A CAD Program

I've got it and have yet to learn to use it. I did spend an hour or so with it and was unable to figure out how to draw a line... I suspect it IS a daunting task to learn this thing. I don't know that I'd call it crap... yet.

Peter

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Peter Grey
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The main problem with TurboCad is that it gobbles up memory exponentially as the drawing grows, soon locking up the computer. They may have fixed this in the years since I tried it, but the architecture was very awkward and unforgiving of errors. Bugs

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Bugs

Odd - mine comes up wanting to draw a line off the bat.

There are training CD's that walk you through the simple draw a box, circle. .....

I have version 10 pro - with training disk and the monster symbol disk. Which reminds me - I have to install it in the shop computer now.

I admit - I have a dozen or so types of CAD from CADENCE PCB and IC, ..... to Smith Chart cad program... RF filters cad and - ..... on and on. Everyone has their special version for something. I just kept adding..

The Cadence one is a full blown professional version - monster to learn!!!!! But I have the training manual in pdf for it and others.

Martin

Martin Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Peter Grey wrote:

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

OK here is what you need to do what you discribe. First get a cheap ca

system such as Turbo cad. The pick up Coral Draw Suite on Ebay at leas version 10 or above. Also a copy of Illistrator.

Coral has a trace function that will allow you to trace a bitmap imag and then Export it as a CMG and import into Illi. Export it from Ill as a DXF and then import it into you CAD.

There is some adjusting here and there but the resulting file is assum and can be scaled to any size you wish.

This is just a simple discription of what can be done with the righ tools

-- starca

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starcad

Have any Design Cad manuals, Martin?

Reply to
Richard Lamb

Raster-to-vector conversion for free:

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I used DesignCAD years ago, first as the DOS version, then as several Windows versions. Worked very well until the original developers sold the program, and then became "quirky" to the point of being non-useable. Newer versions may be better now.

My employer provided and I used AutoCAD/AutoSketch/etc. from AutoDesk in several versions. Very capable and feature-loaded, but has a VERY, VERY steep learning curve. Also, it develops an "unusual personality" when pressed or memory starts to run short (something that costs that much is not called "unstable" or "quirky").

I've used TurboCAD from version 4, and I currently use v11 Pro, which has R-to-V conversion built-in. See comments above for AutoCAD. TC's saving grace is that it costs way less (but still not cheap) and 2D/3D is bundled and integrated in the Pro version, which makes it a candidate for home use. I've never had a stability problem, but I follow the rule of thumb to at least double the manufacturer's minimum memory spec, plus I always use a fast processor with a high end video card.

I've tried many other CAD programs, and none were really "crap", just different, or maybe "quirky in the extreme". The complex programs require heavy duty computer hardware and complex learning, and the simpler programs require less complex, but not simple, learning.

DougSter

Life member of the nation's oldest civil rights organization, founded

1871 - the National Rifle Association!

DougSter

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DougSter

I have been using Alibre Design Pro for the last year. I am generally pleased with it for the money. I am torn on whether I should have bought the basic version instead. Note that many of the extras included that make up the pro version are *1 year demos*.

I bought it during the yearly half price sale mentioned below.

To be honest, I have been spoiled by Solidworks and even though Solidworks isn't perfect I'd rather have Solidworks than Alibre. Having said that, Alibre is much more affordable than S.W. (Solidworks runs about $5500/seat for the basic version) which made my purchasing choice for me.

Also, if the express version of Alibre doesn't suit you but you like the design, one month a year - june i believe - they run a half price special on all their versions.

StaticsJason

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Reply to
StaticsJason

As in what kind of design Richard - EE or electronics pcb yes... in pdf. Several types. Hard copy in landscaping, houses, pcb, general mechanical and PCBs. Being a Sr. Scientist, Engineering Manager, and Sr. Staff System Eng. to name a few there has been lots of designs I did or helped with. Naturally, real design is software now. Some is writing code for the design. Naturally that was in Verilog.

Martin Martin Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Richard Lamb wrote:

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

I use TurboCad Pro V7. I have bought upgrades from time to time, but don't need most of what what comes with them. It IS reliable. I force myself to use it even for simple things just to keep myself familiar with it. If you are having problems, why not go to the IMSI website and start asking questions? V6 had a "trace" component that was used for "turning a scan into a line drawing". After trying it a few times, I gave up. Reason: The program had a hard time trying to figure out what "should" (in MY mind) be a line of a particular length. So, it would make dozens of tiny line segments that tried to follow it's best-guess edge. This was of little value to me, so I was better off scaling the original and re-drawing. You certianly can put your bitmaps on a lower layer and draw over them.

As one other poster said, (more or less) don't buy a CAD program and wait till you need it to open it for the first time.

Tim Wescott wrote:

Reply to
spaco

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