Inexpensive CAD program (accessory for SU)
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Another "accessory" program that I have been evaluating:
For those of you who don't need something as robust and expensive as AutoCAD or its ilk, here's a fairly decent 2D-only, lightweight CAD program. It reads and writes DXF 2004 now, so it's fairly compatible with the wider world of CAD and modeling. Finally, it's more or less free in a slightly-stripped-down version for Linux (and anyone else who wants to compile source code) and is relatively inexpensive for Windows and Mac users (24 euros or $33).
Although it looks a bit like AutoCAD, the commands don't always correspond exactly (for example, the ACAD "move" and "array" concepts are both covered by "move" in QCAD, rather as they are in SketchUp), so it's worth reading the brief manual and finding a quick online tutorial
(like this: http://linuxfocus.org/English/January20 ... e132.shtml )
I like QCAD's straightforward plotting interface, but the command line in QCAD is very limited and balky, at least in my brief experience...best to turn it off and operate QCAD with hotkeys (like SketchUp).
--Lewis
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Here's another...
http://www.free2design.com/
(In the lower left section of main page is the download link for the free version)
I downloaded it mainly because I needed a simple 2D app that can import jpg or bmp files for tracing over. I am still at the nooby level, struggling to do the most elemental things with it, but it looks pretty impressive.My favorite super-simple 2D app is Drafix Quick Cad, but it can't import reference images. I bought it on a sale-table at Wallyworld years ago, and it still comes in handy.
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I've had a chance to play with it a little more since I originally posted the QCAD link. It is a decent little CAD program...I ended up buying a license for both my PC and my Linux machines. It seems like it bogs down faster than AutoCAD, though...not yet suitable for the kind of large project my firm does, but sufficient for ordinary domestic architecture or simpler work (in my opinion). The most annoying aspect of the program, for an AutoCAD user, is that you can't grab individual vertices...you just have to use the Stretch command very selectively. But there is a nice "auto" snap feature that is somewhat like SketchUp's inferences, except that it also wants to snap to the underlying grid...to make it not do so, you have to make the grid some insanely large size.
I'll take a look at those links you posted, RegH. Thanks.
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