Author: Roger Munford Date: To: Hampshire LUG Discussion List Subject: Re: [Hampshire] Basic drawing programme to design roof extension
john lewis wrote: > On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:12:22 +0100
> john lewis <johnlewis@???> wrote:
>
>
>> QCad looks simple enough to use judging by a very brief look at the
>> book preview. Many commercial Cad packages are complex and have a long
>> learning curve.
>>
>> The professional version only costs 22 euros so if the free version is
>> missing anything essential it won't break the bank to pay for it
>>
>
> One thing that is missing from the interface for the free version is
> the 'command line'.
>
> I used the command line all the time when using GenericCad and found it
> easier than try to use a mouse when drawing lines of specific length
> for example.
>
> You can also create 'blocks' which can be saved and positioned anywhere
> in a drawing, I used this facility when doing office layouts by
> creating blocks (entities) for each item of furniture or grouping of
> desks so could play around with layouts on paper very easily.
>
> QCad also has layers so you can create one layer for the brick walls,
> another for the timbers of the roof and yet others for electrical
> circuits, plumbing and so on and make the layers visible or not as
> required.
>
> Makes me almost wish I had a project to design!
>
>
Thanks for all your replies. Qcad did indeed fill the bill. I couldn't
actually work it out without reading practically the whole manual and
some online help. A major hurdle was the concept that the drawing is
infinitely scaleable on the computer and only becomes concrete when you
print it on paper. I was looking for a "set scale" function which didn't
exist.
I eventually stumbled on the method of drawing the longest line and
pressing "Zoom In" until it filled the screen. I could get on with the
drawing but dimensions didn't work. They were in fact there, just
extremely tiny and so the correct sizes had to be set.
Finally "Print Preview" didn't work. Again it was there but not on the
paper. Pressing "Auto Zoom" put it right on the paper and it printed nicely.
Well worth the few hours required to learn it.
John, you will be pleased to know that the command line is there and you
do use it a lot when entering exact measurements. If you need an
interesting project to get stuck into, think about putting solar PV
panels on you roof.
It looks like a good investment
