C A D for Mac

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

The early PC versions up to about 11 were not brilliant.

Much better product now.

I think I have a Mac copy somewhere and I think it was version 9.

regards David

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

TurboCad for Mac. Have followed this up a little bit. It comes in 3 specification levels, Designer, DeLuxe and Pro, a bit like new cars.

It would appear from reading other forums that that the development of TurboCad for Macs and for PC’s are carried out by different development teams which has allegedly resulted in features in PC not being the same or in the same position on the Mac – I don’t know, I’ve not tried either, but TurboCad UK have confirmed that the Mac version does not have the same ‘functionality’ as they put it of the PC one. This seems to have resulted in the PC version being 17 and the current Mac version being v5.1 – Build 943; the ‘build’ bit I think refers to the latest upgrade number but I am not certain. v5.1 seems to be fairly up-to-date as it has been written for Leopard and Snow Leopard, the latest OS – X operating system for Mac.

(David. I think your version 9 could have been a much older version which has now been rolled into a new numbering system, or perhaps not!)

The good news is that if one goes to the TurboCad.com website a Mac trial copy can be downloaded for free to try for 30 days (I thought it was 15 but they seem to insist I try for 30). I downloaded the DeLuxe version late last night, have not really played with it but am looking forwarded to doing so. My initial thoughts were that in some ways it may be easier than AutoCad LT, certainly one needs to learn a different way of doing things, but the jury is still out on whether it will do everything that my ’96 or ’97 version of AutoCad LT will do, BUT, it will do it on my Mac which is definitely a plus point!

I did look on the TurboCad.co.uk website but only found trial versions for the PC, hence I went to the TurboCad.com (American) site.

Regards, Chris

Edited By ChrisH on 20/01/2011 11:15:38

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

ViaCAD is the software I’ve chosen for use on my PC and is also available for the Mac.

Note that demo downloads aren’t available on the website at the moment, since it was revamped and apparently were left out by mistake. They should be back on again soon, but if anyone is desparate I can forward an email address to you by PM, where you can ask to be sent a link.

http://www.punchcad.com/c-12-consumer-cad.aspx

Martin.

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There0

I find the snaps on TurboCAD a pain compared with the AutoCAD lite but I probably need to do some more learning.

I just need to find the manual.

I downgraded to V15 from 17 as I have the CadCam add on for 15.

regards David

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

a PS for the TurboCad for Mac free trial – it also helpfully includes a few basic tutorials.

ChrisH

[Don BrymerParticipant @donbrymer78910]

Hello Chris,

I have just finished a 30 day trail of TurboCAD Deluxe V5.1 for Mac (also downloaded from the US site).I have not used TurboCAD previously & found that it is reasonably easy to use as loaded. I suggest printing the manual that is also downloaded.

I have been an AutoCAD user since release 8 (DOS days) & find that dimensioning does leave a bit to be desired. A couple of problems are; I could not find a way to place a leader & text while dimensioning from the dimensioning toolbar & any dimension text with a diameter symbol (&#248 lost the symbol when the text was edited.These problems could be worked around, but was time consuming. However, I was able to complete a set of working drawings for a model aero engine over the 30 days.

Being able to insert any of the AutoCAD .dwg files that I have on file from resent versions of AutoCAD is a feature that I did not expect. It is going to save a lot of drawing hours.

Although it cannot be expected to be as good as AutoCAD but for AUD$149 I believe it is well worth the dollars as it worked without any problems Mac OS X 10.6.6, & I will purchase the software.

Regards,

Don.

PS I do not have any affiliation with the sellers/developers of this software.

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Hi Don,

Am just on day 2 of the trial and am just starting to attempt to redrawing a drawing that I have just done in AutoCad LT. (I scaled up Harold Halls lathe fixed steady to suit my lathe – see MEW No.173 when you get it). This will give me a comparison on the 2 systems I hope.

I don’t know if it’s me or the download, but have problems so far in just drawing a single line, it keeps wanting not to end but draw more, the grid just does lines and I would like it as dots but it won’t change, and the dimension so far only lets me do one dimension on an object, if I do a length then a height, it will bin the length to show the height! I am probably doing something wrong for all three, but it might be the download! Still, onwards and upwards, I hope.

I have found the User Guide.pdf which is very useful and was going to print it until I saw how many pages it was and my natural tight nature kicked in, thinking “how much is that going to cost in ink and paper”! So far I have just dived into it on the screen, but I may print it off yet.

Regards,

Chris

[Ian AbbottParticipant @ianabbott31222]

I finally downloaded the TurboCad trial. So far, AAAaaaaarrrrggggghhhhh……..

It insists on opening a document with the edges way outside the desktop, so everyone has to be resized.

Tried for a quarter of an hour to import a DXF file, couldn’t figure out why not, then I accidentally discovered the files were there, but white on a white background.

Having imported a DXF file of a theatre plan, it was unlike anything in the original, arcs became circles, chunks missing, different sizes. Only good for a marginal template to start again.

Hate the mouse wheel zoom, which doesn’t seem to want to go away.

It seems to be so orientated towards the 3D solids that draughting becomes a lottery.

Compared with Vectorworks, where the 3D is there, but not obvious until one wants to show it, it’s like trying to draw using children’s coloured blocks. I might have another try later, but at this point, I think that I’ll stick with what I have.

As they say, “Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the show?”

Ian

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Downloads of ViaCAD, suitable for both Mac and PC, can now be had from here http://www.punchcadlabs.com/

Martin.

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

I had the same problem opening TurboCad trial – couldn’t see the bottom of the drawing or get to it so had to resize each time. Not a problem, just a pain, and for why? I wonder if that happens in a real version or only on the trial?

That said, not done any 3D or imported any files, but the drawing I have tried is coming on quite well given that I have been experimenting with how to do stuff and there is a lot that I do like compared to AutoCad Lt in the way some things are done.

However, can’t get the grid to show in dots, only lines no matter what I select, not being able to assign line styles to layers is a pain and there is something very strange happening each time I try to add text, it changes colour and style after entry for a reason I haven’t figured out yet and I can’t make it stick on the colour & style that I do want.

The system does seem to operate like a mac system though, which is different to how the AutoCad system works – that seems to work more according to how AutoCad want than according to how windows works.

Early days yet, only on day 3 of the 30 day trial. However, before making my choice I will trial ViaCad too.

Chris

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

An Update on the TurboCad for Mac free trial.

 

As expected, some things I found better or simplier than AutoCad and others not so. For example, all lines are done by just inserting a length and an angle which was quick and easy, but I had trouble with drawing just a single line, the system often wanted me to add another line, me being unable to remember how to terminate the command correctly I suppose. There is no ‘erase’ command as in AC, you just highlight what wants erasing and hit the keyboard ‘delete’ key (like other Mac programmes) – spent ages looking for the ‘erase’ command!

 

The copy command wasn’t as clear as in AC, being tied in with the ‘move’ command.

 

Snaps could be a pain sometimes unless you zoomed in on that bit you were working on – but I guess to a lessor degree that happens in AC as well. Dimensioning was good, but some problems arose when the dimension gave a figure different to that drawn. For example, a line of 30.00mm long became 29.998mm on the dimension – weird. To get over this one I eventually had to draw a 30.00mm line away from where I wanted it ( a redraw in the position didn’t work) then move it into position. But multiple dimensioning, and multiple verification of lengths, is easier than in AC.

 

The grid does not do just dots, you have to have lines, and dots as subdivisions. If I use a grid I prefer just dots and as the lines I found were intrusive I reverted to pencil and paper practice and worked with a blank white sheet.

 

Good feature was that I could import a load of AC drawings into TC. At first as imported it seemed as if nothing was there, but, after import I found that if the layers were set up in the TC drawing as on the AC drawing then bingo, all was revealed. But the layer command does not include for different line styles which I prefer, all lines are as set in the drawing default. If a line needs to be different then you have to select it and change it with the required style.

 

Printing was good too, for me. I only printed on A4 (because that’s all my printer does) but you can overlay the drawing on a representation of the paper for a preview and select a scale to suit – you can also select odd-ball scales, like 0.65:1 instead of 0.5:1, or 1/2 scale, if you really wanted. You have to watch the sizing of drawing and dimension text as it varies with the scale selected for printing -what looks good on the screen may appear huge or tiny when printed, depending on printed scale!

 

All in all I found the TC for Mac to be good and to do all that I wanted to do, and all that I guess the majority of model engineers will require too – and that was without trying the 3D facility (I ran out of time to play with that) – but only the individual can be the judge of that. It really could do with a more detailed instruction manual although the online help guide and the basic tutorials were very useful. A lot of what is available on AC Lite is available on TC – it’s just finding it and how to use it that is sometimes the problem!

 

Version 6 is due out anytime now – should have been out 6 weeks ago – and prices seem to be coming down for the package, so rather than buy Ver.5 and then upgrade to Ver.6 I am waiting for Ver.6, although I don’t know what ‘extra’s’ Ver.6 will bring.

 

I hope the above will help any Mac users thinking of TC – best thing is to download the free trial and play with it, see if it is for you.

 

ChrisH

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Try DraughtSight it’s Free

 

http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/free-cad-software/

 

Runs under OSX

 

regards Martin

[Graeme BartonParticipant @graemebarton49345]

just for the record you can run AutoCAD on a Mac using something like Parallels but it should be noted that lots of people have problems doing this and i personally couldn’t get it to work. I use Bootcamp, no computer problems but it’s a pain having to keep shutting down to swap between the 2 OS’s.They have recently released AutoCAD for the Mac but i haven’t tried this yet, not sure if there is a lite option available

graeme

P.S. if you are in education or some sort of teaching/education facility as student or lecturerer then you can get AutoCAD for free as long as you have an e-mail address ending with .ac.uk

e.g.

joebloggs@university.ac.uk

[david GarrettParticipant @davidgarrett13021]

I have been using a $150 (£90 ??) CAD program called ViaCAD on my MAC for 3 years now. It is available here in the states … not sure if it is available in the UK or Europe …It I have used a several CAD programs on both Microsoft and MAC include Turbo CAD … i have found ViaCAD to be significantly better for the $ than all that i have used … I particularly like its tool that converts a 3D part into a 3 view 2D drawing … i prefer to work from a 3 view drawing in the shop …

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Posted by david Garrett on 30/04/2011 07:51:05:
I have been using a $150 (£90 ??) CAD program called ViaCAD on my MAC for 3 years now. It is available here in the states … not sure if it is available in the UK or Europe …It I have used a several CAD programs on both Microsoft and MAC include Turbo CAD … i have found ViaCAD to be significantly better for the $ than all that i have used … I particularly like its tool that converts a 3D part into a 3 view 2D drawing … i prefer to work from a 3 view drawing in the shop …

 

 

I fully agree with you David. ViaCAD 2D/3D is actually $99.99 (about £60), but I’ve just taken advantage of their $99.99 pre-launch offer to buy ViaCAD Pro v7, which is usually $249.99

 

At launch, It’s now gone up to $179.99, or there are upgrade deals to be had if you have a previous version.

 

Very useful software for me.

 

Martin.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

As Martin Kyte said use Draftsight.

 

Draft Sight

 

Free and very powerful, it’s actually the 2D portion removed from Solid Works and offered as a loss leader to get you to move to 3D.

 

Loads of tutorials on You tube and their site.

 

there is no reason at all now days to pay for a 2D CAD program with what is out there free and legal.

 

Draftsight also runs on Windows and Linux.

 

John S.

Edited By John Stevenson on 30/04/2011 11:45:27

[Ferdinand MelsParticipant @ferdinandmels57670]

I have been a die hard mac user since 1991 and looked at all the options a few years back. Turbocad was my original software and once I found Viacad I have never gone back. Viacad pro is the software of choice on my machine. One of the biggest advantages to Viacad is the files are swapable with Viacad PC and Viacad Mac. A nice feature when you have both OS’s in your house or workshop. Also nice if you are working on a project with other modellers that are on a PC.

 

PS. Turbo Cad uses the Viacad engine in their app.

 

I do all my cad and 3D work on the apple as I am used to the Mac interface and can’t stand the windows look, feel and behaviour. I do have 2 PC’s and one runs my laser cutter the other my CNC mill. Both have Viacad PC on them so files can be editied wihtout going back and forth.

 

Edit: I downloaded Draft Sight and if you are used to the PC interface it may feel more comfortable in both appearance and function. If you are used to the way an Apple works, and looks then you will find either Turbocad or Viacad more familiar. 

cheers Ferd.

Edited By Ferdinand Mels on 01/05/2011 22:10:13

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Chaps.
Just a heads up for anyone still looking for a CAD program.

I’ve had an email from Punch! (ViaCAD) software about a 1 day offer (today) of 40% discount on all their gear, which I think also includes upgrades.

Might be worth a look?

**Enter coupon code LUNCH at checkout**

Martin.

[Author]

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