member here.

DJP

What I posted above has worked just fine in versions back to 7, there is a difference between doing something and doing it successfully. Somebody tells me that something is false that I know to be true does not then make it false.

DJP

Additionally, you can adjust the intensity of the Sun per rendering on the "Light Data" tab of the "Edit Ray Tracing Dialog" as well as control its shine direction. All the above factors (North Pointer, Sun Angle, Lat-Long, Intensity, render area lighting) effect the outcome. You control them to get the end product you require.

DJP

When I need a material to run the oppositie way that it is running, I create a new instance of that same material but change the direction angle and give that copy of material a new name like "Bead Board 90d", as long as the name is different you can create as many angle changes as are required for your purposes.

DJP

Scott, you can drag an unwanted number out of the layout view or move it to where you can then apply a "white-out box" to elimanate it or in some cases you can place manual text over it with a while fill.

You can also of course manually edit the string, eleminating the unwanted dimension points.

DJP

Yes. but if you use .skp files then you also have to place an "added light source" so that object will also emit light in renderings (Chief lighting objects already have a light source built into them, symbols made by other may or may not have a light source built in).

I have made poly-line solid objects and just assigned a 100%  "emmisive" setting to the material assigned to them to create the apparency of a light source as well.

DJP

The paint roller blends the selected color with the existing material and thus creates a new material (I rarely use that tool that way).

The material painter and eye-dropper have four distinct "modes" of use "component": applying the material change just to the single selected object, "Room" which applys the change to all objects of the same type in the "room" where the action is being taken, "Floor": where all objects of the same type per floor will be changed and lastly "Plan": where all objects of the same type will be changed using that mode per object application.

After that it is a matter of how preceisely you left-click and your video card's ability to differenciate between one surface and another,

Are your windows mulled perhaps?

DJP

Try this:

DJP

I think you have answered your own question, just do what needs doing for now.

DJP

Posting a screen capture would help plus stateing what version of Chief you are using, a copy of your plan would also be useful to those interested in helping you.

DJP

select the attic wall in plan or a camera view then go that wall's dialog box-materials tab and change the material for the exterior wall layer of it. In plan view you toggle up to the <A> level to select attic walls, or just in any camera view select the wall, then open it'd dialog box.

DJP

I have had 337.88 since last month, no problems here.

DJP

I do not see a photo.

DJP

I have a 760 with no problems in X5 or 6, wierd.

DJP

That is caused (in your posted image) by improperly connected roof planes, fixt the mating edges of those to roof plans and the soffit problem will dissapear with it. (join Roofs tool after you straighten out the gable plane by getting rid of the unnecessary line break in it).

DJP

Before Man developed language he drew pictures and made jestures. Then came symboligic language  (writing) so visuals are primary and symbolic language is secondary, which are tied to specific instance deffinitions and as such as Bryce mentioned capable of not conveying the intended understanding.

Primary knowing is based upon one's senses, even an illiterate person can understand visuals in most cases. Human communication is mostly taken for granted and not really very well understood. It makes a difference in terms of getting something done and gaining another's understanding and assistance.

DJP

Thanks for sharing Joe.

DJP

Frankly, I read and reread your post and I haven't the foggiest idea what you are talking about (just from what you posted).

I totally understand that you are frustrated but not why.

Whenever peole say things like "Chief won't or it doesn't" just tend to indicate to me that the originator doesn't know how to use Chief to get a specific task done.

I do not say this to put you in your place or to tell you to not communicate your concerns at all. I am saying that from what you have posted, I cannot say anything really useful to help you which is always my intent.

DJP

Select the poly-Line, while selected, in the "Edit Toolbar" you left-click on the "Line Break" tool and the right after  that you left-click where you want the break to appear on the selected poly-line. If you goof you do the action agin until you do get the break you want.

DJP