AutoCAD for Mac Forum
Welcome to Autodesk’s AutoCAD for Mac Forums. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular AutoCAD for Mac topics.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

2014 for MAC, what features do you wish for?

34 REPLIES 34
Reply
Message 1 of 35
pendean
1512 Views, 34 Replies

2014 for MAC, what features do you wish for?

I'm totally guessing here, but I'm assuming the big annual Apple show early next month might also announce the 2014 MAC versions of AutoCAD, so I thought I would get things started by asking a simple question.

 

WHAT DO YOU WISH THE NEW VERSION TO HAVE THAT YOU NEED TO DO YOUR WORK?

34 REPLIES 34
Message 21 of 35
betazero
in reply to: Schrocks

I still cant believe dynamic block editing is not included in 2013 and now 2014.... Is there some huge problem adding this feature? Like the guy who designed it in 2007 doesnt work there anymore and nobody can figure out how to do it now?

Message 22 of 35
raumpunktmp
in reply to: betazero

There is no need to buy Autocad 2014 for Mac if you have 2013. There are almost no changes or improvements.

Message 23 of 35
betazero
in reply to: raumpunktmp

No I dont but I keep getting the demo in hopes that the product is getting closer to Autocad 2007 for PC at least but then I get disappointed all over again...Its the only program left that I use on the PC. I would love to axe Fusion and Windows 7 with Autocad for a Mac version. Its just so broken even in the 2014 version. Autodesk needs to start pricing Acad for Mac differently scaled with what features it has compaired to Acad for PC. Right now its about half of what it should be in my opinion. 25% of the half is the ability to edit dynamic blocks...

Message 24 of 35
rgwhatley
in reply to: betazero

It makes you wonder if they've deliberately hobbled the mac version so they can claim in a few years that there's no market for it. It definately should be priced lower than the windows version. Seriously autodesk sort it out.

 

Can someone point out what the differences between autocad lt for mac 2013 and 2014 are? I know theres retina display support and the new font in the preferences panel (which is terrible) Thats it as far as I can see. They haven't even fixed simple bugs like screen tearing when switching spaces.

Message 25 of 35
betazero
in reply to: rgwhatley

Yea I think the same thing. I just hope that they fix it before the clueless big wigs drop the big axe on the Mac version. They will blame the Mac users for not buying it or some crap... Meanwhile we are here and ready to buy a full product

 

Message 26 of 35
pendean
in reply to: rgwhatley

Lots of blogs reporting on Mac 2014 features, including my own: help yourself until Autodesk posts links to the 2014 online help files then you can dig through it.
Message 27 of 35
enquires
in reply to: betazero

How about a stable working version!!!!!.

 

Lets be clear about this. Various forum experts are in AUTODesks defense saying that this is a rebuild from the ground up.

 

Ok fine, but start off with the basics and then add with each version, simple and that has been happening, BUT and its a big BUT why has AutoDESK not taken the same approach Adobe has, keep the programs the same across both platforms. WIN WIN for all.

 

We're not taking about massive leap here!!! And Lets not bring in the standard defense about narrative platform differences!!!!!!!.

 

With the fact that the OS is the main driver on systems,  AutoDESK need to understand that large amounts of professional users are moving across to the MAC, and its stable OS.

 

If AutoDESK fail and decide to give up on the MAC platform because of low take up, then Im afraid people will start to look at Vectorworks. Whom have in the background been quietly working on a package that is stable and deliverers year on year improvements.

 

Also AutoDESK did make the statement that they wanted to ailine with Apples OS releases!!!!. Every other software manufacture has managed to get release out prior to the OS touch down, AutoDESK hmmmmm.

Message 28 of 35
pendean
in reply to: enquires

The cure is platform independence: we all buy a subscription, log on to a website, and use the software from there through a browser.

Mac, Windows (all flavors), iOS, Droid, Kindle, Blackberry, Linux, dumb-terminals, whatever OS comes next: we all log into www.myfavoritesoftwarehome.com and start using it.

Can't wait. I'm tired of putting up with hardware, software, and OS manufacturers : they all blow, even those "aligned" with whomever for whatever release of who-gives-a-rant-about-it next new thing.
Message 29 of 35
betazero
in reply to: betazero

Platform independence sounds good but not thru a browser. I have not seen a browser app perform like a desktop app yet. Its kinda like wired versus wireless. Wired will always be better...For internet and keyboards and mice etc... Having the actual app will always be faster and more responsive.

 

Now doing a subscription based system like Adobe where you have access to all of their apps for one flat reasonable fee...That is genius!!!!! Listen up Autodesk ...please 🙂 If its around 50-75 bucks per month they would make a TON of revenue. I think the days of apps costing more then a couple hundred bucks is over. I work in architecture and I know that we dont have a budget to spend 4k times 18 people... Our bosses have no idea what CAD is and everything is working fine in their eyes and so no need to fix it....Thats $72,000 beer goggles ( and they are right!!! )...Now 900 bucks a month ..10,800 per year. That is a MUCH easier sell ( still hard but easier ). That would take 7 years to hit the 72,000 bucks. But I garantee that Autodesk would sell 10,000  times more  ( probably way more) 50 bucks sudscriptions than 4k single app purchases. So at the very least $500,000 bucks per month!!!!! 

 

 

 

Message 30 of 35
KeithSWD
in reply to: raumpunktmp

I agree raumpunkt. The changes do not justify it being called new release. It is a Service Pack of  Bug fixes.

 

Not really worth the subscription to be honest.

Message 31 of 35
jimlapier
in reply to: betazero

I've been working with AutoCAD for Mac in it's current iteration longer than just about anyone (except of course for Maxim) so I have seen the growth of the product to date. I've been quite vocal with Autodesk from the beginning (and technically before, as I had been contacting them directly for a Mac version for a few years prior to the first version) so I have seen how their attitude has changed on the product and the focus on it and away from it.

Yes, I believe when the first product came out it was a bit rushed, missng huge features like sheet sets. A year later a better version came out, then another update 8 months after. The time between 2013 and 2014 was over a year, I think for 2 main reasons: 2013 was extremely rushed to be released with the Windows side, and the decision to switch back to it's own schedule put the subsequent release of Mac 2014 back, and a bit of a shake up at Autodesk. 

For the past 4 years of using the product and seeing it grow, my excitment and satisfaction with having a version of AutoCAD specifically for the Mac has been tempered with the glaring ommisions of features and tools. I've been extremely disappointed with lack of a dynamic block editor, with no work around for many of my favorite express commands. Do I think this update was a good one? Moderately. If they had only released this as a service pack, everyone would have cried that they were abbandoning the line since there hadn't been a full release in over a year. Am I overwhelmed by the new features? Not exactly. Retina Support is wonderful and I'm sure took a long time, recreating higher res versions of the numerous buttons, toolbars, visors, dialog boxes, and then the entire drawing canvas. I'm sure that took a lot of work. 

To me, this release was a reassurance that yes, we are still working on the product and yes, we still want to include more tools and features. We are not going anywhere. I sort of see AutoCAD for Mac as a ship. Up until now the ship has been listing, leaning. This releae is them trying to right the ship, get it back in shape and ready to move forward (working with retina, fixing some bugs, etc) Now that the ship is semi-upright, hopefully they can finish plugging the mssing feature holes (like dynamic blocks) and start moving forward. It's an overly optimistic sentiment, but it's better than looking at the situation in an overly negative light when I have no control over it. I'd rather try to make what I have work (as annoying as it is) and tell Autodesk in a semi-constructive way exactly what I want in the future.

Message 32 of 35
jimlapier
in reply to: jimlapier

After that rant, as far as real features I wish for (since that is the original topic):

  1. Dynamic Block editor
  2. More resposive
  3. Express tools (I know the orginal tools can't be brought over, but many of these are incredibly useful and need to be created as normal tools and be done)
  4. Tab through / enter through support for Palletes / Dialogs like Properties and Block Attribute Editor
  5. Quick Select
  6. Print Dialog overhaul
  7. DWF Support
  8. Paperspace toggle while in a viewport
  9. CUI Support for easily creating and sharing toolbars / menu items
  10. Automator / Applescript Support
Message 33 of 35
David_Stacey
in reply to: pendean

I have to say it has been a long wait for the 2014 version. In my opinion, the 2014 version should have been a service pack release - it really isn't worth the subscription.
I don't think it is unreasonable to expect NEW major features with each release. As many have pointed out already, dynamic block editing shouldn't be a hard task to port over from the Windows version. And what about express tools? Surely, this would be an easy (and cheap) inclusion for AutoDesk!
I guess we now have to wait another 12 months for these basic features in the next release....
Message 34 of 35
williams.mtb
in reply to: pendean

A user friendly Content Pallette.

Message 35 of 35
weygandt.j
in reply to: maxim_k

Thank you for this thread. I've just installed ACAD LT for Mac 2015... onto my MBP15 with an external BenQ monitor. The app opened in a very unpredictable fashion, which I didn't understand until I read your suggestions to align the displays' lower edges. I hated to do that because my external is arranged on a shelf ABOVE the MBP. My solution: in "Displays" of System Prefs, I simply dragged the menu bar from the MBP to the external BenQ. Solved! I hope it now works OK for all other applications. 

Thanks again.

Tags (2)

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Autodesk Design & Make Report

”Boost