I use SketchUp a bit but have just found a limitation in that it is possible to print to scale (ie 1:1), but it's a faff involving the Camera and so on.
I'm wanting to make templates for scrollsaw cutting so basically looking for a recommendation of a 2D drawing package that will print to real size - and will cost nothing and be easy to use!
Many thanks Rob
Yup. I generally use ProCad+ on this RISC OS machine, but found no problems in using Draftsight, so the principles must be similar.
One thing I never did sort out with it was this.
On the RISC OS setup, I'll often scan something like a PCB I want to copy and drop that file in at real size to a layer, and then put my drawing on top, which may include some modifications. Then print out to a transparency for making the PCB. Everything seems to stay at real size - at least as far as the accuracy I need for this.
But don't seem to be able to do the same on the PC.
Or fazed even! I think being phased might happen to Captain Kirk.
Yes - that's exactly what I've found on the PC.
But if I scan under RISC OS using 100 dpi on a fairly ancient Epson scanner and drop the resultant Sprite into ProCad+, is is exactly the real size. Saves a lot of faffing about.
I use mostly Inkscape for laser cutting designs, though the laser cutter's printer driver is very picky and won't print direct from Inkscape, I have to export EPS and import into Adobe Illustrator CS3 to print.
For scanning, we have a photocopier that will scan to email: I 'photocopy' whatever parts I want, it emails me an A4 PDF in 1:1 scale, and I can then open (one page of) the PDF in Inkscape at the correct scaling.
For either of these steps, going another way makes a horrible hash of the scaling - it's surprisingly tricky.
As far as CAD software goes, I haven't used proper AutoCAD but it seems to me like anything that pretends to be AutoCAD is horrible to use: eg you can't draw a rectangle, you have to draw 4 lines. It's then a right pain if you want to pick up the rectangle and move it somewhere else, or you want to resize it. But maybe I haven't used them long enough to 'get it'.
Theo
It's why I've stuck with my ancient RISC OS setup for making a PCB transparency *for my needs*. It does everything I want without any faffing about. And love ProCAD+ for all this sort of tech drawing. But of course is just the devil you know.
As regards your rectangle example, you can draw one freehand, or enter in the size, deciding at the same time what the snap point is. And edit it afterwards if needed using the same menu.
I have my own libraries of commonly used things (here) which could be a PITA to transfer to another prog - so again the devil you know.
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