AutoCAD Coming to Mac, First Beta Screenshots

[smorris]

However, until Pro/E or Catia is available for Mac, "serious" engineering work will always have to be done on PC

Siemens' NX for Mac (formerly known as Unigraphics) was released one year ago next month. And their clientele is every bit as impressive and widespread as Catia's.

Even if AutoCAD ports the application(s), what would people run it on? iPad? iMac? Overpriced and outdated Mac Pro?

As I noted a page or so ago, I've been running Solid Edge on a 3 year old box stock iMac without any problems. AutoCAD should be flawless on any recent Mac. [edit] Almost four years ago. Photo was taken 10/2006.

Extreme low res video of above casting being manipulated. 27 MB file with no artifacts or lag whatsoever.

 

[alhedges]

This is a big deal

At least in my area, AutoCAD completely dominates the (residential and small business) construction business. If you're building a house, the plans will be in AC. If you're remodeling an office, redesigning the interior of a business, or building a small building, movie theater, etc., everyone uses AC.

Maybe if you are designing the Sydney Opera House or a large skyscraper something else is appropriate, but around here, it's all AC.

I don't think that the program coming to the mac will cause a lot of people to switch...but it will remove a significant obstacle for people who would like to switch for other reasons.

 

[Justinf79]

You ask "Where is Corel?"

Corel couldn't be any more irrelevant in today's markets. Maybe for your grandmother making greeting cards at home on an inkjet printer, but not much for anything else.

Corel Painter would like a word with you.

(Painter is on Mac)

 

[mixel]

Alright! I wonder how much else Autodesk are going to bring over…

3D Studio Max would be really great.

 

[anthny680]

Agreed. I'm an architect and avid mac user and I love the idea of AutoCAD on a Mac, but Revit and other BIM programs are the future. I would really like to see Revit on a Mac! I'm in the process of moving our software from AutoCAD to Revit and if there was a Mac version, we'd be switching from PC to Mac too.

I agree that the lack Revit is unfortunate. This is a step in the right direction if autodesk will be offering more than just the base AutoCAD. For instance the more specialized AutoCAD Architecture is a must to convince firms to shifts from PC to Mac. No firms that I know of use the base version of Autocad, and Revit is the future.

A light version of base autocad would be more useful to mark up drawings using ipad on site visits as others have mentioned.

 

[batmccoy]

Well from your signature, it seems your nothing more than an iFan. When people refer to Apple abandoning the Mac, they mean the proper machines, the Mac Pro and MacBook Pro, not the consumer crap that Steve Jobs dreams about.

1) if they still sell Macs, it's not abandonment
2) "consumer crap" brings Apple lots of money
3) you are a consumer
4) if you don't like Apple, move on
5) the existing Macs in the lineup get the job done

 

[mdriftmeyer]

At least in my area, AutoCAD completely dominates the (residential and small business) construction business. If you're building a house, the plans will be in AC. If you're remodeling an office, redesigning the interior of a business, or building a small building, movie theater, etc., everyone uses AC.

Maybe if you are designing the Sydney Opera House or a large skyscraper something else is appropriate, but around here, it's all AC.

I don't think that the program coming to the mac will cause a lot of people to switch...but it will remove a significant obstacle for people who would like to switch for other reasons.

It's a big deal in Mechanical Engineering as well, for the mind share that comes with AutoDesk tools, this should drive more to move over.

Alright! I wonder how much else Autodesk are going to bring over…

3D Studio Max would be really great.

I would think the core frameworks for AutoCAD will be leveraged for 3D Studio Max and then the rest will start to fall in for Autodesk.

 

[BuddyTronic]

Bring me CATIA

Agreed, Catia or Solidworks

I really dislike getting design documents that were done in Autocad Same for Coreldraw - ugh. Yet so many light industry jobs are produced in Autocad and Corel draw. And usually the guys who give me these files, for some reason, have no possibility to save their documents in anything better than what they give to me, and they also have no idea what an EPS file is etc etc. It's kinda funny how that old story goes. I love these same designers, but I just wish they'd get on some better software. DXF files from Autocad, blech. Wasssup with that eh?

 

[Stridder44]

It's funny that all these companies are coming to or back to Mac just as Apple are abandoning it.

Sensationalist much?

 

[jntdigital]

It would seem to make more sense to do Revit first. Revit drives hardware refreshes, and is what the A/E industry is being (forcibly) moved to.

We are still stuck with too much windows only software (SKM, Trace, EnergyPro, etc.) that AutoCAD without Revit would be hard to push Mac purchases. I won't complain though... It will keep me from opening a .dwg file in Illustrator when I am too busy to leave the office or have someone PDF it for me.

You may want to use this instead of illustrator to open DWG:
http://www.edrawingsviewer.com/MAC_Viewer.html

As for autoCAD on mac, cool. For those of us using BIM cad systems it is of little use though.

Im actually more excited about Rhino OSX and hoping for a port of Grasshopper soon.

 

[-SD-]

AutoCAD and Solidworks on the Mac is awesome news. Now bring some decent GPU options to the Mac Pro and we'll be good to go.

 

[calsci]

This is pretty cool.

 

[markosb]

I don't even use a Mac and I think this is awesome.

 

[tkingart]

This is great news! I for one would be a very happy camper if Autodesk brought over 3D Studio Max to OS X. I have spent a lot of money on that software, and keeping upgrades up over the years. I would "hope" that I wouldn't have to re-purchase it for OS X, but I would if I had to. That's how much I prefer being in OS X.

It's sad in the gaming industry, that I only see game designers and sound engineers using Mac's. Would be awesome to see the artists as well! I think there is a huge market for Mac's with game devs, most I know own Mac's at home anyway.

 

[cutthroughthebs]

Well from your signature, it seems your nothing more than an iFan. When people refer to Apple abandoning the Mac, they mean the proper machines, the Mac Pro and MacBook Pro, not the consumer crap that Steve Jobs dreams about.

I know tons of platinum recording artist including myself using pro apple machines... It has it's place just because you don't think so. FCS is getting a total revamp and the new mac pros are going to be on the bleeding edge with tons of options that weren't available in the past... You'll be eating your words as usual nostradamus.

 

[maghemi]

Awesome, This is fantastic news.

 

[WinAndMac43]

Hi nice too see, Apple Community are Help =)
So before i posted news i want only say this, More website posting this is a yours Exclusive not!!!
I just upload mine screen and other (Thanks to a friend)
So i just posted on ItaliaMac a demo video on Welcome Screen.
You found this Here and (just upload youtube damn)
The only real news u found Here
Thanks.

Also this beta is leaked on the web, maybe a hours or day u found but attention
for trojans.
Also i just try to enter on official beta testing if this works i posted how enter on official beta testing. Thanks and sorry for my bad english

 

[Becko]

3DS MAX for Mac, please

I just hope Autodesk someday releases 3DS MAX for Mac, that why I'll be quitting bootcamp for good.

 

[jouster]

As of just a little after 8:00PM Friday, this has 417 positives and 15 negatives, which is by far the most lopsided score I can recall in close to a decade of MR participation.

 

[tslewis]

You may want to use this instead of illustrator to open DWG:
http://www.edrawingsviewer.com/MAC_Viewer.html

As for autoCAD on mac, cool. For those of us using BIM cad systems it is of little use though.

Im actually more excited about Rhino OSX and hoping for a port of Grasshopper soon.

Agreed, RHINO is far more useful than Acad. This is the big news. Plus the rhino API will be multi platform so scripts/GH components written will be able to be run on rhino running windows or OS.

REVIT or CATIA would be bigger news. However, i was liuck to see confidential screen shots and WIP images of the sledgehammer version of AutocAD. It is a souped up version of AutoCAD that was supposed to include paramteric and generative design tools, as well as being able to manipulate NURBS geometry which so far AutoCAD cannot do, unlike rhino and catia.

Plus, Im really starting to hate AutoCAD what with their buying of every single CAD platform out there and being tied to their ecosystem for API development. Rhino is the way to go...........................

OH and for anyone who is expereinced aith Autodsesks anti privacy activation processss, i can tell you it suz big time and if they implement it on the MAC then it will be a disaster. Plus, are we going to be abel to run a purchased version of AutoCAD on OS/Windows on teh same work station or will we have to buy two versions? Hoping that it wont matter for Rhino

 

[LittleBrother]

For architecture, why does anyone need Autocad (or Revit for that matter) on the Mac? The original BIM application, ArchiCAD, has been around as long as the Mac, has a great dwg translator, and is years ahead of Revit.

http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/

And now with direct compatibility between ArchiCAD and Revit there's really no good reason that architects should be using Autodesk (or Microsoft) products.

Here, here. AutoCAD is great for surveyors and engineers, but it's just an electric drawing board for architects and the 3D is pretty useless and slow with no parametric functionality. I use ArchiCAD on the Mac so this announcement is interesting but really, good architects don't use solely 2D CAD anyway.

 

[archurban]

It's funny that all these companies are coming to or back to Mac just as Apple are abandoning it.

no, it's not. it's all about business. just take a look at growing number of mac sale today. it's continued to increase. plus, ipad sale is just unbelievably skyrocket. so those companies which sell business applications look more possibility to sell their product than before. situation is totally different from late 1990s or early 2000. it's actually made sense why many companies return to mac product to get attention.

 

[yoshinatsu]

At. Freaking. Last.
Now BRING US 3DS Max, Autodesk!!!

 

[primmstereo]

Here, here. AutoCAD is great for surveyors and engineers, but it's just an electric drawing board for architects and the 3D is pretty useless and slow with no parametric functionality. I use ArchiCAD on the Mac so this announcement is interesting but really, good architects don't use solely 2D CAD anyway.

True, but unfortunately the move form 2d CAD to BIM is proving difficult and slow for firms of all sizes...and the smaller guys are getting eaten up in the process...not to mention the fact that a lot of consultants aren't even considering BIM at this point, which is a real bummer!

I'm glad they're starting with Autocad because it is the lowest common denominator in the architecture profession, but I have high hopes for a multi-touch BIM package in the coming years and this seems like a good first step!

 

[oivindwaa]

AutoCad is a standard!

Seems to me a lot of students are answering here. I too thought Catia and Inventor was the future and AutoCad was a dinosaur. Later when I started working as a naval architect and marine engineer I realized that all my fancy 3D models sooner or later was converted into 2D drawings for approval or manufacturing. Those drawings where always made in AutoCad. The drawings in Catia and Inventor are more than good enough for parts modeling but try to put a vessel into that and see who your drawings look...
Vessels are typically designed in NAPA or Tribon, where NAPA is the best for the calculations and Tribon for steel and pipes modeling.
But then you have to make everything else like fire and safety plan, field of vision etc and 3D modeling tools cant do it fast enough.
Using AutoCad with layers is great!. I just exported the bulkheads and hull shape from NAPA to a layer and everybody good update their drawings from that layer. Very fast and made sure we all worked on the same revision.
AutoCad will not day for many years. Its just too good.
I too hope to see Revit for mac. Its been a number one question on Autodesk forums for the last couple of years. Will just have to cross our fingers