What does AutoCad LT not have?

Michael,

AccuRender for LT is a port of the AccuRender you would normally buy for
full AutoCAD (we do the "for LT" part, McNeel continue to do the
"AccuRender" part.

AccuRender does have the ability to render shadows based on time / date /
location.

Smart Architect LT Pro also does shadows, but in that case the shadows are
shown as line diagrams rather than rendered images. Again you have the
ability to set your location and the date / time.

Hugh Fox
Sales Manager
www.drcauto.com

 

Michael,

There were two things which disappointed with IntelliCAD when we took a
serious look at it (quite some time ago) - the lack of support for ObjectARX
(the most powerful AutoCAD API), and somtimes disappointing results when
loading / running LISP. It is because of the lack of support for ObjectARX
that when we needed to find a cheaper CAD engine than full AutoCAD, we used
AutoCAD LT.

Most of the serious apps for AutoCAD (LT) use the ObjectARX API. Very few
big apps were written in ADS (the equivalent of IntelliCAD's SDS), and that
API was superceeded by the much better ObjectARX.

Examples of apps written using the ObjectARX API include AccuRender,
ObjectDCL, AutoTurn, and the complete drcauto range. None of these apps will
work on IntelliCAD.

Hugh

 

Tim,

drcauto has been connecting to LT since AutoCAD LT 97. Since that time
Autodesk has been saying that they will be able to stop us from using it as
our CAD engine, and they have (probably) spent a lot of time and effort to
do that. To date they have not succeeded, although they have done a lot to
make it harder.

Autodesk is not happy that people are able to use AutoCAD LT rather than
full AutoCAD as a CAD engine supporting a vertical application. In their
opinion, each such AutoCAD LT sale is a lost full AutoCAD or Autodesk
Vertical sale, and therefore lost profitability. Autodesk uses technical
measures to attempt to stop this use of LT, but they also use other methods
such as litigation, and they have recently started sending out letters to
customers advising that they do not support the use of LT together with
third party applications.

Autodesk has never contacted drcauto with respect to any legal issues to do
with our creation of software interoperable with AutoCAD LT, and we do not
expect them to, as both the development of our applications, and their use
does not contravene copyright laws. drcauto provides very good support for
our applications, and there is always peer support through groups such as
this or our own on news://news.drcauto.com. Autodesk does not allow drcauto
to post to their newsgroups even to provide peer support.

As with most software developers, if we produce a new or upgraded version of
our software we like to get paid. Customers only need to upgrade our
software if they upgrade their AutoCAD LT (and therefore pay Autodesk an
upgrade fee).

The bottom line is that there is a place for IntelliCAD, a place for AutoCAD
LT, and a place for full AutoCAD. We make the size of the AutoCAD LT place a
bit bigger.

Hugh Fox
Sales Manager
www.drcauto.com

 

Thanks for the response, Hugh.
Have you guys developed an LISP developer's interface like the VLIDE,
or has anyone else?

 

Hugh,

When the concept of LT first appeared, it was supposed to support lisp and,
as developers, we got quite excited about it. Then autodesk decided to
block the lisp capabilities. I believe this was due to their planned
introduction of the oem engine. I remember talking with other developers
about it and saying how autodesk will regret it because someone it going to
open LT up. Obviously I was right, and I applaud (more like a standing
ovation) what you have done. But, the thing I was conveying to Michael is
autodesk is trying to stop LT enablers. I don't know enough of about the
legalities or what other plans autodesk may have, to know if they will
inevitably be successful. If they are successful then the enabler will not
be to much good. As for upgrading, you will have the cost of LT, the
enabler and possible third party software. I would not recommend using
Intellicad if you do, or plan on using a 3rd party applications that are
written only for autocad (there is an increasing number being written to
work with both). But if you do your own customizing and/or find a 3rd
party app that fits your requirements, Intellicad gives an incredible
bang-for-the-buck alternative to autocad. It provides lisp - and with the
pro version, vba is included (which means the ability for dll use).

You are absolutely correct about there being a place for Intellicad and
Autocad. As for LT, I cannot fathom how anyone would consider it over
Intellicad without the use of an enabler.

TimB

 

You should know Tim that there a lot of firms out there with multiple
licenses of full Acad who barely scratch the surface of that investment.
Often they NEVER do 3d work, have virtually no LISP enhancements, and don't
know, or want to know, what paperspace is. For them LT would be a lot
smarter business choice, at least for some of their seats, but they often
are not smart enough to realize that either. As for the Acad Icad debate,
it's a complex decision many times made flippantly, without depth of
understanding. It boggles the mind.

 

Hi Michael, yeah I have run across a number of people using LT. A friend of
mine was telling me how they purchased LT because it was so much cheaper
than Acad and they could get more seats. After being told how long they
take to do a project and what they do, I told 'em how they could have
automated the majority of what they are doing and with the production time
saved, could have paid for the extra cost of Acad. Then I mentioned the
cost of Icad and it's ability to be modified. The stunned face was not a
pretty sight.

As a user and developer, I just cannot imagine using cad, in any
professional application, without some form of customization.

TimB

 

I can picture it. In the Merry Melodies their faces would have morphed into
goats or jackasses, and then back again : D

Me neither, but they are out there......That's what makes it a market.