[blowlamp]

Its $99 (tops... buy an older version on ebay for what... $29 ??)

They give you a decent upgrade deal when new versions come out (unlike others who hold you hostage)

It's no where near as antiquated ergonomically as the other two mentioned so far (and there is no shortage of really, really BAD functioning Cad programs)

It wont be your last $99 spent on cad (If your serious about this hobby, you will spend more than you ever thought you would),

I would NOT buy the pro (I made that mistake already),

Did I mention I would NOT buy the Pro ? (it always has LESS features in it that I use than the cheapy version)

It is quite easily the EASIEST program to create things in a 3d drawings space I ever came across hands down,

I'd wouldn't recommend anything else for a newbie regards 3d drawing,

It's 2D side does not leave one wanting for anything... Its very easy and understandable,
(I used Viacads predecessors for years and only give up when OS's allowed more than the old 9 digit file name limit)

I still wonder if you really need 3d capability,
(Are you really going to machine 3d models ala STL or ? - because you also need a more specific CAM program for that end of it and you have not asked much about CAM)

Their forum isn't great, but its not a program that is hard to learn or create in,

I never called their support for anything, The built in help seems pretty good,

On a similar thought... I use a CNC control that has EXTREMELY low "forum activity". Its activity is LOW, because the program itself works so dang good, those of us who are users have nothing to talk about! And, the ergonomics of the development was laid out well enough that no one got "lost" in it. Can't say I find that in every cad program I have looked at over the years.....

And, finally, the ONLY complaint I have with it right now with Viacad is that my old XP PC died and I ended up with crappy, crappy, crappy Windows 8, and what makes it CRAPPY is that practically NONE of my investment in Cad/Cam over the years will run on it no matter what "compatibility" mode is tried. Because of that, I find myself back to making quick stuff with Autosketch instead (2d) until I sort this out. Bunch of Morons over there at MS.....

Can you expand on that, because my Pro version has more features than the 2D/3D version - not least of which are the surface tools?

Martin.

[CNC_Kid]

mmoe,
that pic is while i am dragging the block into shape, not after it is completed. dragging block up/down the Z direction should update the Z position where i circled. it does readout if i drag while cursor is right on the Z axis, but thats kinda silly.

being parametric, then just adjust Z # after block is made? then whats the point of dragging block into shape, might as well just have a 1x1x1 block and then have user enter its dimensions and offsets, etc. what about setting snaps to say 0.001 increments, then i could just drag to my # and have it snap there, etc.

i made my 1st basic part.

why is there no ViaCAD forum here?

[mmoe]

mmoe,
that pic is while i am dragging the block into shape, not after it is completed. dragging block up/down the Z direction should update the Z position where i circled. it does readout if i drag while cursor is right on the Z axis, but thats kinda silly. i made my 1st basic part.

why is there no ViaCAD forum here?

There is now as of about an hour ago.

The reason it reads out while dragging above the Z axis is because it's the way the snaps work. It won't seem silly once you get to understand it. If you start a line and then want it to run in the Z axis without changing workplanes, you can drag the line in the Z axis direction and the snap will follow the Z axis. Snaps require geometry, so your only geometry that can snap into the Z axis when creating a block in an empty drawing is the origin, the midpoints of the lines creating the square on the XY plane, and the corners of the square on the XY plane. In order to use any of them, you have to first "grab" the one you want to extend from by hovering the cursor over that snap first, then moving it in the Z axis direction.

[mmoe]

Can you expand on that, because my Pro version has more features than the 2D/3D version - not least of which are the surface tools?

Martin.

He probably discovered that the 2d/3d version has more than enough tools for perhaps 95% of the people who would purchase Viacad and he's in that 95%. You may be one of the 5% that can use the extra tools, but it makes more sense for a new user to buy the most current 2d/3d version first, then determine if the missing tools are needed after figuring out what the 2d/3d tools can offer. You can always upgrade to Pro from 2d/3d, so there is no reason to start with Pro. In fact, even if you don't find 2d/3d on sale, it is cheaper to buy 2d/3d and then upgrade to Pro than it is to just buy Pro to begin with. Pro runs $250, but a full price 2d/3d is $99 and the upgrade is $129, for a total of $230, or a $20 savings. I bought 2d/3d for $35 on Amazon a while back, so I could have bought both the 2d/3d V8 plus the V8 Pro upgrade for a total of $165. Buying 2d/3d allows you to first determine if you need Pro, then save a minimum of $20 on Pro if you decide to upgrade and paid the full $99 for 2d/3d (which few probably do since it's on sale a lot). While Pro may have some tools that might be useful to a small percentage of users, it still makes more sense to buy 2d/3d first, then upgrade if needed no matter how you look at it.

[datac]

As I recall, when Logicursor and Push/Pull were introduced, they were introduced in the less expensive version and left out of pro until the next cycle. So depending on when you bought pro, you may have missed out on two really BIG changes. I think that they claim "multiple viewports" in Pro and yet I find no shortage of them in 2d/3d.

True, Pro comes with surface tools and rendering, but it would appear that the OP wouldn't need them to get started... especially with plasma (2d) and Lathe (still 2d when it comes to machining).

I think we all know this will not be the last $99 ever spent on Cad....

Regards not getting that cube/box dragged out and understood...... its just that you have not spent enough time with it yet.... it all works... and works very well. That dialog you circled is one I guess I seldom if ever look at.... you can type in a dimension faster than you can wiggle the mouse just right, and regards using grid snap (its all there if you turn it on and use it), I guess some guys use it, but never filled much of a bill for me. Nothing I ever draw comes out to such a rigidly defined world...... Everything I draw needs the dimensions typed in. I assume that your Z dimension up there does not change because your drawing in the XY plane....

And, that is where Viacad has always impressed me... unlike other cad programs, they always seem to have the correct dialog box ready to accept input, and it tabbed in the order that made sense. They also did a great job thinking about the least amount of tools.... for example their Trim functions and the variables you can obtain with common keys like Ctrl, Shift and Alt.

I wish they would spend a little time allowing a little more user customization regarding tool bars. But, hey... its only $99 !

[victorofga]

the least you can loose... first trying draftsight..
as you worked with rhino, you might experiencing very little learning with draftsight..

download and simply start to using..

it is basically the autocad version 12-13 approximately..

it works from commandline, without you would use a single icon..

it is NOT 2d as many thinks about.. its a true 3d program with multiple views..
it will not make solids and Booleans between..

dimensioning I think very advanced..
snap functions working in 3d ... means intersections, extend and many pother function works between non coplanar objects..


I made layout for a baseball stichline.. this drawing can not be evaluated to 2d..

[BurrMan]

that pic is while i am dragging the block into shape, not after it is completed. dragging block up/down the Z direction should update the Z position where i circled. it does readout if i drag while cursor is right on the Z axis, but thats kinda silly.

If your not attached to the Z guide, then your cursor is "nowhere".... (except the program/programs, just about all) will switch back and attach to the working plane, like datac points out)

I mean, where do you think you are pointing if you move it off to the left or right? (Hint, it becomes infinity)

[mmoe]

mmoe,

being parametric, then just adjust Z # after block is made? then whats the point of dragging block into shape, might as well just have a 1x1x1 block and then have user enter its dimensions and offsets, etc. what about setting snaps to say 0.001 increments, then i could just drag to my # and have it snap there, etc.

Since you asked this after I answered the rest, I'll make another post on this topic. If you are starting with a block and have no other geometries, it may just as well be a 1x1x1 block. It's when you have other geometry in the drawing that you'll see how the cube and other 3d geometries function using snaps. If all you have is an empty drawing, there is no need to have snaps active just yet. If you know that you need a 10x20x45mm block, then it's just faster to make a random block size and type those dimensions in. It's when you don't exactly know what size block you need that the snaps are the more important function.

You could never have the snaps set to .001 increments because then the only snaps that would be available would be grid snaps. Grid snaps are perhaps the least useful snaps you will use, and you'll discover this in time. The snaps that would be lost during grid snapping would be all of the extension snaps where you can align parts together without actually having a physical geometry to snap to directly. These extended snaps are the most powerful snap tools in the software, IMHO, and they would be overridden by the grid snaps. Just give the system some time and you'll start to understand the efficiency of the snaps and the program in general. I have not found any application in which I can generate geometry to specs faster than ViaCAD, period. While my preferences are starting to wane toward Bonzai 3d as a modeling tool, ViaCAD simply wipes the floor with Bonzai where efficient use of snaps is concerned. ViaCAD permits a very significant amount of 3d drafting without the need to change workplanes, which makes it quite unique. Most software will only create 2d geometry within the active workplane. Viacad can use the workplanes in the same manner, or you can break the traditional workplane rules and efficiently generate a considerable amount of construction lines to set up other functions, which makes it exceptionally fast to work in. The snap system is probably the #1 feature of ViaCAD over other cad systems.

[CNC_Kid]

If your not attached to the Z guide, then your cursor is "nowhere".... (except the program/programs, just about all) will switch back and attach to the working plane, like datac points out)

I mean, where do you think you are pointing if you move it off to the left or right? (Hint, it becomes infinity)

you are right, but perhaps a feature that would make it easier for newbie like me, that is, if the surface selected for push/pull is parallel to a plane, then the GUI should display the surface location in direction being pushed/pulled, would just make it easier to see where to stop. i seem to always use origin as reference point, but i suspect other more fluent in CAD dont need to.