Technical Support
Chief Architect offers a variety of support resources and services for our customers. To make the most of our support, take advantage with the resources described below.
- Animated Tour and What’s New in X2 Videos
Watch these videos for an overview of Chief Architect - Online Help
Chief Architect has an integrated Help system with links to Training Videos - Online Training Videos
Access over 40 hours of How-To Training Videos to be more productive and learn Chief Architect (Access requires Support & Software Assurance). - Digital Locker
Access your Digital Locker to download the latest version of Chief Architect. - Help Database
Quickly search our online database for answers to your questions - How Do I...? Solution Finder™
Ask Questions and Find Solutions - Program Updates
Download program updates - Program Security
Information on hardware locks and passwords - Chief Talk
User Forum – a forum for users that offers several ongoing discussions about a variety of home design software topics - Driver Downloads
Download drivers and other free downloads - Contact Support
Details about available support services and contact information
Learning about Chief Architect:
Take advantage of the following resources to find instructions and helpful tips for using the software effectively.
- Check the online Help files by selecting Help> Index from the program menu, by clicking the Help button found in most dialog boxes, or by pressing F1 on your keyboard. When your cursor is over a menu item or toolbar button and F1 is pressed, the Help file describing that particular tool will display. You may be surprised to know that most common questions are answered this way and our support staff often refers to the Help Index to answer customer questions.
- Search the index of the Reference Manual. A comprehensive copy of the help manual is always included in PDF format on your computer. Also the User’s Guide is a great resource for assisting new users. Simply select Help> View User’s Guide or Help> View Reference Manual from the menu.
- Watch the Animated Tour, or if you’re an upgrade user, Watch the What’s New in X1 that ships with Chief Architect. The Animated Tour provides an overview to most common how to questions and are a very easy way to learn.
- The Video Training Series 1 and 2 products are an excellent resource for training.
- Search our Help Database using keywords or the How do I... Solution Finder to locate on-line articles covering a wide variety of topics. The Help Database is regularly expanded to include new information about accomplishing specific tasks in the program.
- Visit the Chief Talk user forum. Chief Talk is a great resource for users of all skill levels and is available free of charge 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- If you are using an older version of Chief Architect, the solution you are looking for may be included in the newest version. To learn more about the new features, view the Upgrade Information of the website section.
- Make sure you have the latest program update by selecting Help> Download Program Updates from the program menu, or by clicking on Program Updates link on the left side of this page.
Solving Technical Problems:
If you are unable to install or launch the program, encounter error messages, or experience an instance where the program is not running properly, check the following.
- If you encounter errors in 3D Render views, the most likely cause is a defective video graphics driver. Our software uses all available computer resources during rendering and can, at times, expose weaknesses in your system. Contact your computer or video card manufacturer to obtain the latest video drivers for your system. Click here for resources to find a variety of drivers for printers, graphics cards and more.
- Install problems: Nearly all install problems can be resolved using this online article: Trouble Shooting Install problems. A Windows XP service pack 2 problem has caused a situation where another programs installer is launched instead of ours. To resolve this issue see this online article: Clicking Install is Installing the Wrong Program.
- If you are having problems with your hardware lock, you need to install the latest driver. Visit our Downloads page for links to the most current drivers. Also, see our Security page for information about hardware lock and password security.
- If you continue to encounter technical difficulties, contact our Technical Support Department.