[SML] Vectorworks and AutoCAD

[SAMUEL JONES]

In addition to what Andy Dunning said, a few things.
First becoming familiar with both programs is a plus.  Both are used in the entertainment industry and being able to deal with both file types is a plus.  However, mastering both will be taxing at best and normally mind boggling.  I started out with AutoCAD 9 and stopped using AutoCAD with version 14; all ancient history.  There is no question that I can draw faster with VW than I ever could with AutoCAD  but that is because it is easier for the new to CAD user to get started with VW.  That does not mean that VW is more powerful or that mastering it is easy, but drawing with a mouse is more intuitive than drawing with the command line.  It would seem that you have already mastered the command line, and AutoCAD does have provision for drawing with a mouse or pad, why would you consider changing.

The main advantage VW has is that it has more tools, more powerful tools, specifically designed for entertainment lighting.  There are some interesting and powerful third party AutoCAD packages like LD Assistant and the European package, AutoStage, but VW remains the most equipped CAD package to handle the entertainment industry.  That does not mean that AutoCAD can’t be made to do what is necessary, but I can do it faster with VW tools.  Then there is the issue of the .DWG file format.  All CAD programs other than AutoCAD have to reverse engineer the file format in order to deal with AutoCAD drawings.  This can be an issue, but in recent years I have found VW and most other CAD programs up to the task.

As for "unintuitive arbitrary keyboard shortcuts”, these can all be changed to whatever you want using the workspace editor; just select the “Edit Current Workspace… under the “Tools/Workspaces” menu.  Make them as intuitive as you want.

Is it worth plugging away?  If the only criteria is in which one can you draw lines, rectangles, and circles faster.  Go with the one you are the most comfortable with.  If the question is which one can you draw a light plot, or rigging plot, and get all the data into and out of the drawing most easily.  Keep going with VW and get help anywhere you can find it.

Sam

Samuel L. Jones
Developer of AutoPlot Tools for SpotLight
E-mail: sjones at autoplotvw.com
Skype: AutoPlotVW
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> On Jul 21, 2017, at 1:48 PM, Michael Sauder via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
> 
> Here's a quick question to break the summer doldrums.
> 
> This isn't a "which is the better program" question, but rather, "which can you draw faster in." Right now I use both Vectorworks and AutoCAD, for different purposes; Vectorworks is mostly for a plug-in, ConnectCAD, I use to create signal/block diagrams.
> 
> I don't know VectorWorks nearly as well as AutoCAD, so I grant that I'm not fully up to speed, but with all the mouse clicking and unintuitive arbitrary keyboard shortcuts (where they exist at all), I just don't see how I'll ever reach the same speed as with AutoCAD and the command-line.
> 
> Am I missing something? Is it worth plugging away at VectorWorks to get more skilled?
> 
> Thanks,
> Michael
> 
> --
> Michael Sauder
> Show Control Programming and Design
> Email: michael.sauder at gmail.com <mailto:michael.sauder at gmail.com>
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