How many AutoCad users do we have?

[Rick Christopherson]

I also started with Generic Cadd.  I still have it on my XP machine.  I am pretty sure that somewhere I still have the disks.  I much prefer the 2 character commands.

Peter

I don't remember when I found Visual CADD, but it was so long ago that my internet access was limited to 20 hours per month, and it may have been at 28.8 baud. After downloading the trial, the very first thing I did was draw a line, and then typed "NP". When I saw the cross hair jump all the way across the screen to the nearest point, that's all I needed to see.

I was mistaken. I thought it had died, but I didn't look close enough at the version number. Version 6 was released in 2010, and they just did an update last year. I just checked, and they still allow an upgrade from Generic CADD for only $150. You should download the trial version and see just how similar to Generic CADD it is. Most of the 2-key commands are the same, but if any of them aren't they are very easy to change. The website for buying or downloading the trial is http://visualcadd.net/.

I just downloaded the trial for the heck of it, but I will probably contact them to see how I can reactivate my version 5 copy. If you do download the trial version, let me know and I will send you a copy of custom "Learner" menu I wrote years ago. It still works for version 6, and contains every command available at the time I wrote it in a better organization than the default menu does. It used to be included on the version 4 CD, but not on the newer versions. (BTW, the Load Menu (LM) command happens to be one of the hidden ones that isn't in the default menu, which is why I created this menu in the first place. Luckily I guessed what the 2-key was.)

I don't like the default interface, so I change it to look more like Generic CADD did with a black background and full-screen crosshair. I even have some custom commands I wrote. My favorite was "Edit Anything", where no matter what object you select (dim, leader, text), it would bring up the correct dialog box to modify it.

Oh, you can use 3-key shortcuts now too. To see a list of every native command and its shortcut, type (AS) and the "Assign Script" dialog box will come up. If you decide to use it, I can send you all of the mods I made for custom menus, toolbars, macros, etc. I don't remember what they all are, but I tweaked the interface to be pretty efficient.

 

[Colin Giersberg]

I have Autocad LT, but I never really used it that much, and I don't even have it installed on the new computer now, but I am thinking about it. Before Sketchup and Autocad LT, I had Autosketch 2.0.
This program to me was much easier to use that Autocad ever was, and it was released by Autodesk. The program had Command buttons on the screen for
Grid
Snap
Line
Arc
Circle
Polygon
Erase
Extend
Trim
Break
Scale
Stretch
Rotate
Ring Array
Box Array
Dimension
Redraw
Line Type
Line Thickness
Line Color

There were other commands available, but I don't remember them all. I bought this program when 3" floppies were the norm. I was able to set up a sheet of paper to a specific scale and save that as a Template. Anything drawn then would of course be automatically scaled. I could also save part files for insertion into other drawings, and these would be scaled automatically as well. All in all, this was a very versatile program with a lot of features. Later versions were too much like Autocad, so I quit trying to do any CAD, and then along came Sketchup. This has gotten to be my favorite program now, but I am still learning the program.

 

[Leland]

Been an Autocad user for 25+ years.  Started with ver. 10 and I ended up teaching it at a local technical college. 

Still have ver. 2005 LT on my pc and use it for my personal drawings.

I have played with Sketchup but prefer Autocad.  Will eventually have to run a VM machine to keep it going in the later windows versions I suspect.

But unless you work at a engineering/architectural firm, it is pricey to keep upto date on the software.  Unfortunately, Autodesk, IMHO, never was savvy enough to keep the average user, due to it's marketing on the 18 month rehash cycling of a new version, in the game and is losing it's base user to Sketchup and the likes.

 

[galwaydude18@gmail.com]

I use Autocad for all my drawings. I can do 3d work with it but I'm not that efficient doing it. I use 2d drawings for my clients and can always explain it well enough that they don't need 3d drawings

 

[Rob-GB]

Yep ACAD user here too as most architects I've dealt with use it. Only do 3d drawings when absolutely necessary though.
I have found it really useful for illustrating posts or articles I write.

Rob.

 

[tallgrass]

I have been using autocad since rev11. I use several different cad programs, like tools they all have their strong and weak points. 

 

[mking81]

AutoCAD user here.  Had several years experience with it right out of high school working in a CNC laser shop, but completely quit using it for about 7 years when I changed jobs.  Two years ago I was hired as a sales/design rep at a local custom cabinet shop where they did all their cabinet drawings by hand.  I sold one job like that, and said forget it.  Downloaded a trial version of AutoCAD, and by the time the 30-day trial expired had convinced my boss it was worth buying.  Today we own 6 licenses, and do all our sales/design drawings and shop drawings in CAD, all 2D though.  Have definitely seen a huge uptick in repeat business from architects, and even had architects who came to us because they heard about how much some of their peers liked our drawings. 
I started using Sketchup over this past Christmas and have found it really handy to quickly do a room layout or quickly illustrate something for a customer when I'm trying to close a sale.  We don't provide AutoCAD drawings until a job is sold, so sometimes a simple 3D drawing is all it takes. 

I use this on my home computer http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/overview/.  Many of the commands are similar to AutoCAD, and its free.

 

[Old School Carpenter]

More of an Auto cad abuser,  [eek] I just am to busy to slow down and learn all the ways to make it work for me.

Mike

 

[Stone Message]

I was just wondering with the popularity of SketchUp how many AutoCad users we have here?  Anyone?

Peter

Hi Peter,

I always use AutoCAD for my drawings - it is accurate, easy to use and (the key) dimensioning is dead easy.

My copy is so old that I have grass growing on the screen but it does for me.

Peter

 

[festering]

I have used AutoCAD from Dos Version 10, but now use Autodesk Inventor almost exclusively as it is so much quicker.
Have never used Sketchup but have tried importing some of the Festool Rail cad files into Inventor.

Stuart

 

[Sign Guy]

I am proficient in Acad beginning in early 80’s.
Fair to midland in Pro-E, and had to get up to speed on 4 other engineering softwares over the years while contract engineering.
Having just completed 10 or so custom Systainers here's what I've used.
I did use Corel Draw (sign software) on a few of them but just for basic insert pieces.
That said I have looked at 3-D models of the Systainers and variuos F-tools.
I see pretty much no use at all for the models.
The key with cad is how you print it, then walk it into your woodshop and what you do with your print.
I cheat – I cut out stickers and stick my substrate then cut on the bandsaw followed by various sanders.

 

[vkumar]

No autocad here.

I have been using ProE, Wildfire and now Creo Parametric. Also use Solidworks. Both are very competent applications but ProE is more robust for 3d modelling. Solidworks has a better drawing package.  Since I am more familiar with these I find the Sketchup a little awkward, but thats my own shortcoming.

 

[wow]

Being a Mac guy I never liked AutoCAD because they were only available on the 'dark side'. I currently us a program called Graphite.

Since I'm just an amateur user I'm not very proficient at it, but it lets me work out most of the kinks in what I design before I cut/glue/weld or swear.

 

[land_kel]

AcadLt here. V14.  Been an acad user since early DOS days. Does all I need, and way more than I will ever use.

 

[peter halle]

I realize now that I never explained why I asked my question.  My brother has been involved with AutoCad since the beginning, has been a moderator (oh my god)  [big grin] on past Autocad forums, and has be a contributing author on some Autocad aftermarket books as well as having been an architect for more that thirty years.

So if there some specific Autocad questions I could probably get you some help.  He will probably never be a member of the forum - he'll leave that to me - but he tends to be a helpful type.

Peter

 

[Anejo]

I’ve been using Autocad from 02 to the current version.

I'm not a Sketchup user, instead I use Autodesk 3D Studio Max, Vray and Photoshop to produce photorealism images of conceptual furniture pieces.

 

[Sign Guy]

Confident that there is a lot of talent on here.
Not just Cad. Old fashioned drafting, pencil sketches, etc.
This is a site for what we do with our tools.
And to build a project a dwg is required. Even if it is a napkin sketch.
What I would like to see is just that.
A thread about your dwg and project.
.
Over the years I have kept my old sketches and Cad. Hundreds of them.
Most came to fruition. One shown below.
.
Sure I could show a fancy Cad dwg. but that leaves out half or more of this site.
Some of the finest woodwork was from a napkin sketch.
Case in point the Loretto Chapel stairs. I've seen them.
Believe what version of that story you want but there wasnt any Acad or blueprints in the 1800's.
So that includes everybody to show what "print" they walk to the shop. From napkins to Cad.