New User having problems entering specific dimensions

[Rliebs]

Hi,

I just purchased Home Designer Architechtural 2014 2 days ago. I am a contractor of 30 years, so I know trade terms. I have 20 hours of study already in....videos, tutorials, and reference manual. Since the salesman said I can be up and running in an hour...I am frustrated more than a little. I will save my rant about intuitive program, Knowing that those with experience can make this work,..... I know I am confronting a learning curve.

Per attachment I am drawing a very simple Bath...this drawing took 15 mins., with the purpose of helping to explain my quandry. My problem is editing dimensions to specific detail....I can get close...but not exact. Close will never work for me. To begin, I start new plan, navigate defaults just fine...all easy enough. I lay out a simple square to represent the exterior of home, and then draw interior walls in the general shape of room just fine.

Auto interior dimensions are hit, I delete what is not wanted, move what is wanted, and am left with only interior dimensions for the bath....all fine. I then begin to edit by selecting the wall as object, and manually enter a dimension. All works fine for straight walls with no partitions(like the tub/toilet separating wall), but a problem arises with a partition and the exterior window wall. All of a sudden the function I was just using, no longer works.

Tutorial videos made available in HDA do not cover this subject....I have 20 hours of study in....so I am making a sincere effort. Reference manual talks of moving objects page 438, selecting objects page 76, editing walls page 120, wall length page 119/131, connecting walls page 116. From this study I found a note that said sometimes it is easier to move an object rather than resize it! Now you tell me Sherlock! So clearly some commands are acknowledged to have limited function.

I am new to this, and I know the program can work. For my usage, I do not need 20 ways to complete the same task. All I want now is a single method of entering dimensions that works every time. Per notes in the reference manual, I have tried SELECTING THE SURFACE, but the system keeps defaulting to the outside of wall??? I know I am missing a small detail, but am chasing my tail from page to page of the reference manual and cannot see what that detail I am missing is.

So, I am asking a knowledgable user can direct me to most surefire method to edit dimension lines on a specific side of a wall. Be advised I also tried moving the wall by sliding...again sometimes the function allows the wall to slide, and sometimes not? I get within fractions of an inch using the fine control tool....but cannot slide to get an exact dimension within 1/8". So if I cannot slide to get an exact dimension, and cannot enter specific dimension, then what does work?

I also need to know the page links to making a wall niche, and how to control an angled wall?
Last I downloaded a MFR catalog for floor tile. It does not appear I can control the floor pattern, only select tile....is this correct? I know patterns are provided, but it appears the user is not able to select a specific tile type, then select color, then select pattern.

Obviously some of you have unlocked the keys to making this program work, the weak link is my learning curve. Any help is appreciated.

Thank you for the consideration.

[David J. Potter]

See if this You Tube video that I made helps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5smDg7bbtBs

DJP

[Rliebs]

David,

Thank you kindly for taking time out of your day to help by sharing the link. I will view later today when time becomes available and afterward provide you additional feedback out of respect for your efforts. Either way, many thanks to you.
Rich

[Rliebs]

David,

Clearly you have mastered the ability to work with the program, as evidenced by your many Youtube vids. Know that I was able to more clearly understand topics after watching your video, than same topic as presented by MFR video's.

Nevertheless, after more effort and study, I am still left wanting. As was my problem earlier, the functions demonstrated/covered in this link, do not work in every instance for the wall layout I provided in the drawing above. There is something about certain walls of attachment, that require different functional steps I have yet to understand. So I am failing better than before.

I am very uncertain if this learning curve is worth my effort. Kind of like watching a professional musician.....they make it look so easy...they make you want to play.....but no one sees the practice involved.

I will call MFR on Monday, to learn more about interactive classes, to speed the learning curve. I see a free class is offered on Wednesday related to kitchens. Having attended Apple's free group classes, my assumption is Wed. class will not be enough to satisfy my needs. What is your sign-off signature to imply?

Teacher, Tutor, Draftsman, Author of "Basic Manual Roof Editing" and Problem Solver

In the meantime...back to my pencil and paper renderings. Thank you again for trying to help.

Rich

[David J. Potter]

What is your sign-off signature to imply?

I like using this software, I have made my living using it for twenty years. I use it every day. I have taught classroom seminars for Chief Architect Inc in the past and I have helped learners, one on one over the internet using my Go to Meeting service.
Helping others via this forum and the Chief Talk forum advertises that I know the software, the same is true of my You Tube Channel. It is also true that I am not a software Engineer or Architect so questions as to "why" the software sometimes acts as it does or why it is programmed to work one way and not another are not my strong suit.
I wrote my book because I thought not enough emphasis was placed to explain the basic tools used to manually edit and create roofs, so my book explains those tools with words, pictures and videos.
I have had to solve most problems people encounter to get things done using this software so that experience can be useful to others and it helps me support my family doing something I love.

Chief Architect Inc offers personal tutoring and paid classes, geared for Chief Architect Premier users, I have tried to promote myself to Home Designer Users who wish one on one training as part of my own business model. I charge $75.00 per hour for that service which is 25% less than the same service offered by Chief Inc.

The learning curve is what it is for each individual but the main limiter is one's own intention to learn and create which is wholly an individual factor out of the control of any teacher, just be honest with yourself as to what you want and how bad you want it.

DJP