Trial vs Student version

[ButterGod2015]

I recently want to check out AutoCad, and being in High School I wasnt going to have my parents give up $4,000 just for a computer program. So I downloaded the 30-day trial promised a fully functional program just cut off at a deadline. Until I learned the trial only gives you 2-d options, rendering the whole program practically useless as I have MS paint for free to draw things in 2d. Hungry for options I found out about the Student package, so I also downloaded that. Soon to learn that it gaave the same results. So the real question is: Does the trial or student version have 3D capabilities hidden to me somehow? Or do I just have to deal with it and try and mooch off of a friend with full AutoCad? Before anyone responds with "have you tried using extrude commands, etc." I tried multiple surface and 3 D commands but none worked and the 3D tools tab does not exist.

[nestly2 · Accepted solution]

Both the Trial version and the Student version are identical to the $4k version.  The only thing that makes one "version" different than the other is the type of license it's being run under  (30day free trial, student, commercial stand-alone, etc)  There are absolutely no features missing from either the Trial or the Student version.

If you didn't have any 3D tools, then it's likely you downloaded/installed AutoCAD LT, which doesn't include all the features of the full AutoCAD, most notably the 3D modeling tools.  Look at the program group, shortcut, or program title bar, does it say "AutoCAD" or does it say "AutoCAD LT"?

http://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad-lt/compare/compare-products

Or perhaps you were in the 2D Drafting and Annotation workspace, in which case there wouldn't be any 3D tools on the Ribbon  (but the tools still would have worked if typed in at the Command line)

[ButterGod2015]

I have heard of Autocad Lt, when I downloaded I made sure not to get lt,
and even while using it just says Autocad 2015.

[kasperwuyts]

You say you 'learned' the trial doesn't have 3D options. How did you come to learn this?

And really, if you are comparing 2D autocad to MS Paint, my suggestion is instead of using 3D Autocad; build whatever 3d model you want in Lego and take a picture of it. Same thing.

Autodesk gives away free 3-year student licences with full functionality to anyone who has need for it in school, and they're not even too strict with it (like a list of approved schools or something like that, which is what my Vectorworks dealer does). I suggest you take a look.

[JDMather]

As noted by others - both the trial and student versions are fully functional - so your problem is in operation.

Post some screen shots.

Lets start here -

- go to Help>About Autodesk AutoCAD

Post screen shot.

I can't help but wonder, "Where is your teacher?"

[pendean]

You wrote: "... I tried multiple surface and 3 D commands but none worked ..."
Can you elaborate? We can;t see over your shoulder so we have no idea what you did, how you picked it, what you saw and what you were hoping to achieve.
For all I know, you are looking at your model in a 2D view but you are not really sharing anything useful for anyone way over here to help you.

A few things to get you started while you think about what I wrote:
http://animation.about.com/od/faqs/f/Whats-The-Difference-Between-Autocad-And-Other-3d-Programs.htm
http://cehostng.com/E-Books/Autocad/AutoCAD%20Level%20III%20_3D_.pdf
http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/course/48-568/PDFs/3D_AutoCAD.pdf
http://www.lynda.com/AutoCAD-tutorials/Up-Running-3D-AutoCAD-2013/123535-2.html
http://www.caddigest.com/subjects/autocad/tutorials/3d.htm
http://sonkan.bilkent.edu.tr/211/week2.pdf
http://www.tech.plymouth.ac.uk/dmme/cad/pdf/AutoCAD/ACAD_nh_autocad_3D.pdf

[pendean]

A thought: make sure you have all tabs and panels in each tab set to display.

Start AutoCAD, open a file, then move your cursor to a blank spot on the ribbon, right-click, select SHOW TABS, and ensure there is a check mark next to each one. Now go into each Tab, repeat the above but select SHOW PANELS and ensure there is a check mark next to each offering.

[JDMather]

To do a screen capture

hit the Print Screen key in upper right corner of keyboard and then Ctrl V to paste in Word (open MS Word first)

or

go to the Windows globe in lower left corner of screen and type Snipping

start the Windows Snipping tool and capture the relevant portions of your "AutoCAD" screen, save and attach here.

[helavagal]

Does it watermark?  I want to create some renderings but without the watermark.

Thank you,

Angela

[JDMather]

No.

[Backnblack]

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@helavagal wrote:

Does it watermark?  I want to create some renderings but without the watermark.

Thank you,

Angela

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Why would a watermark matter of this is for school?