AutoCAD Lt vers AutoCAD

[muck]

I have been instructed to compare AutoCAD Lite vers AutoCAD to see if

we want to purchase AutoCAD. What are the advantages of AutoCAD over lite

that increases productivity for electrical work. 

 

It has been some time since I have used True AutoCAD so any suggestion.

to promote AutoCAD over LIte.

Thank you,

[Cad64]

Autocad LT does not allow you to run lisp routines. That right there is enough to steer you away from LT.

[muck]

Yes, I know that AutoCAD Lt does not run lisp. That is bad.

 

The problem is that I need to convince my supervisor that not having lisp is a bad thing. 

He is someone that does not use CAD. 

 

How do I explain that to a non CAD person?

 

Thank you,

[Cad64]

Just describe a repetitive scenario to your supervisor that consists of doing many different things using several different commands and show him how much time you save by having all of those commands combined into one lisp routine that does it all with a simple keyboard command or mouse click. Then multiply that time saving over an entire day, using many different lisp routines for different tasks.

 

Or maybe you could explain it by using a real world scenario, like making a phone call. In the old days, before cell phones, you had to walk over to the phone on your desk, pull out your phone book and manually dial the number on the keypad. With a cell phone, you just tap on the person in your contacts and the call is sent. That's kind of like a lisp routine. Combining several actions into one simple command.

[BIGAL]

Have a look at some of the others out there like Bricscad, Intellicad and Drafsight they all support lisp and are cheaper than LT.

 

I am sure others here can provide some gif's or mp4 to illustrate common daily tasks automated. Please let use know what industry your in.

 

This takes about 10 seconds really how fast you do the values, most are pre set.

 

1 dim takes about 4 seconds to do, let alone draw the frame to size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ReMark]

nanoCAD 8.5 supports lisp.  The Pro version (2D & 3D) cost is $290 USD.

 

nanoCAD - low cost CAD Software - free download and buy - for Industrial Engineering, DWG and 3D CAD/CAM Design

[SLW210]

AutoCAD Electrical is part of the AutoCAD Toolset, so it comes free with AutoCAD.

[Berzerker]

I'm no expert but doesn't AutoCad LT only do 2D?

[Dana W]

53 minutes ago, Berzerker said:

I'm no expert but doesn't AutoCad LT only do 2D?

That is correct.  What's more, it leaves out many very useful items, like Parametrics other than being able to turn them off.  LT only recently gained the ability to do OOVERKILL.

There are no specilized tools in LT from any of the "vertical" versions of AutoCad.

[Berzerker]

That's what I thought. So if that isn't enough for @muck's boss or whoever he's reporting to I don't know what else to say.

[steven-g]

16 hours ago, Berzerker said:

I'm no expert but doesn't AutoCad LT only do 2D?

That is a myth, open up any book from any version and look at the list of commands in AutoCAD LT the very first entry is and has always been 3DPOLY

What LT is missing are many of the 'tools' for working with 3D and LT cannot create 3D solids, meshes etc. but it can certainly open a drawing that contains them and it does have a whole load of tools for getting around and viewing 3D modelspace. We have 3D views, the 'hide' command to better visualize 3D models. Measurements are taken accurately from 3D points. In fact one question that comes up regularly in LT forums is how to get rid of 3D data and change it to 2D (unfortunately that is also a problem in LT with its limited set of tools and commands). But 3D space in LT is very real, and very useablein LT.

The list of commands that work only in a 3D model within LT are not always in the Ribbon or Menu, but they are there eg hide, shademode, 3D views, vpoint, even the UCS command.

And most commands will work within 3D space 'Align' prompts for 3 sets of points as source and destination and works perfectly fine for aligning 3D geometry.

Many types of geometry have to be coplaner "flat" eg ployline, but there are no restrictions on the orientation of that plane in 3D space and by altering the UCS and the viewing angle you can draw a 3D box using the polyline command.

 

Yes LT cannot create or edit 3D solids, but it is capable of so much more in a 3D modelspace, and LT is definately not ONLY 2D

[Dana W]

AutoCAD LT doesn't do 3D, in the sense that it is incapable of providing a professional level 3D modeling environment.  It is like trying to investigate the Titanic wreck with SCUBA gear. 

 

If your office runs on 3D, then LT is not your software.

[steven-g]

Many offices work with external sources of 3D data, but expect their own employees to just use LT because they only need to produce a final 2D output. Often that decision is down to some office manager who only looks at the intial costs between full Autocad and LT. And personally I have spent the last 15 years in 4 different drawing offices doing exactly that, yes one of these offices did give us full Autocad to work with but the only commands we used where the same ones found in LT. And at home I am more than happy creating content for my 3D printer just using LT

[Berzerker]

I only meant that from what I've read about it you can't draw in 3D.

If @muck's company doesn't use/draw in 3D then it wouldn't matter but what if in the future they decide to go with 3D? Then you would need to buy the full version and now you'll be paying twice.

[Cad64]

Quote

What are the advantages of AutoCAD over lite that increases productivity for electrical work.

 

If your office does electrical work, and you want to increase productivity, then you should be using full Autocad which includes the Electrical toolset, as SLW210 mentioned: https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad/included-toolsets/autocad-electrical

[Berzerker]

My first contact with AutoCad was R12 or 13. My boss used it for mechanical drawings. I think AutoCad is only limited to your imagination.

I've tried solidworks before......I'm still an AutoCad fan. Not that I'm saying solidworks is bad just AutoCad is my choice.

Buying LT (To me) would be like buying a Volkswagen beetle when you need a truck.

But you also have to look at $1700+ per year vs. $440 per year.

I'm not arguing for AutoCad over LT but the customer/user needs to look at exactly what it will be used for.

[Cad64]

27 minutes ago, Berzerker said:

the customer/user needs to look at exactly what it will be used for.

 

It sounds like Muck's company has been using LT for a while, but they are looking at possibly upgrading to full Autocad to increase productivity. With the ability to utilize lisp routines and the Electrical toolset, no doubt that will increase productivity, but of course that comes with an increased yearly cost for the software. One way to reduce the cost would be to purchase a network license which would allow them to run Autocad on multiple machines from one central location. I don't know what the cost would be for a network license though. I'm sure it depends on how many users would need access, so that's something that muck would need to look into by contacting Autodesk or his reseller.

 

Or, ditch Autocad and look at a program like Bricscad. That's what I would do.

[Berzerker]

Exactly Cad64.

It's nice to post with some of the people I consider as mentors again.  steven-g and all the others here.

Haven't forgot how you all helped me out.....again thanks

I've never tried Bricscad so I can't offer advise on it.

 

[steven-g]

Network licenses are going the way of the Dodo and perpetual licences (extinct). It is all changing to 'named user' licenses in the next couple of years.

I have used Bricsys which does have Lisp, but to the best of my knowledge it is not comarable to Autocad with it's electrical toolset. I have never worked on electrical so I have no idea the advantages Autocad electrical offers but I don't think Bricsys can offer that kind of system.

[rkmcswain]

AutoCAD LT = US$440/year

BricsCAD LT = US$350/year and that includes support for autolisp, dcl, etc. (and is available as a perpetual for one-time cost of US$560)