4hotshoez Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I just downloaded Chief Trial version on my Mac to see if it worth my time, but where is free training to help me evaluate it? I tried a link that was given in email, but after making an account I got a message that means nothing to me accept that I cannot see the training video. Message: "Sorry, you need SSA to play this video." I do not know what SSA means, but I could guess it cost money. What is the point of "free" trial software without some sort of free trial training to go with it? At this point I am not ready to pay for evaluation/training until I know more about how it feels. Any other options for learning where to start? I want to know how easy CA is to learn. So far not so easy. Sketchup has loads of free training available, which helps to sell the product. Hint-hint. I am also evaluating Softplan, which has really BAD training material, which also gets in the way of making a sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryM8 Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 There are a lot of you-tube videos available for free. Chieftutor.com. , etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottharris Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Chief Architect has a free video play list for new users, when you are at the video site, video.chiefarchitect.com go to the play list "Trial Version" (on the upper right side of the screen). There are several great videos to help (and our youtube channel). Also, we offer free webinars that can help - see the schedule here. Once you are a customer, you will then have full access to over 400 detailed videos on video.chiefarchitect.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kbird1 Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 if you have no experience with CA even the HD Pro Videos will help probably and can be accessed for free http://video.homedesigner.chiefarchitect.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hotshoez Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 But there should be an simple "Getting Started" video as the first thing any new user would see when opening CA. That should discuss the interface and basic drawing of a shed or something. But the "Trial Version" collection of videos is more of a random sample of videos. For example, what would a new user want to know about "Adding Ridge Caps to Roofs" when they have never drawn a wall yet? Why should a new user have to Google Youtube videos and sort through stuff that is five years old to learn the basics. The basics should be free and on CA website or obtainable from the start window of CA. Thanks for all the great help and links, but CA is failing on this one big time. I am trying to make a purchase choice. The more I time have to search the internet for basic help, the less time I am productive. And more likely I will fall back to what I am familiar with. Am I wrong in saying all this? Have I misunderstood what I have been seeing so far? Are you (CA) interested in new customers? BTW, how much does training cost and is it worth paying or is the free online stuff adequate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkMc Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Online overview is almost an hour. When I was evaluating I went briskly through one of those, mostly checked the feature list and used the phone to get specific answers. I took a one day course and later a shorter one- was worth it to me. Otherwise I hang around here and read everything and go to Chief Tutor once in a while. Has worked well for me and I'm a whiner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kbird1 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 if you follow the link ScottHarris left you, you will find the free Trial version Videos including the 1 hour long Overview video and 10 others ,but you are right not sure why ridge caps is in there.... but here it is: Overview http://video.chiefarchitect.com/?playlist=39 For the "Lessons".... you use the UserGuide (PDF) under the Help Menu>View User Guide Get the reference Manual that way too.... a fuller version of the Online help.... and all the Chief tutorials/FAQ are here http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/database.html Chief has its Own Youtube Channel , along with many videos there is also the Vids from al the Webinars (free online lessons held each Wed. I think) and there is this site m that some of the guys here have setup too http://www.chieftutor.com/chiefx1.html Terry Munson has written some good guides available here too http://www.munsonhomedesign.com/ Note that MOST of the Answers here are from End users just like you , it is a complex Program and is going to take dedicated reading of the help and manuals and watching videos and asking questions here if stumped , Chief aint an Ipad App you are gonna learn in a day or even a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbuttery Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 also checkout Dan Baumann at www.chiefexperts.com some free webinares,. others are pay he also offers one-on-one training for a fee David Potter also offers training for a fee look for one of his posts on this forum Lew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hotshoez Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 The Overview video is almost good enough to learn from except on my computer the video is so tiny that I cannot see the icons of the text on the screen. It will not go full screen. I am considering the user manual as my guide first time through. Nevertheless, CA should present that as an option for learning too. I stumbled upon that on my own by poking around. I prefer videos as they tend to be faster than reading. I think that 90% of the videos in the "Trial Version Videos" is useless to a new user. "Home Designer" videos may work for the basics, but it is a different program isn't it? Why are not the Chief training videos free too? And why is there no drop dead easy way to have them in front of the new user? It would seem that all of this is just a small step away from being simple as all the parts are almost in place. Why stop short of doing it better? This is my challenge to CA, because I am almost convinced that CA software is better than the competitors, but I am a busy "Joe business person" and need quick and easy info to make a choice. CA, you are not far from making it happen. Get it together and make it happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Carrick Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 What is your background? What sort of business do you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshall Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 The Overview video is almost good enough to learn from except on my computer the video is so tiny that I cannot see the icons of the text on the screen. It will not go full screen. I am considering the user manual as my guide first time through. Nevertheless, CA should present that as an option for learning too. I stumbled upon that on my own by poking around. I prefer videos as they tend to be faster than reading. I think that 90% of the videos in the "Trial Version Videos" is useless to a new user. "Home Designer" videos may work for the basics, but it is a different program isn't it? Why are not the Chief training videos free too? And why is there no drop dead easy way to have them in front of the new user? It would seem that all of this is just a small step away from being simple as all the parts are almost in place. Why stop short of doing it better? This is my challenge to CA, because I am almost convinced that CA software is better than the competitors, but I am a busy "Joe business person" and need quick and easy info to make a choice. CA, you are not far from making it happen. Get it together and make it happen. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10....... I feel better. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumbleChief Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I just checked the overview linked above (at full screen which was no problem on my computer) and am wondering what you really want - to learn Chief Architect or to complain - about something. Really curious - which is it? I am asking because the overview (again at full screen) is an excellent video resource for the beginner IMO but I've been frustrated before and needed to rant about something even though everything I wanted was really right there in front of me so maybe re-think what it is you want. If you want to learn Chief Architect I suggest you join the discussion here and the help will amaze you. If you just feel like ranting then I personally get that too but it won't get you much real useful help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joedesign30 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 The thing I didn't like about chief architect's trial version is that it won't let you save anything and limits you on what tools you can use. If I were you I would try soft plan and really look at that software, seems to be the best residential software out there. Google sketch up seems great but is not geared for residential just to draw a floor plan would take you 10 times as long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hotshoez Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 I just checked the overview linked above (at full screen which was no problem on my computer) and am wondering what you really want - to learn Chief Architect or to complain - about something. Really curious - which is it? I am asking because the overview (again at full screen) is an excellent video resource for the beginner IMO but I've been frustrated before and needed to rant about something even though everything I wanted was really right there in front of me so maybe re-think what it is you want. If you want to learn Chief Architect I suggest you join the discussion here and the help will amaze you. If you just feel like ranting then I personally get that too but it won't get you much real useful help. It is true. I do like to complain... Nevertheless, the settings on my computer or resolution must be set different. Yet nearly all videos will stretch out to the full screen. This one does not, which is frustrating because it is an excellent video. It was this video that convinced me to seriously consider CA. After watching it I felt that I could almost know the program. But I cannot see what they are clicking on. I have a Mac Mini and the display is set to 1040p. When I expand it to full screen, the video sets in the upper left quarter of the screen. If you say it works on your I will experiment more. I noticed that there are two locations for the video, which are presented differently. One is 55 min. while the other has a side menu to select chapters in the video (this one was the problem). BTW, Joe Carrick, my background is commercial architect. I am transitioning to residential on my own. I know Autocad (27 years), Archicad (7 years), Sketchup (sporadically). Joedesign30, Softplan might be great software, but the training manual is over 700 wordy pages and the videos sound like they are narrated from the 60's and will put you to sleep in 10 minutes with long periods of silence while they move the mouse around on the screen. Also, Softplan has settings hidden away in many places. So far it has not been a positive experience learning Softplan. I am leaning toward CA. Thank you all for the links. This forum is one other good reason to consider CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hotshoez Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 The overview video found at http://video.chiefarchitect.com/?playlist=39 does expand to full screen, although a little fuzzy. But the same video found at http://video.chiefarchitect.com/overview/premier/ does NOT expand to full screen, which is the one I first viewed. I like the chapter menus on the side. In any case the video presentation is very well done and is nearly capable of being a full training video as well as a promotional video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Carrick Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 BTW, Joe Carrick, my background is commercial architect. I am transitioning to residential on my own. I know Autocad (27 years), Archicad (7 years), Sketchup (sporadically). The reason I asked was to get a better understanding of your knowledge, experience, & capabilities. I started with CAD before AutoCAD existed, migrated to it about 1990 and subsequently to Chief Architect. Obviously Chief is quite different and like any very competent CAD Software has a fairly steep learning curve. I never went to ArchiCad or Revit as I considered them too complicated and too expensive. That said, I have investigated both products and studied several videos/demos of both. There are things that AutoCAD had which I miss in Chief - most notably the "Comand Line" but 2D CAD lends itself to that much more than a full 3D Modeling Program such as Chief. The bottom line is that it takes time to become an expert - and even when you get to the point where you think you might be there will always be more to learn. When I come up with a special requirement that has be stumped, I just start looking in the Help Files, Videos, etc. But probably the most helpful of all is this Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KilgoreTrout Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Also, just an FYI, if you do decide to purchase Chief, I believe all new licenses come with one year of SSA which gives you access to all of the training videos, free tech support, ability to download all libraries, and the ability to download X7 when it comes out (assuming it is released within the year). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton_Brown Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 The overview video found at http://video.chiefarchitect.com/?playlist=39 does expand to full screen, although a little fuzzy. But the same video found at http://video.chiefarchitect.com/overview/premier/ does NOT expand to full screen, which is the one I first viewed. I like the chapter menus on the side. In any case the video presentation is very well done and is nearly capable of being a full training video as well as a promotional video. Not sure what is going on with your web browser - the video that will not expand on your machine (http://video.chiefarchitect.com/overview/premier/) expands just fine on mine by clicking on the icon just to the right of the speaker icon (lower right corner). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Carrick Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Barton, I think the difference may be that the OP is using a MAC. That particular video may not be able to be maximized on the MAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton_Brown Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Barton, I think the difference may be that the OP is using a MAC. That particular video may not be able to be maximized on the MAC. Joe, I understand that there are OS and web browser differences which makes it a challenge to deploy something on the web that plays well for everyone. I just wanted the OP to know that it works for some of us - and CA didn't publish a completely broken video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hotshoez Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 Joe and Barton, It is the browser. Just tried both pages of the overview video on Firefox (does not work) compared to Safari (does work) on my Mac OS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kbird1 Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 I found with both videos I had to maximise the browser , then maximise the video window , the chaptered video does revert to normal size at the end of each chapter though needing re-maximising. Use IE10 on PC anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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