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"Easy" Drawing Tool?

Steve Elchert

I get this question about once a month:  Is there an "easy" tool to do simple sketching short of MicroStation?

I get some clients doing SketchUp, AutoSketch, SmartSketch, TurboCAD, AutoCAD LT, etc.  They say they want a simple tool to do some preliminary sketches, not fully developed designs.

On the other hand, I am trying to drive compatibility and consistency with our design staff who use MicroStation.

Is there something in Bentley's product line that will help serve these engineering professionals who are looking for a low-cost basic tool?

Thank you.

Parents

  • Any help out there with the above problem?

    I support a MicroStation shop, but I have an engineer who is making his case that it is better/cheaper/easier for him to use a web sketching tool, save it in a DXF format, and then let the design staff worry about importing it into MicroStation, and everybody else worry about what to view it with.

    If I can't come back with something soon, I'm afraid I am not going to be able to hold back the floodgates.

    I would appreciate suggestions from others in a similar boat.

  • Offline in reply to Steve Elchert

    Steve

    I'm afraid it would seem Bentley Systems don't really do 'basic' tools.

    Solutions for 'complex engineering tasks' seems to be the order of the day.

    I can only suggest for now that you could create a custom configuration of Microstation, or maybe Powerdraft, striping out most of it but for a 'basic' set of drafting tools and some 3D push-pull/draw on solid tools.

    Though obviously this still means have the required number of Microstation licenses.

    I sympathise with your predicament. Some kind of dgn based 'quick sketch' app would be good

    I guess you could get them to use SketchUp and then work on streamlining the referencing in of .skp files.

    Would seem a reasonable halfway solution for now (though I'm not too keen on SketchUp for 2D)

    Regards

    Danny Cooley

    Freelance AEC CAD/BIM Technician Architecture, MEP & Structural  ..... (& ex Low Carbon Consultant, ..... because they weren't that bothered!)

    OBD Update 10, Windows 10 Pro, HP Z4-G4, 64Gb, Xeon 3.6GHz, Quadro M4000

Reply
  • Offline in reply to Steve Elchert

    Steve

    I'm afraid it would seem Bentley Systems don't really do 'basic' tools.

    Solutions for 'complex engineering tasks' seems to be the order of the day.

    I can only suggest for now that you could create a custom configuration of Microstation, or maybe Powerdraft, striping out most of it but for a 'basic' set of drafting tools and some 3D push-pull/draw on solid tools.

    Though obviously this still means have the required number of Microstation licenses.

    I sympathise with your predicament. Some kind of dgn based 'quick sketch' app would be good

    I guess you could get them to use SketchUp and then work on streamlining the referencing in of .skp files.

    Would seem a reasonable halfway solution for now (though I'm not too keen on SketchUp for 2D)

    Regards

    Danny Cooley

    Freelance AEC CAD/BIM Technician Architecture, MEP & Structural  ..... (& ex Low Carbon Consultant, ..... because they weren't that bothered!)

    OBD Update 10, Windows 10 Pro, HP Z4-G4, 64Gb, Xeon 3.6GHz, Quadro M4000

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