progeCAD 2009 Smart for Windows

User Reviews

• If you're looking for an AutoCAD clone this is it!

  zjac61April 10, 2012

  Pros

  My reviews are for 2D only, I have not used enough 3D in this program to list many pros and cons regarding 3D. This is a robust, full featured 2D AutoCAD clone with 3D wire-frame capabilities.

  Cons

  The cons are insignificant when compared to the usefulness and features of this program. Please do not let my cons discourage anyone from using this program. It does not have a function to make slide libraries like AutoCAD does with the slidelib command. You can make slides - progeCAD calls them snapshots - as .sld, .wmf, or .emf. To make an image tile menu you need to use LISP and DCL. You cannot make your own toolbar icons as with AutoCAD. 3D is wireframe and not true solid modelling.

  Summary

  progeCAD installed flawlessly on XP and I've used it for 2D drawing but have not used it for 3D. For 2D work it is like an AutoCAD 2005 or 2006 clone. If you can use AutoCAD you will have little if any of a learning curve. Conversely, you can use progeCAD to get quite far in learning AutoCAD. I went from AutoCAD rel 14 to progeCAD 2009 with no problem. Contrary to what other reviewers have said, progeCAD does in fact have osnap settings just like in AutoCAD. Either Shift + rightclick your mouse in the drawing window or Format -&gt; Entity Snap from the toolbar menu to access the osnaps. It also supports command aliases (Tools -&gt; Customize -&gt; Menu -&gt; Menus from the toolbar menu). The menus and toolbars are also customizable but you can't make your own toolbar icons. You can create additional (custom) toolbars and run scripts from them, but you need to pick existing toolbar icons to use in your new toolbars. Not all menus and toolbars are are available to beginner and intermediate users. To change the experience level of the user (and what menus and toolbars that are available to them) go to Tools -&gt; Options -&gt; General tab -&gt; then in the Experience subwindow you can change the experience level to advanced if you like. This might have been the reason some users said they had to type in the snap commands each pick. The progeCAD manuals are excellent. Users new to AutoCAD (or CAD) should read "Inside progeCAD 2009 A Tutorial for New Users" by R. H. Grabowski. Another useful reference manual is the progeCAD Manual (Manual_progeCAD.pdf from the progeCAD website), The manual written for the newest version of progeCAD but is still useful for progeCAD 2009. "Tailoring progeCAD: Customizing and programming progeCAD" by R. H. Grabowski explains things like: making keyboard shortcuts and command aliases; modifying toolbars and writing macros; customizing menus; creating linetypes and hatch patterns; creating shapes and fonts; using scripts, LSP, DCL, and Diesel. Just by looking ant the topics in the reference manuals you can see the power and flexibility of progeCAD. The drawing environment (look and feel) of progeCAd is just like AutoCAD. The dropdown menus are practically the same as AutoCAD, and progeCAD provides toolbars and functions that were new to me (migrating from rel 14). Drawings can be made in orthographic or isometric modes. You can create your own text and dimension styles. You can create and save blocks with attributes in the drawing or as separate .dwg files. Colors and linetypes can be ByBlock or ByLayer. Xrefs can be used. Layers can be created and managed (On/Off, Freeze/Thaw, Viewport Freeze/Thaw, Lock/Unlock, assigned colors and names). If you create the layer DEFPOINTS it won't plot (same as AutoCAD). Objects can be grouped. Construction lines can be used. Wipeoputs can be used to hide objects that are behind text so as to make the text readable. There's a revision cloud tool (in the Draw pulldown menu). You can create custom dimension styles. Most of the dimvars are the same in progeCAD. Drawing files can be saved in a variety of .dwg or .dxf formats ranging from AutoCAD release 2.5 through 2007. A drawing can also be exported as PDF file (File -&gt; Plot -&gt; Device tab, then from the printer submenu select progeSOFT PDF Wizard). Plotting does cause a small watermark text line to appear on the top and bottom of the sheet something like "progeCAD 2009 Smart - for personal use only". For me they appear outside the border. Drawings can be exported as .dwg, .dxf, .bmp, .wmf, .emf, and .svg.<br /><br /><span class='notifyMsg'> Updated </span>on Apr 13, 2012<p/>My mistake - image tile menus are made automatically by progeCAD as you create blocks in a drawing. Use progecad Explorer to see the blocks in your drawing, and blocks saved as files. There is no need to manually make image tile menus.

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• Good Product

  afiladitoJanuary 21, 2012

  Pros

  Good Product

  Cons

  Good Product

  Summary

  Good Product

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• more easy to install by on line i very thanks.

  elangsanthoshAugust 24, 2011

  Pros

  compare to autocad this programme effectivily good.other software need to pay.but this free installment can use for personal utilisation. it may help for those who are study can do more better .

  Cons

  Cons: A lot of the keyboard shortcuts are different from AutoCAD.

  Summary

  despite some of the cons. It takes a little getting use from AutoCAD like having to type in INT to select every intersection, or MID for Midpoint, or TAN for Tangent and so and so forth. It's just the little things that can make it really annoying sometimes. But until a better CAD program comes along I will be using ProgeCAD seeing as to purchase AutoCAD is expensive.installing is more better to usage.so this one most of them appricite and enjoing good in futhure also.

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• Does all I needed the Big One to do, at the right price

  geoffAtkinsMay 30, 2011

  Pros

  Compact, very fast and efficient. Uses the "other " industry standard, so the user isn't alone.

  Cons

  I'm still looking for them. ProgeCAD is excellent

  Summary

  I needed a CAD program for a non-profit organisation. This has the Lisp support that I needed, without the incredible cost and bulk of the Big One.

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• Awesome software!

  Rodeo826February 3, 2011

  Pros

  Works like AutoCad, very easy to use.

  Cons

  Have not found any yet.

  Summary

  I had used AutoCad for many years, but now that I'm retired I wanted to design a barn for my property and did'nt want to buy high $ software. I can't believe it was free.

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• not compatible with Windows 7

  furryface47November 7, 2010

  Pros

  I couldn't tell, I couldn't install it.

  Cons

  It won't allow you to install it if you have Windows 7. It only supports XP and Vista (yuck)

  Summary

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• I loved it!

  wild-dawgMay 13, 2010

  Pros

  I thought this was a wonderful program. It was simple to learn and did everything that I needed it to do. I also loved the free libraries that I downloaded from the creator's site for this program.

  Cons

  Because it's free it is limited in what it allows you to do in 3D.

  Summary

  Keep in mind that I downloaded this to learn my way around an autocad type program before taking my college course on AutoCad. I have completed my Autocad course now with an A. I had less difficulty in the class than my classmates and I truly believe that is because of the experience I got from using this program.

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• Basic functions are hard to find.

  BillEdwFebruary 9, 2010

  Pros

  was easy to install?????

  Cons

  missing too many features to be of use for even simple floor-plans or designing a simple lawn/garden shed. Does it even have a relative coordinate system?

  Summary

  Sure do wish AutoDesk still made the 2D AutoSketch... They would be better modeling this program from it.

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• Overall Great!! Program but.....

  BKennellyDecember 10, 2009

  Pros

  Aside from the fact that it is free, it's relatively simple to use. ProgeCAD for the most is just like Autodesk's AutoCAD with a few changes.

  Cons

  A lot of the keyboard shortcuts are different from AutoCAD. The OSNAP features do not work the same way in ProgeCAD as they did AutoCAD you have to type in whether you want an Intersection, Midpoint, Tangent, Parallel, Perpendicular etc.

  Summary

  I don't care for all the differences from AutoCAD, but then again I did learn AutoCAD first, but I guess overall it is rather good for a free program, despite some of the cons. It takes a little getting use from AutoCAD like having to type in INT to select every intersection, or MID for Midpoint, or TAN for Tangent and so and so forth. It's just the little things that can make it really annoying sometimes. But until a better CAD program comes along I will be using ProgeCAD seeing as to purchase AutoCAD it is at least $4,000. So I hope this helped enjoy everyone.

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• Very good value.

  Old_MegawattsOctober 6, 2009

  Pros

  I have been using progeCAD Pro 2008 for nearly two years but needed something for my laptop. This is the best vlaue around. Operates just like AutoCAD. I had been an ACAD user since 1985 but could no longer afford the program.

  Cons

  It has a few little quirks, but nothing too serious.

  Summary

  If one doesn't need 3D, this program will do most anything needed. It is a painless transfer for ACAD users that can no longer afford AutoCAD. Although the program is from Italy (I think) iCAD seems to be knowledgeable about the program and are located stateside. I have worked with them a couple of times and they are very accomidating. I have many drawings that were done in ACAD from as far back as in the 80's and I have never had any problems loading them into progeCAD. Customizing the tool bars is very easy. ACAD used to do it this way but in the later versions of LT they changed and I never cared for the changes. I usually construct my own tool bar (I call it a toolbox) as I usually have twenty or more tools in it that I use all of the time. The toolbox can then be moved over the drawing so it is always handy to pick a tool from. To sum up, this is a very good program, especially for the price. As with any new program, there is a learning curve that must be overcome, however the more it is used, the faster and better the user bacomes.

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