Home Designer Pro 8.0 is here!

[CDS]

Only received it this morning, so these are just quick observations:

First, if you get the Safenet hardware key, you may get the "no appropriate hardware lock found" message. If you do, you need to download the latest driver.

No printed tutorial and only one training DVD instead of four CDs (I haven't played it see what's there yet).

The new toolbars are going to take awhile to get used to - they use drop-down menus instead of spawning child buttons but you can change this in Preferences under Appearance.

Version 7's plans loaded without problems or changes, which is a relief.

Now to pack up the old dongle, send it back and get my rebate!

[Deirdre]

Is it worth it? I still want, but would you compare the comparison matrix between Pro 7 and Pro 8, just to ensure that all the new bells and whistles are worth the upgrade.

There is one that I am particularly interested in --- under cabinets, it says that the shelves are adjustable; are they? Actually what the matrix states is "specify shelf spacing and number for each opening in a cabinet."

[CDS]

This is for Dee
I hope this works...
It's my first attempt posting an attachment.

[Deirdre]

Doug, you just justified my purchasing the program upgrade. Just need state tax back before deadline; hey, I want the rebate too.

[CDS]

One of the major changes in Pro 8 is that just about everything is selectable in any camera view, including render views.

Take a look at these two thumbnails. In the second one, all I did was click on the ceiling and it shows a wireframe of the stairwell "room" above! These 3D wireframes show up on all objects (that I've tried) like furniture and cabinets. Walls, stairs, railing - things that weren't selectable before in most views - can now be changed even in render views.

Another thing I noticed is that I can select an object (like a window) even at extreme angles (whereas before I had to reposition the camera to face the object more squarely).

[Dan Park]

A couple of clairifications.

1) We do ship and install the latest hardware lock drivers on the DVD drive. Sometimes you anti-virus software will prevent the install. It's easier for us to simply have you download the driver and by default with older versions we know the downloaded driver is newer.

2) It's a DVD which hold much more than a CD. Thus you get fewer disks not less content.

3) Only Chief Architect full version contains the Ray Trace export functionality.

4) All the consumer products through PRO have a 3 floor limit plus a foundation and an attic which essentially gives you 5 floors. Chief Lite has a 10 floor limit and Chief Full has a 30 floor limit.

5) Fully editable 3D solid objects are available in Chief Architect Full version only. You can create primitives like boxes, shapes, cylinders, cones, and spheres and use boolean operations to combine them to form any shape. Alternatively you can use a free version of sketchup and bring those files into most of the consumer products.

6) The version 8 products allow more editing of objects in 3D. Now most anything that is editable in plan view can be edited in 3D with a few exceptions.

7) We are not providing an upgrade price from PRO 7 to PRO 8 but you can get a $400 rebate by purchasing PRO 8 and sending back the PRO 7 hardware lock.

[daydreamer]

There appears to be a question about manuals on another thread.

Does Pro 8 come with a manual in book form?

[Dan Park]

PRO 8 contains several items.

1) We have a Printed insert in the DVD case that outlines installation and points you to other available information.

2) We include a PDF of a User's Guide which takes a new user through the basics of the program

3) We include a PDF of the Reference Manual which is over 800 pages of reference material.

4) We include a CHM which is contextually linked to from every button and dialog in the program and will display help by clicking the F1 button.

5) We also have available a printed version of the reference manual which should be shipped with new purchases. We currently offer this as an add on for those that want this option for upgrades.

We are attempting to be more environmentally friendly by only shipping minimal packaging materials and printing fewer non-recyclable manuals. Manuals use new paper which comes from trees, are heavy to ship which burns fuel, and add to the cost of the product with additional printing, packaging, and shipping costs. By the time we have the manuals printed, shipped to our storage facility, then subsequently packaged and shipped to you they become the single biggest impact on the environment in the product.

We also recognize there is value in a printed manual, which is why we have ordered a small number. For many the best way to get the information is simply put the mouse over the tool and hit F2 or do a search in the CHM. This is by far the best way to find information and is by far the more environmentally friendly solution.

[daydreamer]

Thanks for the clarification Dan...