Topic: Any better cad program?

[CADaver]

The only proggys I know of that hold that relationship are the paras .... Inventor, SWX etc..... and they're a whole different story.

and plain autocad, when you annotate the model.  <grin>

[t-bear]

Trouble maker!!! <me too>
What I MEANT was that Inventor et al will automatically create a 2D "sheet" from a 3D model, and update the sheet when you change the model.  However, I've played w/Inventor and the learning curve was ferocious and I'd have to trash my entire parts library and start all over creating (RE-creating, in this case) I-parts that would work in Inventor.  For me, it's not gonna happen. The "kid" I have here now will pro'lly fill this seat when I shag out-a here in a few years....he can change 'em then if he wants.......

[johnnythunders]

T-bear and CADaver,
thanks so much for your comments and demonstrations. I think I'll have to come in an hour early every day for a long time if I'm ever going to master those techniques on my own. (CADaver, I hope your employer appreciates your efforts.)
I'm a little intimidated by all of the new info. It makes me think that a dumbed down program like chief architect or softplan might be best for my (lack of) skills and needs- or maybe something more architecture specific like Archicad. For now, I think maybe I'll seek out a good book on Autocad. Did I mention that the person who taught me Autocad barely even spoke english?

[t-bear]

JT said:

........the person who taught me Autocad barely even spoke english.......

Sounds like a "Swamper".....mebee me or Dent.........
Don't let AutoCAD intimidate you, it's just another program.  Even after a year of "school" I was CAD illiterate....it just took a while to find out.  It's something that grows easier with time.  You just have to understand YOUR limitations (not meant as a *bad*) and, slowly, with time, practice, and the help of good friends, overcome them.  It's amazing how much I've learned in the few years I've been on these forums.  And I thought I were a genius, too!!  
Stick with it (and us...) and you'll find that it's a great tool.  The majority of the CAD drafting done today is on AutoCAD vanilla.

[daron]

or maybe something more architecture specific like Archicad.

[rant][opinion]Archicad??? Chills down my spine. I've never had a good experience with that program. Well, at least not with any of the people touting it. They speak of it like it's the greatest program to ever come out. They were trying to show how seemless it does its rendering. When they showed it to us, it looked like the walls materials didn't wrap correctly. Then, I asked them some questions. They gave some really lame responses that showed me that they were just sales people and really didn't have a clue.[/opinion][/rant]