I was able to successfully use all of these commands and many more without looking at the Command line. This means that there is virtually no learning curve for users familiar with these commands. The most popular drawing and editing commands, including Line, PLine, Arc, Copy, Trim, and Explode, work exactly like their AutoCAD counterparts. With DraftSight, you can assign frequently used commands to certain mouse gestures. The upside to this is that you can use DraftSight to draw just about anything you can imagine.įigure 2. If you want a door, a sink, a wheel, or a tree, you must draw it from scratch or find an existing drawing to use. What if you are not an AutoCAD user? The DraftSight UI is not overwhelming for newcomers, but keep in mind that despite it being free, this is a not a consumer-grade, drag-and-drop–style application. DraftSight's user interface will look very familiar to AutoCAD aficionados. The Options dialog box is different, but most of the terminology within will be familiar to you.įigure 1. Compared to the AutoCAD UI, the pull-down menu items in DraftSight are generally in the same order with the same names, and most of the toolbar icons are very similar. Pull-down menus, toolbars, tool palettes, status bar buttons, and yes, even the Command line, are all present. This is a huge benefit for existing AutoCAD users. If you have used AutoCAD 2000–2007, the DraftSight user interface (UI) will be very familiar to you (figure 1). The DraftSight web site lists detailed system requirements.Īs I examined DraftSight, I looked at it through the eyes of a seasoned AutoCAD user, as would millions of others still devoted to AutoCAD for 2D (and 3D) work. Minimum Windows system requirements - Windows XP, Pentium 4 processor, and 1 GB of RAM - are such that virtually any Windows PC running today should fill the bill. For this review, however, I'm going to see what the free version is all about.ĭraftSight is available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux platforms. Yes, I said free! A Premium version is available for purchase, including the Premium Pack for businesses, which offers phone and e-mail support, network licensing, and access to the DraftSight APIs the Campus/Classroom Premium Pack for educational use and the Prosumer support package for individuals. What makes DraftSight worth a closer look? It offers a familiar interface, affordable support and services, and it can read and write DWG and DXF files from AutoCAD R12 up to AutoCAD 2010.īy "budget-friendly," I mean that it is a free download. McSwain First Look Review: CAD software has AutoCAD-like interface, views and edits DWG files, and is easy on the budget - that is, free.ĭassault Systèmes may be better known for developing 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks and CATIA, but it is also the maker of a budget-friendly, 2D CAD product called DraftSight.
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