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Thread: My Ubuntu CAD station

  1. #1
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    Ubuntu Hoary 5.04

    My Ubuntu CAD station

    AS long time autocad user, I am evaluating CAD 3D apps on Linux for Architectural visualizations: Contrary to what one might think, it is possible to find killer apps for LInux. For hth e longuest time autocad was king app for Win32. I know this has been discussed before. But now after some search I found a few LINUX Cad 3d apps that run on native UNix (no wine required). Here are a few links I found that are quite good.

    CYCAS and Aryam
    CyCAS is classified as commercial software but makes a public version aviable for Deb. I installed this on my Hoary 5.04 easily and it runs as expected. Frequent Autocad users be prepeared to spend a brief time to familiariaze yourself with the welcome simplicity of its interface. It draws in 2d AND 3d with built-in archtecturals like openings for doors, windows and curtain walls complete with sizable mullions.
    Its approach is a blessing after successive versions of feature bloated autodesk software. It exports to the renderer POVray and the reasonably priced 68euro BASIC version will exprot in DXF format. Nitpicks is that it does not yet output to RADIANCE (the phenomenal physics based radiosity-raytracer). The closest thing is this source code POV-RAD translator I found. If any programmer can make a decent LINUX front end to the RADIANCE or POVRAY app it would be much appreciated. (These OSS linux renderers can put apps costing thousands to shame).

    Other 3d modelers are SCED and Ayam. Both of these are new to me but have been around a while. SCED is a constraint baed modeler that can export in RENDERMAN, POV and RADIANCE. If anyone have actualy used these or others post them here.

    I am especially interested in hearing about real world applications in modeling and simulation FEA, lighting design etc...
    Last edited by dalani; March 9th, 2006 at 04:51 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn

    Re: My Ubuntu CAD station

    I haven't tried most of this apps but there is a list at Gnome Files Graphic/Design section and you might also look at Blender it exports to DXF and many other formats as well. It also Exports to
    RADIANCE
    People who say free as in freedom, have obviously never been shot at trying to help people get it. And more importantly have forgotten the undertakings of their fathers and grandfathers.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Kubuntu 6.10 Edgy

    Re: My Ubuntu CAD station

    Solid Edge is also available for Linux (according to Google).

  4. #4
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    Edgy Eft Testing

    Re: My Ubuntu CAD station

    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.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Xubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn

    Re: My Ubuntu CAD station

    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

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu Hoary 5.04

    Re: My Ubuntu CAD station

    For good work flow and immediacy for Architectural projects I think CyCAS comes closest to Sketch-up ease of use and consise tools. Ive tried sketch-up but I like CYCAS on linux (very stable). CYCAS uses another approach to 3d drawing than simple extrude and booleans. Walls are drawn and completed with openings in seconds.

    As for autodesk, I think if they would just had stopped at A2004 it would have been fine-but there's word now about encrypted file headers in the latest dwg version and a subscription model for new releases. Open standards are a must when interchanging files. At work, all dwg files are saved in A2000 to insure our engineers can open the files( some are still using A14). When will autodesk learn that proprietory file formats are hindrance to business.

    Blender's interface is overwhelming and counter-intuitive - it seems more suited for wasting time on a steep learning curve. I would not recommend that one for general 3d design work. A word of advice to Linux cad-3d developers out there: make your keyboard shortcuts remappable so autocad users like myself can make the transition. (all pros use the keyboard to activate functions-cross screen mouse clicks are too slow).

    I’d like to more of the proper full-blown 3D CAD modelling systems move to Linux.
    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.

    RADIANCE can max out any cpu. Anyone use Rendercity.com render farm (all 64bit linux clusters) for speed?? For that matter can anyone tell where one can find cut-paste IES photometric data that can inserted into a scene without requiring a phd in computer science???
    Last edited by dalani; March 10th, 2006 at 03:52 AM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: My Ubuntu CAD station

    I'll give a try for Qcad and CYCAS.
    Are these stable on Dapper?

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Re: My Ubuntu CAD station

    Quote Originally Posted by dudus
    I'll give a try for Qcad and CYCAS.
    Are these stable on Dapper?
    I used CYCAS and Qcad both on Hoary so I can't tell you how these fare on Dapper. But im sure they must work fine because they run on Gtk libs.

  9. #9
    curuxz is offline Gee! These Aren't Roasted!
    Join Date
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    Re: My Ubuntu CAD station

    Out of intrest are you guys Archs then? Im studing Arch tech (much more on the CAD side than standard Arch). I have been looking for ages for a good arch-cad program but cant get anything working, im highly tempted to just say sod it and sit down and learn blender.

  10. #10
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