Need Low Cost Autocad Replacement

I finally have AutoCAD2000 running on Win7 Pro, and NOT running in XPmode. I have a need to now use Win7 and above as my operating system, so today I decided it was going to work. I manually installed it (copied the files over from an XP install, including the registry entries) and then manually edited the registry to get it to work. Had to chase the errors down one at a time. But it works.
You win!


Steve Shannon, P.E.
 
How many registries enters do I need to copy

Thank you
Dave

I finally have AutoCAD2000 running on Win7 Pro, and NOT running in XPmode. I have a need to now use Win7 and above as my operating system, so today I decided it was going to work. I manually installed it (copied the files over from an XP install, including the registry entries) and then manually edited the registry to get it to work. Had to chase the errors down one at a time. But it works.
 
What I did was to export all of the registry entries that said anything about AutoCAD from Regedit. Then I just waited for the errors to start popping up and corrected things one error at a time. Most of it was the file location pointers. The files were on my computer but the pointers were set to the wrong drives/folders. I have 5 physical hard drives in my computer with a dual boot so things can get a bit confusing. With a single HD, and only one OS, these problems might not occur.
 
I don't think I saw any mention of AutoCAD LT.

I gave up on AutoCAD years ago due to cost, and started using AutoCAD LT. Unfortunately, this is getting expensive also, consequently I'm still running AutoCAD LT 2010.

I recently purchased an AutoCAD LT "clone" from TurboCad. Seems to work pretty well and it was inexpensive. User interface very similar. Needed it to convert a newer DXF file format just the other day.

Have been meaning to try Draftsight, but am put off thinking support and upgrades would be less than forthcoming, being free.
 
....snip......Have been meaning to try Draftsight, but am put off thinking support and upgrades would be less than forthcoming, being free.

I've been using Draftsight since its beginning, about five years now. There were several upgrades the first couple of years, but have not encountered any in the past two years. Of course, I've upgraded to the professional version of Draftsight. In fact, I have two seats of the professional version for my household.

I'm working on getting a usable 3D program for some of the work I do. The free 3D programs out there are just not what I want. They are fine for learning basic 3D in my opinion.
 
... Snipped to be specific The free 3D programs out there are just not what I want. They are fine for learning basic 3D in my opinion.

Does that assessment include 360 Fusion?


Steve Shannon, P.E.
 
Could anyone elaborate on the difference between 3 dimensional CAD and modelling software. Advantages, difficulty to learn, functionality, etc.?

Jim -
In my book there is none. There used to be a huge differences, but the speed of modern desktop computing has made all the differences disappear. These days the older terms have all turned into synonyms.

Modern modelers "build" the model just like you build a part. If you can envision how to make a part on a mill or lathe, then you can construct the model. So your machining experience really helps.

► The biggest jump in going from 2D to 3D is going to be the computing requirements. You'll probably need a better CPU with double the RAM.

► The second comes with experience in that you have to think about how the first part will interface with the second part. Will you extrude the first feature away from a datum plane, or will you extrude the first feature equally on both sides of the datum plane? Constructing a part away from a plane is handy when you want the part's edge to be your machining datum so that all dimensions are positive as measured from the edge. Constructing a part with a central datum is handy for turned parts or mirrored parts.

And you will want to assemble your parts to check hole alignments and clearances. It's much cheaper than waiting until the metal parts appear.
 
A good CAD program should go well with the DRO that I am installing on my milling machine.
 
Im looking at a 3d modelling program to replace inventor? I use a work computer to play around with to learn but I just dont get how the programs thinks? Nothing is intuitive to me? I get that frustrated with the way it flips things around when you go from 3d to sketch.

I have turbocad and it just cant do what I want in 3d. I find 2d stuff fairly easy on any of them, im probably doing it wrong as I have had no training but I can get what i need out of it. But when it comes to 3d im stumped. Have been told solidworks is more intuitive than inventor but i can not afford that.
Any suggestions.
 
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