It seems there are a lot of inmates here that use AutoCAD (and other CAD programs). In the past I've received much better (and quicker) help from here than from any CAD forum on the web. So, how about a CAD thread? First question, anyone using AutoCAD 2013? We have Vanilla 2013 and it's not playing well with our .pc3 files; in 2012 we can use any of our saved page layouts and have them plot fine. However, 2013 rotates the page 90 degrees using the same layout. The work around I can find so far is to create new .pc3 files, which I really do not want to do. Anyone have any ideas? It's happening with both our Canon plotter and our Konica copier, leading me to think it must be a System Variable or something similarly global.
Cool idea. CAD and motorcycles are my thing. I started out on Autocad Release 2.1 in 1984 or so (on a Heath Zenith 286 with 1mb of ram and an enormous 20mb hard drive. $2500 in 1984 dollars) and kept right on going. Actually I started out as a board draftsmen in 1980 but my text sucked and I was going to get out then a friend of mine started his own small engineering firm and told me about this new Autocad thing. My text has been great ever since! In between I worked in CAD full/part time and managed to get a college degree in mktng/mgmt but when I graduated in 92 CAD salaries really just took off so I figured I'd stay with it for just a bit longer. 20 years later here I sit with no regrets. it's a very nice living and the work is interesting. I'm in the Civil industry now but I've dabbled in a LOT of different fields and programs. Spent a lot of time on Microstation (which unlike a lot of other Autodesk oriented people I really like) and quite a few other boutique cad programs that certain companies made the mistake of buying like CadVance and Generic Cad (which was the precursor to ACAD Light). I just installed Autocad civil 3D 2013 (it ROCKS by the way). I work too much and ride too little but having access to the web allows me to at least talk bikes when i need a break. If I could add one skill it would be Mechanical Desktop. I've track of the number of times I wanted to design custom parts for my vintage bikes. And now with affordable 3D printing it's just gets more and more tempting. Anyone doing anything along those lines? I'd love to talk shop about what's out there.
Can't help you on the PC3 files. We generally plot to devices but we do use the "dwg to pdf. pc3" file a lot. I haven't implemented anything company wide yet since I've go a lot of templates etc to test out. I'll let you know what I find out though.
Still on 2012 here, although to be honest, I haven't messed with AutoCad much since work got us licenses for Inventor.
Like Florida Steve, been on Autocad since 2.6 I think (early 80's). I also came up from a drafting board. I remember needing to upgrade my 286 by adding a math-coprocessor. Those were exciting times. Still running version 14. Love it, I am fast at it, and have no real reason to change. Still does the job. I've gotta get with the times however, and spend more time on Solidworks. I do mechanical design (automation machinery) OP, sorry no answer either.
Until AutoCad pulls their head out of their asses, they are going the way of the Dodo bird. We cringe whenever we have to deal with a .dwg or a .dxf file on SW. It's quicker for us to just draw it ourselfs, sometimes.
I have two vendors who cannot take databases to build anything......they want my print in .dxf format, then they lay it out themselves. It just makes no sense to me.
Do any of y'all use your autocad w/ an intuos tablet? how do you have the tablet set up? What's your preferred (fastest) way of interaction?
The problem is that you are using an odd numbered version of AutoCAD. Seriously. You never, ever use an odd numbered version of AutoCAD. Version 11 sucked, 12 was great, 13 sucked worse than any ever made, 2000 was awesome, etc., etc.
That's a good observation. Why the hell does Autodesk feel the need to release a new version every year, anyway? Why not only release a new version when there is a significant change?
Mechanical Desktop was really cool back in Release 12, but it's a little out-dated now. I started running AutoCAD with release 9 - got MD when it came out on R12, added Inventor when it was released and used it up until R2010. Added Solidworks in 2008 and while we still have AutoCAD to access our archive drawings (and I still do plant layout - sales drawings with AutoCAD) everything else we do here now is in Solidworks. I took a one semester AutoCAD course in 1990 to help a friend out with his small business and it has provided me with 22 years of income.
Because that's what keeps you on subscription. That's my guess. I'm guessing we'll get our 2013 soon. Our 2013 CFD came out last week. We're mostly Inventor Routed Systems here. We did get a 3D printer a while back. Not for prototyping as much as building scale models of the systems we design and build. It's a pretty neat little sales tool.
Not having backwards compatible files is just one of the many things that sent me over to the darkside. My 40 person shop keeps one AutoCAD license on subsciption just to show we have it on proposals. But all of our dwg files are actually produced with Microstation or Powerdraft. I do not miss the never ending version and bug sorting that defines Autodesk products. Bentley has their share of issues. But nothing compared to Autodesk. It constantly amazes me that Microstation is actually way less crash prone in dwg mode than AutoCAD. That pretty much says it all for me.
A few observations after 28 years on Auotcad. Microstation makes good stable software while Autodesk makes money. Sad but true. Most of Autodesk major platform products are subscription only now and the annual release comes to you whether you want it or not. The Cha-ching at the cash register is the only reason for this. Microstation has a lot more integrity the way they handle it. It's always been a far more stable and advanced platform and Autocad has been stealing ideas from the for decades. Geopak was light years ahead of Civil 3d which is only now even approaching what it can do. FDOT tried to introduce Civil 3D to replace Microstation and is essentially just giving up. Civil is fantastic for site development but It's the wrong tool for large scale roadway databases. I Lived through the Release 13 debacle. It was so bad that we shelved it and stayed on 12 for 2 more years until windows forced us off of it. 14 was actually great. When I saw the 2013 moniker I was surprised that they didn't give it some other handle just to avoid the bad voodoo. It was THAT bad.
This thread should have legs I started and am still with Surfcam. Older version as I just don't need the tech support and updates. And yes the yearly updates are for one reason only...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$... I also have OneCnc for solids. Really easy to learn, and no yearly subscription..yes you heard right..None! You have a older version and need help..phone call away! plus we have a private forum with guys that have had every answer I have ever needed. I am still faster with a 2d file in Surfcam..but I should be I have used it almost every day for 17+ years. Took a look at Auto cad some years back.. so no help from me. Gary
Pro/Engineer since '91. It's the only CAD program I ever knew. Board before that in College and High School.
I had forgotten about the odd number curse. We have an HVAC tech that fancys himself as in inventor. He wanted some CAD software. I suggested Google sketchup. He loves it anyone else play with that? BTW I need to open a version 11 drawing today. Cannot the license expired! Is it beer time yet?
