PC-Draft-CAD version 3.05 Full featured Computer Aided Drafting Copyright 1990, Natural Software, 19 South Fifth Street, St. Charles, IL 60174 (708) 377-7320, Compuserve ID: 70047,744 PC-Draft-CAD release 3.05 is distributed as three self-extracting LHARC files. The list below shows the file names in each EXE file. If you find missing files please contact us. To install: - if you received this shareware version on diskette, there should be three EXE files: PCDCAD1.EXE PCDCAD2 and PCDCAD3.EXE: To install on your hard disk (C:) 1 - Place this disk in drive A: 2 - Enter: [C:] to make it your current drive. 3 - Enter: [A:INSTALL]. To install on a two floppy system, you must have THREE formatted (empty) disks 1 - Place this disk in drive A: 2 - Place a blank disk in drive B: 3 - Enter: [B:] to make B: your current drive. 4 - Enter: [A:INSTALL]. 5 - When prompted, place a new blank disk in drive B: - if you received this from a BBS you obviously have already extracted the files (or you wouldn't be reading this!). To select the correct display driver and to set up your sub-directories, run: BBSINST.BAT. Contents of the self-extracting EXE files: PCDCAD1: bbsinst.bat - run this if you got this from a BBS order.frm - fill this in to register draft3.exe - the main PC-Draft-CAD program draft3.cfg - configuration file (EGA/VGA displays) CGA.CFG - config file for CGA displays draft3.hlp - help file cgadrv.com - driver for CGA (delete if not used) vgadrv.com - for VGA/EGA ( " ) svgadrv.com - for Super VGA ( " ) hgcdrv.exe - for Hercules ( " ) vgastart.bat - starts PC-Draft-CAD on VGA/EGA cgastart.bat - ... on CGA hgcstart.bat - ... on Hercules vidtest.com - tests video - used by install.bat PCDCAD2: dot--drv.exe - driver for dot-matrix printers hpgl-drv.exe - for HPGL plotters hplj-drv.exe - for LaserJet/DeskJet printers wpg--drv.exe - "print" drawing in WordPerfect format epson???.cfg - config files for Epson compatible printers: each for a different horiz. resolution. (copy one of these to: PRINTER.CFG) ibmdm???.cfg - config files for IBM dot matrix dot24???.cfg - config files 24 pin dot (Epson LQ-2500 command set) printer.cfg - The default cfg file used by DOT--DRV.EXE hpgl???.cfg - config files for HPGL Plotter driver PCDCAD3: draft3.doc - Manual. enter: COPY DRAFT3.DOC PRN *.dwg - Sample drawings *.lib - Sample Object Libraries *.fon - Sample fonts (5) arcs.mac - Sample macro file - Files not included (for registered users only) DXF2PCD.EXE - Converts Autocad DXF files to Draft3 drawings WPGCONV.EXE - Converts WordPerfect Graphic files into Draft3 Drawings GEM--DRV.EXE - creates GEM Draw file PRTDATA.EXE - Prints Drawing database reports. WINDOWS.LIB - Library of window elevations DOORS.LIB - Library of door elevations PATTERNS.DWG - Source for Pattern1.lib for user modification TUTOR?.MAC - macros for 7 Lessons in the tutorial manual Latest Updates: Orthographic drawing: When you want to draw lines that are exactly horizontal or exactly vertical you can now press the [Shift] key while moving the mouse. When either [Shift] key is pressed the mouse cursor snaps back to the closest right angle to the starting point. You can also simply use the arrow cursor keys on the keyboard to move straight vertically or horizontally. Note that the [Shift] key should not be pressed when using the arrow keys because this cause the keys on the numeric keypad to represent numbers instead of cursor movements. Using the [Shift] key for orthographic movement is for use with the mouse only. Improved Double line command: Pg. 31 in the manual talks about using the XLine (double line) command from left to right verses right to left. This has been changed to make it easier and more intuitive. Now the line ends work the same way regardless of which end point is drawn first. US Decimal Units: New with version 3.05, when decimal units is selected (on the Options/Units menu), the offset indicator on the control panel is shown in decimal INCHES not decimal FEET as before. This makes it easier for electrical engineering drawings such as circuir boards that are drawn full size. Also dimensions are now expressed in decimal inches (if the units is US-Decimal). 24 pin dot matrix printers: The dot matrix printer driver (DOT--DRV.EXE) has been updated. It now supports 24 pin modes for most 24 pin printers. To use 24 pin mode you must copy one of the two supplied configuration files to: PRINTER.CFG. The two new .CFG files are: DOT24180.CFG (which uses 180 dots per inch resolution) and DOT24240 (240 dots / inch resolution). These files use the Epson LQ-2500 bit image mode selection commands -- the "Esc * 40 shown in the 140 dpi file below: --------------------------------------------------- 8 - page width -- For 24 pin mode 40: 360 dpi 10.5 - page height 360 - horiz dots per inch 180 - vert dots per inch 24 - # of raster passes 24 - # of scan lines per printer pass (print head wires) 2880 - # of bytes = 0b40 hex; bytes = 11, 64 dec... 27 51 24 255 - line feed string (ESC "3" 24) = 24/180 inch 13 10 27 42 40 64 11 255 - graphics line setup string (cr lf Esc * 40 64 11) ---------------------------------------------------- Many other brands of printers use the same command set. If your 24 pin printer uses another command set, you may be able to modify the .CFG file to work with it. The parameter in the .CFG file for # of raster passes is no longer used. The printer driver calculates this. However the field is left in for backward compatibility. Zenith EGA display incompatibility: For PC-Draft-CAD to work properly with the Zenith EGA display adapter (model Z-449), dip-switch number five (5) must be set to "OFF". this is called "Auto-Emulation Mode" in their manual. If switch 5 is "ON", the display drivers (VGADRV.COM and CGADRV.COM) will hang the system when run. Dip-switch 5 on the Zenity EGA board is the second switch from the top. Moving the switch to the left is "OFF". Hercules display type: If you have a Hercules display, the install process will detect it and create the proper start.bat file for your use. The Hercules driver is different than the other display drivers in that it executes DRAFT3.EXE directly and is not a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program. So, running: HGCDRV directly works just as good as running START. Menu Choices: If you have a mouse, moving the cursor to the top menu bar changes the mouse cursor to a pointing hand for menu selections. If you do not have a mouse, the cursor disappears when you move into the menu bar, but you can still make menu choices in this way. However, it does not make sense to choose drawing commands in this manner, because the begining cursor position which selects the starting point of a drawing element such as a line will be in the wrong place (at the top of the screen). For drawing commands use the mouse left button or the F2 function key instead (after positioning the cursor at the proper starting location). New [Q]uick move command: You can now precisely position the cursor in relationship to your base point by using the [Q]uick move command. When you press the [Q] key a dialog window opens allowing you to enter the distance in feet and inches for both the Y offset and the X offset from your base point. After entering a value, first for the X offset, press ESC to continue and enter a value for the Y offset, then press ESC to exit the window. At that point (if the new location is within the current view) the cursor will be moved to the specified offset. For example to draw a line that is precisely 10 feet, 6 inches and 3/16 inch long: 1. move the cursor to where you want the line to start. 2. press [Alt+B] to set your base point to zero at the current cursor location. 3. press [L] to start the line command. 4. press [Q] to open the [Q]uick move window. 5. enter "10" for feet, press [Enter], enter "6" for inches, press [Enter], enter "3" for the 16th. field. 6. press [ESC] to exit the X offset window. and [ESC] again to exit the Y offset window (so the line is horizontal -- Y offset = 0). 7. press [Enter] to end the line command. In the case where the specified end point falls outside the current view, the current drawing command will be completed (you dont have to press [Enter]). This command allows you to draw elements with precise endpoints even though those points would fall between screen pixels. Otherwise you would have to Zoom in closer to position the cursor to the exact dimension. [N]ew Layer/Object Press [Alt+N] to start a new layer and name the first new object on that layer. You used to have to do this by opening the database window. s[E]t Scale This new option on the Options menu lets you set the drawing scale. You used to have to open the databse window to set the drawing scale. And, since the database window would not open unless you have at least one element, this was inconvenent. Now you can set the scale before drawing anything. New [Z]ip to base command: This new command moves the cursor to the base position: [Alt+Z] (for: "[Z]ip to base") moves the cursor to the base position. The base position is set by [Alt+B]. New Group command: A new command: [G]roup, has been added to the Objects menu. This new function lets you create a new object from existing elements displayed on the screen. To use the [G]roup command, follow these steps: 1 - position the cursor to the upper left corner of the area containing elements you want to add to the new object. 2 - press [F3][G] to select the [G]roup command from the objects menu. 3 - move the cursor to surround the elements with a rubber band box. 4 - press [Enter] once the box surrounds the elements you want. 5 - enter the name for the new object in the pop up window. 6 - the new object will be redrawn in place -- use the Object Move command to display it in a new location. This is very useful when creating new object libraries from existing drawings. A hint: make a new layer in the existing drawing and add the new object that will go into the new object library on the new layer. Then when you are ready, (and have made backup copies of the original and new drawing), delete all the other layers, leaving only the new, object library layer. Then save the objects to your new object library file with the command: [F4][O][S]. New Preview command: A new menu choice on the Print Options menu (press [F8], then [O] for Options) lets you judge how much of your drawing will be printed at a given scale. When you press [P] for Preview, a box will temporarily be drawn on the current view to indicate the area of your drawing that will be printed. This area is determined by the current drawing scale and current print scale. It is further based on an 8 inch by 10 inch paper size. If your current view width or height is too small you will not see the extents of the preview box. This indicates that you should zoom "out" to a larger view before printing (unless you intend for the drawing to be truncated when printed). Press any key to remove the preview box and return to the print menu. CAVE Drawings: PC-Draft-CAD now supports the exchange of vector based drawings via online services such as CompuServe. CAVE: CAD ASCII Vector Exchange is a file exchange format designed to permit exchange of vector based (CAD) drawings via messages posted on CompuServe Information Service (CIS), or other bulletin board services. CAVE messages will contain a compact description of a CAD drawing that the user will be able to view and modify. The CAVE drawing format is designed to achieve the following goals: - maintain the CAD drawing logical structure of layers, objects, and elements to facilitate repeated import/export/editing with no loss of structure. - the ASCII format must be as compact as possible because of constraints of CIS message size. - by maintaining logical objects, a CAVE message may refer to library objects -- objects that do not appear in the CAVE message, thereby reducing necessary size of the CAVE message. Therefore, the CAVE drawing format closely follows the internal structure of PC-Draft-CAD drawing files. Using PC-Draft-CAD with CAVE messages To create a CAVE drawing follow these steps: 1- Load or create the drawing you wish to convert to CAVE format, 2- Press [F4] for the file menu, 3- Select [C]AVE file type, 4- Select the [S]ave operation, 5- Enter the filename (with optional drive and path information). PC- Draft-CAD uses .CAV as the default CAVE drawing file extension. 6- Press [Enter] to save the drawing in CAVE format. If the current drawing is large or complex enough to take more than 30 lines in the CAVE message, a pop up warning will give you a chance to abort the process. Press [Y] to continue if you don't mind creating "continued" CAVE messages. To load a CAVE drawing for viewing and/or editing: 1- If you have an existing drawing loaded, clear it by pressing [F9], 2- Press [F4] for the file menu, 3- Select [C]AVE file type, 4- Select the [L]oad operation, 5- Enter the filename (with optional drive and path information). PC- Draft-CAD uses .CAV as the default CAVE drawing file extension. 6- Press [Enter] to load the CAVE drawing. You may have to [Z]oom and/or [P]an the view window to display the full drawing. Expanded Memory Managers: PC-Draft-CAD's own virtual memory management code automatically uses your expanded or extended memory. It may not be compatible with other memory management software. For example, Quarterdeck's QEMM. If you have a problem running PC-Draft-CAD, try disabling your other memory managers and TSR (Terminate Stay Resident) programs. Alternatively you may disable PC-Draft-CAD's memory manager by adding the following environment variable via DOS's SET command: SET PCDVM = /NOEMM/NOEXT PC-Draft-CAD will still be able to create and edit large drawings by paging to a hard disk swap file. New Printer Options: -------------------- Plotter Line Width ------------------ The plotter driver HPGL-DRV.EXE has been changed. Now line widths are plotted to the exact width specified by generating multiple passes of the plotter pen. In previous versions, an element's line width was interpreted as a plotter pen selection. HPGL plotter units are expressed as 1200 units per inch. To compose a thick line on the plotter, the pen thickness must be accounted for. PC-Draft-CAD determines the number of passes to make with the plotter pen to create the specified line width by dividing this 1200 units by 6. I other words it assumes a pen width of 2 mils. If your plotter uses a thicker pen width, you must take this into account and adjust your line thickness so that the half-width overlap along each edge of thick lines is within the tolerance you need. HPGL CFG File: -------------- Another major change to the HPGL-DRV.EXE driver: It now uses a configuration file. The filename can be set from the printer Options menu, or if it is left blank, it will look for the file: HPGL.CFG. This CFG file is an ASCII text file with four lines. Each line has a value. The four values specify the paper size in plotter units. For example, the file: HPGL-AD.CFG contains: -17208 Min. X for Architectural D size paper (24 x 36) 17208 Max. X vertical load (Landscape) -11592 Min. Y 11592 Max. Y This is for Architectural D size paper and has the minimum and maximum X and Y values appropriate for a HP DXL plotter. All text to the right of the value is optional commentary. Note that these sizes are for "vertically" mounted paper, ie: the short side of the paper is inserted into the plotter. We have supplied several HPGL CFG files for various paper sizes. The file names indicate what paper size they specify. For example: -- These are for HP DraftPro large format plotters: HPGL-A.CFG is for A size (8.5 x 11 inch) paper HPGL-AB.CFG is for Architectural B size (11 x 17 inch) paper HPGL-A1.CFG is for metric A1 size (594 x 841 mm) paper -- These are for HP small large format plotters (such as model 7475A & B): HPSF-A.CFG is for A size (8.5 x 11 inch) paper HPSF-B.CFG is for B size (11 x 17 inch) paper Note that the small format plotters have the origin (0,0 point) in the upper left corner of the sheet, whild the large format plotters have the origin at the center of the paper. If you use a paper size that doesn't match one of the supplied CFG files, you can make chages to the file with any ASCII editor or word processor. You must refer to your plotter manual for the correct settings for the paper size. Set Configuration file: ----------------------- This lets you specify which printer configuration file to use by the printer driver. Only the DOT--DRV.EXE and HPGL-DRV.EXE drivers use configuration files. In previous versions, the DOT--DRV.EXE driver looked for the specific filename: PRINTER.CFG. Now you can use different configurations (for different resolutions or different page sizes) without changing the filename. The filename dialog box works just like the other filename selection dialogs. You can enter a wild card string like: "*.CFG" and press Enter to list all the files with the CFG extension. Set Page Size: -------------- This option lets you set the paper size you will be printing on. The paper size affects the new Preview command described below.