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what software do you use to design and modify the design for your cabs?
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ras2a:
Cheers SirPoonga.  This also looks ok...well it's freemans anyway:

http://www.cadvance.com/65form.htm

Say's it retailed for around $2000 back in 95'

some more:

http://www.graebert.com/FelixCADlt_promo.html
http://www.justcad.com/downloads.html

Craig
photorock:

--- Quote ---"You would think that, but it took me so long to figure out how to draw a circle and fill it in with a color on photoshop, that I finally gave up."
--- End quote ---
        You're right about Photoshop, it is hard to get the hang off. But in it's defence Photoshop is a raster based, resolution dependent program for image manipulation and not really meant to provide vector based functions, although you can do some basic stuff in it. Photoshop is usually used to create an image which is then placed in Illustrator and text and other vector graphics are created in it. Adobe products have an anoying feature where toolbars are located inside toolbars and can be confusing. Although I guess there are ways around this by using keyboard shorcuts, etc.

           Anyway back to the question at hand, you could use CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator, both have fully functing tryouts available and they are fairly easy to use.


--- Quote ---This is fundemental functionality that can be performed by anyone with any knowledge of windows based apps (if you're using that OS)...i.e. there are readily available toolbars for the creation of lines, boxes, spheres, text etc...all clearly labelled with nice little icons! as in 'any' other app.  Not really that difficult...which version are 'you' reffering to?
--- End quote ---
         Your right the toolbars are there (I'm using 2002) with nice little icons and so on, but it is confusing. Say for instance you wanted to draw 3 rectangles freehand, you have to click on the rectange icon, click and drag and click again to stop it and then click the icon for box number 2 and repeat the proces. That's nine mouse clicks to make 3 boxes.AutoCad is just full of that type of confusing features. It's a waste of time and becomes anoying after a while.  I've used software like that before, after a while it is a pain. Don't get me wrong, AutoCad is an amazing piece of software (best in the business), but a little more effort on user useability would make this an even more awsume program.
depressd:
Sketchup is another great program. It's a lot easier than your typical cad program. There are tons of video tutorials on there website.
ras2a:

--- Quote from: photorock on July 30, 2004, 11:48:17 pm ---[quote you have to click on the rectange icon, click and drag and click again to stop it and then click the icon for box number 2 and repeat the proces. That's nine mouse clicks to make 3 boxes.AutoCad is just full of that type of confusing features.
--- End quote ---

There are plenty helpful right-click context menus!.  Once taking the time to click an icon for the creation of a 'rectangle' and then having clicked 'once' to initiate the box creation tool and then again to stop it you simply right-click and say 'repeat', this then instigates the previous command.  Simple really?...obviously a beginner wouldn't know this though.

Also, IMO using a whole '9' clicks to get 3 boxes isn't particularly convoluted...or time consuming.  Other programs require this sort of interaction for basic tasks - Try making 3 selections in Paint Shop Pro, you still have to 'deselect' your selections which to my mind is 3 operations: 1, select icon 2, click and drag to create selection 3, deselect.  Of course you could employ the shift key for multiple/disparate selections but then again a beginner wouldnt know this. Im not saying AutoCAD is the most easy to use piece of software around.  But for 'basic' use (which is what we are getting at), I don't thinks it's as difficult as you're making it sound.

You're not that keen on AutoCAD (from a beginner's perspective at least) - no probs....I'd chuck it in the bin too if only I had a copy of SolidWorks.  I just don't fancy forking out 5 grand for the office professional edition!  Anyways, back on topic (apologies).

For plans, I'd use

- Free CAD software (first choice...its cheaper  ;D ) and probably simpler to use
- AutoCAD 2000, 2002 or 2004
- Adobe Illustrator (superb vector based program...does anyone know if raster material can be imported into illustrator ?)  Gotta spend more time with this

For artwork etc:

- Jasc Paint Shop Pro (cheap with good feature set)

Craig

Craig
ras2a:
Hey depressd

I've just been having a gander at Sketchup.  It looks great, do you actually use it? if so how easy/intuitive is it to use?

Cheers

Craig
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