Draftsight - absolutely free CAD program

[Bubba]

I just tried again using XP and FF and it immediately started the download.
Did you check the box about reading and accepting the TOS?

by the way, the link I googled was: Download DraftSight - Dassault Systèmes

[rEVolution]

I'm getting it! I had the download link sitting there waiting in a different tab for the last twenty minutes or so. I just clicked back over and the terms were there. Download is coming in! 22 minutes to go.

I guess I finally got lucky.

[Bubba]

glad your getting it. Fantastic program.

[rEVolution]

I hope so. I went to school for autocad years ago and in the last six months, I've been trying to find some basic cad software. I've tried a bunch, bought a few, and I haven't been able to draw a sprocket in anything other than g-simple yet! I have Sprocketeer so I can cheat but I try to draw a sprocket as a test and usually hit a wall. I just got into Heeks today and ran into a wall with osnap...or total lack thereof???

Anyway, if I can sit down and draw a sprocket this evening with Draftsight, I'll be a very happy guy!

Only 21 minutes left to go...

[Bubba]

I have found it so similar to acad that it isn't funny:})
Am still trying to reconcile some of the icons after all these years, but it is working quite well for me. Would like to have some of the express tools as I also use it to do engraving and it will not explode text:{(

[rEVolution]

This stuff is killing me. I'm over Heeks. It crashed the computer a bunch of times while doing NOTHING. I finally got Draftsight downloaded, transferred to the external drive, loaded on the CAD machine, and it doesn't like my video card. It recommended I update the driver. The CAD machine won't get online because it won't recognize the USB modem so I had to download the driver on a different computer and transfer it. I tried to update it and it won't work. It says the hardware is incompatible and exits the install. I got it straight from ATI. The card is an ATI Rage 128 PRO Ultra GL AGP. When the install failed, I tried to roll back the driver and it can't find one to roll back to. It's using the most basic XP driver and my monitor aspect ratios are all messed up.

I love software..............

another day completely wasted
time

[Bubba]

If you can, try reducing the hardware acceleration???

[rEVolution]

I went ahead and hit ignore and tried it anyway. The program comes up but the cursor glitches around when in the drawing area. Over the menus it's fine. I've fumbled with a bunch of stuff, including hardware accel. I think I have a freak video card in there or something. Might explain all of my cad/cam nightmares???

I installed Draftsight on my tiny windows 7 starter powered Acer Aspire one netbook and it works really well. It is a lot like autocad. I haven't played with it much because I'm trying to get my video card to talk nice to the bigger monitor. I think I'm going to run my design software on the little notebook and keep the other computer mach3 only. Making progress though!

Any pointers on dual monitor setups?

[ger21]

That's a really old card you have there. A quick google search says it came out over 10 years ago. That probably explains a lot of your issues.

[rEVolution]

It is very old. I've had a heck of a time finding a new computer with a serial port that runs for more than a few minutes at a time without freaking out. I've purchased a couple of new systems and had nothing but problems. The old POS seems to run Mach3 well so that's all it's going to do.

I'll be running Draftsight on my netbook.

I figured out the monitor issue. Windows 7 starter doesn't do dual monitors right. I'll add that to my windows letdown list.....

Draftsight is AWESOME!!! What a lifesaver! I drew a part.......ON THE FIRST TRY!!!! Almost like I knew what I was doing or something! I'm so excited to get going finally. I did have one issue after I exported as dxf and imported into g-simple where a few lines didn't meet up right and a few were missing but if those are the only glitches, I'm a happy camper. Anyway, thanks to everyone that recommended Draftsight, and of course the guys that made it. As soon as I make a million bucks, solidworks will have a loyal customer!

Now it's heeks cam tutorial time so I can quit having g-simple tell me that a 1/8"endmill is too big to mill a 20mm diameter pocket and that an 8mm drill is an inappropriate tool for an 8mm hole....

[Bubba]

glad you got it to work! Good luck on the cam

[CNC Lurker]

I did have one issue after I exported as dxf and imported into g-simple where a few lines didn't meet up right and a few were missing but if those are the only glitches, I'm a happy camper.

If some lines didn't meet up, turn on ESnaps and then whenever you draw a line or whatever it will "snap" to whatever you are trying to connect it too. You don't want to turn all of the checkboxes on because then you'll lose some control as to what your trying to connect to.