Thomas wrote:Agree with you Thomas. I make same workflow as you, and make no sense have a second cad software for 2d. But i´m starting to rethink my workflow and tools. Why? well, i have to say that i´m not full satisfied with archicad, i mean, i can´t do all i want and having that impression using a software is something i don´t like it. I am architecture student still, and you know, we students tends to make thinks a bit....jespizua wrote:For me, yes, because I use Archicad which works fine in 2D but I do most of my work in 3D to generate 2D drawings efficiently and wouldn't dream of going back to working in 2D only. I'm drawing at least 3-4 times faster now than when I used 2D only, if you count that as final drawings per work hour in total.
Ummm nice, but i would say that is way overpriced, isn´t it?.
But if 2D drafting is all you ever do, and all you'll ever want to do, and it's your living (can't be many such people left?), I think I would recommend Powercadd. When I used it some 15 years ago (or more) it was already then a reliable and polished workhorse. And I hear it's just got better since. You know, all the 2D Autocad commands that people ask for in this forum, they're already there, but better. A huge step from MacDraft (pro or whatever), which is reflected in the price difference. I'm sure you get what you pay for. It's priced like Vectorworks but much better at what it does.
, and archicad is not really what i want, at least not release 11. Having saying that, i´m have been looking for other software, not BIM, and after testing lots of them, seems like rhino and formZ are the more flexible and powerful tools for architecture´s use. What do you think?.
If you're into free-form modeling, I'm sure Rhino would suit your needs. I've never used it. Same with FormZ but I don't think it's as flexible as Rhino, which is already being heavily used in the manufacturing industry despite being fairly new.
Archicad is for modeling
You see, I haven't seen anything as powerful and flexible as Archicad's create model>viewpoint>view>layout book>publish workflow model anywhere. Since you can save and pre-define every step in this workflow chain, it's so fast to create drawings I really have a hard time figuring out how to make it better (other than small details in the process, of course). The only work left is to design the building!
This is the whole point. If it were only modeling, there are a lot of programs that compete well with Archicad, I guess, but in this area it excels alone in my view. And I think Graphisoft could do a much better job of telling the world about it.
I'm also pretty sure Graphisoft is planning ahead to handle the documentation process that will eventually and inevitably replace 2D paper drawings in the building industry. Their work with IFC and even PDFs is market-leading. I've seen no DWG viewer for the iPhone yet, but there is one for PDF
(There will come a time when every building worker has an iPhone-like device in her pocket, to see what she's supposed to do in 3D, instead of the current blueprint roll).
I do hope Nemetschek has got a clue, otherwise we're in trouble. I don't have any idea of their plans, though, nobody wants to tell me despite that I'm asking at every opportunity. The only thing that keeps me in fairly good spirit is that the Graphisoft people still
Archicad is for modeling
You see, I haven't seen anything as powerful and flexible as Archicad's create model>viewpoint>view>layout book>publish workflow model anywhere. Since you can save and pre-define every step in this workflow chain, it's so fast to create drawings I really have a hard time figuring out how to make it better (other than small details in the process, of course). The only work left is to design the building!
This is the whole point. If it were only modeling, there are a lot of programs that compete well with Archicad, I guess, but in this area it excels alone in my view. And I think Graphisoft could do a much better job of telling the world about it.
I'm also pretty sure Graphisoft is planning ahead to handle the documentation process that will eventually and inevitably replace 2D paper drawings in the building industry. Their work with IFC and even PDFs is market-leading. I've seen no DWG viewer for the iPhone yet, but there is one for PDF
(There will come a time when every building worker has an iPhone-like device in her pocket, to see what she's supposed to do in 3D, instead of the current blueprint roll).I do hope Nemetschek has got a clue, otherwise we're in trouble. I don't have any idea of their plans, though, nobody wants to tell me despite that I'm asking at every opportunity. The only thing that keeps me in fairly good spirit is that the Graphisoft people still
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