Transitioning away from AutoCAD

Pointing to folders

 

A reader writes:

I am trying to transition the AutoCAD users [at my firm] to BricsCAD and would like to run a "mixed" environment until I am certain I can pull the plug on AutoCAD.

Before I buy your books on BricsCAD, can you tell me if I can use my existing and extensive AutoCAD tool palettes? Or will I have to create them anew in the BricsCAD environment? It would appear that its not as simple as just pointing to the existing tool palette location.
- D. M.

You can use AutoCAD's XTP tool palette files in BricsCAD. The only thing that does not transfer over are the icon images that are embedded in AutoCAD. If you use custom icons, then those will transfer over.

I just checked, and BricsCAD V16 now supports palette groups, and imports AutoCAD's XPG [tool palette group] files.

You can edit the Settings dialog box in BricsCAD to point to AutoCAD's  XTP file folder; see figure below. This dialog box can be used to point to other AutoCAD support folders, such as for hatch pattern collections, linetype files, printer setups, and so on.

Best thing to do is to download the 30-day trial of BricsCAD to test if your palettes will work. I have written a book on how to transition from AutoCAD to BricsCAD, which is available as a PDF (free) from here: https://www.bricsys.com/bricscad/docs/en_INTL/V16/BricsCADV16ForAutoCADusers-en_INTL.pdf

 

Comments

[Jason Bourhill]

It is quite simple to run AutoCAD & BricsCAD using a common CAD Library. For those looking at moving to BricsCAD we have a free sample setup http://www.cadconcepts.co.nz/bricscad/bricscad-setup/
This includes examples of all the typical things you might be looking to re-use in BricsCAD, such as LISP, Scripts, Linetypes, Templates, Blocks.....