DesignCAD 3D MAX is the best tool for your
design needs. With numerous high-end
features, DesignCAD 3D MAX compares
favorably with CAD systems costing thousands
of dollars more. But unlike other high-end
systems, DesignCAD is easy to learn and
easy to use. DesignCAD 3D MAX gives you
everything for one low price. No other design
software comes close to matching DesignCAD
3D MAX’s performance/price ratio.
What's New in DesignCAD 3D MAX?
Features
- Integrated 2D/3D modes
- Solid modeling
- Internet ready
- Animation and presentation
- Smart editing
- Customization
- Easier to use
- Power Tools and Features
New Features of
DesignCAD 3D MAX
Aerial View
Use the new Aerial View dialog box to Pan the drawing or
for real-time zooming into a detailed area. The Aerial View window stays
active on the screen so at any time, no matter where you are zoomed into
in the main view, you can get to another part of the drawing
instantly.
The Layer Toolbar
The new dockable Layer
toolbar lets you change layer options on the fly without having to go into
Options (like Multi-layer Editing and Same Layer As Currently Selected
Item). Its drop-down list lets you change layer properties quickly, and
its smaller format allows for more screen space.
1000 Layers
DesignCAD now supports up to 1000 layers, instead of the old 256-layer
limit.
Isometric Drawing mode
You can now constrain the cursor to any
angle combination to make oblique or isometric drawings on the fly. Choose
from the program’s pre-defined angles or setup your own and save your
settings for later. You can easily jump into and out of this constraint
mode using an icon on the main toolbar.
New Working Plane Options
DesignCAD now remembers the last
several working planes you setup, so you can get back to a working area in
3D Space without having to reset up the working plane. This new command is
available in 2D mode, making rotating the drawing to a specific angle
between 2 points a snap. This means you can quickly draw perpendicular to
a line by using a temporary working plane, and then just turn off the
workplane when done in order to restore the drawing’s original angle. You
can even choose between working planes from the Status bar.
Custom Line Types
Make you own custom line types and styles.
You can incorporate any 2D or 3D shape into a line style, and control its
size, angle, and placement along the line.
Dynamic Dimension Text Placement
Now you can control dimension
text placement on the fly while you’re using the dimension command. Just
press Ctrl+F12, Shift + F12, or Ctrl+Shift+F12 to toggle Dimension text
above or below the dimension. You can also change the numeric format of
the dimension before it’s placed in the drawing.
Vector Fonts
DesignCAD now supports vector fonts and true type.
These new fonts are exactly the same as the DesignCAD DOS fonts, so
porting drawings back and forth between the latest and older versions of
DesignCAD works great. Our new vector fonts are friendlier with pen
plotters, and make AutoCAD text conversion a snap. You can now set 3 or 4
points to skew a font as in DesignCAD DOS.
Choose between Vector and True Type fonts in any text or dimension
dialog box, and get an actual preview of the text style in the dropdown
window.
Rotate a View around the Center
of the Screen or the Origin
There’s a new icon in the View Toolbar to
rotate the view around the center of the screen instead of the origin.
This means users will not "lose" objects in 3D space by swinging them out
of the view window. If you choose the tool, then press Ctrl and set a
point, that point is the center of the view when using the new tool. If
not, the drawing rotates around the drawing’s center.
Print the
Grid
In 2D mode, just check the
new Print Grid check box in the Print dialog box to include the display
grid when printing.
Recent File List Control
You can now go to the View Options and control the number of recently opened files
which appear in your File menu’s recent files list.
Print by Layer Order
DesignCAD has always sent everything to the printer by layer order -- Layer 1 first
then layer 2 second, and so forth. This is still the default behavior but
if you change the stacking order by using the Move to Front or the Move to
Back command and want those changes to be reflected in the printed output,
then you can check this option in the Print dialog box for true WYSIWYG
printing.
Custom Hatch Patterns
You can now save or load custom hatch patterns which are in any imported DWG file so
they can be used in future DesignCAD drawings.
Double Line Icon Added
There’s a new icon in the Double Line toolbar that will apply your changes to all
wide lines in the drawing. This makes the Double Line toolbar more
consistent with the Line Style Toolbar and saves you time when using
double lines.
Longer BasicCAD Variables
BasicCAD variables and nested loops have been increased in size from 8
to 15 characters.
Dimension Text Change
Dimension Text is placed as 2D text if you dimension in the XY
planes.
Four Point Move &
Copy
Resurrected from DesignCAD 2D version 6, you can again set four
points to distort a drawing when it comes in but now you can also skew
objects for a fast perspective result.
Parallelogram
A new plane command called Parallelogram helps make isometric drawing easier.
Parallelogram draws boxes where the tops and bottoms are always equal
distance.
70 New Hatch Patterns
DesignCAD 3D Max comes with 70 new hatch patterns including such patterns as shaker
shingles, new brick designs, stippling patterns, new weave patterns, wood
grain, concrete, sand, new flooring patterns and other assorted surfacing.
Feature
Improvements
Improved Layer Support
Layers are MUCH easier now because of the padlock and lightbulb icons in the Layers
dialog box for locked and hidden layers. A pencil icon indicates the
current layer and you can click on these icons to change layer status.
Plus, while in the Layers List, you can press the space bar to edit the
layer’s name.
You can also sort layers by their content, name, and
status.
The new dockable Layer toolbar lets you change layer
options on the fly without having to go into Options (such as Multi-layer
Editing and Same Layer as Currently Selected item).Its drop-down list lets
you change layer properties quickly and its smaller format saves valuable
screen space.
Slice by Plane
Slicing objects has never been easier. Just select an object and choose the X, Y, or Z plane
then the object is sliced for you. (You can still set points for a custom
slicing plane if it does not lie in the X,Y, or Z but you don’t have
to).
Improved Point Control
Point Polar and Point Relative now include a check box which lets you set your next point,
relative to any location in the drawing. This makes offsetting objects
much easier. You can also control whether their text entry boxes are
cleared after each use.
Quicker Double Lines
Editing and creating double lines is much faster than the previous version. There’s
also a new Refresh Double Entities icon on the vertical scroll bar for
refreshing double entities.
More Flexible Dimensions and
Notes
Each of DesignCAD’s 12 separate dimension tools now
remembers its own arrowhead and size options so you no longer have to
spend a lot of time in the Dimension Options dialog box changing options
when placing notes or reminders on your drawings. Arrows, Pullouts, and
Balloons also have their own arrow and size settings.
Better Text Editing
You can now adjust the vertical scale of a piece of text in the info box if you uncheck the
Keep Length/Width ratio check box.
Improved Status Bar
The Status bar now
shows which snap mode and shading mode you’re using.
Improved Symbol Library Dialog Box
The Symbol Library dialog box now contains check boxes for "Select When
Created", "Load Symbol Reference Only", and "Explode Symbol". It no longer
chooses these options for you based on whether you drag and drop from the
box to the drawing or double-click a symbol.
Improved Rubber Band Text
While you’re placing text in any dimension command or in any text command, a rubber
band representation of the text is displayed instead of just a green
boundary box.
Improved Info Box
You can now click the push pen icon in the top right of the info box to keep the Info Box on
the screen when items are not selected. Also new here are icons for
reversing points on line and curve entities and a shortcut to the Texture
Mapping dialog box.
Improved Color Control
You can now load and save your own custom color palettes; and you can lock the basic
64 color palette so it can’t be changed.
Paper Space Improvements
Each view frame can now have its own scale factor.
Improved Smooth Line
The new Smooth Line will remove more points from a curve while retaining the curve shape.
Better WMF Import and Export
Import supports a much wider variety of entities than previous versions. When
exporting you can control the size in inches of the WMF file in the new
target document (wherever you’re taking it).
Improved Workspace Configuration
Features
The DesignCAD Workspace configuration dialog box has
an improved interface. More buttons make the use of this dialog box more
intuitive.
System Requirements
- Microsoft Windows 9x, or NT (version 4.0 or later)
- 486DX processor
- 16 MB of RAM
- SuperVGA graphics card capable of 256 or more colors
- SuperVGA monitor capable of at least 800x600 resolution
Recommended System for 3D Modeling
- Pentium III 500 Mhz Processor
- 256 Megs RAM
- 500 MB Swap File
- OpenGL Compatible Video Card
