AutoCAD on Microsoft Surface with a Pen

Anonymous · ‎03-01-2021

So, a quick forum search of the question "does AutoCAD work on a surface with a pen" will quickly show many results with all the same answer. Yes, but the program wasn't designed for the touch/pen and is not worth it. This is the same answer I get when directly reaching out to AutoDesk. But why? Our company is heavily invested in Microsoft Surfaces and AutoCAD for all of our drafting in the field, switching to the surface revolutionized how we work and our report time as we only deal with 2D wireframe drafting. Here's the kicker, when we first started this method we were still using AutoCAD 2002... and it was PERFECT on the surface. Right click, attentiveness, tracking all worked flawlessly even though when that program was built, a tablet or tablet with a pen was still only an idea (maybe built but poor). Fast forward and we've 'upgraded' to the latest AutoCAD and it is horrific to use on the surface in the field. I just completely can not understand how 2002 was flawless, but 2020 in an age of tablets is worthless.

Is anyone able to answer this or have a solution? Setting, programming, anything?

FYI, any of you that do 2D wire frame or isometric drafting in the field using paper, switching to a surface is game changing for you and your clients... err... was.

SEANT61 · ‎03-01-2021

Several years back I devoted some effort towards a more Touch/Pen centric UI for AutoCAD. At the time there was not a lot of interest – suggesting a lack of Surface and Pen drafting practitioners. It could be that initial attempts with such hardware was so horrendous that it soured new owners on the notion. After all, the time-honored hand notes in the field followed by digitizing at the desk still works well enough.

Have more adventurous, and mobile drafters, started to emerge? I’ll have to dust off the old VS solution file.

Here is a thread containing screencasts of early development versions.

Ultra Mobile AutoCAD UI - Autodesk Community - AutoCAD

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May your cursor always snap to the location intended.

pendean · ‎03-02-2021

AutoCAD for PC is still not 100% touchscreen capable: you still need a keyboard, you still need to enter text/distances. But it works just find if you want to eyeball drawing lines and snapping to objects etc.

AutoCAD for MAC: crippleware plus there is not touchscreen Apple Laptop, is there? Why to tag Apple?

But don't take y word for it, install in on your company's already available devices and see for your self. Stop asking and start testing. There are as many pros as there are cons, only you get to decide if it is good enough or not with your own testing.

FWIW Autodesk's attempt at making a touch-only variable (AutoCADMOBILE on iOS, you mentioned Apple) written from the ground up was such a complete failure it is now basically desktop AutoCAD running on a server with pop-up boxes for text/dist entries. Crash and Burn.

Good luck.

Anonymous · ‎03-02-2021

Yes sir. Our company has been using them sense 2013 now. Again, the type of drafting we do is only 2D wire frame, print type drawing for location point reporting. I push how great it is to anyone still on pencil and paper. Thank you for the thread!

Sense we updated CAD a year or two ago, we have kind of chalked it up to being different, and growing pains taking such a big jump from 2002 to 2020 (2018) at the time. Now though, its just clear it isn't working too well. After reaching out to Autodesk multiple times though, I decided to reach out to the community for any type of solution. 2020 just doesn't track well, understand the pens right click, keyboard entry is slow. Like most say, it works but is clunky.

Anonymous · ‎03-02-2021

I included an Apple/iPad tag because of the way iPads are advancing, I could see them being used in the field as well if AutoCAD could be optimized for it... doubtful on that one though lol. When we ventured into using a tablet for field reporting we also tried iPad's first with that AutoCAD App, lasted a couple weeks until we switched to surface.

As for the keyboard aspect, we use the surfaces onscreen keyboard. Still operates same as desktop. The frustration is that 2002 works great, maybe because its a 'lighter' program? 2020 slows the keyboard input, wont recognize pens right click (2002 did), and slows to a crawl for just simple wireframe drafting. We've tried 2020 on more powerful and spec'd surfaces as well, with same issue.

Simple answer, go back to 2002... but I get push back on that from higher power for, I'm sure a good reason, but is unknown to me. So, reaching out to the community! lol

pendean · ‎03-02-2021

You cannot authorize R2002 anymore. Go back all you want, you'll be dead in the water after 30-days when the trial period is over. Read all about it where others tried to do it https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/previous-version-support/bd-p/6051

AutoCAD R0012 in DOS3.3 was perfect and super fast: but we are not taking about that today either. If you want to be nostalgic, the forum for that is over here https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/previous-version-support/bd-p/6051

iPADs do not run AutoCAD, they run an even more crippled variant called AutocADMOBILE.
You can run that crippled software also on a Microsoft and Android devices too. Is that what you are actually seeking to use, that mobile app?

If yes, the dedicated forum for that app is way over here for iPADs/Androids https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-mobile/ct-p/225

On Microsoft devices running windows OS you will actually be using the webbrowser version (the app in the app store only fakes it), that forum is over here https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-web-application/ct-p/5072

I have and run AutoCAD2021 on A SurfacePro: it is fine for mobile needs for me, and desktop drafting with a dock and two monitors at home. It is not a desktop Workstation PC replacement that I use in the office and it never will be. If you need desktop performance you need to buy something like this for your mobile workforce https://www.boxx.com/systems/mobile-workstations

HTH

SEANT61 · ‎03-07-2021

@Anonymous wrote:
. . . .
2020 just doesn't track well, understand the pens right click, keyboard entry is slow. Like most say, it works but is clunky.

I did not get a chance to use pen and tablet with anything earlier than AutoCAD 2016, so I don't really know what may have advanced or regressed over that stretch. I can vouch for the latter version's poor Right-click performance. I did take some of that into account with my prototype mobile UI.

I am curious about your comment that 2020 doesn't 'track well'. Is there a scenario you can describe that illustrates that more clearly? In the linked screencast I show a tracking property somewhat unique to the pen; a minor advantage to be sure, but an interesting property nonetheless.

UMUI Part 4

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May your cursor always snap to the location intended.

ALT14-PLing · ‎02-05-2022

Hi,

I currently work with my Surface Pro 4, Windows 10 and AutoCAD LT 2020 with the pen each time i have to make a servey in the field, for 5 years now.

It works properly, not perfect, but well enough to always take it to draw in the field.

I am a person who want things to be efffective, i want to do the less cicks as possible, so if it was not working well enough i would not use it.

I am like you, i tell that working with a Surface and a pen in the field is a game changing powerful tool.

I don't no why Autodesk don't bother to make some developpement to support it and be effective, with the collaboration of Microsoft so it always work perfectly with each new release of Windows and AutoCAD.

The persons who told you that AutoCAD is not make to work with a pen, did not try enough, even if they work at Autodesk.

Two hints that may help you with your right click.

I always disable the finger touch screen of the Surface Pro and turn on the time sensitive right click in AutoCAD.

I copied below a post that i wrote in 2016 having a similar problem than you, and the same answers that you received.

I ended by solving it by myself, we never now which problem that we will have with a new release of AutoCAD or Windows.

It makes now 15 years that i worked with AutoCAD with a pen in the field, i worked with Windows XP, 7 and 10, AutoCAD Mechanical 2005, AutoCAD LT 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, i had a problem with 2021 so i switch to 2020.

Regards.

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Does someone have been able to make the stylet right click button work properly on a tablet pc with AutoCAD Lite 2017 and Windows 10 ?

The right click button works well in all software even in the toolbar area of AutoCAD Lite 2017, but it does not work properly in the drawing area.

I have to push hard on the screen with the stylet to make it work, i have even disable the touch screen to work only with the stylet but it was doing the same thing, when i was touching the screen with my finger it was still making like a selection lasso, may be the touch screen was not completely disable for fingers input ?

I worked for 9 years on tablet pc's with a stylet and the right click button has always worked well when the touch screen finger input is disable.

I have install AutoCAD Lite 2017 on my Asus EP121 tablet pc with Windows 7 and the stylet right click button was working well with the touch screen finger input disable.

I do not find my Asus tablet fast enough and i want to replace my 9 years old Lenovo X61 tablet pc with windows xp and AutoCAD mechanical 2005 before it stops working.

Does Autodesk or someone as technical expertise to help me ?

rjlancaster92CAD24 · ‎06-18-2024

Was there any good outcome for this?

I'm tired using pen and paper, to then come back to my desk (often days/weeks) later to then draw out a site plan again. I'm in the retail sector and it is only simple lines, columns etc. on the first visit. However, the industry still uses .dwg and CAD files as a standard starting point.

I have had a surface since 2014 and love them, recently upgraded to the Surface Pro 9 and it is great, does everything I need it to from Word docs to Sketchup. However, both CAD & Sketchup do not seem to have good, or smooth drafting tools/apps at least. I feel I could save so much time if I had a very simple way to draw lines > input dimension > draw next line...save as .dwg

My ideal work flow is to be 2D outline on the surface > save file > dock the surface to input blocks/design > save file > import into Sketchup / send out .dwg to partners.

If anyone has any update on this thread or any comments towards mine, much much much appreciated!

pendean · ‎06-18-2024

@rjlancaster92CAD24 wrote:
... to draw lines > input dimension > draw next line...save as .dwg ...
... import into Sketchup / send out .dwg to partners. ...

That's seems to be quite the challenging workflow. May I ask, why not do it all in SketchupPro instead? Explore and ask in the SketchUp User Forums over here about that

https://forums.sketchup.com/

Nothing in AutoCAD is specifically designed for pen through version2025 yet: download it and test for yourself, there are no secret hidden features to expose.