ACA 2010 vs. Autocad 2010

[PhilvK]

I have Autocad Architecture 2010. I notice that there are separate Discussion Groups for Autocad Architecture 2010 and Autocad 2010. Questions:
1. What’s the difference?
2.. Is there a separate 2010 product that just doesn’t have all the 3D functionality of ACA 2010?
3. I am upgrading from ACA 2009, but use it more as a 2D drafting tool, with some 3D massing. What happens if I copy my 2009 MNU and MNL files into the 2010 directories? Does the ribbon blow up?

[cadtastrophe]

AutoCAD is the base program, all the various vertical products are built upon the autocad base with industry specific tools. There are obviously different tools specific to each discipline / industry (Civil 3d, MEP etc. etc.). So depending on your school of thought the software would be too cumbersome with all these tools OR It would not be nearly as profitable if they were all in one...

ACA can do everything that Autocad can do and then some.

As for #3 I dont know, make a back-up copy of each and try it out. Or wait for someone who knows these things to come along.

[JayMoore]

Phil,

Great question. In it's most simplest terms, think of AutoCAD as the 2D side and AutoCAD Architecture (ACA) is the 3D side. That is a very black/white view and there is actually a lot of "grey" area between there but that is a quick line between the two.

With ACA you are effectively taking steps into the Building Information Modeling (BIM) world. You have the "opportunity" to model and utilize intelligent 3D objects. Or you can continue to draw in 2D only and not touch any of the 3D / BIM aspects.

Its a great way for AutoCAD skilled persons to maintain that knowledge and investment while making inroads to BIM.

Thanks
Jay

[Anonymous]

Just know that Autodesk rarely, rarely, let's you upgrade from a vertical
like ACA to plain AutoCAD.

If you want to experience AutoCAD, use the custom installation in aca2009
and install the "run as autocad" option. Launch it. There you have it
already.

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
--

[Anonymous]

Well I'd argue about the 2d/3d thing with Jay, certainly ACA adds lots more
intelligence specicially for architectural work and you are certainly
missing out if you are not using the tools but there are some specifica
tools only in ACA that are great for autocad.
Firstly have you enabled yourright click menu. Just now I'm teaching a yung
guy who only used autocad and for ACA you are missing a whole lot without
that right click menu.
Go to OPtions menu and the user Pref.. tab. Click the Right Click Cusstom..
button and turn on your time sensivte click. Short click =eturn. Long
click brings up menu.
Here you can trim, cut out, merge autocad hatches - we know how bad they
are.
Select Similar - excellant tool for even just autocad. (need to select an
item first)
Also depends on who you are working with but hatching with an aecPolygon is
so much easier and quicker (once set up) than a ac hatch and you can then
learn schedules and get areas instantly. You can also schedule autocad
blocks (fixtures/landscaping etc.)
and there are other reasons to stay with ACA

wrote in message news:6288758@discussion.autodesk.com...
Phil,

Great question. In it's most simplest terms, think of AutoCAD as the 2D
side and AutoCAD Architecture (ACA) is the 3D side. That is a very
black/white view and there is actually a lot of "grey" area between there
but that is a quick line between the two.

With ACA you are effectively taking steps into the Building Information
Modeling (BIM) world. You have the "opportunity" to model and utilize
intelligent 3D objects. Or you can continue to draw in 2D only and not
touch any of the 3D / BIM aspects.

Its a great way for AutoCAD skilled persons to maintain that knowledge and
investment while making inroads to BIM.

Thanks
Jay

[Anonymous]

The answer about the difference is fairly simple, and no one has really
mentioned them.

What was mentioned was that AutoCAD is the main basic program. It has all
the text, basic entity and drafting abilities, including loads of 3D
capability using solid modeling. It even has the rendering.

ACA is a whole slew of additional functions specifically for architects and
the building construction industry. This includes highly customizable
walls, doors, windows, roofs, slabs, stairs, structural layouts, plumbing
fixtures, basic lighting, electrical and HVAC layouts and the ability to tag
and schedule all those things. There's also the "intelligence" of these
objects - doors and windows only insert on walls, and if you move a
door/window, it only moves along a wall cutting all parts appropriately.
Since most of the main building parts are also in 3D, you have the ability
to cut sections, pull elevations, and update the those basic views after
making changes to the model. Then there is the whole wall sections, plan
details and component detailing thing with the ability to reference the
information back to the main plans for construction documents. There's also
the layering standards.

All these things could be drawn in plain old Acad too, but you'd be drafting
everything from scratch - including cutting and trimming your wall around
your doors/windows. Make a simple change and you have re-cut your openings
in the new location and clean up the old one - especially if the change
involves moving something to another wall. All references and tags have to
be input and kept track of manually.

ACA can't do everything - there are still things that have to be "drafted"
sometimes, but the biggest part of the work can be done for you. Luckily,
since ACA in built on top of Acad, all the basic Acad drafting tools are
there too.

Vanilla AutoCAD began adding some drafting shapes for steel and drafting
symbols (like a section cut symbol), but all of those were extremely
limited. Steel shapes were missing about half of them, for example.
Mostly, I think, it was to show off the new dynamic block capability that
started in '06.