All things CAD!

[McCormack]

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.

[swede7000]

I haven't got 2013 yet... still on 2012. Should be any day now fingers crossed.

karl

[9mm]

Still using AutoCAD 2004 here.

[McCormack]

Originally Posted by 9mm

Still using AutoCAD 2004 here.

Damn, I wasn't even born yet!

[FloridaSteve]

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.

[FloridaSteve]

Originally Posted by McCormack

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.

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.

[HillbillyNinja]

Still on 2012 here, although to be honest, I haven't messed with AutoCad much since work got us licenses for Inventor.

[396]

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.

[Tman66]

Originally Posted by 396

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.

[jdiaz]

Originally Posted by Tman66

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.

[DriveShaft]

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?

[Grreatdog]

Originally Posted by McCormack

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.

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.

[McCormack]

Originally Posted by Grreatdog

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?

[Krabill]

Originally Posted by FloridaSteve

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.

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.

[JasonH]

Originally Posted by McCormack

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?

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.