PowerCADD Forum

I'm sure we could reoragnize the Layers list, change the order of the layers. Anyone know if it's working and how ? Or is it dead ?

It seems to be working OK here. Just click and hold on the layer in the list, wait a moment, and then drag to the right location.

Thanks for that, it works. I was using PowerCADD 9.1.10, it doesn't work in that version in Mac OS Mojave. I upgraded to 9.1.11 a couple weeks ago but hadn't tried moving layer items. I haven't used PowerCADD for a long time, I switched to Vectorworks 10 years ago.

JustMeAgain wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 09, 2024 9:14 pm

I switched to Vectorworks 10 years ago.

How did you get on with using Vectorworks with PowerCADD files? Did you have to use the DWG translator as a 'bridge'?

David

To understand my use of CAD, I'm a certified house designer in Ontario, Canada. I was a Design Builder of Custom Homes for about the first 20 years and the last 25 just providing design services to other builders. I spent a year getting familiar with Vectorworks, customizing everything from key commands, importing my 2D symbols and tile and hatch fills, etc. All my details are custom I rarely use what the developers provide. In the end when I produce a drawing in VW it's hard to tell the difference to the same drawing in PCD.

I mostly just switched to Vectorworks for new projects. I tried PCD DWG, it's not good enough for the level of detail I wanted. I did migrate a few PCD plans because we made multiple revised versions year after year. A better solution is to import PCD drawings into VW as PDF. There is an option in the VW import settings that allows enabling vector points for snapping. That makes it easy to trace the most essential architectural details such as walls.

I use VW's 3D modelling, from that I generate all views, floor plans, elevations and sections etc. VW has a feature called stories. When I draw walls they look like normal 2D representations. The story setting automatically sets their height. My typical story settings are . . . footings, foundation walls, main floor, main floor walls, second floor (where needed), roof.

This a simplistic explanation, but once mastered it's easier and more accurate than the old way for example of hand drawing every elevation. And roofs are so much easier especially for things like a garage that is on an angle to the main building.

PowerCADD will always have a place here. I still need to open old drawings, maybe even make a few changes on one as is to make a quick buck. Like others I'm disappointed it has taken them so long to bring it up to the current OS. I bought a used MacPro 2013 cheap in perfect new condition to run macOS Mojave. I only use that system for PowerCADD. My main system is a MacPro 2019 (2022 release) I bought direct from Apple as a refurb, saved a couple thousand. I upgraded the CPU from 8 core to 16. I sold the 8 core on eBay for more than I paid for the 16 core.

But honestly, the time I invested learning and setting up Vectorworks paid off big. I told a PCD friend I was generating plans 3 times as fast as I could in PowerCADD, he laughed at me. I have made more money and easier since I switched full time to Vectorworks in 2014.

Unfortunately Vectorworks has discontinued perpetual licensing and switched to a subscription model. I get that they need to be paid, but instead of a reasonable annul fee, they doubled it over what I was paying with a VSS subscription. It just comes across as greedy, and there are real concerns about not being able to go backwards a year or two later if you have to open a problematic file in the version it was created in. I had a recent discussion with an Architect and he agrees with these issues and others, he is switching to ArchiCAD.

I have a VW 2023 perpetual license, that will probably be all I will need until I retire my business.

I hope this is useful.