DavidJPotter

Yes, You study the Reference Manual, watch some videos and then you use the provided tools to do whatever you need and want. DJP

I recommend that you create a terrain plane and then have that terrain break at differing height changes to get a feel for what works and what does not work. I agree with Scott in that specific advice can only be offered after evaluating a particular plan file along with an understanding of what the wanted result is to be. It depends upon how much the terrain modulates (changes) and surrounding terrain. There is a trial and error to this in terms of finding just the right combinations of objects and values that work together to cause a specific result. The general advice I always offer is to make one change and then evaluate that change in camera views until you are satisfied with the results and then make another change, etc. Avoid making a lot of changes in terrain objects and then evaluating the results as then it is harder to know what change caused the viewed result. DJP

Without seeing your plan, no one can offer anything but guesses and possibilities, not real answers. We cannot see what you are seeing (yet) so help us out. DJP

Without your plan and layout files to look at no one can do anything but guess. With the rigs you have I would also be upset with the lags (which I do not have unless the plan file is huge and complicated with lots of CAD details, imported PDF's and images) which at a glance at your video I saw nothing "telling". I am curious as to why your layout pages were all but blank and yet lagged like mad. This leads me to think that your template plans if that is what you were using, are corrupted or are the source of your slowness (your PC's are NOT the source of any lags or slowness). Though this takes longer to do, I still recommend that you share your plan, layout and associated files with Tech Support. They specialize at such investigations, secondarily, sharing those same files here will be essential in terms of any real solutions as they are the source of your trouble. DJP

It required two try's to get a video made but this shows you a way to arrive at what I think you need and want: DJP

DJP 1294 Wheeler Overlook Play after tutorial - pony Wall v1.plan

If placing such a custom material to a single 3D face of glass you would have to parse the material so that it appears to cover only part of that 3D face. I have done this several times to create custom signs or that appear to be a decal on a larger clear glass space. Such planning is placed into the custom material (image with a transparent background) so that when applied one uses "Stretch to fit" across that face so all you see is one instance of the image as opposed to multiple instances that one would get if the "Stretch to fit" command is used. DJP

Saving as is a good way to protect yourself but merely making copies of corrupted files is all that does, it "fixes" nothing. I have not seen such an error message since version 7 or 8 so I doubt any here will know anything useful in terms of specifics. Generally speaking such errors come from poor end user habits based upon a perfunctory actual knowledge of Chief Architect software and its proper use. I am not saying this as a put down at all, but rather merely stating facts based upon helping newer users is what I have specialized in for over twenty years. Knowing what to do is far superior to merely guessing and hoping for a livable outcome. Competence is your only real protection from error messages, when you follow established procedures you rarely see them and when you don't that is almost all one sees. Version 8 is an antique application, it still of course works as it was originally designed to do so but it is still an antique that was designed for an antique operating system and hardware. DJP

The settings that control "Freeze Trim" can be found in the Build Roof Dialog. If you do not want any Freeze trims then do not set any to be built in the Build Roof Dialog. Such trims are also on their own layer and can be turned on or of visually in Display Options. DJP This software is predicated upon settings, dialog boxes and input boxes. Usually it is just taking the time to look and find where such settings are and what they do. It is time well spent.

If you were my client, I would ask you quite squarely, what is it that you and your family like in terms of Architectural style. I would ask you for photos of houses and or house features that you would especially like to incorporate into your design. That is what an Architect does or at least the really good ones. I would want to ideally visit your property with you and as thoroughly as possible find out what this home needs to be to make you and your family comfortable, happy and to serve your needs. Once that data is acquired then it is a matter of fitting that into a budget that you and your family can afford. It is a dynamic, creative process that accommodates Life and the physical area where the house is to come into being. DJP

Some of the most stunning renders I have seen recently have been done in Lumion from Chief although using just Chief can get the job done. It requires care and a willingness to take the extra steps to get a realistic result. Thea render in the knowledgable hands also produces visual results. There are many applications out there but the main factor is the creator and not what that person uses. It is his or her sense of rightness and quality that makes all the difference. DJP

A possible work around is to turn off the offending labels in Plan view (of course this would be a last resort until Tech Support comes up with an actual fix) but should work. You can turn them back on in another Display Options dialog for plan viewing/printing. DJP

Have you tried simply turning off the layer in Display Options: "Doors, labels" while in that camera view? That is the first thing I would try. DJP

I totally get you, I started using Chief in 1994 and before that I used a pencil, stencils and a drawing board. It took me a year of blood, sweat and tears before I really started to master roofs and then terrain. You learn a little at a time. Back in those days there was no help forum, no or few videos and you either learned or died trying. If I can become an expert then anyone can, it just takes time, study and practice and lots of failures that lead to successes. DJP

This is why I have several browsers on my PC (Edge, Chrome, Vivaldi and Foxfire), when one does not work, I try another, one always ends up working. Browsers are a nickle a million. I have the latest version of Edge which is quite good, even better on my laptop where I run the latest insider version of Windows 10, it is improving by leaps and bounds. DJP

Confront and decide is my advice. If it is not what you want, change it to something you do like and want. DJP

Your post is rather mysterious to me, I do not understand what you did or how you did it or why but I have no such trouble, ever. Can you be a little more specific please? DJP

Having a high performance laptop always means MONEY, No way around that. My current desktop (specs listed below) serves me just fine. it was about a $700.00 dollar upgrade several years ago. There are two subjects being confronted here, one is speed, the other is quality. Quality is a matter of end user acceptance and comfort which only you can determine with an equally realistic budget to support your desires. Speed is mainly from an SSD hard drive and a decent video card. Bleeding edge video cards are a matter of Quality and not speed per se. They cost the most money, so if you can easily afford such gadgets, good for you. Are they currently necessary? Only you and your wallet can decide that matter. There is no absolute TRUTH in such considerations only one's own sense of what is acceptable. My current laptop is for my convenience only and not my best machine. it is a new ASUS ROG that I bought at Best Buy, it is slow but reliable but I only paid $1,500.00 for it and so was not expecting blazing speed, just reliability which I throughly received in buying it. You only get what you pay for after thoroughly researching what is available. DJP

Zoom in, select the dimension string, then while selected left-click-drag the dimension point to the layer you desire to measure to, easy-peasy! Works in any version of Chief or Home Designer software. DJP

Do it manually using a 3D molding poly-line. Automaticity sometimes fails but manual fixes always can be made to work. DJP

I Chief one could make such a thing from 3D molding poly-lines, not all that easy or hard but doable. Sketch Up could also be used or as Chopsaw suggests perhaps you might find something usalbe at 3D Warehouse where Sketch Up users share their produce. Personally, I would look there first and if no Joy then I would make my own in Chief. DJP

You are on a budget, I get that. Just be advised that performance, professional grade performance costs at least twice that price. Just do not expect $2,000+ performance from something that costs half that. Your Dell should get you through your student days. When you really master the software you then want Speed and snappiness and budget stuff does NOT deliver those things. DJP

I have a similar laptop as my second PC and it is fine, just a little slow is all, faster always means more $$$. Just do not expect blazing speed with the I7. DJP

there is such a symbol in the Library Browser, you may need to add that particular symbol to your Electric Legend though. DJP

Be sure and place bump maps along with textured materials for more realism, it helps a lot DJP