Monday, October 18, 2010

What's Missing from AutoCAD MAC?

Autodesk has released a native version of AutoCAD for MAC OS.  This release costs about the same as AutoCAD for PC.  Both versions can open the same files and do basically the same things, but AutoCAD for MAC is the first version, so it is missing a few things.  I have mixed emotions about AutoCAD MAC, but that's ok.  I'll be the first to admit that I am not a MAC fan.  Every time I think about getting a MAC and actually price them out I can't bring myself to getting one.  You have to pay more for less hardware.  In fact, it's Intell hardware now so it isn't even a different option.  So why pay more for less?  I don't know, maybe some day.

When I first discovered that Autodesk was working on AutoCAD for MAC I was a bit disappointed.  I didn't want Autodesk to be distracted from their work on AutoCAD.  I'm not sure that's a valid argument considering how many products Autodesk currently produces and maintains.  What's one more right?

I completely understand why Autodesk chose to start this new product.  Their clients that use Apple computers want it.  Once that user base is large enough to support their own product why not?  Autodesk already has several products that can be used on a MAC.  That also means that Autodesk has the experience needed to get into a new market.

So, I have to admit that I have changed my mind about AutoCAD on MAC.  I'm ok with it now.  I'm not going to run out and get a MAC or AutoCAD for MAC just because it's there.  Nope, not me.  There are a few reasons for this.  As I stated earlier, MACs cost too much for too little hardware that I can get in a PC for less cost.  Also, AutoCAD for MAC cost about the same as AutoCAD for PC, but there is less there.

Autodesk recently released a list of features that re in AutoCAD for PC that are not in AutoCAD for MAC.
This is a great thing for Autodesk to do.  I really appreciate it.  How many companies release a brand new product and list its shortcomings?  Not many.  Doing this could keep some users form purchasing their new product.  However, I feel that those that were considering buying AutoCAD for MAC are still going to purchase it, regardless of this list.

Many of the times on the "what's missing" list are not that big of a deal, but, for me, there are enough key features missing that I would not purchase it, even if I already had a MAC.  In all fairness, if I had a MAC I might buy it even with these features missing.  I don't know.

Here is my "short list" of key features that I would miss in production:


  • CAD Manager Tools
  • Custom dictionaries
  • Data Extraction Wizard (this is one of my favorite commands. i would really miss it)
  • DesignCenter
  • DWF support (this is a huge feature that is missing)
  • Dynamic block authoring (I can't believe this is missing)
  • Editable drawing properties [DWGPROPS]
  • eTransmit and Archive
  • Express Tools
  • Filter and Quick Select (I use Quick Select every day)
  • In-place editing of blocks or xrefs [REFEDIT]
  • Layer filters
  • Layer notification
  • Layer State Manager
  • Markup Set Manage (Really? How do you mark up drawings?)
  • OLE objects (I constantly link Spread Sheets to my CAD Files)
  • PDF underlay
  • Sheet Set Manager(Oh My! Lacking this feature alone might be a deal breaker for me)
  • Tool palettes
  • There is only one workspace
  • Rendering options are limited
  • CUI editor may include commands that are not actually available
WOW!!  That's just the short list.  I know, it's a rather long short list.  Keep in mind that this version of AutoCAD for MAC is version 1.  I'll bet that many of these missing features will be added in release 2.  For now, this list would keep me from switching to MAC and AutoCAD for MAC.  But, if I already had a MAC, loved it, and needed a license of AutoCAD, I would consider it, especially if I already used MAC based software.

How about you?  Knowing what was missing from AutoCAD for MAC would you get it?  Why or why not?  Have I totally missed the mark on this?  

        8 comments:

        1. actually that list of features not available on a mac has quite a large number of functions that i've come to depend on.

          i'd like to note that this isn't actually the first time autocad is released on a mac -- it used to exist, but my memory fails me as to when it stopped. i believe at autocad v.12.

          so this is, technically, a re-release, albeit of a highly changed product.

          ReplyDelete
        2. You are right. This isn't the first release of AutoCAD on a MAC. I believe AutoCAD 14 was the first release to be only available on Windows. So we could call this a re-release of AutoCAD on MAC. If I used MACs in production I would consider getting it, but I don't so I admit that my opinion is biased. It would be nice if Autodesk had a deal similar to Adobe where you buy one license and then choose if you want to run it on a MAC or a PC. In all fairness, this is the first release so I think that we need to give Autodesk time to figure out what the market wants and what the market is willing to pay for. We will see where this goes. Eventually we may have a choice for all of their products! Or everything will just be on the cloud so use whichever OS you want to!

          ReplyDelete
        3. One thing missing from Autodesk's version of the list is the number of entities that Acad/Mac does not support, such as all attachments (except DWG and images), no DWF in any way, no editing of point clouds, and so on.

          ReplyDelete
        4. Good article, i share absolutly the same point of view, AutoCAD4Mac, is more a treand of marketing people than a real ask from the market. For sure it will impact in the student comunity, more driven from fashion than from real world needs.

          ReplyDelete
        5. The first version of anything is not what it needs to be. I believe that Autodesk will make big improvements to AutoCAD for MAC 2.0, or what ever they are going to call it.

          ReplyDelete
        6. I'm a mac user since I've got that using windows or linux sucks, but as I'm not a blind fan so i found this article very important and useful for me who wants to choose an AutoCAD.
          I used to work with AutoCAD on PC and it was ok as it must be, but being sexy and hot like apple needs to make me satisfy when applying AutoCAD or any other professional software in the market. Of course it can't do it for now, but time changes for apple for sure.
          Thank you all guys!

          ReplyDelete
        7. Hi anyone know what happened to the Parametric tool? the tabs there but nothing on the tool set

          ReplyDelete
        8. Which version of AutoCAD for Mac are you using?

          ReplyDelete

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