DraftSight still free and now available for MAC

Dassault Systemes, makers of CATIA and Solidworks, put out a free 2D drafting program called DraftSight a few months ago.   As soon as I saw this I downloaded DraftSight and gave it to an intern to break.  From time to time I also used it in production.  Now, DraftSight is available for free on a MAC.  If you are running a PC or a MAC you can use DraftSight, for free.  I have a few opinions on DraftSght and I would like to share them with you.

In short, I feel that DraftSight is both good and bad.  My recommendation for it, or against it, will depend on your situation.

First, the reasons to use it.

• It's free.  This is the best reason to use it.  It's free.  What else can I say.  It is definitely worth the cost.
• It can read/write DWG files.
• If you are an AutoCAD User/Veteran, it "feels" like AutoCADr14 or maybe even AutoCAD 2000.
• It's keyboard commands recognized standard AutoCAD keyboard commands.  "L" is for "line".
• AutoCAD users can work with DraftSight right away.

Now, my reasons not to use it.

• It can only draw in two dimensions.
• Lisp is not yet functional (but we are told it will be soon so I hesitate to bring this up)
• It lacks powerful design/drafting tools (for example: Dynamic Blocks, Constraints, Sheet Managers)
• Can not reference PDF files.

DraftSight is great for making 2D line drawings with no intelligence.  If all you and your firm do is make line drawings then you should use DraftSight.  If you are a hobbyist or need a drafting tool at home, please use DraftSight.

If you produce multiple sheet drawing sets, use something else.  If you need aerial images or PDF files in your drawings, use something else.  If you need design tools like Dynamic Blocks, or Parametric Constraints don't use DraftSight.  If you ever need to create a 3D model, even a basic one, use something else.  

DraftSight is a great 2D companion program to run alongside a powerful 3D design package, but it can't do everything.  I'll be the first to admit that I am an AutoCAD Fanboy, but I feel that DraftSight has its place.  It is an easy to use 2D drafting tool.  It's features are similar to AutoCAD r14 or AutoCAD 2000.  But it lacks many of the enhanced features that Autodesk has put into AutoCAD over the last ten years.  If you want a powerhouse CAD program that can do everything from 2D linework to 2D Constrained Design and all the way to 3D free form surface and mesh modeling, then pay for it and get AutoCAD.  AutoCAD isn't cheap, but DraftSight is.  DraftSight is limited in what it can do, but if that's all you need why pay for more?

Getting the best drafting jobs - Guest Post

Are you looking for a job in the drafting field?  This article is a Guest Post from Edwin Chan (check out his website Design Establishment.) and he gives some good advice when looking for CAD or drafting work.

Getting the Best Drafting Jobs


As a designer, engineer or drafter, there are many different drafting jobs that you can do. Whether it is something you want to do full time or even something on the side for a bit of extra cash, there are many options out there to choose from. This article will look at how you can go about making yourself stand out from the other job candidates when on the job hunt.

Building Your Skill Set

Take a look at your resume and see what skills you already have that you can build on. For example, if you are a guru on AutoCAD, then picking up a similar program such as Double CAD XT or GStarICAD won’t take long and will fill out your resume more. This holds true for many different drafting and 3D modeling programs. Spending a little extra time learning these programs is a quick and easy way to build your resume up.

The Job Hunt –Get Networking

Once you’ve got a solid resume, it is time to do the searching. There are many different avenues that you can choose. The most powerful way and often the most overlooked would be getting a job through networking. A lot of people love to hire people through recommendation or through association.
Get in contact with the big players in your industry. Build networks and find mentors. Although many of these people are super busy, you will find a majority that would love to help you out. Staying in contact with people and building the relationships over time will greatly increase the chance of you getting referred to a job or being next in line when a job opening does open up. A well networked person usually never runs out of work to do.

Be Flexible

Often being able to draft well in one industry means you can use the skills you already have to jump into another. When looking for the right CAD drafting job, don’t only look for jobs within your industry. For example, if you are good at architectural drafting, then there is nothing stopping you from jumping into marine drafting or drafting schematics. Think about where you can apply your current skills into other industries. This will open up a wider pool of jobs that you can choose from.

Finding the top cad drafting jobs doesn’t have to be hard. Get connected, be flexible and find creative ways to boost your resume. This will greatly improve your chances of getting the best job for your needs.

Practical Jokes in AutoCAD

This is a true and funny story.  Have you ever played a practical joke on somebody that was using AutoCAD?  Like, turn off the PICKFIRST variable?  Or press CTRL+0 as you were casually walking by their workstation?  How about altering their PGP file?  Last weekend, while I was working on my next training video, I scripted and recorded a section on how to edit the PGP file in AutoCAD.  The PGP file defines the command aliases for AutoCAD.  It lets everyone know that if you type L on the command line, that AutoCAD will start the LINE command.  In the video I suggested that you play a trick on somebody and change it so that every time they type L, the Plot Manager opens!  Today, working on my videos again, I kept typing L and the plot manager opens!  It took me three tries until I remembered what i did, to myself!  that might have been the first time I played an AutoCAD trick on myself!

Happy CADDING!

Quick Tip - Delete Layer

When working in AutoCAD or one of it's vertical platforms, have you ever had a layer that you couldn't get rid of?  If happens.  You can delete a layer if it is empty, meaning that there is nothing using it.  Sometimes it's a block that has an object in it that's on that pesky, non-deleting layer.  If you are 100% sure you have an empty layer and you still can't get rid of it "nuke" it with the LAYER DELETE command.  Just type LAYDEL on the command line.  It will fully purge the layer and delete it.  LAYDEL used to be an Express Tool, but now it's a core command in AutoCAD.

Deadlines, what would we do without them?

Deadlines pile up, more frequently than not.  But that's a good thing.  Without deadlines I might not ever get anything finished.  I have tons of projects that I have started, but few that I have finished.  The projects that have deadlines get finished.  It's a funny thing, motivation. Deadlines are nothing more than a form of motivation.  And getting paid is another popular motivator!

Right now my biggest project is my next AutoCAD training video.  The first one I made is called "AutoCAD Fundamentals".  There are two versions, one for AutoCAD 2010 and another for AutoCAD 2011.  The training video I'm working on now is called "Advanced AutoCAD Techniques", but honestly, that title may change, but the content is the same.

AutoCAD Fundamentals is meant to teach a new user how to use AutoCAD from scratch!  It will even work for AutoCAD LT.  Advanced AutoCAD Techniques will go well beyond the basics.  It will delve into advanced operations, referencing files, data extraction, customizing AutoCAD, animations, 3D Modeling, adn much more.

I don't have a release date for it yet, but stay tuned.

In the meantime, I'm putting together the very early stages of my next project.  This next project revolve around training and the web.  I don't have a date yet, but I am very excited about this.

If you are new to AutoCAD go to my CAD-a-Blog Store page and follow the links to my training DVDs.  If you need further training on AutoCAD and want to become an advanced user, my next video will suite you wonderfully.  It will be here soon enough.