Drafix 4.0 to AS9 or TurboCAD?

I have been using Drafix 3 & 4.0, all alone, with no compatriots for a decade until I found this site today.

I have lost the Drafix CD during a move, and recently I lost the Hard Drive to my (now) older system. I was able to edit the registry to "reinstall" from my backup drive, but its not the same anymore.

I'm going to be using TurboCAD, but I'm curious about AutoSketch. Can I use AS9 to open *.CAD files and save them to any modern format? I really liked Drafix, but reading 100's of posts today makes me think twice about getting AS8 or 9. I've got 100's of drawings (*.CAD format) and my company will pay for AS9 if I want it. Drafix does not output a legible DXF for me to import into something else.

Any suggestions?

Greg Yent
San Diego, CA

 

I know how you feel - all alone in the big Autocad world but fear not there
are still a lot of Drafix/AS users and this is the place to meet them...
If you liked Drafix then you will probably also like Autosketch as it's
basically the same program with some features added and others removed.
Don't be put off too much by the negative comments you read here - there are
a lot of old Drafix users that resented Autodesk buying out Drafix, me
included. But at the end of the day Drafix is still here in AS disguise and
it does have some useful new functions IMHO...
Yes AS can open cad files and save them as cad or autosketch or dwg or dxf,
even as pdf(?) so you shouldn't have any problems with your old cad files.

Personally I don't think Turbocad is a patch on ASketch - if you are not
moving up to A'cad or LT then I would stay with Asketch, you will love it.

decade until I found this site today.

Drive to my (now) older system. I was able to edit the registry to
"reinstall" from my backup drive, but its not the same anymore.

use AS9 to open *.CAD files and save them to any modern format? I really
liked Drafix, but reading 100's of posts today makes me think twice about
getting AS8 or 9. I've got 100's of drawings (*.CAD format) and my company
will pay for AS9 if I want it. Drafix does not output a legible DXF for me
to import into something else.

 

Welcome aboard.

TurboCAD is a good program. TCad can handle 3D and Xref's but does not
always read all the AutoCAD entities that I receive in drawings.

I find AutoSketch much better for 2D drawings.

AS9 does most things well. If you read through a number of the post
you'll find there are very specific issues that AutoDesk has not
addressed. Transfer of text to DWG format is not aligned properly -
that is my biggest gripe.

 

Go for AutoSketch! Note that former Drafix was converted into AutoSketc 5, and so on it use exactly the same commands as Drafix.

 

Go for AutoCAD LT.....you can do more with it AND be more productive at the
same time.

The bottom line is that the same learning curve is required.

Ric Norris.
http://users.bigpond.net.au/cavedrawings

5, and so on it use exactly the same commands as Drafix.

 

Drafix to AutoSketch - very little learning curve

Drafix to AutoCAD - sign up for 10 week course on how to use AutoCAD.

I find it useful to have both AutoSketch and AutoCAD LT. AutoCAD LT
allows you to check DWG files you send out. You can also see what files
coming in are supposed to look like before reading them into AutoSketch.

However I find I draw much faster in AutoSketch. AutoCad is too
complicated.

 

What a load of crap.

I taught myself AutoCAD/LT.....followed up by a 3 day advance course and can
therefore produce drawings much faster than working in QC/AS. Where's
direct input.....where's a command line. To draw a line in QC/AS, one has
to draw one, then edit it to size/specification.

If it takes 10 weeks for you guys to learn the LT basics, there must be
something wrong with the local syllabus.

Why would you want 2 CAD programs to check/see things being
imported/exported. For a start you can't see what's coming in from
AutoCAD/LT because AutoSketch doesn't support XREFS plus numerous other
issues, such as custom line styles/shapes etc.

What about Paper Space.....??? What a bloody great idea that is. Damn
shame AutoSketch doesn't support that either.

As far as checking before they are "sent out"....we all know that poses
problems as well, ie text formatting.

I also taught myself QuickCAD/AutoSketch.....no advance courses for either.
The sad side of that is I conduct inhouse training courses for our numerous
national users in the use of QuickCAD. And what a pain in the arse that
is....how can one teach something one doesn't enjoy....???!!! Sad.

The twain will not simply meet.

GO LT.....anyday.....!!!!

Ric Norris.
http://users.bigpond.net.au/cavedrawings

 

Well Ric feel free to send them here to me in Melb - I love showing folk how
quick and easy AS/Quickcad is, I get a real buzz from showing people the
amazing capabilities of such a 'cheap' piece of software that easily runs on
a 3 yr old laptop...
Not that I have done much 'training' but the ones that really appreciate it
are the poor sods that have been struggling for a week trying to learn
Autocad with just a '10 easy steps' 2" thick teach yourself manual and still
haven't managed to draw a line to scale and in the right direction...

Seriously, I would really enjoy helping you out and I'm not that busy at the
moment...

 

Appreciate your offer.....unfortunately, the training is part of my job
description & that's why I have to suffer. The boss wouldn't appreciate me
palming it off. Besides, I conduct the courses as per our industry.

I am off to Adelaide next week to attack another group of
victims.....hopefully that will be the last for a while.

Personally, I would like to see AS9 working properly. Until it is, I ain't
dealing with it and/or promoting it.

Cheers,

Ric.
http://users.bigpond.net.au/cavedrawings

 

Thanks to all who replied. I will still use Drafix as my day to day drawing package because I have 10 years worth of macros and symbols, including Ordinate dimensions and ANSI 1994 Y14.5M standard symbols. I do need the 3D solids for only a few items, so I have TurboCAD just for that. For $120USD, I'll give Autosketch a shot. Maybe I can work around not having the macros. As far as AutoCAD is concerned, I've been using it since v8.0 or 9.0 (1987), but I prefer Drafix to get my drawings done fast.

 

No it isn't. AutoSketch can be learned from the 6 minute tutorials. We
could not really use AutoCAD until one woman here took a 3 month course
in it.

AS direct input - Use Absolute and relative input.

Command line? What a pain in the ass. Windows based drop down menus
and keyboard short cuts are much easier. I do not want to memorize
commands so I can type them in.

AutoSketch IS easier to use. Plus your entire drawing is one file with
no XREFs. When you send it to some one it is complete. You do not need
to send 6 other files and have them in the correct directory structure
for a drawing to show up correctly.

I do not need pieces of my drawing scattered all over the place. I want
to see my final product as I draw it. Paper space does not aid this.


And at the end of the day, Ric and I still disagree. No Surprise there.

 

Second hand information from a woman...???

No wonder you can't understand the Model/Paper Space concept....!!!!

Ric Norris.
http://users.bigpond.net.au/cavedrawings

 

That's what I keep saying.

 

Drafix is DEAD.....get over it.....!!!!
http://users.bigpond.net.au/cavedrawings

 

Drafix is dead.....Long live Drafix!

Drafix lives as the backbone of AutoSketch.