MacDraft Professional Erfahrungen

Great update, more modern features

Kommentare: I routinely import a scan of my designer's hand drawn floorplans and work with them in MacDraft. I can overlay the computer drawn plan and work with it very well.

Vorteile:

I have been using MacDraft for at least 20 years. Over that time, it has become a mature, useful tool for me. Although I have used Autocad before, I find MacDraft so much easier to use and 'Mac-like'. Not all the tools are intuitive, but easy enough to figure out with online help. With the new update to V7, the interface has been cleaned up significantly, and everything is easier to use. I now can do my work in less time, and achieve better looking results. I really appreciate that Microspot continues to update this great piece of software.

Nachteile:

Some of the tools look different than the last version, so there is a bit of a re-learning curve. That's not to say that once learned, the improvements are evident.

MDP 7 - Personal thoughts

Kommentare: I like the program. I want to use it seriously but unfortunately in its present iteration, I cannot.
As previously said, I have lots of experience in using lots of CAD software, I would like you to have a rethink of the workflow issues.
For reference, please take a look at http://www.ilexsoft.com/highdesign/
The workflow is pretty good but I do get a few issues using it on my macbook air.
It looks like they are developing it to be full blown BIM, which I don't need - hence the switch to MDP.
Simple, workflow efficient 2D cad with awesome output possibilities is what I need.

Vorteile:

On the whole, it is a good CAD tool with fairly good features which I really want to use as my primary CAD software solution. I like the fact that it can be easily used for 'graphics' and 'page layout' too. I can use it on my Macbook air.

Nachteile:

To be honest, I like the software but your workflow really does need addressing for me to use the software for serious architectural designs. As I have moved from seriously high end CAD programs and use it for small architectural projects as well as the possibility for using it in school for CAD/CAM and presentation. I sooo want to be able to use MDP for all architectural projects but in its present form (I know that you have added lots of features from the previous version), I just cannot use it due to workflow issues. When drawing architectural elements, something which should take just a couple of mouse clicks in other software programs, ends up taking significantly more in MDP. I have logged a lot of this in the forums - your response has been fairly quick but the solutions come across as a long winded 'work around' to achieve a relatively simple task. This is the reason why I am not currently using the program daily or weekly. I want to be able to offset angular lines in just a couple of click with specific dimensions, not just dragging them and relying on grid snaps. The solution given in the forums was painfully long - you could not afford to do it in practice. I want to have the ability to have full customisation of dimensions - leader lines and weights, arrow heads, scale/size of everything. Currently, the tool is too constrained. I want to be able to create symbols at various scales and drag and drop them into a drg and they will be the correct size. I can go on..

One issue

Kommentare: It’s easy to use and quick

Vorteile:

Very difficult to open DWG to the correct size from another user

Nachteile:

DWG issue

Very useful 2D CAD tool

Kommentare: Generally the graphic interface (UI) of this version is closer to the way other 2D CAD works and for my activity MacDraft 7.x it's ideal.

Vorteile:

The new 7.x version is certainly more user friendly than all previous versions. Better stability. Better speed. All the necessary tools are just a mouse click away.

Nachteile:

However I would like to underline two aspects that I would like to personally change: 1) It would be nice if the actually list of various fonts, showed their real graphic appearance, otherwise for the desired choice, I necessarily to scroll through and view them all and it is a waste of time. 2) For small projects where only one A4 sheet is enough, the one-page scroll on the 27 "screen is too reactive at the touch of the mouse; sometimes it comes out of the visible area and makes it take a little time to bring it back in the working position. Certainly this is useful with worksheets greater than A4 in the landscape version. It would be really useful if the user could activate or deactivate this function directly from the "Preferences" panel.

MDFT Pro 7 Upgrade for 10 year+ user...

Kommentare: Overall, I'm pleased with the new Version Pro 7 of MacDraft. It has been my drawing program of choice for more than 10 years and I look forward to getting further along in the new version to fully realize all the improvements. I trust my comments provide some useful feedback. As someone who really tried to learn autoCAD and failed miserably, I am SO GLAD to have your product in my tool bag.

Vorteile:

With the new version 7, I find I like how all the drawing tools are laid out in just a couple of windows so that they are readily available. It appears the new "titling" version is better but I'm still on the steep part of the learning curve getting used to the changes

Nachteile:

1) The new work flow to "Duplicate" a file and then "Save" seems counter intuitive to the former "Save As" function. Not quite sure what the thinking was there !?! 2) It appears that I cannot change the default font color. Titles I create start in sort of a TAN color and then I have to change it to black or whatever... 3) The "Enter" or "Return" button does not exit you out of the title creation phase. Rather it just gives you a carriage return in the title block. In order to get back to the cursor, I have to hit "ESC". Yikes ! ...shades of AutoCAD nightmares !!

MacDraft is a Secret Shouldn't Be

Kommentare: I really like this application and have been with it for awhile. I like the combination of precision and intuitive.

Vorteile:

Very versatile. What I like best is that it uses standard Architectural scale but it is fairly intuitive. The Pro version lets you output to .dwg or .dwx files and that it very useful.

Nachteile:

Some of the tools and windows are a little wonky. Wish I could figure out how to change the font for a whole document. Opening .dwg files from another native application could be more accurate. The Zoom function should be more controllable. Wish .mcd was useable anywhere else. Having to translate and port things an extra layer of work.

Easy to use, versatile, stable, affordable 2-D CAD

Kommentare: I use scale drawings in my workshop, going to the print shop, getting building permits, and sharing with contractors. It's never let me down.

Vorteile:

I've been using MacDraft since the late 1980's. I've used it for everything from designing simple posters to very complex buildings costing 6 figures. Version 7 is a major upgrade with refinements of its interface and individual tools. I'm always nervous when software makes a big version change. The switch to version 7 has been smooth and free of anything but good surprises.

Nachteile:

Some keyboard shortcuts were changed between version 6 and 7. But I see the logic in the changes and I am adapting.

Easy of use of MacDraft 7

Kommentare: The help line and over the phone knowledge of the tech support is second to none.
These guys are so helpful and nothing is a issue to them, the best software I have used for years,

Vorteile:

Very easy to get round the tool bar, lines- objects- the list goes on and on, so much easier than Autocad.

Nachteile:

Nothing brilliant software to use with know issues

Unhappy with the last update

Vorteile:

See my explanation below, please. I'm NOT happy with this newest release

Nachteile:

The previous version I had purchased LOTS of templates along with the app. When I updated the app ONLY to the newest version, none of my previous templates are usable and support never replied to my request for help.

Macdraft review

Kommentare: Spending less time designing

Vorteile:

Not that hard to use Easy to install Has a decent selection of tools to choose from. While drawing

Nachteile:

Needs dynamic zoom in and out Adjust position of object clicked on and have to put it back in place Has issue with selecting object at times Also likes to crash while drawing

The Modern version of MacDraw

Vorteile:

This is the software I have been asking for for 30 years. I was a user of MacDraw in college and used it professionally for years afterwards. When it fell out of production I tried many other drawing/CAD programs to fill the void, but none were the perfect combination of tools and speed of the old MacDraw. Now finally years later I have found my software solution. MacDraft offers a very comprehensive set of tools for complex and precision drawing. It has user definable rulers and a user definable grid. This combination is essential for scaled drawing with a definable amount of precision. As an example, 1" = 1' with 1/4 grid, or 3" increments. The measuring tools are a huge advantage from the old days. Line control fill control all exactly what I need. Keep up the good work!

Nachteile:

When you use the measure tool between two anchor points (lines) and move one of the lines, the measurement should be showing live updates as the line is being dragged smaller or larger. This is a very necessary update to the incredibly useful Measure tool. Thank you.

Much Needed Revamp!

Kommentare: Absolutely love it. I don’t miss the previous versions at all. I have been using MacDraft since 2014, and this new version was definitely needed. Checked all the boxes!

Vorteile:

I am easily able to import and manipulate CAD files. Most of my clients work in CAD and it would be so frustrating with previous versions when the files wouldn’t open or wouldn’t be compatible. It also eliminated any issues exporting my MacDraft files to CAD. Also, having all the tools available is great! When they were on individual palettes, I would frequently “lose” the palette when I was working with multiple monitors.

Nachteile:

Not all items will import, and will just eliminate them from the drawings. There have been one or two instances when the file I was sent was using some feature in CAD that macDraft didn’t have and I was missing a large chunk of the drawing. Also, when I group items together to make one item, and then try to line it up with other items, it still recognizes each individual item instead of recognizing all items as one item. This can be frustrating because I have to make sure I select the exact part of the grouped items. This is minor but not an issue I had with previous versions.

Hoby Designer and Builder

Vorteile:

I purchased this software many years ago when I was designing my own home. At the time it was the best option for a Mac user. Since then, I have used it for 2 more homes. I also use MacDraft for every project I build in my wood shop. It's great.

Nachteile:

The snap to grid feature drives me crazy. When you paste something, it does not snap to the grid, so I am constantly entering the x and y positions.

Elegant improvements

Kommentare: As a professional, I have been using MacDraft from its earliest stages – I’m 70 years old, and I think I started using it when I was in my 30s. It was most helpful then - now, it’s core to my own envisioning of work before us. In any case, the elegance of this latest version fits so intuitively within my “builders mind”. The tool pallets are now organized as a surround to each drawing itself. And they have so much breath and depth of function! The overall result is effortless manipulation of the development of the project itself. MacDraft 7 Professional has been honed to a razor sharp edge, making it so very clean & precise in the visualizing of an emerging design! Part and parcel to all of this is the availability of the team that has developed MacDraft Professional 7 to its current excellence, for and continues to interact so willingly with those of us who use it. Congratulations on a great outcome!

Vorteile:

Each drawing carries ALL drawing tools-And these tools represent the full array needed to fully imagine something under design.

Nachteile:

Because of its radical reworking, the learning curve to become fluent in MacDraft Professional 7 required a substantial investment of energy - energy that was completely restored & rewarded by the new plateau this program has achieved.

Long-Term User

Vorteile:

I run a one-man woodshop. Design/build. Free-standing furniture, specialized cabinetwork, like library walls, off-the-wall woodworking projects. You never know what a client might want. No kitchen cabs, no re-modeling. I've been using MacDraft through many iterations, since late 1990. I've always appreciated its intuitive nature, much like Macintosh computers. (Although, Macs aren't quite as intuitive as they used to be, but there you are, what can be done, time marches on).

Nachteile:

Honestly, my only pet peeve regarding MacDraft is this, (very small): When you're drawing a series of very long, thin rectangles; say a series of mullions in glass cabinet doors, routinely one or two of them will be visually miss-matched in width, even though the software assures me that all the widths are the same.

Satisfied new user -

Kommentare: We had been using a very simple drawing software that hadn't been supported for several years. For us, it worked as good as we needed. When it ultimately quick working because of equipment upgrades etc. we were at a loss for a simple drawing program. MacDraft Professional 7 has allowed us to provide the simple drafting projects we need for our customers as well as for our manufacturing team. It's also allowed us to design new equipment and procedures internally. We are amateurs when it comes to drafting programs. If it was too complicated or time consuming, it wouldn't have worked for us. MacDraft Professional 7 is turning into exactly the software we need to support our business.

Vorteile:

Every day I'm learning how to use this software, it's capabilities, and how it can support our manufacturing team and our customers. It's easy to use from the first download and your growth can be as fast as the time spent working with it. It will do everything we need plus.

Nachteile:

I'm yet to find a con for this software. If I had to say something, I'd say that it's more complicated than what we'd been using which has led to more time to learn how to use it.

Replacing the Old with the New

Kommentare: All in all, I'm ecstatic with Microspot MacDraft, 6.2 and 7, as I am now using modern equipment and technology with the ease of my old, trusted program from way back when - all at an affordable price. AND, when I had questions, I was able to write to England, and invariably the next morning a reply would be waiting for me. AND, when my backup thumb-drive for 7 didn't arrive via international mail after several weeks, they sent me another, which contains both versions 6.2 and 7. Fantastic software and customer service, would highly recommend!

Vorteile:

I originally bought "MacDraft" back in 1996, and installed it on a Macintosh Performa CD. Many years passed, and I used it to design several houses and projects, and became quite proficient with the software, even though I was limited by the hardware involved - small screen, ancient printer , no ability to email, no ability to download to thumb drives - until finally this year, I could no longer find ink for my printer. So, I searched the Internet, and found this program to be affordable, modern, and with nearly the identical menus, tools, and libraries. Now I use it on my IMac, and a Brother Pro Series printer. Fantastic!

Nachteile:

I was initially sent MacDraft Professional 6.2, until the MacDraft Professional 7 release. I actually thought 6.2 was intuitively easier. With the release of 7, some of the tools have been switched to the right side, where before everything was on the left - I don't like the back and forth with the mouse that 7 requires. Also, 6.2 had a light background, whereas the background on 7 is black, which to me makes it a bit more difficult to find the tools I want.

Planning family homes

Kommentare: I’ve used MacDraft Pro since the days when it came on a handful of 3.5” floppy disks.
It still works Intuitively. Things like duplicate with smart repeated placement and spacing along a line just WOWs PC world ers.

Vorteile:

My family bought 18 acres of wooded land. We use this sw to draw to scale the whole region and the plans for three houses for us and our two sons’ families.

Nachteile:

Cost. It’s buyable, but takes a lot of thought. Compared to the price of 18 acres and 3 houses, it’s cheap. Specially if it stops us from making even one mistake. I am giving my older son the PC version as a present so he doesn’t come borrow my Mac all the time.

Want to go back to 6.0

Vorteile:

It solved a lot of drawing issues that had surfaced for me in the last several iterations of 6

Nachteile:

White on black format. Palette function and organization. No Save-As function. Frame adjustment bars hard to use.

Henk 123

Kommentare: I use Macdraft for a combination of building layouts *architectural) and the design of building utitlities (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical etc.). It is a simple to use program.

Vorteile:

Simply to use after a period of training

Nachteile:

Missing the function : SAVE AS and the set up of a printer. In MacDraft Professional 6 it was more clear and better in relation with other computerprograms.

It's different but not that much better than version 6.2

Kommentare: I was a long time user of version 6.2 and came to use key strokes to navigate through the various tools and functions. I find there are less opportunities to use key strokes rather than mouse clicks, which slows me down.

Vorteile:

It seems more stable than previous versions. I was constantly saving my work in version 6.2 out of fear that the app would crash. The interface is better is some places than v 6.2 but not in all cases.

Nachteile:

I liked the ability to have my alignment panel, layer panel and advanced tool panel as floating panels in v 6.2. I don't see a way to do that, which forces me to click the desired panel at the right, which is cumbersome to me. I would like to be able to hit the enter key to return to the arrow tool. The letter keystones do not alway work as they should, which I find very annoying.

Been using MacDraft for years! New update is great.

Kommentare: I render right into the specification detail that I create and I find that to reflect realistic visuals for client evaluation.

Vorteile:

The update is consistent with features of previous versions. I use it to draft details specifications and than render into those details, occasionally bringing over pdf and jpg , sizing them to drop in!elements from other apps.

Nachteile:

I am not sure that I like the layout sizing as compared with older versions. Maybe I am just not use comfortable with it and that will change as I go forward with projects.

A well easy drawing draft

Kommentare: It's easier than previous versions, mixing patterns and colors, and the alignment lines give more speed to build a complex form.

Vorteile:

Easy to switch layers, Easy to make drawings comprehensive for every customers of mine Easy to change when a modification needs.

Nachteile:

It is sometimes difficult to twist dwg and mcdraft drawings together,

Great for a the occasional woodworder

Kommentare: I'm a woodworker but I also use it for drawing my house projects. I also coach Eagle candidates for the Boy Scouts and it come in handy for showing them dimensions etc.
I've using MacDraft since ....?1988? When did the first MacIntosh come out?

Vorteile:

The new features in the side panels make it easy to get to some of the features I use alot. One of the these is resize. I use it all the time and this makes it easy. The whole look and feel has been upgraded.

Nachteile:

I want to have more shortcut keys. command-d for duplicate for instance. I also don't like that you don't offset the dupe like you used to.

Been using MacDraft since version 1 and still super happy with it :)

Vorteile:

I like that it is simple and doesn't require know and full blown CAD program. But If you need to go full blown CAD you can!

Nachteile:

Is it does not let you know if you have a DWG or DXF it can not open only because you don't have enough memory available since they are too big or heavy?