Open request to the group. Looking for a good reasonably price CAD for MAC.
A little backround, Previous CADD experince had been with a DOS Version of Generic CADD running in the DOS shell of Windoze 95and 98. I am a home user that has used GCADD for everything from landscape site plans, decks, home remodel projects, floor plans, pole buildings, insturment panel layouts to cabinets and bookcases. The classic DIYer.
Have recently graduated to MACs. Currently running Tiger on a G3 400mhz iMac and 9.1 on a G3 beige 266mhz networked together.
Working with the trial of TurboCAD now, jury still out. There are alot of comands and functions that seam to be missing from what I had with GCADD. Hoping HD will provide some of the missing funtionality. I did not notice any BOM structure for HD, does that exsist? Also creating and saving componets or symbols for later use or replication, ie deck boards, joists,wall studs or a tile pattern. Always liked the ablity to extend the cursor across the screen and 2 letter commands
Just wanted some feed back on things before a I get started. Read through Beagle's complaint list. Don't want to go there. The support from this list sounds great. I realize HD is not the same as GCADD, heck I don't want it to be, hope it is better,easier more functional.
Thanks Bob
Before I try HD
Hi Bob and welcome.
I had never even heard of GCADD so I just checked out their website. It looks an awful lot like autocad to me - just with an anorexic interface...
I am fresh out of a master's program in architecture and working for a very large firm. We use autocad at work (we have an incredibly thick protocol binder!) and it works for the most part very well. However I switched to MACs a few years ago and have been very happy with that move in all areas but one... CAD (until HighDesign).
I have spent a long time searching for the best bang for the buck and here are my personal conclusions; 1) it is not worth trying to integrate 2D and 3D. You pay through the nose for this (ie Vectorworks and ArchiCad) and it is never worth it. One side always suffers for the other... either it is decent 2D and crap 3D or vice versa. Once I had established that i concluded that my ideal 2D cad program should be affordable and easy to use, but powerful enough to permit good organization and management. High Design fits the bill and way more!
At times I get frustrated that High Design doesn't act like autocad, but that is because I spend 8+ hours a day on autocad. You grow accustomed to certain commands. However when I get home and start working on other contracts, it is HD that I still opt for. The interface is wonderful, the sheets and layers provide all the management power necessary and it is just a pleasure to work with. I almost like it as much as my drawing board...
It is intuitive and straight forward and even if you are terribly accustomed to the particular functionality of another program there is nothing that you cannot do. And creating a symbol library of your own is really simple. (It is explained in the manual.)
I think if you give it a real try it will speak for itself.
Hope this helps to some small extent. Good luck.
cheers,
macitect
I had never even heard of GCADD so I just checked out their website. It looks an awful lot like autocad to me - just with an anorexic interface...
I am fresh out of a master's program in architecture and working for a very large firm. We use autocad at work (we have an incredibly thick protocol binder!) and it works for the most part very well. However I switched to MACs a few years ago and have been very happy with that move in all areas but one... CAD (until HighDesign).
I have spent a long time searching for the best bang for the buck and here are my personal conclusions; 1) it is not worth trying to integrate 2D and 3D. You pay through the nose for this (ie Vectorworks and ArchiCad) and it is never worth it. One side always suffers for the other... either it is decent 2D and crap 3D or vice versa. Once I had established that i concluded that my ideal 2D cad program should be affordable and easy to use, but powerful enough to permit good organization and management. High Design fits the bill and way more!
At times I get frustrated that High Design doesn't act like autocad, but that is because I spend 8+ hours a day on autocad. You grow accustomed to certain commands. However when I get home and start working on other contracts, it is HD that I still opt for. The interface is wonderful, the sheets and layers provide all the management power necessary and it is just a pleasure to work with. I almost like it as much as my drawing board...
It is intuitive and straight forward and even if you are terribly accustomed to the particular functionality of another program there is nothing that you cannot do. And creating a symbol library of your own is really simple. (It is explained in the manual.)
I think if you give it a real try it will speak for itself.
Hope this helps to some small extent. Good luck.
cheers,
macitect
Best CAD software
I made the switch to Mac and HD 4 months ago after 15 yrs. of acad. The things that made me choose HD.....the support and I downloaded the manual. The manual is only 70 pages (powerCADD is over 500 pages) and after reading it I was convinced that HD was the right choice. Has the transition been easy - no. Has it been worth it - yes.
Thought this was going to be easy
Playing with the trial version 2+hours, went through the tutorial, seams easy, liking it so far. Then tried to redraw a layout I had done on turbo cad. Here's where I ran into trouble. Now I never worried much with scale because I did stuff in 1:1, just printed to fit, and if I got a little lost in the drawing a simple ZA - zoom all in GC or command F in TC would zoom just to the outlines of drawing, Kinda brought you back home. I got loss in HD and it took forever to find my way home, the ruler showed I was some 3000ft x 2000 ft. I started around 0 x0 the scollbutton and zoom wheel can really move you. I went from one side of the world to the otherway to fast.
I am doing a back yard deck and patio remodel and trying to first recreate what is out there now. I looking at an area about 100' x 100' for now. Is there a way to get back "home" easily?
One thing I was hoping for was easy symbol use. I am trialing the STD version. I went to look for what I think of as basic symbols like 6x6 posts and I find nothing of the sort and the manual lists importing of symbols as a PRO feature only??? Whats up??
So I did bring in a tree, a nice to have symbol that is not as easy to create as well as an SUV. easy to do, but then I sort of had a problem. I tried to move the suv around, it would not move. If I create a square, I can select it and then drag it were ever I want. That did not work with the truck or tree. I could group the truck or tree with the square and move both but not just the symbols themselves. Does not seam like a good work around to try to place things. I could easly place copies of the truck then go back and delete, but again not a productive work around.
So I created my own symbol of a Post, a square with an x, sounds simple well it would be if I was not trying to actually make it 5 1/2" X 5 1/2". I had set preferences to factional feet and inches, early when I typed 35 for lenght I got 35 inches not feet, OK so I figured 5 1/2 would work, wrong I got a square 5 1/2 feet Ok so try 5 1/2", wrong again, try 51/2" wrong , ok 5.5" that works? Now save it to the custom symbols folder, Should be no problem, but since it was not a recently opened folder it did not show up and and I did not recall seeing the library folder so I just stuck it in the HD symbols folder. What id the difference between symbol and symbol view under File>Save As?
I guess the text preference is to stay at say 1/4 inch on the printed drawing regardless of the scale. I tried to put some text in the symbol Ad it just did not come out like I thought.
I know I must not be thinking in HD yet? Where do are start?
I am doing a back yard deck and patio remodel and trying to first recreate what is out there now. I looking at an area about 100' x 100' for now. Is there a way to get back "home" easily?
One thing I was hoping for was easy symbol use. I am trialing the STD version. I went to look for what I think of as basic symbols like 6x6 posts and I find nothing of the sort and the manual lists importing of symbols as a PRO feature only??? Whats up??
So I did bring in a tree, a nice to have symbol that is not as easy to create as well as an SUV. easy to do, but then I sort of had a problem. I tried to move the suv around, it would not move. If I create a square, I can select it and then drag it were ever I want. That did not work with the truck or tree. I could group the truck or tree with the square and move both but not just the symbols themselves. Does not seam like a good work around to try to place things. I could easly place copies of the truck then go back and delete, but again not a productive work around.
So I created my own symbol of a Post, a square with an x, sounds simple well it would be if I was not trying to actually make it 5 1/2" X 5 1/2". I had set preferences to factional feet and inches, early when I typed 35 for lenght I got 35 inches not feet, OK so I figured 5 1/2 would work, wrong I got a square 5 1/2 feet Ok so try 5 1/2", wrong again, try 51/2" wrong , ok 5.5" that works? Now save it to the custom symbols folder, Should be no problem, but since it was not a recently opened folder it did not show up and and I did not recall seeing the library folder so I just stuck it in the HD symbols folder. What id the difference between symbol and symbol view under File>Save As?
I guess the text preference is to stay at say 1/4 inch on the printed drawing regardless of the scale. I tried to put some text in the symbol Ad it just did not come out like I thought.
I know I must not be thinking in HD yet? Where do are start?
Re: Thought this was going to be easy
Hello Bob,
I can tell you that I felt a lot of the same things the first few hours on HighDesign. The tutorials go great then you jump into your own project and it's a whole new ball game... For me it was because I just automatically converted back to the way I would do things in other programs (either VectorWorks or Autocad). HD goes about things differently and I think it really is better if you leave your baggage at the door and approach it as something totally new.
As for the symbol saving... you can save a sybol and then you can save different views of the same object within the same symbol file. That is the difference between the 2 saving options. For instance I made a grand piano and saved a plan view, a plan view with a fill and two different elevation views. I did this by saving the piano as a symbol and then saving all the other views into that file after.
cheers,
macitect
ps. imho you would be better trying the pro version... the extra functionality is definitely worth it.
I can tell you that I felt a lot of the same things the first few hours on HighDesign. The tutorials go great then you jump into your own project and it's a whole new ball game... For me it was because I just automatically converted back to the way I would do things in other programs (either VectorWorks or Autocad). HD goes about things differently and I think it really is better if you leave your baggage at the door and approach it as something totally new.
For zooming to extents you have three options... you can either click on the icon in the bottom left of the main window - the rectangle with the four outward pointing triangles, or you can press apple+= or you can go into the drawing menu and in VIEW choose "fit to visible area".I got loss in HD and it took forever to find my way home, the ruler showed I was some 3000ft x 2000 ft. I started around 0 x0 the scollbutton and zoom wheel can really move you. I went from one side of the world to the otherway to fast.
Sorry can't help you too much there. I use the PRO and the symbol use is incredible. No it doesn't come packed with symbols for North American lumber but they are so simple to make... You draw it and then choose "save special" as a new symbol.One thing I was hoping for was easy symbol use. I am trialing the STD version. I went to look for what I think of as basic symbols like 6x6 posts and I find nothing of the sort and the manual lists importing of symbols as a PRO feature only??? Whats up??
One of the beauties about the symbols is that you can scale them easily once placed in the drawing. When you pick one and drag on one of the corners this is what HD does by default. To move a symbol simply choose it then either click on the move icon or hit apple+T (the move shortcut by default - I think of it as T for transfer).So I did bring in a tree, a nice to have symbol that is not as easy to create as well as an SUV. easy to do, but then I sort of had a problem. I tried to move the suv around, it would not move. If I create a square, I can select it and then drag it were ever I want. That did not work with the truck or tree. I could group the truck or tree with the square and move both but not just the symbols themselves. Does not seam like a good work around to try to place things. I could easly place copies of the truck then go back and delete, but again not a productive work around.
I don't know why the units were giving you a hassle. When I type in simply a number HD reads it as inches. When I type in fractions I always just leave a space between the number and the fraction or I use decimal. It understands either way.So I created my own symbol of a Post, a square with an x, sounds simple well it would be if I was not trying to actually make it 5 1/2" X 5 1/2". I had set preferences to factional feet and inches, early when I typed 35 for lenght I got 35 inches not feet, OK so I figured 5 1/2 would work, wrong I got a square 5 1/2 feet Ok so try 5 1/2", wrong again, try 51/2" wrong , ok 5.5" that works? Now save it to the custom symbols folder, Should be no problem, but since it was not a recently opened folder it did not show up and and I did not recall seeing the library folder so I just stuck it in the HD symbols folder. What id the difference between symbol and symbol view under File>Save As?
As for the symbol saving... you can save a sybol and then you can save different views of the same object within the same symbol file. That is the difference between the 2 saving options. For instance I made a grand piano and saved a plan view, a plan view with a fill and two different elevation views. I did this by saving the piano as a symbol and then saving all the other views into that file after.
That's the way... just jump right in. It will probably start making a lot more sense after on simple project. Just don't try to use it like utocad or anything else...I know I must not be thinking in HD yet? Where do are start?
cheers,
macitect
ps. imho you would be better trying the pro version... the extra functionality is definitely worth it.
Thats what I was looking for
Thanks macitect,
I knew there had to be an easier way. Using symbols appeared like it should have been easier than it was. I am hoping there is a way to down load symbols into the library in the STD version, seams like a basic function, and that I just miss read the manual.
I agree the Pro version might be nice but I having a little trouble even swallowing the $149 for the std. Plus my wife would go nuts if I wanted to spend $350 for a program, "There are racks in Wal mart of programs for $39?". Not to mention my 3 windoze machines and 7 working macs have not even cost me that as much as the Std version. Need any vintage parts? What extra funtionality to you find most useful?
I do need to understand the scaling a bit more, the tree and car came in to the drawing at the size the symbols said they were and stayed relative, regardless of the scale I changed the drawing. The text was a bit different need to experiment.
Thanks again
Bob
I knew there had to be an easier way. Using symbols appeared like it should have been easier than it was. I am hoping there is a way to down load symbols into the library in the STD version, seams like a basic function, and that I just miss read the manual.
I agree the Pro version might be nice but I having a little trouble even swallowing the $149 for the std. Plus my wife would go nuts if I wanted to spend $350 for a program, "There are racks in Wal mart of programs for $39?". Not to mention my 3 windoze machines and 7 working macs have not even cost me that as much as the Std version. Need any vintage parts? What extra funtionality to you find most useful?
I do need to understand the scaling a bit more, the tree and car came in to the drawing at the size the symbols said they were and stayed relative, regardless of the scale I changed the drawing. The text was a bit different need to experiment.
Thanks again
Bob
Hello Bob,
As for the professional version, the functionality that I find really most useful is the use of "sheets". The doors and windows are also a nice touch as is the possibilty of creating images and direct pdf files (for commercial printing for example.). Here is a link to all the differences (in case you hadn't checked it out already.):
http://www.ilexsoft.com/highdesign/professional.html
As for price, I guess I had never stopped to think about it. I need a cad program and I figured my options were; VectorWorks or Archicad (as I refuse to ever go back to windoze for Autocad - even XP with Autocad 2004 crashes all the time at my 9 to 5!) all of which cost in the thousands of dollars. Will your use of HD help you make money? Then it is worth having a good quality product - and with HD I can't say enough about the support and the fact that so far ALL of the upgrades have been FREE! (Don't know what to say about WalMart... my wife was circumstancially forced to work there and only lasted 2 days. Never really considered them to be selling anything of quality - didn't even know they sold CAD programs for MAC... ;-P )
cheers,
macitect
As for the professional version, the functionality that I find really most useful is the use of "sheets". The doors and windows are also a nice touch as is the possibilty of creating images and direct pdf files (for commercial printing for example.). Here is a link to all the differences (in case you hadn't checked it out already.):
http://www.ilexsoft.com/highdesign/professional.html
As for price, I guess I had never stopped to think about it. I need a cad program and I figured my options were; VectorWorks or Archicad (as I refuse to ever go back to windoze for Autocad - even XP with Autocad 2004 crashes all the time at my 9 to 5!) all of which cost in the thousands of dollars. Will your use of HD help you make money? Then it is worth having a good quality product - and with HD I can't say enough about the support and the fact that so far ALL of the upgrades have been FREE! (Don't know what to say about WalMart... my wife was circumstancially forced to work there and only lasted 2 days. Never really considered them to be selling anything of quality - didn't even know they sold CAD programs for MAC... ;-P )
Could you be a little more clear? I am not sure what you mean. When you insert a symbol there is an option to make it 'scale dependent' which means even if the symbol was drawn at 1:1 scale it will go into your drawing relative to whatever scale you are currently using. Once inserted you can resize (or 'scale') the symbol by choosing it and pulling on one of the control points. In such an instance holding the shift key will keep the symbol proportional.I do need to understand the scaling a bit more, the tree and car came in to the drawing at the size the symbols said they were and stayed relative, regardless of the scale I changed the drawing
cheers,
macitect
yea that want I meant
Hey Derek (saw and old post),
It almost like we're on iChat. Yes scale dependant, I think is the default and the symbol comes into that drawing as sized.
Fortunatly you can build a symbol library in Std although my guess it is not as easy as in pro. Cruised the web, most manufacture have symbol libraries. Some are easier to use than others but by just downloading the DXF file, then then opening the file you can seclet the entire image and save as a symbol. Then it's there to use at will. There maybe an easier way to get he file as a symbol.
The Kolher Bath has a great symbols. Their group libraries download as a self extracting zip but with a .exe extention I am guessing there is a way to get stuffit to open it but have not tried. any Ideas? Download single file right from the page/ product your looking at. Check out the link. open the techinal specs section.
http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/ ... d_num=1161
One problem with saving to a symbol file is that unless you have opened that folder you wan the symbol to recently you have no way to get there, if you dump into the symbols folder, I have not found a way to move it from there to another folder. Not very Mac like.
Check out this for other symbols, you need to go the format menu to select DXF as it defaults to DWG and not all symbols are supported in DXF.
http://cadblocks.thomasnet.com/PowerPartsOnWeb.ppow?GB
Is there any reason HD choose not to support DWG files, symbols or CADblocks are everywhere in DWG.
The Wal Mart thing, no they have no Mac software except for Turbo Tax, and the canned design programs for windoze might work well if you can live with there assumptions of how the thing is going to be design and its a stand alone. try fitting it to an exsisting structure, they are almost cartoon like.
For me there is no profit potential. So I may just stick with the std version. This trial period of only 12 hours runs out pretty quick. and trying to evaluate 2 programs at the same time makes it a slower learning curve.
One big advantage is this forum, the TC forum for the Mac version is dead.
More adventures later
Bob
It almost like we're on iChat. Yes scale dependant, I think is the default and the symbol comes into that drawing as sized.
Fortunatly you can build a symbol library in Std although my guess it is not as easy as in pro. Cruised the web, most manufacture have symbol libraries. Some are easier to use than others but by just downloading the DXF file, then then opening the file you can seclet the entire image and save as a symbol. Then it's there to use at will. There maybe an easier way to get he file as a symbol.
The Kolher Bath has a great symbols. Their group libraries download as a self extracting zip but with a .exe extention I am guessing there is a way to get stuffit to open it but have not tried. any Ideas? Download single file right from the page/ product your looking at. Check out the link. open the techinal specs section.
http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/ ... d_num=1161
One problem with saving to a symbol file is that unless you have opened that folder you wan the symbol to recently you have no way to get there, if you dump into the symbols folder, I have not found a way to move it from there to another folder. Not very Mac like.
Check out this for other symbols, you need to go the format menu to select DXF as it defaults to DWG and not all symbols are supported in DXF.
http://cadblocks.thomasnet.com/PowerPartsOnWeb.ppow?GB
Is there any reason HD choose not to support DWG files, symbols or CADblocks are everywhere in DWG.
The Wal Mart thing, no they have no Mac software except for Turbo Tax, and the canned design programs for windoze might work well if you can live with there assumptions of how the thing is going to be design and its a stand alone. try fitting it to an exsisting structure, they are almost cartoon like.
For me there is no profit potential. So I may just stick with the std version. This trial period of only 12 hours runs out pretty quick. and trying to evaluate 2 programs at the same time makes it a slower learning curve.
One big advantage is this forum, the TC forum for the Mac version is dead.
More adventures later
Bob
Why not support DWG?
I asked this question in version 1.1 and the response was the dwg format is not an open standard and thus HD was unable to work with it at that time... several years ago. It didn't make much sense to me then, but I had a work around to open dwg's in Sketchup and then export to dxf for HD. This is still how I do this translation.
It would be nice to support dwg formats in HD at some time in the future... I'll put it back on the wishlist.
Alex
I asked this question in version 1.1 and the response was the dwg format is not an open standard and thus HD was unable to work with it at that time... several years ago. It didn't make much sense to me then, but I had a work around to open dwg's in Sketchup and then export to dxf for HD. This is still how I do this translation.
It would be nice to support dwg formats in HD at some time in the future... I'll put it back on the wishlist.
Alex
fat guy in a little coat