What you don't get in ACAD for Mac

[jaich]

It looks like there is some confusion when it comes to just what doesn't come in ACAD for Mac 2011 (AKA ACAD 2002).  Here is a link to the TS doc right from Autodesk: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=15833488&linkID=15839490

Here is the text from that page:

2011: What AutoCAD features are not available in AutoCAD for Mac

Published date: 2010-Oct-14  ID: TS15833488 Applies to: AutoCAD® for Mac® 2011

Issue

You are familiar with AutoCAD 2011 (for Windows) and you want to know what features are not available in the first release of AutoCAD 2011 for Mac.

Solution

Although AutoCAD 2011 for Mac is based on AutoCAD 2011, it was written to be a native Mac application.  As such, it is a new and separate product and not simply a port from the Windows version.  In the first release of this new product, there are some features and functionality that exist in AutoCAD 2011 that are not yet available in AutoCAD 2011 for Mac, including (but not limited to):

• 3DWalk, 3DFly, and animation support
• Action Recorder and playback of Action Macros
• Autopublish
• Batch Standards Checker and the ability to use cad standards [STANDARDS, CHECKSTANDARDS]
• CAD Manager Tools
• ‘Classic’ dialogs for image, xref, and layers
• Custom dictionaries
• Data Extraction Wizard [EATTEXT] (Attribute extraction can still be done using –ATTEXT)
• dBConnect and Datalink support
• DesignCenter
• DGN support
• Digitally signing drawings or notification when opening digital signed drawings
• Digitizer support
• Drawing Recovery Manager
• DWF support
• Dynamic block authoring
• Editable drawing properties [DWGPROPS]
• eTransmit and Archive
• Express Tools
• Extended tooltips
• FBX import/export
• Filter and Quick Select
• Geographic location support
• Hyperlink
• In-place editing of blocks or xrefs [REFEDIT]
• Layer filters
• Layer notification
• Layer State Manager (fundamental layer state operations can still be performed using the stAte option in the -LAYER command or using the (layerstate-xxx) AutoLISP functions)
• Layer Translator
• Layer Walk
• Some Layer Tools [LAYCUR, LAYDEL, LAYON, LAYTHW, LAYMCH, LAYMRG, LAYVPI]
• Layout wizard
• Markup Set Manager
• Navigation bar and SteeringWheels
• OLE objects
• Password protecting a drawing or opening password protected drawings
• PDF underlay
• Plot style configuration
• Plotting to file
• Point Clouds
• Purge dialog (all purge options are still available from the command line)
• Quick Properties palette
• Reference Manager (the external reference repathing utility)
• Share with Autodesk Seek
• Sheet Set Manager
• ShowMotion
• Slide creation or viewing
• Table style setup
• Tool palettes
• User Profiles
• VBA (Visual Basic for Applications)
• Visual LISP editor
• WMF import/export
• Xref notification

Other Functionality

• Most AutoLISP will work unless it includes Windows calls (using .NET) or uses DCL dialogs
• Most ARX applications will work unless it includes MFC or .NET calls
• No import or export of CUI customization
• There is only one workspace
• Visual styles must be created at the command line
• Sun Properties palette and Visual Styles managers are merged with the Properties Inspector
• Camera objects cannot be created
• Materials cannot be edited or created and you can not adjust the way a material maps on an object [MATERIALMAP]
• Tessellation for new 3D mesh objects must be set via the command line(MESHOPTIONS and MESHPRIMITIVEOPTIONS are not available)
• Rendering options are limited (no Advanced Render Settings palette or Rendercrop)
• Limited editing and style support for Multilines
• PC3 plot files may work but will depend on whether or not it uses proprietary drivers
• Page sizes are referenced differently between AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD for Mac 2011
• CUI editor may include commands that are not actually available
• Command auto-completion may offer commands that are not actually available
• System variables for missing features may still exist and be editable but will have no affect if the accompanying feature is not included.  They have been kept to help preserve scripting compatibility.

[samalexandre]

Hi, I am just getting to grips with autocad mac 2011. I just wanted to know if the list of things that autocad mac 2011 doesn't have covers not being able to edit ctb or stb files. Seeing as I am unable to edit them as i would normally in autocad 2011 for windows adding line weights to match different colours. Have i missed something?

Thanks

Sam

[jenniferg4676]

Sam, I agree -- I've been using AutoCAD for mac and the only big glitch I can find is editing plot styles.  I click the format dragdown menu, then click on "plot style..."  I then get this dialog box:

plot style mode.  Change the color to change the plot style, or use the plot
style editor to change the properties of color dependent plot styles in the
plot style table attached to your drawing.

...But I can't for the life of me figure out where to go from there.  I'm primarily trying to assign weights to standard colors but print them in black and white, but I'm stumped.  If you figure anything out please let me know!

[Kamasop]

good to know, thanks for the list!

so i guess/ hope that those features will be implemented by and by???

[autodesk]

Hi, i wait for the german-version,

and i hope that some of these missing features are in

or implemented step by step.

[nickers831]

Thanks for the long list.

I have been using AutoCAD full time for well over 15 years and downloaded the Trial Mac Version excited at the possibility of not having to lug a Window Laptop around as well as my MacBook.

The only word for it is disappointed.

This Mac version is simply 'LT' but at the full price and unless this long list of serious shortcomings is going to be addressed at no extra cost, I for one will not be investing. I will however, keep watching, waiting, and hoping that one day is will.

No dynamic block authoring? No tool palettes? User profiles? Plot style configuration? Not even Design Centre?

All these thing and many more on the list have been around since 2009 and before. Needless to say, I have since dumped the Trial Mac version. 

[d-web]

Well, I agree with your disappointment with the Mac version. However, I would recommend running the Autocad 2011 PC version on Bootcamp, Parallels or Fusion on your Macbook instead of hauling around a PC laptop. Autocad runs very well on the Mac platform using any of those solutions.

[ecambron]

I have been trying to determine why I cannot expand the properties inspector.  For some reason I can still display the single line but it will not expand to show the specific properties.  I must have changed some setting by accident but for the life of me I do not what I changed.

[dgorsman]

Even though AutoCAD has a long history under Windows its important to remember the Mac version isn't simply a "ported" application - its a whole new program, so its better to think of it as first-release software.  V1.0 rarely has all the tricks, toys, or features that are used in a production environment.

[lajOie]

I understand the Mac product being it's a whole new package, except not all of the menu information is updated...

example:

Before realizing Materials editor was not supported, I went through customizing the tool palettes and found "Materials Editor" as an option. I added it to the tool palette and was confused when it didn't load. Half and hour of work time wasted later I found this forum...

disappointing indeed. 

[HawkAIA]

Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled that Autocad is again supporting the Mac. I'm now back where I was with Release 12.  Autocad 2011 for Mac is really fast, and the interface is very mac-like.  It is also much better than all of the overhead and expense of running the Windows version in Parallels. 

But if you think this is built entirely from the ground up, just open the acad.pgp file in TextEdit and read it.  The Autocad for Mac online help files similarly have numerous Windows platform specific references.  For a longtime Autocad user, there is some missing functionality. Just being able to add my own pull-down menu items would be nice. Right now, I'm just happy that most of my lisp routines run - albeit at the command line interface level.  Overall, I am very happy with this first version.  I hope the program sells enough seats that Autocad can maintain it, and add to it.  Revit for Mac would be very exciting. 

[Jesus-loves-you]

I tried "ATTEXT" for data extraction, but get {unknown command} when I try it. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[maxim_k]

---

@Jesus-loves-you wrote:

I tried "ATTEXT" for data extraction, but get {unknown command} when I try it. Any suggestions? Thanks!

---

Hi,

-ATTEXT works in command line.

Maxim

[Jesus-loves-you]

I tried ATTEXT in the command line and get: "unknown command"  I'm confused!

[Jesus-loves-you]

I did some research. Is ATTEXT a third party plugin?

[maxim_k]

Hi,

Type command exactly: "-ATTEXT" (with hyphen!)

Maxim

[wf5]

I wish that they had just waited.  This is a waste of time to be truly effective!  Bring on the real version and don't ask me to be the guinea pig in the trial.  I am soooo glad that I didn't choose to buy the version!

[BernardMadoff]

i take it this is currently a FREE Beta tool and that no one is actually paying for it?

might have been easier to list what you do get...

[BernardMadoff]

speak to Jesus, if he loves you he will answer you...

[Jesus-loves-you]

I didn't see the hyphen! Thanks for your help. When autoCad came out with WS, it was brilliant. AotoCad for Mac is a disgrace. I was an hour and a hslfvlate for an appointment because it kept crashing, and when it crashed, even though I saved routinely, when I re-opened the file, I hadcto start over. Again, and again. I ended up using my copy of autoCad 2011 for PC. Unlike the PC, the Mac version has no recovery!!!! AND, no design center. AUTOCAD SHOULD DO THIS: Dumb-down AutoCad for Mac even further, than it is dumbed down, to the LT, letting people get used to its limitations at a greatly reduced intro price for the loyal AutoCad users, even give a bundle discount to new AutoCad users. And to say their inadequate version of AutoCad is because of the Mac OS native 'whatever' is absurd. The Mac OS version, if done right, would have blown the PC version out of the water. I am using the trial version. But i cant waste my time with an inferior product. AutoCad 2011 is so amazing and innovative that I was shocked by the magnitude of improvements. I expected nothing less for the $4000+ Mac version. AutoCad should have let the team in Israel develop the Mac version. Obviously, they know how to innovate as per AutoCad WS. Bernard, BTW, God did answer my request... through your mitzvah. Thanks.