PowerCADD Future

[DavidScottOrkney]

Hi Todd,

This is a very interesting development and great to hear the PowerCADD will live on through FormZ. I wondered if you are able to give any hints as to how the integration might look in terms of the UI, since as far as I can see, FormZ is not at all Mac-like in its user interface.
For example:
Will the new 2D PowerCADD-style capabilities be integrated into a new 2D mode or by working on a plane within FormZ's 3D window?
Will PowerCADD tools be extensions of FormZ's tools or separate toolsets?
How will scales and drawing documents work? Will users have to work within a new 'model space' type paradigm or will PowerCADD's drawing templates, scales etc still apply?

Sorry to ask if it's too early for all these questions but as you can imagine, we're all very curious!

David

[dFA]

Since Todd’s announcement (yay !) I downloaded the form•Z FREE Version and have played with it for a few hours.

Although the interface is a bit clunky, there seems to be a more power under the hood written into the base program vs SketchUp (my current go-to 3d software). To be honest I am getting tired of relying on the growing 3rd party extensions required for bringing more functionality to SU - form•Z has many more of those tools and modifiers built right in. Someone called the program 'SketchUp on Steroids' in one of the comment sections somewhere - I like that (!) but have not gone deep yet into 3d modelling with it yet to really compare apples and oranges.

From what I can tell - only the ‘PRO’ version of form•Z has the 'Draft Layout' feature that would involve most of the additional 2d linework and notes required for a presentation or construction set of drawings.

I am only guessing, but I imagine this to be somewhat similar to SketchUp’s 'Layout' side-kick program for setting up 2d drawing sheets with the ability to include portal views of the linked 3-d model (elevations, sections, perspective views etc) for dimensioning & annotations. The advantage of working this way of course, is the ability to revise the 3d model and have those changes automatically updated in the 2d portal views. Curiously, there doesn’t appear to be a PDF export from what I can gather - that would be important to implement for me and others here I’m sure.

Perhaps someone familiar with form•Z Pro 9 and the associated 2d layout sheets can enlighten us further if I am making wrong assumptions here … I am only guessing based on my experience with SU Pro + Layout and some (frustratingly unsuccessful) dabbling with Chief Architect - it also works with a separate companion 'Layout' function of its own for creating construction documents.

Once I get up to speed with the FREE version of form•Z, I plan to sign up for a trial of the PRO version to see how that goes with advanced modelling features and the Draft Layout function - this is likely where some of the powerful PCadd tools we all love could really help out (based on past comments in the form•Z forum they need help). Can’t wait to see how it might all come together with the joint effort - high hopes for a pro level 2d+3d pairing without the additional cost, expense & learning curve of BIM (!)

dF

[PeterKona]

Thank you Todd for pursuing this. I know that just because AutoSys is getting involved does not mean it will be successful without effort on your part. I am greatly encouraged by this news. PowerCADD is the reason our upgrades to new systems are on hold. At present this works, but not sure how long before we must move to new platforms. It looks like a new horizon is opening up.

I stopped using AutoCAD so long ago, and still amazed at people's attitude about CAD, and then I explore and see how clunky so many apps are compared to PowerCADD.

All the best to you, however it goes.

[RTCool]

Curiously, there doesn’t appear to be a PDF export from what I can gather - that would be important to implement for me and others here I’m sure.

Not the biggest problem in the world, because on a Mac you can create PDF's from any application that can print via the print dialog box. I use this feature so much, it's indispensable. I use it a ton to "Open in Preview" and then go to a bunch of other formats as well like PNG and TIFF. Absolute life saver.

[EduardoJB]

Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes! What a great news. Lucky me I haven’t bought any other program yet! Thanks a lot Todd

[[email protected]]

Here is a link to the formal announcement on the Engineered Software web site: PowerCADD and AutoDesSys join forces

[joseph]

I always dream of a cad this way (i tried some development with xojo).
No menu, no palettes, only a fullscreen white sheet.
Then you use your mouse, "click", and anything becomes "contextual", floating windows appears, some following the pointer, some static.
Then you finish your draw, all windows gone, only the drawing remain. Next click, last command used (line, circle...) is default.
Mouse and keyboard, a fullscreen drawing. Is this ancient or modern? Clever of fool?
It should be a great onor for me to listen Todd's opinion -and forum's users opinion too- about this thinking of mine.
(a "fullscreen" drawing mode in PoweCADD?)

[G4FDC]

This is great news! PowerCADD is too great of a program to fade away!
Thank you Todd for your efforts to achieve this partnership.I look forward to hear more details!

[Charles Freeborn]

Wow. Could it be that my wishes were heard? I've been saying that F•Z and PC were a match made in heaven for years.
Great news.
I've been a F•Z user for years so will actually be able to contribute to the conversation on users making the switch / journey.

[Des]

Since Todd’s announcement (yay !) I downloaded the form•Z FREE Version and have played with it for a few hours.

Although the interface is a bit clunky, there seems to be a more power under the hood written into the base program vs SketchUp (my current go-to 3d software). To be honest I am getting tired of relying on the growing 3rd party extensions required for bringing more functionality to SU - form•Z has many more of those tools and modifiers built right in. Someone called the program 'SketchUp on Steroids' in one of the comment sections somewhere - I like that (!) but have not gone deep yet into 3d modelling with it yet to really compare apples and oranges.

From what I can tell - only the ‘PRO’ version of form•Z has the 'Draft Layout' feature that would involve most of the additional 2d linework and notes required for a presentation or construction set of drawings.

I am only guessing, but I imagine this to be somewhat similar to SketchUp’s 'Layout' side-kick program for setting up 2d drawing sheets with the ability to include portal views of the linked 3-d model (elevations, sections, perspective views etc) for dimensioning & annotations. The advantage of working this way of course, is the ability to revise the 3d model and have those changes automatically updated in the 2d portal views. Curiously, there doesn’t appear to be a PDF export from what I can gather - that would be important to implement for me and others here I’m sure.

Perhaps someone familiar with form•Z Pro 9 and the associated 2d layout sheets can enlighten us further if I am making wrong assumptions here … I am only guessing based on my experience with SU Pro + Layout and some (frustratingly unsuccessful) dabbling with Chief Architect - it also works with a separate companion 'Layout' function of its own for creating construction documents.

Once I get up to speed with the FREE version of form•Z, I plan to sign up for a trial of the PRO version to see how that goes with advanced modelling features and the Draft Layout function - this is likely where some of the powerful PCadd tools we all love could really help out (based on past comments in the form•Z forum they need help). Can’t wait to see how it might all come together with the joint effort - high hopes for a pro level 2d+3d pairing without the additional cost, expense & learning curve of BIM (!)

dF

There are loads of videos of FormZ in action for any of you who like to see what it's like. Here's one which shows the fairly current 2d layout part of FormZ. It's a bit old but gives the idea https://youtu.be/UslpCswTm1o

Des