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HomeGauge Inspection Software
Frequently Asked Questions

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Restoring or getting a new computer

  1. I had to restore my computer or just bought a new computer. How do I get HomeGauge installed and get my files and setup back?
    Please refer to this guide.
    Link to this FAQ

Backing up HomeGauge and your reports

  1. How do I backup my HomeGauge data?

    Copy your data folder, typically "My Documents\HomeGauge" onto an external storage device. This will copy all your data for backup. You can restore this info if you ever have a major computer failure or malfunction. It is best to do this on a regular basis so you have a backup of recent work. Windows has a built in backup feature that can help. To use that feature, follow Microsoft's guides for Windows Vista/XP and Windows XP.

    Alternately, if you use our Internet Services, uploading reports is another good way to back up your data. Uploaded reports are stored online for 5 years and can be accessed at any time. Using HomeGauge's Internet Tools, you can restore individual reports, your agent list and more. See our guide to restoring HomeGauge for more information.

    Link to this FAQ
  2. How do I restore a report from the Auto-Backup?
    1. The first step is to identify where the report is kept. If you give your reports a report ID, the folder will use this as its name. However, if you don't use Report IDs, follow the next step to identify where it is located.
    2. In the Open Report window click on the report in the list, and look at the information box at the bottom, where you will see the folder name, for example:....\HomeGauge\Reports\0000001 — this is where it is stored.
    3. Open the folder in Windows to recover the report. To do so click Start>MyDocuments>HomeGauge>Reports>0000001 (for example — the folder name will either be a number or the Report ID).
    4. Here you will see the report files. We will be working with the *.hr3 or *.hr4 files, determined by the version of HomeGauge you are running.
    5. The file "report.hr4" or "report.hr3" is the file that is having the issues. Rename it to "reportbad" by right clicking and clicking "Rename". Then select the first back-up "report-bak1" and rename it "report". You may or may not see the *.hr3 or *.hr4 extension. This is not an issue, the files will still have the same name.
    6. Now try to open the Report in HomeGauge again. If it does not open, repeat the process with report-bak2, 3, etc., until it opens.

    The steps for the Pocket PC are identical, but you should transfer the report to the Main PC first.

    Link to this FAQ

Setup and general configuration

  1. What do I do with the license key you sent me?
  2. I have a license key, but when I try to activate it, I get an error?
    There are a couple of possible problems.

    1) The inspector name or company name does not match what was originally used.
    If this is the case, while logged into your HomeGauge.com account, look for a link on the left of the website "My License and Services". Find your license key there and enter in your name and company name exactly as shown on the website. Be careful of spaces and capitalization. If you just can't get it to match, please contact our support team.

    2) The date on your computer is not set correctly.
    This is especially important for lease licenses. If you reset the date on your computer to the current date, then go to activate HomeGauge, the problem should be solved.

    3) The license key is for a different version of the software.
    Each version of HomeGauge has its own license key type. The license keys will not work for a different version of the software. Make sure the key you are trying to use is for the right version. To check your key's version, log into your HomeGauge.com account, look for a link on the left of the website "My License and Services". Each of your license keys will be listed there along with their version number.

    Link to this FAQ
  3. How do I get my logo to print on the report?
    Please refer to the new customer help.
    Link to this FAQ
  4. How do I get my Inspection Agreement included in the report?
  5. How do I get the color shaded backgrounds on the printed report?
  6. What are the report templates and how do they relate to reports?
    Template files (*.ht3 or *.ht4) are used to start a report. They contain all of the sections, inspection items, auto comments, styles and materials that will be included in a report. You can have many different templates for different kinds of reports like residential, commercial, eifs, mold and so on.

    Report files (*.hr3 or *.hr4) contain the template that was used to start the report and all of the answers and comments about that inspection. It is important to note that the report contains an internal copy of the template that was used to start the home inspection so that future changes to the template will not have any effect on this report. So when you open an old report it has all of the sections, questions, and auto comments from the template that were there when you started that report.

    Link to this FAQ
  7. Where are all my reports stored on my computer and what are all these other files?
    The HomeGauge software is stored by default on your computer in the c:\Program Files\HomeGauge3 or c:\Program Files\HomeGauge4 folder. This list of files and sub folders is below.

    My Documents\HomeGauge
    people.csv contains the list of all the real estate professionals.

    My Documents\HomeGauge\html\ -or- My Documents\HomeGauge\html4\
    This folder contains HTML files (*.html) that are included in your printed report. If you or someone you know has HTML knowledge you can modify these files to change what is included on your cover page, invoice, inspection agreement or summary page. The folder also contains several Cascading Style Sheets (*.css) that are used to change the fonts and colors of the report. We do not expect our customers to know HTML and we will be glad to help you make your desired changes to these pages - please contact us at support@homegauge.com

    My Documents\HomeGauge\reports\
    All of your reports are stored in this folder. There is a folder number for each report contained in this folder. When a new report is created a new folder is created that is by default given a sequential number like 00000015. If you are copying reports from on computer to the other then report 000015 on one computer is different from 000015 on another computer. Be careful to not overwrite and loose a report. This number is not important or needed and if you want you can change it or leave it as is. Some people like to change the number to the customer name or the street address. To change this number, first stop all running instances of the HomeGauge software,and then rename that folder to something like the street address. The report folder becomes whatever is entered into the Report ID field in a report. A new folder is created for each report because the folder contains the report file called report.hr3 plus all of the pictures (*.jpg) for that report.

    My Documents\HomeGauge\spell
    The dictionary that is used for the spell checker.

    My Documents\HomeGauge\templates\
    Contained in this folder is all of the templates (*.ht3 or *.ht4) that are installed.

    Link to this FAQ
  8. How do I put my (templates, reports, picture, style sheets, contacts, invoice) on another computer using (USB, CD, Removable Storage)? What if I want to move all of my information over to a new install on my new computer?
    All of your files will be located in the C:\Documents and Settings\*your username*\My Documents\Homegauge folder. You can get to it by clicking on My Documents (usually in your start menu, so click “Start” first), and then double clicking on HomeGauge. From this folder you can see the specific files or folders you would need.

    For all information: You would simply need the My Documents\HomeGauge folder copied.

    For templates: My Documents\HomeGauge\Templates and in that folder are .ht3 or .ht4 files – which are the template files.

    For reports: My Documents\HomeGauge\Reports and in this folder are more folders which will hold the information for each report you have done. The easiest way to know which report these numbered folders correspond to would be to check the date they were created. If you can't see a date, go to the view menu in the upper toolbar and change it from whatever is bulleted to “details.”

    For style sheets: My Documents\HomeGauge\html or My Documents\HomeGauge\html4 will have all of the style sheets and custom pages (.html files) for your HomeGauge. These are generally for advanced users only.

    For contacts, invoice: In the My Documents\HomeGauge\ folder there will be two .csv files. These would be your contacts and invoice documents (you may or may not have both depending on your HomeGauge setup). These files can be imported into your e-mail or finance software, or into a database/spreadsheet software (like Microsoft Excel). For more on how to do this, consult the manufacturer of your software.

    Now, depending on your storage device choose the one that is appropriate:

    For USB device or removable storage: Be sure the device is plugged in and recognized by Windows. You may have to install software which would have come with the device for Windows to use the product properly. Contact the manufacturer for help. You can either copy (Ctrl and C or right click and left click on “copy”) and paste (Ctrl and V or right click and left click on “paste”) the files by clicking the file, copying, and going to the removable disk directory and pasting. You can right click on the item and choose Send To, and select the device if available (not applicable for all products). Once the files are transferred, you can then remove the device and plug it into the next computer. Follow the directions here to copy them from the device to the My Documents\HomeGauge folder on this PC.

    For CD: The above method of right click and choose Send To and then your CD drive (i.e. DVD/CD-RW Drive (D:)) will work to copy files to a CD in Windows. Since there are several brands of CD burners and proprietary and third party software, you would have to contact them for the best way of burning a CD if that doesn't work. Once the CD is burned, follow the steps in USB device or removable storage on how to copy the files from the CD to HomeGauge.

    Link to this FAQ
  9. I am a HTML wizard so how can I change the cover page and other pages myself? (for advanced users)
    The HTML files stored in My Documents\HomeGauge\html\ are used for your cover page, invoice, inspection agreement, introduction page and the summary page. These pages also contain special tags that are replaced when the report is generated. The tags are replaced with information from the report that is being generated at the time. The tags are in the form of HTML comments which means they are not normally displayed when looking at them in a web browser. The normal purpose of HTML comments is so that the creator of the page can make notes to him or her self. If a HTML comment in the file cover.html is <!--client.fullnames--> then it will be replaced with the clients names when the report is printed. Most of the tags you will want to use are already in the pages but if you would like a complete list of the tags then please email us at support@homegauge.com.

    For those that do not know HTML but are interested in learning then we recommend the book HTML 4 for the World Wide Web, Visual Quickstart as an excellent beginner book to get you started.

    Link to this FAQ
  10. How do I edit my Agreement?
    In HomeGauge 4, go to the menu "Office - Edit Report Docs". Open the "disclaim" file. You can edit the other documents available in that list as well. If you make a mistake, you can always revert to the default file by clicking on the file and choosing "Restore Default".
    Link to this FAQ
  11. How do I edit my Style Sheet? (for advanced users)
    To open and edit your Style Sheet go to MyDocuments then open the HomeGauge folder. Next open the html4 (html for HG3) folder. Now, right (alternate) click on the style you use with the appropriate number for the format that you use. Select Open With and choose Notepad. From Notepad you can edit your Style Sheet and don't forget to save once you're done.
    Link to this FAQ
  13. How do I edit my contact information (address, website, email, etc)?
    To edit the contact information that prints on your report, open your HomeGauge software and click on the Options menu. Choose Inspector & License and edit the information in the "Contact Info" text box. When you have finished, click "OK" and all future reports will have that new information. To change it for any current reports, open the report that needs to be changed and click the "Report Info" button under the Customer tab. On the Report Information page, click the "Current Inspector" button. Edit the information in the "Contact Info" text box. This will change it for that report.
    Link to this FAQ

Using the software for inspections

  1. How do I use the software to upload my report?
    The first thing you need to do is sign up for HomeGauge Services and then click here (http://www.homegauge.com/inspector/shgi/upload.html) to read the upload instructions.
    Link to this FAQ
  2. How do I make the page breaks happen where I want them to?
    The HomeGauge report is generated in HTML which is the language used to create all web pages. This allows the HomeGauge report to be uploaded to the Internet for clients to view. HTML was designed to be used on the screen and to fit all size monitors and not designed for best printing. Since Internet Explorer is used for the printing, it decides where the page breaks happen in the middle of a section. Sometimes it makes a good choice and sometimes it could be better. We can make page breaks optionally happen at the start or end of a section or not at all if you would like the sections to run together and not use as much paper. To change this, click on the section name you want to change so that it is underlined and then click on the "Edit" button to change the template. At the bottom of this dialog is check boxes for putting a page break before or after the section.

    You can also set the page breaks globally for all sections by going to the menu "File -> Printing Options", click on the "Misc" tab, then check the box to "Insert Page Breaks Between Each Section of the Report".

    Link to this FAQ
  3. How do I create a CD of a report for the customer?
    Of course we think the best way to deliver a report is to upload it using the HomeGauge Services, but some inspectors want to hand their customer a CD also. All reports are stored in the folder called
    My Documents\HomeGauge\reports\
    There is a folder number for each report contained in this folder. When a new report is created a new folder is created that is by default given a sequential number like 00000015. This numbered folder will contain everything about that report including the answered questions, the printed report and the pictures. You can find out which report you are working on two different ways. When the report is open you can view the status bar on the bottom of the HomeGauge software and see the current folder that is being used to store the report. Or while looking at the "Report open" window if you select the report then you will see more info about that report in the window at the bottom that includes the folder it is stored in.
    Before you copy the report to CD you will need to do a print preview of the report so that it will create a file called index.html. You will want to copy every file in the report folder to your Cd player. How you copy the list of files to the CD will be different depending on the CD writer you are using and the software that comes with it. The index.html file contains the printed information for the report. Your client will need to double click on the index.html file after inserting the CD. They need no special software or reader installed to view the report. It will load up in the web browser they have installed on that computer and they can print as many copies as they need.
    Link to this FAQ
  4. How do I Exclude an Inspection Item or Component?
    To exclude an inspection item click on the inspection item and select the column (X). See Editing Column Headers below for directions on setting up a column header to exclude.

    To exclude a entire section, click on the word Component, Interior, Exterior, or Optional (title depends on your template) in the section menu. Then click on the box in the far right column to exclude the entire section from your report.

    Also see our online tour: Excluding Items from a Report

    Link to this FAQ
  5. How do I Edit Column Headers?
    To change or edit your template's Column Headers, click on the Template menu at the top of the software, then click on Edit Column Headers. If it applies, clicking on "Edit Default" will change all the column headers in the report, and clicking on "Override Default" will change the column headers for the section that you are viewing when you choose to edit the column headers. From the next window you can edit your column headers as you choose.

    See our online tour for an animated demonstration. Editing Column Headers

    Link to this FAQ
  6. How do I download a report from the website? (to open/edit in HomeGauge software)

    Follow these steps to download your reports:

    Click on the My Reports link after logging into HomeGauge.com. This link is at the top of the menu on the left hand side of your screen. If you do not see this link, make sure you are logged into HomeGauge.com and click the Home Inspector tab in the upper right.

    After clicking the My Reports link, find the inspection that you want to download. Once you find it, click the Download Report link under the picture for the inspection. A new window will pop up asking you what you want to do with the file called "inspectionumber.zip". Inspection number will be an actual number, for example - 146237.zip.

    Click the "Save" button and choose the location to save the file. This location needs to be your My Documents\HomeGauge\Reports folder. Browse to that folder in the Save window and click OK.

    Go to your My Documents folder, then the HomeGauge folder, and finally the Reports folder in Windows Explorer. You will see the file that you just downloaded. Right-click on that file and click "Extract All..."

    A wizard will appear that will walk you through extracting all your report files from the zip file you downloaded. Choose the default answers for each question, allow the extraction to finish, and then when you are done you may close out any windows that have opened.

    Restart the HomeGauge software and the report that you downloaded will be available for you to open.

    Link to this FAQ
  7. How can I save time when printing the report? (Page order, collate, etc.)

    First thing you want to check if you are buying a new printer is its color PPM (Pages Per Minute), which is usually a specification that is on display at the retail store or online. The PPM rating in Draft Mode can be deceptive, but generally speaking, the faster printers are those that are full size business style inkjets, with separate ink cartridges for each color. The next thing you want to do is see how it prints, whether it's face down, page one first, last page face up, or something different. That way you'll know if you can just staple your report and be done, or if you'll have to reshuffle your report at the end.

    Let's say it's not printing in the right order. Most of the time there is a fix using the printer manufacturer's software for Windows (otherwise known as a driver). When you get to the printer selection screen at the end of the printing process (after you have previewed the report and pressed Print), there is a Preferences button you can press to bring up the printer's settings. Usually it is a pretty obvious option (i.e. Printing Order: First to Last that you can change to Last to First), but this changes depending on the make and model of the printer.

    Now let's say you're printing multiple copies for the realtor and client on site, and also one for your records. To save you more shuffling, make sure when you tell it to print multiple copies, that you also click on the Collate option, that way it will print 1-10 three times instead of page one three times, then page two three times, etc.

    Hopefully these tips will help you present a professional report on site even faster, and with less hassle on your part.

    Link to this FAQ
  8. How do I use/edit the print docs in HomeGauge 4 so the report prints/uploads how I want it to?
    This is explained well in our online tutorial available here.
    Link to this FAQ
  9. I have to make changes to comments/text each time I start a report — how do I make these changes permanent? (applies to auto-inserted comments, section intros, section footers, general introduction)

    If you edit a comment that is automatically inserted on report startup (after selecting a template), this change will only be permanent in your template if you edit the auto-comment.

    Create a new report and select your template. Go to the comment that is automatically inserted that you want to edit.

    1) Click on the "eraser" button to clear out the existing text

    2) Click on the first "wand" button to insert an auto-comment

    3) Highlight the comment that is currently being used and click on the "Edit Comment" button.

    4) A window should pop up where you can edit the auto-comment — edit it as you'd like it to appear.

    If you notice in this window, there is a checkbox up at the top to include this comment at report startup. If this is checked, the comment will appear with each new report. This applies to any comment in the report. If you want something to appear by default, create an auto-comment and be sure this checkbox is checked.

    5) Click "ok" then "ok" again and the new comment should appear as you edited it in the correct window — save your template (Save T) and it should appear this way with each new report.

    Link to this FAQ
  10. I manually copied report files into my HomeGauge reports folder, but can't see them when I click on the "Open" button in HomeGauge?
    When you copy files into the report folder for HomeGauge 4, you will need to click on the "Rebuild Database" button in the "Open Report" window (click on "Open", then click on the "Rebuild Database" button). This will rebuild your local database of reports and you should see the new report(s) in the list.
    Link to this FAQ

Pocket PC

  1. How do I install the Pocket PC version of HomeGauge?

    After you have downloaded the trial from here, make sure your PPC is connected to your computer, and that ActiveSync is running. ActiveSync is the software by Microsoft that allows your handheld to communicate with your laptop or desktop, and if it is not installed, it can be found here. Now simply run the installation file you downloaded for HomeGauge and ActiveSync will take care of making sure it gets to the right place on your handheld. After you run the install on your desktop computer, the installer will ask you to complete the installation on your Pocket PC. HomeGauge 4 includes the installer as an item on the Windows Start Menu, under All Programs - HomeGauge 4.

    Link to this FAQ
  2. I keep running out of memory on my handheld, what can I do?

    You may be running out of memory because of the number of programs running on the device. Go to Start and then tap on Settings. From there, choose the System tab from the bottom, and then tap on Memory. The third tab at the bottom is for Running Programs. You can select programs you don't need and then tap Stop to end those programs. That will free up system memory for your Pocket PC.

    Otherwise for storage, go to File Explorer (also available from the Start) and delete any unnecessary files.

    If neither of those help, you can move all of the HomeGauge files (located in My Documents\HomeGauge) to a memory card or stick that works with your model handheld. Then, load Pocket HG and tap on Options in the Menu, from there choose your new HomeGauge Data Folder.

    Link to this FAQ

Netbooks

  1. Can I run HomeGauge on a Netbook?
    Yes, you can run HomeGauge on a Netbook style computer that runs Windows XP or Windows 7. See: Tips for running HomeGauge on Netbooks
    Link to this FAQ

Other software functions

  1. How do I export or print my list of Contacts?
    Select the file menu from the top left of the HomeGauge software, and then click on Export Contacts. Choose the file destination (i.e. My Documents), the file name (Contacts by default, to change, type it into the File Name field), and then click save. You now have a Comma Separated file (.csv) that you can open using QuickBooks, Excel or similar programs. You can also print from those programs or use them to perform a mail merge for marketing purposes. You can sort by type to select just the REPs or just the Customers if needed.
    Link to this FAQ
  2. How do I export or print my list of customers and report info?
    Select the file menu from the top left of the HomeGauge software, and then click on Export Report Info & Customers. Choose the file destination (i.e. My Documents), the file name (reportinfo by default, to change, type it into the File Name field), and then click save. You now have a Comma Separated file (.csv) that you can open using QuickBooks and Excel or similar programs. You can also print from those programs or use them to perform a mail merge for marketing purposes.
    Link to this FAQ
  3. Can I create a pdf of my HomeGauge report to email as an attachment?
    The short answer is: Yes. However, there are some disadvantages to delivering your report by email as a pdf file. Click here for more information and instructions.
    Link to this FAQ
  4. I've lost my list of REPs in my software, is there any way to get it back?

    Yes, as long as you use our HomeGauge Services and upload your reports. To restore your REPs list based on your uploaded reports, take these steps:

    1. Login to HomeGauge.com.
    2. Click on the "My Agents" link on the left.
    3. Scroll down to the bottom of that page and click on the "Export Agent List" link.
    4. Save this file to "My Documents\HomeGauge".
    5. Rename this file from "agentslist.csv" to "people.csv". If you do not see the .csv part of the name (the file extension), just rename the file from "agentslist" to "people".
    6. Restart HomeGauge software if it is running.
    Link to this FAQ
  5. How do I export invoice info into QuickBooks?

    For exporting into QuickBooks:

    1. Open the report in HomeGauge which has an invoice you want exported.
    2. Open QuickBooks 2003 Pro or later, or QuickBooks Simple Start.
    3. Click on "Invoice" in the Sections tab in HomeGauge.
    4. Click on "QuickBooks Import/Export" button.
    5. Click on "Send HomeGauge Invoice Line Items to Quickbooks" (note: only needs to be done one time, the first time you use HG and QB together)
    6. Repeat #4
    7. Click on "Export This Invoice to Quickbooks".
    Link to this FAQ
  6. Can I make my own custom/required pdf forms (such as the NPMA-33 form) for HomeGauge or do I have to purchase them from HomeGauge?

    Yes, you can make your own forms, but this is for advanced users only. Find Instructions Here. Most users would be better served by calling or emailing HomeGauge to have their custom form(s) created by our support team, or by purchasing one of the available forms.

    Link to this FAQ
  7. How do I get a signature into my forms?

    First, we need to get the "Logo Number" of the signature. Click on the menu "File->Print Options", then click the "Logo" tab. Click the appopriate logo number — we suggest logo 10 for the signature. Click the wrench to point the software to your signature file. Click "OK" to save changes.

    Next, we need to tell the Form function which Logo to use. Click on the menu "Options->Form Options". Check the box to use a logo for signature 1. Click the right or left arrow to go to the appropriate logo (i.e. 10). Now the signature will show up on the preview and the printed/attached form.

    Link to this FAQ

Troubleshooting

  1. I just installed Adobe Acrobat Reader 9 and am now experiencing problems in HomeGauge 4 when I create PDF files.

    Some users have experienced problems with HomeGauge 4 and Acrobat 9. We suggest uninstalling Acrobat 9 and installing Acrobat 8. Acrobat 8 Installer

    Link to this FAQ
  2. I just installed Norton Internet Security or Norton Personal Firewall and now my reports will not upload. It just says "Not Connected". How do I fix this?
    1) Select the Norton Internet Security icon in the task tray by the clock and select the top option "Norton Internet Security" to bring up the Norton configuration window.
    2) Click on the "Personal Firewall" listing and then on the right hand side click on "Configure".
    3) Click on the "Programs" tab
    4) Find the program call "hgis.exe" or HomeGauge3 in the Manual Program Control window.
    5) Change the Internet Access option to "Permit All"

    *Note that other internet security suites such as ZoneAlarm or McAfee will have a similar control panel, where you can allow/deny programs access to the internet. You may need to "allow" or "permit" HomeGauge in these programs for HomeGauge's online features to work properly.

    Link to this FAQ
  3. When I open a old report why do I sometimes get the message stating that I cannot make changes to the template?
    Occasionally when you want to go back to an older report you may have an warning message saying that template editing has been disabled.

    It is important to understand first that report files (*.hr3 or *.hr4) contain a complete copy of the template that was used to start the report and all of the answers and comments about that inspection. The means that future changes you make to the template like deleting whole sections will not have any effect on this report. This means that when you open an old report no matter what has happened to the template it will have all of the sections, questions auto comments from the template that were there when you started that report.

    When you open an old report the template editing is disabled to prevent the home inspector from losing changes that have been made to the template that can happen in a situation like below.

    1. Start and complete report for property A with template T while making no changes to the template.
      There is now an internal copy of template T contained in report A. The original template used to start the report are the same
    2. Start report for property B with same template T.
    3. Delete a question from the template T.
    4. Complete the report and save the template changes because you do not want that question in all future reports.
      There is now a modified copy of the original template T now called T' stored internal in report B. The template file has also changed. Please note you do not have to save the changes to the template file and can make the changes to just the internal template.
    5. Open up report A again and all of the sections, questions and auto comments are the same as when you started the report including the deleted question. However you are not allowed to save edits to the template because you would lose the changes that were made while doing report B.

    Additional Hints:

    1. To make it easier, you can enter the client, inspection address and agent info before hand, but do NOT select the template before starting the actual report on site. This minimizes the time that the template is being used by multiple reports.
    2. If you have items in the report template that you use every time, make them "included by default" since you are not selecting the template until you are on site.
    3. Duplicating rooms ( i.e. - adding a bathroom ) is not a template change, but is just duplicating a section of the current template for just that one report.
    4. If you still find yourself in need of a template change you can always do "File -> Save Template As" to save the current template as "junk". This will keep your from overwriting the changes in the most recent template. Later on you can delete the template named junk.
    Link to this FAQ
  4. When I print my report, on the footer I see "file://C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Documents\..." — how do I get rid of that?

    To change this, open up Internet Explorer, go to the menu "File -> Page Setup" (in IE 7, click on the arrow by the printer icon and select "Page Setup"). In the area where the Footer is, you should see some code. If you remove that code, the path will no longer print there.

    It also makes a difference where you print from in the HomeGauge software. If you print from the first print preview window, you should get whatever page headers/footers you setup in the HomeGauge software (File -> Print Options -> Misc tab). If you print from the second Page Preview window, you will get the headers/footers that are setup in IE. (This is an IE bug.)

    Link to this FAQ
  5. I changed my data folder and now I can't see any of my templates or reports.

    The default data folder for HomeGauge is "My Documents\HomeGauge". Changing this folder can be handy for users that are working over a network or have other reasons to change where their reports are stored. If you need to change this folder (Options -> HomeGauge Data Folder), you will also need to copy the contents of the "My Documents\HomeGauge" folder to the new location you select. If you changed it by mistake, just go to the menu "Options -> HomeGauge Data folder" and select the folder "HomeGauge" underneath "My Documents".

    Link to this FAQ
  6. I need to recover my report template, how do I do that?

    If you don't have a recent backup of your template, you can always restore your template from a recent report that used that template. To do that, open up a recent report in the HomeGauge Software, in which you used the template you want to restore. With the report open, click on the menu "File -> Save Template As..." and name the template. If you need to get a report to recover your template from, look at the item "How do I download a report from the website? (to open/edit in HomeGauge software)" under the section "Using the software for inspections" above on this page.

    Link to this FAQ
  7. My report I created gives an error when I try to open it, what caused it and how do I fix it?

    This is a very rare problem, but it can happen. Usually the cause is related to a power loss to the computer or hard drive failure while the software was saving the report. The good news is that HomeGauge saves backups of the report as you work, so you can recover your report.

    To restore a crashed report file:

    1. Click on the Windows "Start" menu and choose "My Documents" from the menu.
    2. On the right side of the pop-up window, double click on "HomeGauge" to open that folder.
    3. Then double click on "Reports" to open the reports folder.
    4. Next, double click on the report folder that had the crash. You will now see all of the files that are part of that report displayed in the window.
    5. Select the "report.hr3" file and "Right" click it.
    6. Select "Rename" from the pop-up menu and change the name to something else, like "badreport.hr3".
    7. Next, look for other files that will be named "report-bak1.hr3" through "report-bak10.hr3". There may not be all 10 of those backup files, depending on how long you were working on the report when it crashed, but "report-bak1" will always be the most recent of your backups. Next most recent will be "report-bak2" and so on.
    8. Right click on "report-bak1.hr3" and select "Rename" and change the name to "report.hr3".

    Now you are ready to try and open your backup report in the HomeGauge software. Get into HomeGauge and try to open the report normally. If it works... you are finished with the recovery procedure. If it doesn't work... repeat the procedure and choose "report-bak2" to rename as the main report file and try to open again in HomeGauge. You can repeat this procedure until all ten backups are tried and if none of them will work --- your report is probably un-salvageable. However, give us a call and let us see if there is anything we can do before giving up all hope!

    Also, if this is a report you've uploaded in the past, you can download it from the server -- look at the item "How do I download a report from the website? (to open/edit in HomeGauge software)" under the section "Using the software for inspections" above on this page.

    Link to this FAQ
  8. The text in my report is too large or too small. What can I do?

    There are several possible causes/solutions for this problem. We recommend you try them in the order listed below (ordered from easiest fixes to more complex).

    1) Try a different printing style. You can go to the menu in the HomeGauge Software "File -> Printing Options -> Style & Format" and select a different style from the list on the right of the window. The styles with "Large" in their title will print somewhat larger. (Note that the "Large" styles are only available in HomeGauge 3. HomeGauge 4 has generally larger styles, but if you need a larger printing style than what's available, send a request to support@homegauge.com.)

    2) Check Internet Explorer font sizes. Open up Internet Explorer and go to the menu "View -> Text Size". If you are using Internet Explorer 7, you may need to hit the "Alt" button on your keyboard first to see the regular text menu. The default Text Size should be set to "Medium". A different setting may cause HomeGauge to print too large or small. Experiment with the font size settings here and see if this will fix your text size issue.

    3) Some computers have their fonts set to special sizes that are not typical (this can cause problems in many programs, not just HomeGauge). To check these settings, right-click on any blank area on your desktop and select "Properties". In the window that pops up, click on the "Appearance" tab. Under the Font size, make sure this is set to "Normal". Also, click on the "Settings" tab and click on the "Advanced" button. You should find an area for the "DPI setting". If this is set to anything besides normal (typically 96 DPI), it may cause HomeGauge to print too large or too small.

    4) (rare case) Sometimes if a non-standard font is chosen as the default font for Internet Explorer, this can cause some issues (some fonts are much bolder, larger, smaller, etc. than the default font). To check this, open up Internet Explorer and go to the menu "Tools -> Internet Options" and click on the "Fonts" button. The defaults are typically set to "Times New Roman" for the Web page Font, and "Courier New" for the Plain Text Font. The Language script is also typically set to "Latin based".

    Link to this FAQ

HomeGauge 3 topics

  1. It takes a long time to open my list of reports in the software, what can I do?

    First, back-up all the reports on your machine to a different location. Either on the current hard-drive (make a folder in My Documents\HomeGauge called Back-up or Old Reports or anything you like and put them there), or onto an external device. For how to do this, click here.

    Second, check to make sure that your anti-virus or anti-spyware software isn't scanning the files as you load them. This can typically add to the load/wait times. Maybe adding HomeGauge3.exe to the list of exceptions for scanning will help. Contacting the software company for whatever protection you are using would be best for directions on how to accomplish this.

    This was improved upon in HomeGauge 4 with the introduction of a report database, which makes the open window launch very quickly.

    Link to this FAQ
  2. How do I edit my Agreement or other report documents?
    To open and edit your agreement go to MyDocuments then open the HomeGauge folder. Next open the html folder. Now, right (alternate) click on disclaim.html. Select Open With and choose Notepad. From Notepad you can edit your agreement and don't forget to save once you're done.
    Link to this FAQ
  3. How do I export or print my list of Real Estate Professionals (REPs)?
    Select the file menu from the top left of the HomeGauge software, and then click on Export REPs. Choose the file destination (i.e. My Documents), the file name (REPs by default, to change, type it into the File Name field), and then click save. You now have a Comma Separated file (.csv) that you can open using QuickBooks, Excel or similar programs. You can also print from those programs or use them to perform a mail merge for marketing purposes.
    Link to this FAQ
  4. I can see the list of report templates/list of saved reports, but get an error when I try to open them.
    This is a rare problem that is mostly likely caused by a missing Windows component on your computer. We have put together a fix. Click on the following link (be sure you are viewing it with Internet Explorer). You may get the pale yellow bar warning at the top of your browser asking you permission to install a piece of software. Allow it to install. This may take a few minutes, especially for those with a dial-up connection. Once done, restart HomeGauge. Software Fix
    Link to this FAQ

Do you still have other questions? Try the online HG Community for inspectors.


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