QCAD - why?

[bambuko]

I can see from the posts here that QCAD seem to be quite popular.
Is there any particular reason (for example connected to producing etch artwork)?
or is it simply because it is available free?

I have always used AutoCAD for 2D drawings, and when it has become unavailable to me (due to retirement) I have moved to free version of Draftsight and in turn when this become "paid for" only, moved to free version of nanoCAD - low cost CAD Software - free download and buy - for Industrial Engineering, DWG and 3D CAD/CAM Design

No complaints there, works and does everything I need (without having to re-learn another system), but not available for Linux ...

So I started looking at QCAD. To continue using existing .dwg files it would have to be Pro version, but first test proved (very) dissapointing, so could QCAD knowledgable people comment, please?

 

[BrushType4]

I use Qcad and I like it as it’s cheap to buy, free if you can live without updates, and it can do pretty much everything I want it too. I’ve had no issues with etch work so maybe you could elaborate?

With regards to dwg, why don’t you save your existing files to dxf then load up into qcad?

 

[bambuko]

I was asking whether it is so popular because it is particularly suitable for etch work?
Sorry if my question was confusing.

How good is Qcad at creating "proper" engineering drawing?

I was trialling full Pro version, which is supposed to be able to handle .dwg and it was a mess...
If it can't do .dwg it is unlikely to be any better with .dxf ?

My biggest problem with .dwg is that there is nothing usable for Linux.

 

[BrushType4]

I’ve never had a problem with either dwg or dxf. What do you mean a mess? are you talking about fills being a mess?

As for engineering drawings, what do you have in mind that gives you concern that qcad can’t do it? If there some functionality you need that isn’t already there, it’s possible to make your own functions. I’m sure if they are useful, the qcad team will implement them in future updates.

 

[bambuko]

I have taken fully dimensioned, detailed engineering drawing created in .dwg and opened it in Qcad.
None of the formatting carry over, so for example text set to certain height in AutoCad, ends up changed to whatever Qcad is set to, etc.
Geometry is fine, but the drawing is unusable without great deal of work.

I don't want to make "my own functions" I just want to use it to produce drawings...

Sounds like I am stuck running both Win (for stuff only available in Win) and Linux for the rest.

 

[BrushType4]

Okay. Text formatting needs to be preserved when saving the original dwg file. You might need to poke around in the settings on your original program.

On the Qcad forums someone had the same problem with imported dwg file. The dimension text and arrows were tiny.
Solved as follows
1.go to Drawing Preferences in Edit menu
2. select Drawing Unit from the General menu
3.change drawing units to 'mm, paper units to mm, Measurement system to Metric
4. select Dimension menu item
5. select Dimension Settings
6. select Dimension again
7. select Dimension Settings -should now display all options
8. click Restore to Default values button at top right hand of box
9. uncheck Keep proportions option
10. check Keep proportion options
11. click Apply button
12. close Drawing Preferences dialogue box
Dimension text and arrows ,at least for my drawing, were adjusted and displayed correctly

 

[bambuko]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.
The only thing I am not clear about is your suggestion about text formatting needing to be preserved in original file?

I will try again and report back.

 

[bambuko]

Just before I start trying to follow your instructions, some examples of what I was talking about.
Original .dwg

and as it appears in Qcad:

There is also an issue in Qcad with hatching (Warning: RDwgHatchImporter::import: hatch not imported: no loops):

And one final problem - all the images/pictures originally inserted into .dwg do not import.
This I guess is to do with the fact that Qcad doesn't know where they are? (they are linked to external not inside the actual .dwg file)
If I had to re-insert them into Qcad files, it would be major PITA, since they were manipulated, scaled etc to fit in ...
Ultimately it still might be the case of keeping legacy stuff in AutoCAD, and only using Qcad for all new stuff.

Must say, all this doesn't surprise me all that much and is not really a criticism of Qcad.
Having been through few migrations from one system to another in my working life, I know very well that they are major pain and seldom succesful...

 

[bambuko]

....
On the Qcad forums someone had the same problem with imported dwg file. The dimension text and arrows were tiny.
Solved as follows...

Yes, it is possible to tidy up imported .dwg
Not perfect but (mostly) usable. The only major problem is the issue of images used in original .dwg
That is really a problem of software I use for .dwg - I believe "proper" AutoCAD keeps inserted images inside .dwg instead of linking to source files...
I will carry on exploring Qcad - it looks promising.
Thank you for your help!

later edit:
just bought Pro version - very impressed with it. I think I will like it.
Main advantage (at least for me) is that I have it now both on Win and Linux,
with seamless (hopefully) switching between.
Will not try migrating existing files - not worth the hassle...
BTW just found that QCAD (same like my nanoCAD) keeps "inserted" images externally - just linked...

 

[Brian McKenzie]

I believe "proper" AutoCAD keeps inserted images inside .dwg instead of linking to source files...

No, not so. But AutoCAD does handle inserted images magnificently. "Image Clip" is especially useful when extracting areas out of a lot of overlaid photos to reduce perspective distortions. It can also rotate images in much smaller increments than Photoshop.

 

[bambuko]

No, not so. But AutoCAD ...

Must have confused it with Draftsight...
I quite prefer for inserted images to be "inserted" not "linked"

 

[Brian McKenzie]

Actually, there is a way to embed images into AutoCAD as an 'OLE' object, but I'm not sure if it will work with AutoCAD's image manipulation tools.

1. Open the raster image in an image editing application, such as Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop.
2. Click Edit menu > Select All, or press CTRL+A.
3. Click Edit menu > Copy, or press CTRL+C.
4. In AutoCAD, click Edit menu > Paste Special.
5. Select the options Paste and Picture (Metafile) in the Paste Special box.
6. Click OK.
7. Place the image in the drawing.

 

[bambuko]

I have never used OLE objects before.
I no longer have an access to either "proper" AutoCAD or Draftsight,
and nanoCAD although very useful and free, is only based on older version of AutoCAD
(so doesn't have fancy stuff like that ), therefore I am unable to test your suggestion.

Anyway... I am now concentrating on QCAD for 2D
(for 3D see: FreeCAD).

 

[bambuko]

There is one fundamental problem with using QCAD, switching between Windows and Linux.
The cad model in itself is fine, but "inserted" images loose the plot between two operating systems
The link path (for exactly the same image) is different for Windows and Linux, so file saved in Windows opens fine in Linux apart from the missing image
(but all seems fine when moving from Linux to Windows...?)
All my data is on NAS, accessible from any operating system or location, but the way image's path is saved in QCAD causes problem when switching
I will have to see if there is any "way out" - I will try asking on QCAD forum...

 

[Big Train James]

Autocad user here, not qcad, so this may not work. But in autocad when links get broken, say by moving either the primary or attached file, then you simply have to tell autocad where you moved things to and reestablish the path. All other aspects of the attached file do not change if the path is broken, placement, rotation, or scale remain the same as before.

Is it possible that you can do this in when you open the file with the other operating system? I have no idea if qcad has such an option.

I also recognize that you are using inserted images rather than external references. But if the path still somehow matters for embedded files, then it should be fixable. Its inevitable that files will go missing at some point.

Jim

 

[bambuko]

Thanks Jim,
in QCAD you can also re-establish/update path, as long as it is within one OS.
It doesn't work from Win to Linux, simply because QCAD doesn't use inserted images, it uses links/path to image kept in separate file, and that totally confuses Linux (for example) if the link was created in Windows (even though it is exactly the same image file).
Bummer

In my other CAD (FFreeCA) it is not a problem, because images are part of the CAD file.
I can use these files either in Linux or Win with no problem at all,
and I never loose them

 

[Big Train James]

I think I may finally be understanding the problem, because I think I had a similar experience. At some point when I got a new computer, and went from XP to Win7 I think, I had to run a virtual XP environment in order to use my Autocad R14 version. When in the virtual XP mode, I could not see all of the files in the "other" directory tree, even though it was all the same computer. Terribly inconvenient, and frustrating.

Sorry that you cannot find a convenient solution.
Jim

 

[bambuko]

FS#2257 : Images from Windows file cannot be loaded under Linux / macOS

so there is apparently a bug in Qcad