The information in this article applies to:
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 product, such as Home Designer. How can I send them a plan that they can open and modify in their product?
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 users have are compatible. If the versions are compatible, then the Chief Architect user needs to enable a setting that allows editing in Home Designer programs before sending the file.
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 listed below.
Keep in mind that, as a Chief Architect user, you can open a plan file created in an earlier version of a Home Designer program and you will be able to open and modify the file. However, if you send it back to someone using a prior Home Designer version, they will not be able to reopen the file in their version.
For example, if the Home Designer person is using a Home Designer 2024 program, and you are using Chief Architect X16, 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 file unless they upgrade to a Home Designer 2025 program.
If you are using the current version of Chief Architect, but your client is using an older discontinued Home Designer program, they will need to upgrade to the current version of Home Designer, or instead request the Chief Architect Viewer program.
Please note that the editing abilities 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.
You can now send this zipped folder to a Home Designer user.