My Ubuntu CAD station

[Efrain Valles]

Yeah, I saw that. I just thought I'd mention another option. Plus, there are 2 types of DWG files... one is made by Autocad and the other is the native format of a Dos-based 2d CAD package called Personal Designer, which some people still use. Most DWG viewers won't open the PD DWGs because, despite having the same extension, they are totally different files.

again great things...

I am trying them ...

=Eff=

[naught101]

nice thread. looking good. Archimedes looks like it has lots of promise, but I installed it using the .jar file, and now I can't figure out how to run it! damn...

Blender's interface IS cool, but takes a bit to get into. one of the things that it needs before it can be used for architectural stuff is multiple dimension inputs, and angle snapping, similar to Archicad, or autocad.

there was a CAD project in the blender dev, at http://projects.blender.org/projects/blendercad/ but it seems to be dead.

[naught101]

oh, and sketchup does work in linux, to some extent. I have used the free windows version in dapper, and the modelling works. the only serious problem is that the 32bit cursors don't work, which makes it hard to use. there are other minor problems, but it's usable.

there's a winehq.org entry on it here http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?appId=1815 , if there's any coders interested.

[nitao]

The CAD area is one that I miss in Linux, specially on the Architectural side.

Software like Autocad and SketchUp that are of daily use on my WinXP install just don't have up-to-par alternatives on the Linux world. And I blame the same companies that make them. Autodesk latest releases could be considered as simple bloatware. If they would spend half the time they do in developing new annoying popups in a cross-platform application we could be using Autocad on Linux for years now. Instead they seem to drive further away from this at every release they make.
And I am not even going to mention the dreaded DWG closed-format market dominance...

Can't Mark Shuttleworth just buy these companies and OpenSource them?


Note: here is a Novell poll for software that you must use and would like to see on the Linux platform: Take Novell Linux Apps Survey

I just found out about this discussion so I am a bit late.
Anyway, I just wanted to mention that we agree with you in the fact that CAD for Linux are hard to find and when you do, they never think about the architectural side. This is why we started Archimedes which is an open source CAD software for architects being developed with architects.
It is still very young and therefore uncomplete. Unstable versions are released weekly and stable ones about each month so check it out and please send us your feedback.

Thanks,
Hugo

[Efrain Valles]

YEah Marky... just Buy Adobe and Buy the rights to Autocad...


Free at last free at last thank god almighty they will be Free software...

Ok... back to reality...

NEVER GONNA HAPPEN

[hizaguchi]

I’d like to more of the proper full-blown 3D CAD modelling systems move to Linux. I use Unigraphics, CATIA and Autodesk Inventor (plus a little ProE) and would love for these to move over to linux. Certainly UG, CATIA and ProE started life on Unix workstations and may even still be supported so the transition would not be so great. I believe that there is a version of ProE available for linux already. Obviously none of these products would be available for free.

Catia still runs on Unix, and I've heard it works on Linux too. Wish I could say the same for SolidWorks.

[Ijump2]

I'm curious, has anybody installed PTC ProE Wildfire 3 on Ubuntu and if so, how?

[francisco.colaco]

After trying in two very different computers with Ububtu to run Progesoft Intellicad Trials with WINE, I just hat to give up and keep a computer with Windows just for Machanical CAD work and printing with the Minolta M2300W laser.

Either with msvcrt.dll native or builtin, Progecad will not run. I am quite bothered to keep a computer running windows for absolutely no reason, but that is what I can do to run a decent CAD software. QCad, which I have tried, it is still quite basic for the work I do, and does not have 3D, though I think it has been improving quite well. For the rest of us, there is VariCAD, which I bought several years ago, but gave it up two years later for the Autocad compatibility was flaky (and that is what I needed to interact with others.)

[eMuNiX]

Maya, THE pro 3d broadcast quality app, has been available for Unix for years. It's been used for everything from architectural stills to TV ad animations. It doesn't get more full blown than that.

Maya is a 3D modelling and animation package it is not a 3D CAD modelling package. Maya is for visualisations, a 3D CAD modelling package such as Catia is for manufacturing. They are 2 quite different animals.

This evening I might have a look at http://www.webersys.com/ this is a 3D CAD/CAM package that runs under Linux, I wonder how good it is compared to full blown commercial 3D CAD packages such as SolidEdge, SolidWorks and Inventor. I doubt that it can hold a light to something like Unigraphics or CATIA though.

[hollowhead]

qcad works very well on dapper. I have used it to produce scaled drawings for simple planning applications (vertical drawings) and cycas for floorplans the local authority said they were good enough to submit.