Mac

[Jules1]

I am new to CAD but need to get to grips with it fast . I use a Macbook pro and will probably get an I mac 27" i7 to run it. Has any one got any experience of Autocad for Mac2011 and have any advice of the quickest/best way of learning how to us CAD ie books, courses (uk or internet based), or any other medium.

 

If you consider that microsoft PC is a better way forward please say.

 

I would greatly appreciate any advice.

 

My main use will be in development/buildings and arboriculture/tree advice context. may expand into other areas if it really grips me.

 

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

[ReMark]

There is an AutoCAD for Mac group at the AutoDesk Discussion Forums. You might want to check it out.

 

The only thing I've read about AutoCAD for Mac is that AutoDesk did not include all the features found in AutoCAD for a PC. Some people are upset that they paid a lot of money for an unfinished program. You may want to do some research on your own about that one then make up your own mind. If it is true but you still want to do it perhaps you would be better off waiting until the next release.

[Incadnito]

AutoCAD 2011 for Mac worked fine for the short period I tried it, but it's sadly not feature complete...Also note, "the look and feel" is quite different from the PC version.

 

You could consider running a partition with Windows and AutoCAD for PC using Apple's built-in bootcamp software or better yet Parallels Desktop for Mac.

[Jules1]

I currently run parallels on my Macbook pro with Windows 7 but find it very slow, I am going to upgrade my memory to see if that improves things. I do prefer mac to pc though it does cause a issues with clients. If Windows based CAD is better then I am happy to go that route. Thanks for the advice so far.

 

J

[troggarf]

I heard from AU this year (2010) that AutoLISP works on MAC AutoCAD but VisualLISP does not

[Raudel Solis]

AUTOCAD + MAC= DISASTER

 

AUTOCAD+PC= PROGRESS , thats my way of seeing it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

seriously autocad has been for pc ONLY FOR YEARS, DECADES, SINCE THE BEGGINING OF TIME etc...

but coding 1-4gbs of scripts, resource files, to work with mac is a complete no- no,

what should be done, is start on a fresh clean hex sheet and go off at it

[ReMark]

Personally I think it is a waste of good money to pay for a product that isn't finished just to be able to boast you were one of the first users of AutoCAD for Mac. I believe that AutoDesk rushed the product to market. Normally "beta" users get their software for free. Here is an example of people paying a lot of money to test drive a product. When was the last time you paid a car dealer to test drive a car?

[Cad64]

autocad has been for pc ONLY FOR YEARS, DECADES, SINCE THE BEGGINING OF TIME etc...

 

That's not entirely true. There used to be a Mac version of Autocad, but Autodesk discontinued it back in 1992. From what I've read on the subject, Mac sales were dropping off significantly and Autodesk saw no reason to keep working on software for a dying computer system. But now that more people are making the switch to Mac, Autodesk has decided to get back into the Apple market with this new release. And sure, it's going to be bumpy at first, as they work out the kinks, but that's the case with any new software. Over time, it should get better.

[ReMark]

"Over time it should get better."

 

How much time is enough time? Some would argue that it takes AutoDesk eons to make aspects of their programs better. I say this with tongue-in-cheek. Look at all the threads this site has seen recently about "slow" AutoCAD. Difficult to say whether it is an AutoDesk programming problem or a user computer configuration problem. Or both.

[Cad64]

Well, that's why I said it "Should" get better. Emphasis on "Should". We all know how Autodesk works, so there are no guarantees that anything will change. I will probably never use Autocad on a Mac, but if I ever do, I hope they have all the bugs worked out. But I won't be holding my breath.

[rkent]

You are new to AutoCAD and you use Apple already. You won't miss what you don't know about I suppose and the next few releases will probably increase in features fairly quickly. And you already own a Mac.....

[BIGAL]

A few here with long memories may also remember the SUN and HP autocad versions where are they today.

[Incadnito]

What you're not getting on Mac:

 

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=15833488&linkID=15839490

 

2011: What AutoCAD features are not available in AutoCAD for Mac

 

Issue

 

You are familiar with AutoCAD 2011 (for Windows) and you want to know what features are not available in the first release of AutoCAD 2011 for Mac.

 

 

Solution

 

Although AutoCAD 2011 for Mac is based on AutoCAD 2011, it was written to be a native Mac application. As such, it is a new and separate product and not simply a port from the Windows version.

We are continually monitoring customer satisfaction with AutoCAD for Mac and would like your input on how we could improve. Please take a brief moment to fill out the following survey indicating which of these features are most important for your workflows:

AutoCAD for Mac Feature Survey

In the first release of this new product, the features and functionality that exist in AutoCAD 2011 that are not yet available in AutoCAD 2011 for Mac, include:

 

 

 

• 3DWalk, 3DFly, and animation support
  
• Action Recorder and playback of Action Macros
  
• Autopublish
  
• Batch Standards Checker and the ability to use cad standards [sTANDARDS, CHECKSTANDARDS]
  
• CAD Manager Tools
  
• ‘Classic’ dialogs for image, xref, and layers
  
• Custom dictionaries
  
• Data Extraction Wizard [EATTEXT] (Attribute extraction can still be done using –ATTEXT)
  
• dBConnect and Datalink support
  
• DesignCenter
  
• DGN support
  
• Digitally signing drawings or notification when opening digital signed drawings
  
• Digitizer support
  
• Drawing Recovery Manager
  
• DWF support
  
• Dynamic block authoring
  
• Editable drawing properties [DWGPROPS]
  
• eTransmit and Archive
  
• Express Tools
  
• Extended tooltips
  
• FBX import/export
  
• Filter and Quick Select
  
• Geographic location support
  
• Hyperlink
  
• In-place editing of blocks or xrefs [REFEDIT]
  
• Layer filters
  
• Layer notification
  
• Layer State Manager (fundamental layer state operations can still be performed using the stAte option in the -LAYER command or using the (layerstate-xxx) AutoLISP functions)
  
• Layer Translator
  
• Layer Walk
  
• Some Layer Tools [LAYCUR, LAYDEL, LAYON, LAYTHW, LAYMCH, LAYMRG, LAYVPI]
  
• Layout wizard
  
• Markup Set Manager
  
• Navigation bar and SteeringWheels
  
• OLE objects
  
• Password protecting a drawing or opening password protected drawings
  
• PDF underlay
  
• Plot style configuration
  
• Plotting to file
  
• Point Clouds
  
• Purge dialog (all purge options are still available from the command line)
  
• Quick Properties palette
  
• Reference Manager (the external reference repathing utility)
  
• Share with Autodesk Seek
  
• Sheet Set Manager
  
• ShowMotion
  
• Slide creation or viewing
  
• Table style setup
  
• Tool palettes
  
• User Profiles
  
• VBA (Visual Basic for Applications)
  
• Visual LISP editor
  
• WMF import/export
  
• Xref notification
  

 

 

Other Functionality

 

 

• Most AutoLISP will work unless it includes Windows calls (using .NET) or uses DCL dialogs
  
• Most ARX applications will work unless it includes MFC or .NET calls
  
• No import or export of CUI customization
  
• There is only one workspace
  
• Visual styles must be created at the command line
  
• Sun Properties palette and Visual Styles managers are merged with the Properties Inspector
  
• Camera objects cannot be created
  
• Materials cannot be edited or created and you can not adjust the way a material maps on an object [MATERIALMAP]
  
• Tessellation for new 3D mesh objects must be set via the command line (MESHOPTIONS and MESHPRIMITIVEOPTIONS are not available)
  
• Rendering options are limited (no Advanced Render Settings palette or Rendercrop)
  
• Limited editing and style support for Multilines
  
• PC3 plot files may work but will depend on whether or not it uses proprietary drivers
  
• Page sizes are referenced differently between AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD for Mac 2011
  
• CUI editor may include commands that are not actually available
  
• Command auto-completion may offer commands that are not actually available
  
• System variables for missing features may still exist and be editable but will have no affect if the accompanying feature is not included. They have been kept to help preserve scripting compatibility.
  

[ILoveMadoka]

...seriously autocad has been for pc ONLY FOR YEARS, DECADES, SINCE THE BEGGINING OF TIME etc...

 

Sorry to burst your bubble but this is absolutely not true!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD

 

AutoCAD Release 12 Last release for Apple Macintosh till 2010.

 

I used it....

 

They didn't mention when it originally came out....unfortunately

 

 

I remember when OSX came out I got an email from Autodesk taking a survey

to see if there was interest in a Mac version of Autocad. It was quite some time

between that email and even rumors that they were actually developing another version for the Mac.

Edited February 9, 2011 by ILoveMadoka
edit

[f700es]

I used r12 on Solaris back in college. Talk about dog slow!

[kencaz]

If you consider that microsoft PC is a better way forward please say.

 

If your going to run AutoCAD just get a PC. With this kind of software purchase you have to consider the hardware as well. Get a fast PC with lots of Memory and a Quadro card...

 

Silly Rabbit "Macs are for Kids"

 

KC