Manually Installing Core Catalogs for Chief Architect Premier

Reference Number: KB-02899
Last Modified: May 8, 2025

QUESTION

I am unable to download the Core Catalog files for Chief Architect Premier. How can I manually install them?


ANSWER

If you continuously encounter an error when downloading the Core Catalogs while in the Chief Architect Premier program, you may need to follow the steps below to download the necessary library files to your computer and install them manually.


It's recommended to create a folder on your computer, in an easy to access location, such as your Desktop, where you can save these files to. If you do not do so, then they will download to the default file location your web browser is set to, which is typically your Downloads folder.


To download the necessary library files

  1. One-by-one, right-click the following links and choose Save link as (or the appropriate counterpart for your web browser) to save the file to an easy to access location, such as to a new folder on your Desktop.

    Note: You must be signed in to your Chief Architect online account to save/download the library files linked in this resource.

  2. Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X17:



Click here to go to the necessary library files for X7 through X16.

To install the Core Catalogs in X17 and newer versions

  1. Open the Chief Architect program if it's not already open.


  2. Navigate to Library> Import Library from the menu.

    Do not use this process if you're using X16 or a prior version. Instead, refer to the dedicated section below.


  3. In the Import Library Data dialog that opens, select the first catalog listed, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, select the last catalog listed to group select all of the files, then click Open. 

    Import Library Data dialog with the calib files selected


  4. Once complete, an Information dialog will display stating "The Library Import has completed successfully. [NUMBER] items have been imported." Click OK.

To install the Core Catalogs in X16 and prior versions

  1. Close the Chief Architect program.


  2. Open the appropriate utility that pertains to your operating system:

    • On Windows, hold down the Windows Key and press R once to open a Run dialog.

    • On a Mac, open Finder, then select Go> Go To Folder.


  3. Access the appropriate file location that pertains to your operating system:

    • On Windows, type %programdata% and click OK.

    • On a Mac, type /Library/Application Support and click return.


  4. Locate and browse into the Chief Architect Premier X16 or a prior version folder.

    This is the default file location for Core, Bonus, and Manufacturer libraries. If you have moved your libraries from this default location, you will want to instead access the location where they have been moved to.


  5. Copy the downloaded Core Libraries (.calib) files into the Core Libraries folder.


  6. Copy the downloaded Referenced Files (.zip) files into the Referenced Files folder.

    Referenced Files are compressed .zip folders in X16 and prior versions that need to be copied as-is; do not open or extract the contents of these files.


Legacy version libraries


X16

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X16:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X16:


X15

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X15:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X15:


X14

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X14:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X14:


X13

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X13:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X13:


X12

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X12:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X12:


X11

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X11:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X11:


X10

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X10:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X10:


X9

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X9:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X9:


X8

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X8:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X8:


X7

Download and save these Core Libraries for Chief Architect Premier X7:


Download and save these Referenced Files for Chief Architect Premier X7: