Chief Architect Help Database - Article Number:  516

How to Receive a Plan from a Chief Architect User

The information in this article applies to:
  • All Home Designer programs
  • All Chief Architect programs
QUESTION

I would like to be able to send my plans back and forth between myself and someone else who is using a different Chief Architect program, how can I accomplish this task?

 

Example: I am a Chief Architect Premier user, and would like to communicate back and forth with an individual using one of Chief Architect's Home Designer consumer software programs.  How can I send them a plan that they can open and modify in their version?

 

ANSWER

If a Chief Architect user wants to be able to send a Home Designer user a file, first check to make sure that the versions that both have are compatible.  If the versions are compatible, then, the Chief Architect user need to allow for editing in the Home Designer programs before sending the file.

 

To allow editing in Home Designer programs

  1. Within Chief Architect, with the plan open, select Edit> Default Settings .


  2. Select Plan and click on the Edit button to display the General Plan Defaults dialog.


  3. Under General Settings, place a checkmark next to Allow Editing in Select Home Designer Products, then click OK.


  4. Then Save  the plan, exit out of the program and send the file to the Home Designer user.

    Please note that the editing available to the Home Designer user will be within the limitations of their program. 

    For example, Home Designer Suite does not have the capability to manually edit roof planes, create and modify custom countertops, and has no layout tool. 

If you are uncertain as to whether or not your version of Chief Architect is the same version as the individual using the Home Designer program, you can use the information below as a guide.

 

Chief Architect X5 - Home Designer 2014

Chief Architect X4 - Home Designer 2012

Chief Architect X3 - Home Designer 10

Chief Architect X2 - Home Designer 9

Chief Architect X1 - Home Designer 8
Chief Architect 10 - Home Designer 7

Chief Architct 9.5 - Home Designer 6

 

Keep in mind that if, as a Chief Architect user, you can open a .plan file created in an earlier version of a Home Designer program, you will be able to open and modify the file, however, if you send it back to someone using a prior version Home Designer program, they will not be able to reopen the file in their version.

 

For example, if the Home Designer person is using a Home Designer 2012 program, and you are using X5, then they will be able to send you their file, which you can open, modify and save, but they will not be able to reopen the .plan unless they upgrade to the equivalent 2014 software program.

Last updated on: Jan 28, 2013

The Chief Architect support team has compiled a list of articles with common questions and answers.


Find answers on ChiefTalk

Answers to many how-to and technical questions can be found 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on our online forum, www.ChiefTalk.com. ChiefTalk is visited not only by our software users, but also by members of our training, support, and engineering teams who are well-versed in using the software and are happy to help you. On ChiefTalk, you can discover tools and techniques to bring your design ideas to life.