Topic Title

Hello Fellows,

In spite of the apparent misundestanding around the discussion, I don't believe an AEC Viewer should be a 'thin' CAD or whatever low capacity drawing engine.

The lack of an AEC Viewer engine actually 'encourages' our users to translate from our native format into this allien DWG format, which transmutates each new year. You all are aware that DataCAD don't fully converts to DWG format all our drawing features, like inserted Bitmap images or our MSP formats.

By my understanding it would be enough if someone could open an .AEC (& .DC5) drawing without having to translate it into Autocrap format. I can remind some big reasons: In Brazil, and I don't believe it is different in other latitudes, the Municipalities are starting to handle drawings in digital format for approval submissions on building authorizations. There are near 6,000 municipal districts in the whole country, which corresponds roughly to your 'counties'.
Primarily, in this case, the Municipality wouldn't want to create projects, but it do operates over projects developed by someone.
Also the official financial organs which only want to be able to understand the projects, require drawings made in digital format. It is .DWG, of course, from our familiar companion.

How many counties in USA accepts digital drawing for approval? I'd bet it is becoming a huge number.
How many of them do accept DataCAD's .AEC or .DC5 format ? I'd be surprised if any.

Addditionally, the many independent reprographics companies that today requires .DWG format files for making external plotting services, and would never purchase a CAD license for making nothing but do print drawings.

I vote for a Viewer that could have just two basic abilities, along with the default printing feature.
a) a REDLINING feature;
b) could allow SIMPLE MEASUREMENTS, like length/distance, area and volume for predefined points or polylines;

Additionaly, the ability to 'understand' MSP and GTV could add great utility to the Viewer. Remember that the user wouldn't be required to learn an operation manual to handle it, since he wouldn't create anything, but simply choose among some button options.

Thanks,
Miguel

I agree with others that PDF is a great format to use to communicate with associates and clients. It is a natural output of DataCAD and users need little computer savvy and no CAD. But I also see the need to write on those pdf's with some sort of editibility so comments can be made and returned to sender for evaluation and/or changes. I also agree that it is not smart to send cad files just so people on the other end can see our work and add notes, like some have said here, they'd need to buy DataCAD and learn it. Even the light version at $300 isn't quite "free". I did a Google search to "redline pdf" and came across Bluebeam PDF Revu at www.bluebeam.com. You can download a fully functional program that will work for 30 days. The standard edition is only $150, and has a wide variety of markup tools. I downloaded the 30 Meg program in minutes, it asked to download a 22 meg program (.net something) and was up and running in less than 10 minutes. In a few more seconds I had added a sticky note, and had written a note directly on the drawing, and had added a balloon, with my choice of line width, color, opacity and fill color and opacity. Pretty nice. This could be the program we've all been wanting. If you click on the link, you can download a nice big image showing those markups in a screenshot of the program window.


http://www.orbitfiles.com/download/id1012983490