Your software. Your vision. Your community.
Dallas / Fort Worth DraftSight User Group May 11, 2016
This amended presentation has notes from the meeting and is available on our Forum’s website and at www.anidatech.com! Look for the orange text for changes and additions. DraftSight Agenda
11:30 Welcome – Networking - Pizza 11:40 Building the DFW Draftsight User Group Community 12:30 Break - Giveaways 12:45 Finding Information on DraftSight 1:30 Adjourn
Thomas Allsup
Co-chair of North Texas SolidWorks Users Group Recovering Pro/E, Unigraphics, CADKEY, and AutoCAD user…”My Name is Thomas and I’m an computer addict”. My day job is a contract engineer (www.anidatech.com) but I also teach. This is not my User Group – I am only the facilitator.
Network and Pizza Time DraftSight Agenda
11:30 Welcome – Networking - Pizza 11:40 Building the DFW Draftsight User Group Community 12:30 Break - Giveaways 12:45 Finding Information on DraftSight 1:30 Adjourn
Your software. Your vision. Your community. Building the Dallas / Fort Worth DraftSight User Group Community Thomas Allsup What is DraftSight? DraftSight the product:
Free, easy-to-use professional-grade 2D CAD product Email activation required Optional paid support, API and network licensing
Can AutoCAD API’s Work in DraftSight
Short answer: No DraftSight can use pre-existing AutoCAD support files such as template files (.dwt) or menu files (.cui, .mnu, .mns.). The only API supported in DraftSight is LISP. No SDS, DRX or ARX source compatible plug-ins will load into DraftSight. Works with your DWG files
Opens, edits, and saves your DWG files in multiple versions Works with DWG files from your customers, vendors and suppliers Works with DWG files from other CAD packages Uses same technology for DWG file formats in all Dassault Systèmes’ products 3D CAD, PDM, Viewing, PLM technologies
Easy to use
Small download (under 50 MB) Short learning curve Customizable user interface Command line interface Common aliased commands Windows, MAC, and Linux native interfaces Multiple training options Reseller based and online Works with your processes
Creates DWG native files to share with manufacturing, customers, vendors, and suppliers Optional Application Programming Interfaces (API) Interface with business systems i.e. PLM, PDM, ERP, etc. Create custom automation programs Works with common IT network deployment processes
What is PDM?
Product Data Management Most people visualize PDM as a Vault. You check CAD data into and out of the Vault so the system can track revisions. DraftSight is right for you
It saves you money Easy to use Product is community driven Easy to deploy and manage Flexible licensing Consolidate vendors Professional support option Multiple operating system support
Download Now for FREE* at DraftSight.com
*Standalone version. Activation required. DraftSight History #1
In case you’re wondering where DraftSight came from, it actually has a long and rich history. Dassault provides DraftSight, but the core of the tool is written by Graebert, and DraftSight is very comparable to Graebert’s Ares product. The fact that DraftSight is based on Ares brings up another interesting capability of the tool: DraftSight runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS! DraftSight History #2
It may seem strange for Dassault to pay Graebert to license a tool which Dassault in turn provides for free, but there is likely some method to their madness. For example, Dassault probably has an easier time getting a prospective customer to give up their AutoCAD in favor of SolidWorks or CATIA if they can offer that customer a way to continue to modify their legacy DWG and DXF files (SolidWorks used to offer DWG Editor for this purpose, but now uses DraftSight in this role).
Welcome to a SWUGN Event
SolidWorks User Group Network (SWUGN) Dassault Systemes has a group inside the company that assists private local user groups. Richard Doyle works for Dassault Systemes and heads the SWUGN The help usually comes in the form of meeting content, some expense reimbursement, and of course the free giveaways. There are very few restrictions on the help but the two big ones are that VAR’s (Value Added Reseller) can’t run a user group and presentations can’t be blatant sales pitches. “Blatant Sales Pitch”
People in this room, myself included, are contractors. You can’t give a sales pitch for your services but by simply presenting in front of the group you show you are somewhat of an expert. Casually mentioning you are available for contract work while you are imparting some knowledge is not a sales pitch. DFW SolidWorks User Groups
North Texas SolidWorks User Group Meets at Makerspace in Carrollton Fort Worth SolidWorks User Group Meets at the Southern Tarrant County College Campus Both groups meet quarterly There is a group out in Longview that no longer meets… If you use SolidWorks you should be going to one of these meetings…
User Profile Questions
Do we all have DraftSight? What Operating System do you use? Windows, Apple, Linux Do you also use a parametric CAD system? SolidWorks, Inventor, OnShape Who came the furthest? Who came the shortest? Have you participated in other SWUGN events? Any purchase DraftSight Professional? Any Value Added Resellers? Value Added Resellers
When you pay for your SolidWorks annual maintenance, the monies go to your local VAR which in turn hands over a large portion to Dassault Systemes. This arrangement makes the VARs very active in the SolidWorks User Community. When you pay your $99 per month to Dassault Systemes for DraftSight Professional, none of the money remains locally. This arrangement means you can ask your local VAR for assistance but they will probably refer you back to Dassault Systemes. Future Meeting Questions How often? Quarterly, bi-monthly, monthly Time of day? Lunch, After work Day of week? During lunch does it matter? After work, Tues – Wed – Thurs? Location? The Lab in Plano Expansion plans are being discussed but if we outgrow this place, there is UTD, Richland, ITT, Collin County, etc. Webinar? Live or video download Future Meeting Topics - DraftSight
3D Printing from DraftSight Using Cloud Data in DraftSight Using DraftSight to Generate G Code DXF File Format How to Teach DraftSight Creating a Script for DraftSight Case Studies Hands On Session (Warning – this takes a special type of instructor to pull this off) Suggested Topics?
There was interest in these two topics for the August meeting. Future Meeting Topics – Non-DraftSight GD&T DFMA G-Codes 3D Printing How To Fasteners Costing 3D Scanning Metrology Using DraftSight in Linux for a Truly Free CAD Solution Suggested Topics? Future Meeting Topics – Other CAD
We’ll avoid SolidWorks since there are two other local meetings you can go to for that. We’ll also avoid AutoCAD for hopefully obvious reasons. There are other programs that we might like to learn about: OpenSCAD Onshape Excel Open Office Calc Other CAD programs? Surfacing in DraftSight?
DraftSight has UCS and Region commands. DraftSight will Extrude profiles into 3D solids and can use Align to assemble its components as well as imported 3D object created in AutoCAD. In DraftSight’s command line type: “IMPORTSAT” and press
Presenter Benefits
Free admission and parking for user group meeting Ok, everyone’s free… First piece of pizza First pick of giveaways Many thanks of a grateful community Prepares you for next year’s SolidWorks World When you submit a presentation for SolidWorks World, one of the questions they ask is if you have presented at a local user group meeting. Topics can range from 15 minutes to one hour. Forums Page Official Website
This User Group’s official website will be: https://forum.solidworks.com/groups/dfw-draftsight- user-group Does not require a subscription to access but you will need a log-on name and password. There is a lot of information available on the forums for SolidWorks, DraftSight, and technical discussions that is available to everyone. However, there are locked areas that do require you be under subscription to access. All presentations, including this one, is available on the forums page.
Attendance Sheets
If you RSVP’d to this meeting then your name and email is on the sheet. If everything is correct, simply check the box. If anything is wrong, please correct it. If you did not RSVP, please put your name at the bottom of the sheet – add your email address if you want to be contacted for future meetings. You will not be receiving “email blasts” from Dassault Systemes for future meetings. That is at most, one time per year thing that user groups can request. Previous attendance numbers dictate the number of free giveaways we get! Does DraftSight have Polyline driven Arrays?
I couldn’t find anything on this but there might be an API or LISP routine that adds this feature. Networking
An introverted engineer looks at his feet when he talks to you. An extroverted engineer looks at your feet when he talks to you. This group should assist those looking for a job and help those who need to fill part or full time design – drafting – engineering needs. Breaktime- Giveaways DraftSight Agenda
11:30 Welcome – Networking - Pizza 11:40 Building the DFW Draftsight User Group Community 12:30 Break - Giveaways 12:45 Finding Information on DraftSight 1:30 Adjourn
First giveaways go to presenters. We will then use the first come, first served approach to giveaways. When the email goes out to announce the next meeting the order of the RSVP’s will dictate how the gifts are distributed. You must be present to win! DraftSight Agenda
11:30 Welcome – Networking - Pizza 11:40 Building the DFW Draftsight User Group Community 12:30 Break - Giveaways 12:45 Finding Information on DraftSight 1:30 Adjourn
Your software. Your vision. Your community.
Finding Information on DraftSight Thomas Allsup SolidWorks World Archives
• A few of you might know this meeting was originally scheduled for March but due to some growing pains, we had to delay until today. • In March, I would have told you to search for previous years presentations from the SolidWorks Worlds archives. • These presentations had PowerPoint video with the presenter’s voice. • There were six of the best GD&T presentations you have ever seen! • Well, it is May now, and Dassault Systemes has now removed all of that data prior to 2016. www.anidatech.com Finding Old Presentations
I have been attending SolidWorks Worlds for almost a decade. The last one was in Dallas in January Next year’s will be in Los Angeles I have reached out to as many people as I know to find these DraftSight presentations and will hopefully make some if not all of them available again if only in PowerPoint or PDF format. So here’s a tease of what you would have found… And hopefully we can find again… SolidWorks World 2013 A Deep-Dive Session into the Benefits of the DraftSight Premium Pack Aaron Kelly Level: Beginner Category: Design Communication Advanced-Level DraftSight Hands-on Lesson Mark Lyons Level: Intermediate Category: Design Communication DraftSight Productivity Boosters Mark Lyons Level: Beginner Category: Design Communication DraftSight Settings, Profiles, Installation and Troubleshooting Methods Caroline Marecaux and Annika Nauheimer Level: Beginner Category: Design Communication SolidWorks World 2014
Advanced DraftSight User Hands on Lesson Mark Lyons Level: Intermediate Category: Design Communication DraftSight APIs: Developing Add-ins for Improved Productivity Ram Chilukuri and Robert Graebert Level: Intermediate Category: Design Communication DraftSight Productivity Boosters Mark Lyons Level: Beginner Category: Design Communication
SolidWorks World 2015
DraftSight Premium—Here’s What You’re Missing! Marc Leizza Level: Beginner (0-1 year experience) Category: Productivity Tools Improve Productivity using DraftSight API Ram Chilukuri and Robert Graebert Level: Intermediate (1-3 years experience) Category: Design Automation What's New in DraftSight 2015 Mark Lyons Level: Beginner (0-1 year experience) Category: Productivity
SolidWorks World 2016
We can still download: Increased Speed and Productivity in DraftSight: 14 Smart Features and Commands All About DraftSight Production Installation and Features and Tips Troubleshooting Tools and Techniques in DraftSight Develop Applications for DraftSight Using DSAPI SolidWorks PDM Integration with DraftSight and AutoCAD Overview What’s New in DraftSight
How to Get To SolidWorks 2016 Presentations
Go to: https://www.solidworks.com/sww/ Sadly, you will need to create an account if you haven’t already (this is different from the forums). This account will be used if you wish to submit a paper for SWW2017 in Los Angeles (did I mention that presenters get free admission?) - call for papers will be in a month or so. Let’s go to the video…
What’s New in DraftSight DraftSight Books - Randy H. Shih DraftSight Books - Jason Wooden
DraftSight Books - João Santos
DraftSight PDF’s
Dassault Systemes DraftSight Training Manual http://denisekitchencad.weebly.com/uploads/5 /0/0/2/5002372/draftsight_training.pdf http://www.3ds.com/fileadmin/PRODUCTS/D RAFT_SIGHT/PDF/GETTING-STARTED- GUIDE.pdf
http://www.3ds.com/products- services/draftsight-cad-software/resources/ https://www.youtube.com/user/DraftSight Difference in Free and Pro Versions Questions? Insert a Drawing into a Drawing
The INSERTBLOCK command can’t tell the difference between a block and an entire drawing. Can you Enter Longitude and Latitude?
• There are 5 types of linear units: Architectural (Feet and Inches) 0'-1 1/2" 125'-0" Decimal 1.5000 1500.0000 Engineering (Feet and Inches) 0'-1.5000" 125'-0.0000" Fractional 1 1/2 1500 Scientific (Scientific exponential notation) 1.5000E+00 1.5000E+03 Can you run DraftSight on Android?
DraftSight runs natively in Windows, Linux, and Mac. There is no native Android application. You can run your Windows or Linux desktop on an Android device which might run DraftSight but you aren’t running DraftSight in the Android operating system. Your software. Your vision. Your community.
Hope to See You (and your friends) in August
This presentation is available on our Forum’s website and at www.anidatech.com! DraftSight Agenda
11:30 Welcome – Networking - Pizza 11:40 Building the DFW Draftsight User Group Community 12:30 Break - Giveaways 12:45 Finding Information on DraftSight 1:30 Adjourn