AutoCAD vs AutoCAD Lite

[kathleen sakal]

I need to make a decision about which of these 2 packages to purchase. My student license is running out and I intend to work as a Landscape Designer, but independently. I have been running Civil 3D but have never used the 3D functions. Have used SketchUp for models. The 3D may be more useful but I don’t know. Also, if I remember correctly, there are some tools like inserting raster images missing from Lite. Any advice you can give me about selecting the correct product? Thanks.

[Ryland Fox]

this is free and quite good, seems like it would be adequate – http://www.intellicad.org/

The interface looks just like 2005 autocad, at least it did when I got it last year.

[kathleen sakal]

Thanks very much for the feedback. I will check it out.

[Jennifer de Graaf]

I just bought cad LT 2010 from amazon and there’s a rebate offer from autodesk until sometime in January for an additional $300. savings (you have to fill out a form and send it in). That brought the price down to $509!!!!! AND they’ve added the revision cloud tool to cad LT now, so I didn’t see any reason not to get the LT version. Good luck!

[Ryan Templeton]

I had to make the same decision recently, and went with LT. It is much cheaper for a single user application and -since sketchup fits my 3d needs- I haven’t noticed a lack in any features.

[Steve Mercer]

We use LandCad from Eaglepoint Software and we are currently using BricsCad ( a AutoCad lookalike ) Though Eaglepoint currently supports version 7 of BricsCad there are several newer versions of BricsCad all which will NOT work with Eaglepoint. The problem is not BricsCad. The Problem is with Eaglepoint. They have decided to jump in to bed with AutoCad Civil and Civil 3d to the point that nothing else (even AutoCad) matters to them anymore. We purchased their SMI software to do data collection for our field surveys and the latest version of Windows Mobile they support is 2003! Ha! talk about burying your head in the sand! I just purchased a Motorola MC75 to do my data collection (and everything else in my business for that matter includes a 16gb microSD card) and it runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional. So guess what. SMI will not run on it. So it looks like we will be moving to MicroSurvey to perform all of our survey needs. As long as you design for yourself and do not need to trade AutoCad files with the very latest version of AutoCad you will probably be okay with Bricscad. If you do have to trade files with the latest version of AutoCad you may have to send the New Version of AutoCad a older file format from BricsCad. That could potentially cause problems. But I suspect for the price they could be worked around.

s.

[Matt Ewert]

If I remember correctly LT does not allow you to import .jpg files to use for building base maps and what not from plat of surveys. This may have been changed in the last few years. I believe the 2008 LT that I used in an office did not have this function. I hope they added it now for all of you using LT.

[Boilerplater]

I was under the impression that you are not able to handle files done in Civil 3D with AutoCAD LT. If you intend to work with engineering firms, you may have trouble working with their files, or getting them to save it in a file format you can use and then, in turn, them being able to use it when they need to print it our with their plan set.
I’ve used some 3D functions, like roadway alignment and grading tools, which are useful if you have a lot to grade. I like doing grading design, even though it took me a long time to get really proficient at it. The grading tools save a lot of calculation work if you want quick cut & fill estimates. I’ve used the alignment tools for trails as well. I like how you can create stationing and produce sections in a few steps.

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

You can go to and from civil 3d and LT and back. I use Civil 3d in the engineering office and LT 2008 in my home office. You don’t have certain commands and no add on programs, but the drawing file is the same. You won’t lose anything and nothing gets flattened or anything. The only question is whether you need functions that LT does not provide you with. You can’t generate topo from points, but if it has already been done, you have all of the topo and it still has a z value. LT is 3d, but you don’t have 3d tools, if that makes sense.

[Tyler Guettler]

I would agree with David. If you want to save money, go for Briscad. Most importantly for its LandFx capabilities [if that is something you will be interested in using].

I have recently joined a firm that has all AutoCAD LT licenses. We have been experiencing numerous issues with this platform. Many of the key functions you may be used to are not available in the LT version. There are some ways around them but then you spend 1hr of your time trying to figure out how to accomplish something that could have been done with one command in the full version. Or it is simply unattainable, which can be quite frustrating. You pay for what you get right…..that is why it is LT.

Good luck!

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Tyler,

What specific issues have you experienced with LT?

I’ve used Intellicad and found so many issues that I decided to go with LT. I really wanted the Intellicad (downloaded at least three different brands including Bricsnet & Progecad. Problems with layer controls in multi-layer blocks comes to mind. If I recall, most of the issues that I had were to do with managing the drawings rather than available tools. I did experience problems in how it handled survey points, no such problem with LT that I have experienced. I did not like paying three times as much for what is a lighter program, but I’d do it again today if I had to.

[Tyler Guettler]

Hi Andrew,

I couldn’t tell you all the problems we have been having, mainly because there is a higher up in our office who is very well-versed in CAD and he seems to be the one running into problems periodically. He knows much more than myself, so he is usually the one who troubleshoots these issues then feeds me the info.

I do know that one of our most recent issues has to do with XY Coordinate points [I think that is what you mean by survey points??]. We had to insert these blocks into the sheet files because for some reason they would print 0,0 even though in the print preview the full coordinates would be showing up. I read on a forum that it is a common problem. Other issues, annotative scaling, LandFx compatibility, X-Ref attach, creating NE blocks.

Here is a forum that lists the commands and variables not included in AutoCAD LT version: http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/qaID.asp?tip=6397.

[kathleen sakal]

FYI. I did purchase CAD Lite and so far it is doing everything I need. I have been able to insert a jpg, use Civil 3D files and open documents that I receive from survey and engineering firms. I am working as an independent designer. I did not learn the 3D function on CAD and use Sketch Up if I need a model. I’m sure this is not as efficient, but for the price and the frequency with which I use it, it is fine.

[Author]

Posts