Michael and Ott, you are correct, this has been a frequently requested feature,
for the relative lineweights to display and scale onscreen similar to AutoCAD
2000 and later.
Michael, when you called tech support, a couple of days ago, the analyst you
spoke with was trying to convey that we don't receive many calls requesting
this, mostly because AutoSketch accounts for only 5% of our tech support call
volume and the large majority of Sketch issues are topics other than this issue.
It's not that we aren't aware of the issue, it's just that we don't hear it
often day to day.
I checked and yes, it is on the wish list of requested features for AutoSketch 8
that was compiled from phone support calls, this discussion group and the AUGI
wishlist submission page. By now you have found that it didn't make it into
Sketch 8's feature set, but I can tell you that it is still on the wish list for
future development.
Without being in product development myself, I can only speculate that there are
substantial issues to enable this feature in the current AutoSketch product
line, or you would see this feature today. Given the early development history
of AutoSketch as it transitioned from a 16-bit graphics engine developed
originally for DOS and later for Windows 3.1 (the Sketch 2.1 that you previously
used) into the modern 32-bit environment and then blended with the Drafix CAD
interface, it's not surprising that, short of a complete overhaul of the entire
product code, some features are more difficult to enable than others.
Since AutoSketch and QuickCAD are intended to be targeted to a relatively
entry-level CAD market (compared to full AutoCAD), the development costs to
enable this feature are not justified by the programs' revenue. In direct terms,
if we took the time and expense to completely rewrite the code to enable
scalable screen lineweights, the macro language that existed in Drafix CAD Pro
and even enhanced 3D capability that has been requested, the program would
probably cost closer to the $300 to $400 range that CAD Pro was selling for.
In retrospect, when I first supported AutoSketch 5 in 1998, it was selling for
$99 (US). AutoSketch 8 at $119 (US) is the first price increase in at least four
years, possibly longer.
So, to summarize, using Polylines with precise widths is the best alternative to
scalable lineweights onscreen when using the Line command. Also, though it's not
supported by Autodesk, the registry export method mentioned by Paul Jackson to
share preferences looks to be sound advice (I haven't tested it myself, but I
trust Paul's advice.)
I hope this explains some of the reasons why you do not have a
feature-by-feature accurate "32-bit Windows" version of AutoSketch that looks
like both Sketch 2.1 and Drafix CAD 4.12.
By the way, Ott, you're on the right track about the plot option to control
plotted lineweight. At one time we included a restricted-use version of WinLine
with AutoSketch that installs as a Windows control panel plotter driver that
controls pen assignments, width, tips, speeds and pressure. WinLine is still
available from Software Mechanics and is recommended by HP as a better
alternative to Windows-supplied pen plotter drivers. With the purchase and
installation of the WinLine driver, you have full control over pens and it
requires zero programming in AutoSketch.
ott wrote:
> Michael Soehn wrote:
> "I've called tech support for AutoSketch, and they say that no one has
> complained about this feature.".....
>
> In this newsgroup, also into Autosketch Wishlist...........there has been
> several times of complaining
> about linewidths. It is not unknown for Autodesk at all!!!
>
> If we had a plotoption that allowed users to define line width direct to
> plotter when using
> linewidths 3-5-7-9 - then the problem should be solved!! No big programming
> deal eather!
>
> The features today, when linewidths displays direct on screen is a bad
> solution. As Ive been
> working with the old fellow Drafix CAD since beginning (now AS 6,01) - I
> only use linewidth 3 on
> backgroundlayers for sheetframing - the others are useless!!
>
> Best regards from Norway!
--
Bob Felton
Autodesk Product Support, Americas
WW Support and Services, Autodesk
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