Switching from AutoCAD

Do you have a question you want to ask an existing QCAD user about QCAD and what you can do with it? Do you want to know if a particular feature exists? This is the place to ask.

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Grace
Registered Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:48 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Switching from AutoCAD

Post by Grace » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:03 am

Hello,

I am a landscape architect, used to working in firms with AutoCAD. I have recently started my own business from home and am looking for a simple CAD package that won't cost me the earth! I have tried Briscad too and I liked that but it does not support Linux, which I am considering as well. I like the idea of supporting an alternative CAD company and I am particularly interested in the open source movement and for that reason would prefer to support QCAD.

I have downloaded the professional version of QCAD but have been having trouble using it. Are there any posts or web pages about the differences in order to make the switch easier? I am used to working from the command line and find all the buttons a bit confusing. The help files are aimed at the complete beginner and are button focused.

Thanks,

Grace

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andrew
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Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:07 am

Post by andrew » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:24 am

QCAD does not try to imitate or clone autocad in any way. QCAD is an alternative solution for those of us who find a'cad and its command line too intimidating.

You can use the command line in QCAD for some things (mainly to input coordinates more efficiently), but it is not as central as in a'cad.

For efficient drafting, QCAD uses an approach with keycodes instead. To use keycodes, make sure that the command line does NOT have the keyboard focus. Then you can for example enter 'li' (that is the key 'L' followed by key 'I' on your keyboard) to start drawing a line. Every tool and mode of QCAD has such a two-letter keycode.

Note that people who have invested several years of their life to wrap their heads around a'cad might be better of with a'cad itself or one of its countless clones. QCAD is "for the rest of us" ;)

Grace
Registered Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:48 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by Grace » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:08 am

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for your quick response. I didn't mean to imply that I thought QCAD should be a clone of AutoCAD and I hope I didn't offend.

I was just wondering if anyone had discussed the differences between the two - so that QCAD could be understood faster by an AutoCAD user. I have used AutoCAD for years so I am comfortable with it but I have found it tricky to teach and I think because it's not very intuitive.

All I am trying to say is that I am happy to try a different system - I am just confused by it. If nobody has discussed the differences so far, for the purpose of switching to QCAD quickly, perhaps I will have a go, once I work it out :wink:!

Grace

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