Senior civil/construction engineer in need of software
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Hello All,
Have breezed thru the forum and admire the sharing on this site.For more than 30 years have been in the civil business, beginning with slideruler, pencil, paper and drafting instruments. HP 41 come out and WOW, what a revolution! Then the computer really changed the game. Our business used a product called InFocad. Great coordinate geomotry based cad program. InFocad did not keep up with the times and not sure what has happened to them. The program used hardware keys and during two moves, I have lost the hardware keys.
So right now, I am not in a position (big medical expenses) to spend $$$ on new software so looking for something that I could get up and running again.
Simply looking for something to draw site plans - plot plans and hopefully be able to download coordinate date to my total station for radial stake out.
Played very little with Google Sketchup and it sure is different from the software we started using in the late 1980's.
Any suggestions as to Google Sketchup is something that could meet my needs? AND be fairly quick to adapt to? I believe I read somewhere there is a survey plugin?
Have a Great Day!
Gary in Michigan -
Now this i Pilou. A new member comes hre asking about SU and you already suggest another software
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@unknownuser said:
AND be fairly quick to adapt to?
Sure!
In the same spirite of facility and beauty of the line and curves take a look at Moment Of Inspiration!
As "old" pencil user I am sure that you will love it!
It's a Nurbs program but also the best for 2D geometric Drawing!
And has the particularity to be created for be used only with the Pen graphic Tablett!
(works also with mouse or Space Navigator and others... -
They are inseparable!
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While I think you can go a long way with site plans and SU, I think that you as a Civil engineer should look at discussions on inaccuracies within SU. For example you cannot draw a "true" circle. Just search "accuracy" or "inaccuracy" on these forums.
For CAD you might look at Draftsight or DoubleCAD. I don't use them but they are cheap and seem usable.
You are a little early, as Trimble is buying SU, and perhaps some capabilities will be added in the Civil direction.
Sorry Gai, but the right tools for the right job, as it were.
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