AutoCad package

Hi everybody,

I am terrible sorry, - several have asked me about what " I found "
. I have spent an hour or more, going through all the links I can
remember, - I just can't find it.

I thought I had put a bookmark on it, - but I must have missed.
Does Industry net, web or something ring a bell ? I think I found a
link on somebody's home page, and I came to a site with shareware
programs.

So I just read I few lines about a couple of programs, and I
downloaded them - just to have a look.

one is called ac1213.exe - ( don't have a clue what it does - I
extracted the files, and some of the readme is here )
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to AUTO-CODE, a CAM system for AutoCAD Release 12.

!!! AUTO-CODE requires AutoCAD Release 12 for DOS or WINDOWS to
run.
!!! Will work with AutoCAD Release 13 for DOS.

This copy of AUTO-CODE is distrubuted free of charge. Because of
the
large number of requests for an opportunity to work with the
software
before making a final purchase decision, AUTO-CODE was born from the

popular NC-AUTO-CODE software for AutoCAD. AUTO-CODE is a sub-set
of
NC-AUTO-CODE and was designed to be very easy to use and learn.

To install AUTO-CODE on your computer, follow the directions listed
below. AUTO-CODE is distributed using PkWare's PKZIP compression
utility which is available from most Bulletin Board Systems. You
will need a copy of the PKUNZIP program to complete the
installation.
<snip>
instructions on unzip, and install.
<snip>
Technical assistance is available for AUTO-CODE from the AUTO-CODE
MECHANICAL/ Kramer Consulting, Inc. Bulletin Board System at [USA]-
614-792-3386.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The other package is called " cadcam23.exe " - ( don't know what it
does either )
here is some description:

This file provides information for Shareware Distributors, Disk
Vendors and Computer Clubs who wish to distribute the CNC-CAD-CAM
Package.

Quick Description:
------------------
CNC-CAD-CAM Package . . . CNC program/utility/organizer.
Make CNC programs for the
machine shop.

Short Description:
------------------
Makes CNC programs in minites instead of hours.
Graphic oriented programming, printout graphics,
X Y mirror, XY change, zoom in or out, transfer
programs to and from your CNC and computer, identify
your program files. A full screen editor with cut
and paste, search.
Author/Publisher Information:
-----------------------------
Northland Multisoft is a small software company owned and
operated by Brian Pfaffl.

At Northland Multisoft we believe that the PRIMARY purpose of
business is the best quality software at the lowest possible
price. This concept is fundamental to our approach to product
development, production and marketing.

Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any
questions, comments or suggestions.

Brian Pfaffl
Northland Multisoft
1501 S. Glendora Ave.
Glendora, CA 91740
(818) 963-6355

CNC CAD CAM Package 2.3
===========================

This software is not free! I invite you to try it out and see for
yourself if
this is the package you would like to use. If you copy this software
to let
someone else try it out, then the copy must be complete without any
additives
or changes, on quality diskettes. If you decide to make this package
part of
your software collection then you must, by law, register your
purchase at the
very reasonable price of $125.00 + $8.00 for shipping and handling.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope this helps, - as I said I haven't a clue as to what kind of
programs this is. If you can't find it, I may attach it in a email,
and you could send it to the next in line, - or I guess the
drop-box at metalworkers would work better. But try if you can find
it, because there was more programs and a some were free. (
different add-on's to Autocad + more )

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay - a few words:

I have some special features in mind, - as to what I would like to
have. I made some sort of CAD tool for AutoCad once ( don't have
the code anymore ) - I used several years on it ! :(

It is too complicated to tell you what it did, - I just leave out
all that, but I would like any CAD under Linux that will give a nice
library for the geometric shape data base, and such. In the system
I made, I had to manipulate data in the database and some internal
functions in AutoCad. It was real hard, because it was not
documented anywhere. I found some ideas about in some other
applications - and in the end I found a solution. ( I will never try
that task again - unless I have full source and nice ways to do it )

This will probably be possible in a Linux CAD system, - and a dead
end under Windows.

As I said, there seems to be several candidates - and I would like
find the best.

Is there no one that is familiar with BRL-CAD ?
http://ftp.arl.mil/brlcad/downloads/Rel5.0/


What about QCAD ?
What about CAM Expert ?
http://www2.active.ch/~ribbon/

Just a note, BRL-CAD can read IGES, and VARKON can do DXF - you
could use library functions to read the Geometric Database, - and
output it in G-codes. This would save you from making a parser for
DXF, and the added bonus would be to see the file. It is just to
give you a few ideas - why it is interesting to look for what we can
find in CAD for Linux. The gCAD project will probably include some
G-code output at a later stage ( I guess )

gCAD will use parts from VARKON, how much I don't know. BRL-CAD
may be better, I don't know. You also have some other solid
modellers with source code. The nice thing would be if we could
find the best package and some of us started to use it. In VARKON
you can make your own projects, menus, buttons, and include code.
Jon Elsons programs could for instance be used, and wrapped into a
nice application. The nice thing would of course be if we entered
a common platform, and could exchange help and ideas. For a lot of
us, - we would not do any complicated tasks, so even if programs
like Solid Edge is nicer, - we don't have to have all those nice
features. And as our knowledge would increase, we would learn how to
do these nicer things, - because a lot of it is there, - it is just
as intuitive and interactive at the moment.

Comments ?

//ARNE