PowerCADD Forum

David,

I was on the phone the other day with David Kropp making the argument that it would make sense to eliminate the PowerCADD tool palette and offer only a plain vanilla version of WildTools without power user short cuts and features. The reason I wrote WildTools is because of how pitiful the basic tool palette is and how it has some really bizarre and goofy things in it. Look at the Continuous Line tool and try to explain to anyone how this came into being.

On a short-term basis, there is to be no more development of PC9, which I understand. My only contact with users has been with WildTools users, and I don't have a clue about users who have only PowerCADD.

There used to be some tools in PowerCADD for dealing with bitmaps, but these are gone because they could no longer be compiled.

I sometimes hear the argument that "average users" (I've never met one) would be overwhelmed by all the tools in WildTools. There are now 450 drawing tools in WildTools. Not sure what the answer is, but it doesn't make sense to me for a software company to have such a great program and with a pitiful set of tools.

Alfred

WildTools is why I use PowerCad. Period. All the choices make it a rich drawing experience and very grateful that Alfred was inspired to expand PowerCad's usefulness. Limited to old 32 bit hardware has become restrictive and my new PowerBook M1 Max is a game changer. Running a complex architectural model in SketchUp is fast, even with shadows on and it doesn't even get warm. And not plugged in running on battery all day without a hiccup or a slow down. The sooner PowerCad moves to 64 bit the better.

Paul

Alfred,

My thoughts on tool pallets:

The Mac started as ‘the computer for everyone’ so it made sense to create simplicity by reduction e.g. have one button on the mouse instead of three; reduce ports; plug & play etc.
However, CAD users are used to visual complexity so simplicity should be achieved, not by primarily by reduction but by intuition and usability of the actual tools. Apple did a lot to achieve both but often simplicity by reduction affects discoverability. I also can’t think why anyone who might be overwhelmed by lots of tools would even want to buy a CAD program: just buy a simple drawing app.

I once made myself a tool pallet with all the tools I used most but I later realised I kept having to open pallets and look for ‘that tool I knew was in there somewhere’. I went back to having most of the 2D tool pallets open and use Blossom with a keystroke for my seven most used tools. My PowerCADD tool pallet is also always open but mainly to use the Fence Cut tool, which I find really useful, and the Bucket tool on the odd occasion when I can’t get the Flood tool to work.

WildTools excels at intuition and speed of use. Generally, once you know how a tool works, you don’t forget. I’ve introduced a lot of people to PowerCADD over the years, usually coming from AutoCAD, and no one has ever been intimidated by the number of tools. When I show a group how easy all the tools are to use they’re not overwhelmed but overjoyed!
By the way, novices just love the WildTools Tool Palette Guide at http://www.seqair.com/WildTools/ToolPal ... Guide.html (brilliant idea Derek). In my opinion that page should be in the help menu.

It makes a lot of sense to me to use the new PowerCADD to take stock and rationalise the entire toolset but to do it using the same principles- group similar tools in expanding sets, springing from a more basic primary tool.

Floating windows are another subject but instead of floating I’d love to see these stacked in a sidebar attached to the drawing window. You can kind of do this with magnetic windows but you can’t make them all the same width, which looks messy.

David

Alfred,

There is nothing more I can add except to say, that without Wildtools, PowerCADD is no longer the workhorse I need it to be.

Bill

We don't even have any idea of what the next version of PC will have and not have as far as features. Let's give Todd a chance to finish up what he is working on. Then we will have a baseline to see what we feel like we need. If PC has an API or allows 3rd party plugins, all will be fine.

If there is no PowerCadd, then there is no WildTools. And if PowerCadd does not move forward to current OS versions, then as far as I’m concerned there is no PowerCadd.

There is no choice for me. I need PowerCadd, with or without WildTools. I used it for years without WildTools, and I’d gladly do so again over other options.

PowerCADD without WildTools isn't worth it and doesn't work for me. It's that simple.

Paul

I’ve got a WT Fence Cut tool started, and putting the Tool Palette Guide in the Help Menu makes plenty of sense.

Alfred

Seeing Apple’s new Mac Studio rinded me of the old days when forum users would get excited about imminent hardware upgrades. Hopefully, when PC is compatible with current hardware, we’ll have that opportunity again.

I have no plans to ever buy another product from Apple Computer. I have everything I need, and Apple is among the elite group of the most evil companies on the planet as far as I am concerned.