DavidJPotter

By default when you draw a plan, you start on "Floor 1 <1>" which automatically adds an "Attic <A>" level. When you wish to conver the <A> Attic level to "Floor 2" so it can be used to add living space you go to your Build Roof Dialog and make sure "Auto Build Roofs" is OFF, then go to the "Build" Menu- Floor- Build new floor-Create new blank floor. This leaves the roofs bearing on the first floor so you can then manually create your attic space room additions. DJP

Numerous help articles and video tutorials on the Chief Website check out these help articles and videos on the Chief website DYP

Lots of objects available on the Chief Website - Catalog downloads page, check it out. DJP

Current versions of Home Desiger software now import .dxf and .dwg files, like Chief Premier. Anyone still using ancient software should not expect much present time support. DJP

Yes, I have active versions X1-X13. DJP

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Yes. DJP

Views sent to layout are "sent" from a specific plan file, so if you wish to maintain one plan file view and sent another for comparison, you use at least two different plan files. For remodeling projects I ALWAYS use two plan files, one for the AS BUILT and another or others for the PROPOSED. That is how it is programmed to work. DJP

If you were to do a "Search" at the Chief Architect Website as Ryan indicated/suggested you would have found the answer to your question. You did not look so therefore you do not know, which is on YOU! I did a search as Ryan suggested and found plenty of answers, why don't you do so as well? Also I did a search at 3D warehouse where they have numerous "Pivot Door" symbols you can download and use, take a look. DJP

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I have, myself observed that when I add pdf sheets, images and other documents to my layouts they then bloat up pretty fast. I remember I once had one that was almost 200 Mb one time, I had to share it using One Drive as a result. DJP

Here is a link to some YouTube videos on Ray Tracing in Chief that might help you. DJP

Just for fun, I opened and printed the same layout in versions x7, x9, x10, x11, x12 & x13, to see the variations, version to version set to 600 dpi, the image below shows the results: DJP Attached are the PDF files I created in 600dpi for a client many years ago in X1. You can see the PDF's and you can see my PC specs. I used nothing except the provided "Chief Print to PDF" app everyone gets. x12.pdf x13.pdf x10.pdf x11.pdf x7.pdf x9.pdf

Just for fun, I opened and printed the same layout in versions x7, x9, x10, x11, x12 & x13, to see the variations, version to version set to 600 dpi, Arch "C", Chief save as PDF, the image below shows the results: DJP

I installed "Win RAR", downloaded your plan, looked at it. I cannot tell just from this and your post above, exactly what you wish as an end product, sorry. I am sure it is "CLEAR" to you but, in terms of helping you, I cannot figure out from your plan file and post, what you need and want as an end result. DJP

Ryan is saying that your compressed plan file is in " .rar " file format and not " .zip ". There is nothing "wrong" with RAR files, it is just that one has to install special software to open .rar files and .zip files are natively supported by Windows PC's at least that is what I think Ryan was indicating. DJP

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I specialize in Helping Home Designer users with their projects, let's please talk. DJP

Unlike most users of Chief, I specialize in helping users (probably like you) who for one reason or another decided not to upgrade every time a new version is offered. I have versions X1-X13 and even old version 7, 9 and 10 that predate old X1, so I can help such people. Version 7 still works perfectly well after all these years but version 9-23 work even progressively better and better. There is no "greater wisdom" of which you cannot tap, really there is only what you need, like and want. THAT should be your only guide to what you need and want. DJP

CAD to walls tool is "layer specific" and so if your CAD blocks are on a layer other than "Walls exterior" or "Walls Interior" then they will be overlooked. Software is pre-programmed to work the way it was written to work and that often times does not work the way one might want to have it. In other words, it does what it does and perhaps not what YOU would have it work. It is not "worthless" but by the same token, I, like Shane and Lewis, do not commonly use it due to its limitations. DJP

Each camera type has its own default settings (called "Edit Active View") and each camera type can or not have a backdrop. By the same token, adding a backdrop to one camera type does not add a backdrop to ALL camera types, they each have their own settings and dialogs. In earlier versions this was not so but IS SO now. DJP

Rather than carp (noting wrong with complaining) about the fact that Chief is not pre-programmed to do exactly as you wish when and as you wish, I would simply fix the elevation view with 2D CAD overlays so it "LOOKS" like you wish it to look (no one is ever going to "Live" in the virtual model contained in a " chief.plan or .layout file", those are used to emulate or graphically communicate ones desires to other building professionals. So you cover up the fact that Chief models a certain way using 2D CAD fill boxes so it "LOOKS" right when printed. It is unlikely that Chief will be rewriting its software to suit you and hundreds of other end users who are used to how some other software operates/ is programmed to work or how you think it should work-- it DOES work quite well and is able to, sometimes requiring some creative thinking, very well. DJP

Completely fine here, no problems. DJP

Robert's suggestion may work as long as your interior ceilings are all flat (not common-rafter-vaulted where the material setting comes from Roof Defaults). Push comes to shove you can add custom ceiling planes for interior vaults and they are programmed to accept material assignments separate from roof planes alone. The fact is that Materials assignment questions are not nice and neat with a single "answer" because there are multiple "answers" to such questions due to the multiple ways one can arrive at an "answer", without your plan file to inspect, no one can be singly sure of a single answer. DJP