Vdraft, Release 1.0

Software Reviews, page 10, 2nd column

Vdraft is a Windows 95/NT based drafting software package for editing and creating drawings in .DWG, ASCII DXF, and Binary .DXF formats. Fully compatible with AutoCAD R12 back to Release 2.5, Vdraft allows the user to edit existing drawing files without conversion. Completely independent of AutoCAD, Vdraft now opens up a new range of capabilities for the end user. Although you can't bring along your lisp routines, Vdraft utilizes ActiveX automation (OLE), making it easily customizable with simple Windows programming languages like Visual Basic and C++.

Vdraft's interface allows the user to create menus, templates, scripts and set-up wizards for new drawings. Included with Vdraft is an attribute extractor, report generaters in Excel and links to MS Word. Vdraft is loaded with hotkey macros, as well as a host of pop-up menus, dialogue boxes, and toolbars. Windows AutoCAD users will have no problem navigating the toolbars and dialogues in Vdraft. Vdraft's dialogue boxes are set up to be modal, (sic) [editor's note: modeless] meaning you can lock them down on your monitor for doing repetitive tasks, or non-modal (sic) [editor's note: modal] as in AutoCAD. Vdraft supports the common AutoCAD commands by typing the command name or command variable at the keyboard. It also has an ACADKEYS.VS file, similar to the familiar ACAD.PGP file where the user can program their favorite command aliases. However, AutoCAD's familiar "STRETCH" command does not seem to be supported in this version. [Editor's note: Stretch is supported in v1.5] Vdraft supports networking and internet E-mail directly from Vdraft.

By far, Vdraft's most compelling feature is the ability to open multiple drawing files, each in its own window within Vdraft's main window. This feature allows the user to edit, reference, and create multiple drawings without having to close and re-open each drawing. Vdraft supports cut & paste editing within Vdraft, between drawings, and to and from the windows clipboard, and between AutoCAD and Vdraft. I have opened up to 50 drawing files at one session without loss of speed or editing capabilities. This also allows one to print or plot drawings in rapid succession, a feature I found very useful, as I may have as many as 30 or more drawings to print on any given job.

Vdraft is a versatile drafting package which has accomplished many firsts with its ability to work with drawing files created with AutoCAD. I would recommend Vdraft to AutoCAD users and non-users alike, if you need the ability to quickly edit drawings files, whether you have AutoCAD or not, Vdraft will make a useful addition to anyone's arsenal of software. At the present time, the version that I reviewed does not support R13 or R14 drawings. A future release is planned to address this deficiency.

by Virgil G. Richards
Senior Designer, Braden Shielding Systems, Cad Images Drafting Services, Tulsa, Oklahoma, E-mail sidewindor@aol.

ADDA American Design Drafting Association P.O. Box 799 Rockville, MD 20848-0799 Tel: (301) 460-6875 Fax: (301) 460-8591 E-mail: national@adda.org WWW: http://www.adda.org Copyright (c) 1997 All rights reserved.