DavidJPotter

That is what the "mirror" material looks like in a vector view camera view (no reflections except using a ray trace or standard render camera view). DJP

Walls connect by way of the wall's "Main Layer" so if your main layer radio button position is incorrectly set you will then get unwanted results as well as dimensioning errors. Make sure when creating custom wall types that this convention is properly set up in your wall types. DJP

I commonly build framing and then manually edit the results, that is what the manual tools are for, to make things exactly as you require. Each framing object has a dialog box and can be thus controlled, located and sized. DJP

The benefit in this case is that Chief Architect Inc survives into the future as opposed to them not surviving by being easy going and reasonable about their business model and intellectual properties. Like or not the Ethics level of our World is at a criminal level, the paper thin social veneer of "Civilization" is often too insubstantial to mention in terms of a business protecting its own survival by expecting people to be personally ethical. Sure most of us are personally ethical but it takes only a few lazy thieves to eat away at an already thin profit margin except the Fed Gov which prints its own money by decree. DJP

that particular cursor icon means that somewhere in your current plan there exists a bad wall connection. The bad wall connection should also have a "circle" showing at the bad wall connection. You also get a cursor icon appearing when "Angle Snaps" has been turned off and other basic function conditions. Such indicators are VERY useful and not a bug or something "wrong", it is just a communication from the software to you. DJP

Poly-line solid overlays would be my initial plan, depending upon the size and shape of the Architectural details, one might also use molding poly-lines or 3D molding poly-lines as well. Using only walls or pony-walls becomes problematic when intricacy is required but Chief has plenty of tool choices to do whatever needs doing. DJP

I use the back-clip to bracket just as much of a view as I want and any extra lines that remain, you can use the "Edit Layout" tool to add or subtract any lines when the view sent to layout. View to CAD is useful especially for old AutoCAD users who find that sort of thing familiar, I just do as above mostly, Chief is flexible enough to allow for several different ways to arrive at useful end products-views. DJP

In a camera view (any camera view) has its own "Display Options" where what shows by layer can be controlled, use that tool to isolate just what you want the view to show using the tools at hand, simple and straight forward control. DJP

You can use "CAD Block Management" to "insert" existing 2D symbols, explode them for editing to your particular needs creating a new 2D symbol for your purposes that will go wherever you place it. Place it on the "Electric Layer" so it turns on and off with other grouped objects. You can also just make new 2D symbols from CAD and text and such items will go where you place them in plan view. You do not "get Chief to place" anything, you place them to suit your own purposes. DJP

Todd, I sold my first remodeling design the first day I used it but it took a lot longer, making a living to really "master" the program relative to a full set of CD's for permit submittal. The only person who can insure speed in terms of learning is you based upon how much time you put in relative to study followed by practice. The more self-disciplined you are is the only factor you can control in terms of speed of learning and competence. Anyone else's ideas are merely their opinions and not relevant to you. DJP

I never used AutoCAD or any 2D program. I have just used Chief since Version 4 to do whatever I required but I have observed that what one must have or should have is a purely a personal preference as opposed to anything actually "real" or significant. DJP

Engineering is for State Licensed Structural Engineers. Chief Architect and Home Designer software are tools and in the hands of competent end users allows such persons to design whatever they like once the tools and conventions are learned-practiced with. You learn how to draw and then draw, you learn how to create and then create whether you use a pencil and eraser or a computer, such skills are learned and mastered. You cannot buy competence, you earn it by study followed by practice and an intention to accomplish something. DJP

After wall framing is ordered built you can open that tool to view and edit per wall, wall framing. If you have not yet built wall framing, there is nothing to view per wall. Try it and see. DJP

Please show us what you have that is falling short please. DJP

Click on (select) the door tool icon. Then draw a marquee-select around all doors on a floor. Open the group dialog Make the changes. Click "OK" This works for cabinets by type and windows (select its tool icon, shift-marquee-select) DJP

If no local help, I can help you with one-on-one tutoring by way of the Internet and "Go to Meeting", I have been helping others this way since 1999. DJP

I would use a molding poly-line (a 3D molding poly line is not necessary for this type of look). You draw a molding profile than when extruded downward from a plan view poly-line and as Larry said asign it with the siding material, Where you might have windows the poly-line would need to be set, height-wise to not interfere with wall penetrations (doors and windows). DJP

I would import the dwg into a "CAD Detail Window" so it would be isolated there for editing and then send to layout from there (I do not like to clutter up my plan view with imports unless I import the AutoCAD layer names so I can lock or turn those on and off at will. DJP

After sending to layout you can edit out the unwanted lines using the"Edit Layout tool" or yo might try extending the chord and then use the "Trim" command to get closer to exactly what you want in terms of 2D and 3D. DJP

I do as you do. In earlier versions (before the advent of Poly-Line Solids, ie before version 9) I would shape the wall-poly-line (a tedious process), it was all we had then other than shapes (this was before Sketch Up too). DJP

No, you can order it rebuilt in a new unit of time and then it will match the first floor, if you don't it will stay out of alignment until you rebuild or manually align the walls, floor to floor. DJP

Sometimes I have to go to "Layer Display Options" for that camera view and like Kevin said, "turn that layer or layers "on". But also I often have to check "show in this view" check box on the dialog box of the object, door, window or roof plane as well

What exactly do you mean "add even the smallest radius..." It is smooth as glass on my PC. DJP

As stated in the Reference Manual, one measures from the sheet rock in and the other measures from the framing in. DJP

I have observed that each newer version (on the same PC) seems to be a little more demanding of the same hardware. I have versions 7-16 on the same PC (on XP and Windows 7) but I see no significant difference and would not prefer to work in X4 or X5 because of all the advantages X6 offers. If what you are experiencing is significant then you may have hardware or software driver issues to look into fixing. DJP