DesignCAD Edition CAD Features

The program includes a 100 percent complete working version of DesignCAD 3D Max version 18.2. No other software is required to run the program.

With DesignCAD 3D Max, you can easily draw lines, circles, arcs and more.

Smart Menus

DesignCAD now offers smart menus like those found in Microsoft Office. Initially presented with a shortened list of available menu commands, to help reduce screen clutter, the menu can be expanded to show all items by clicking on the double arrows at the bottom of the menu. This option can be enabled or disabled depending on the user's preference.

AutoCAD® Compatibility

DesignCAD now has the ability to import and export AutoCAD® DWG files through release 2008 with improved compatibility with AutoCAD layouts and PaperSpace, plus expanded support for AutoCAD Layers and Blocks in both DXF and DWG file formats.

Images
With DesignCAD 3D Max, you can scan an image directly onto the design screen or you can import an image from popular file formats such as jpg, bmp, tif, pcx, png, and more. You can also make use of the DesignCAD Auto Trace Bitmap command to automatically trace an image file.

Layers
DesignCAD supports up to 1000 individual drawing layers. Layers are easy because of the padlock and lightbulb icons in the Layers dialog box for locked and hidden layers. A pencil icon indicates the current layer and you can click on these icons to change layer status. Plus, while in the Layers List, you can press the space bar to edit the layer's name.

You can also sort layers by their content, name, and status.

The Layer Toolbar
The dockable Layer toolbar lets you change layer options on the fly without having to go into Options (such as Multi-layer Editing and Same Layer as Currently Selected item). Its drop-down list lets you change layer properties quickly and its smaller format saves valuable screen space.

Hide / Restore Toolbars
Hide / Restore All Toolbars is a handy feature if you need a quick way to increase the drawing area temporarily. It toggles all currently active toolbars on or off.

Custom Line Types
Make you own custom line types and styles. You can incorporate any 2D or 3D shape into a line style, and control its size, angle, and placement along the line.

Dynamic Dimension Text Placement
You can control dimension text placement on the fly while you're using the dimension command. Just press Ctrl+F12, Shift + F12, or Ctrl+Shift+F12 to toggle Dimension text above or below the dimension. You can also change the numeric format of the dimension before it's placed in the drawing.

Vector Fonts
DesignCAD supports vector fonts and true type fonts. These fonts are exactly the same as the DesignCAD DOS fonts, so porting drawings back and forth between the latest and older versions of DesignCAD works great. The vector fonts are friendlier with pen plotters, and make AutoCAD® text conversion a snap.

You can now set 3 or 4 points to skew a font as in DesignCAD DOS.

Choose between Vector and True Type fonts in any text or dimension dialog box, and get an actual preview of the text style in the dropdown window.

Recent File List Control
You can control the number of recently opened files which appear in your File menu's recent files list from the Genreal Options tab.

Print by Layer Order
DesignCAD has always sent everything to the printer by layer order - Layer 1 first then layer 2 second, and so forth. This is still the default behavior but if you change the stacking order by using the Move to Front or the Move to Back command and want those changes to be reflected in the printed output, then you can check this option in the Print dialog box for true WYSIWYG printing.

Custom Hatch Patterns
You can save or load custom hatch patterns which are in any imported DWG file so they can be used in future DesignCAD drawings.

Hatch Patterns
DesignCAD 3D Max comes with more than 150 hatch patterns including such patterns as shaker shingles, brick designs, stippling patterns, weave patterns, wood grain, concrete, sand, flooring patterns and other assorted surfacing.

Hatch Pattern Position
The Hatch Pattern Position allows the user to change the seed location from which a hatch pattern is referenced, effectively panning the hatch pattern within its boundary. You now have the ability to add words on Hatch entities and on Double Line entities with hatch pattern fills.

Point Control
Point Polar and Point Relative include a check box which lets you set your next point, relative to any location in the drawing. This makes offsetting objects much easier. You can also control whether their text entry boxes are cleared after each use.

More Flexible Dimensions and Notes
Each of DesignCAD's 12 separate dimension tools remember their own arrowhead and size options so you no longer have to spend a lot of time in the Dimension Options dialog box changing options when placing notes or reminders on your drawings. Arrows, Pullouts, and Balloons also have their own arrow and size settings.

Text Editing
You can adjust the vertical scale of a piece of text in the info box if you uncheck the Keep Length/Width ratio check box.

Running Snap Settings
The Running Snap Settings allows the user to turn Running Snaps on or off, and toggle the usage of individual running snap modes. Optional snap modes are: GravitySnap, LineSnap, MidpointSnap, IntersectionSnap, TangentSnap.

Status Bar
The Status bar shows which snap mode and shading mode you're using.

Symbol Library Dialog Box
The Symbol Library dialog box contains check boxes for Select When Created, Load Symbol Reference Only, and Explode Symbol. It no longer chooses these options for you based on whether you drag and drop from the box to the drawing or double-click a symbol.

Improved Rubber Band Text
While you're placing text in any dimension command or in any text command, a rubber band representation of the text is displayed instead of just a green boundary box.

Info Box
You can click the push pen icon in the top right of the info box to keep the Info Box on the screen when items are not selected. Thre are also icons for reversing points on line and curve entities and a shortcut to the Texture Mapping dialog box.

Color Control
You can load and save your own custom color palettes; and you can lock the basic 64 color palette so it can't be changed.

Paper Space Improvements

Commonly used printing scales are now available from a droplist within the Print dialog box. Of course, you may still specify a custom print scale if so desired. These preset scales may also be selected in Paperspace viewframes.

Each view frame can have its own scale factor.

Smooth Line
The Smooth Line will remove more points from a curve while retaining the curve shape.