What features would you like to see added to a future version of DataCAD?

Ability to view DataCAD files in 2D/3D on Windows/Mac/Web-browsers/Mobile devices. Your thoughts?

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#75744 by joshhuggins
Thu Feb 21, 2019 4:52 pm
A simple AEC viewer would be handy, but I would rather see export to DWG get closer to 1-to-1 since that is more important when working with most of the outside world and there are already viewers for DWG so it would be a double win.
#75745 by MtnArch
Thu Feb 21, 2019 4:56 pm
I agree with Josh on this one.
#75753 by pjdixit
Fri Feb 22, 2019 6:08 pm
Neil Blanchard wrote:I am not sure how this would be different from using PDF's?


A few things:
1. GoTo Views support
2. Better control over Layer visibility
3. Ability to filter entities for visualization
4. Integrated 3D visualization (no need for 3D PDF support)
5. Possibility of ray-tracing/ Photo-realistic renderings
6. (Optional) Central cloud based repository for shareable files meant for clients.

But I am more interested in learning if there is anything that PDF lacks and can be better from your perspective when it comes to sharing DataCAD files with clients or showcasing your work on your website and elsewhere.
#75825 by pjdixit
Thu Feb 28, 2019 10:20 am
I believe that the next generation of construction site workers will be working like this: Checkout Synchro's video ( https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens/apps) (or doctor's for that matter (Azurion's video)) and the CAD software generating construction documents will need to adopt to that workflow.

I might get a backlash for saying this but honestly, my perception is that DataCAD community is not necessarily the early adopter and is quite risk-averse. I am afraid, if the community only seeks incremental changes, or simply wants better, faster, cheaper of what they already have and do not embrace changes and adapt for the future, it might be a little too late.

I would very much like that DataCAD and its users are part of the coming future.
#75826 by Paul Nida
Thu Feb 28, 2019 10:39 am
Unfortunately I have to agree with you. From my point of view DataCAD's progress has been excruciatingly slow and has only gotten worse since they went to the subscription platform. There has been no real progress on 3d and "smart" entities in years. I had high hopes for DataCAD but now I pretty much given up. I am approaching retirement and I don't expect to see any more progress. It seems there is no more innovation and they are just touching up their makeup.
#75831 by joshhuggins
Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:57 pm
pjdixit wrote:I believe that the next generation of construction site workers will be working like this: Checkout Synchro's video ( https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens/apps) (or doctor's for that matter (Azurion's video)) and the CAD software generating construction documents will need to adopt to that workflow.

I might get a backlash for saying this but honestly, my perception is that DataCAD community is not necessarily the early adopter and is quite risk-averse. I am afraid, if the community only seeks incremental changes, or simply wants better, faster, cheaper of what they already have and do not embrace changes and adapt for the future, it might be a little too late.

Prasad, keep those ideas and thoughts coming! :D They are appreciated! :wink:

I think the reality of things is that there are generally 2 levels of construction markets. The Major League large commercial/industrial where the overhead of forward leaning adoption can be easily absorbed into the projects and AAA residential, lower end commercial, TI type projects where the margins are usually thin and every dime counts. (It's baseball season, Play Ball! )

For the Major League types of projects, most CAD and now BIM operators have moved to the software and technology that has kept pace with that market base. And for the rest of us who are in the Minors, here in Datacad land, it's not so much that we are not the early adopters or risk takers, it just that Datacad has and currently fills 80-90% of the needs of what is required for our work to get the permits pulled and the buildings built with information in a way that is clear and concise. We don't need a AR/VR hololense for construction docs nor do the framers and trades people who are building these simpler buildings. They know their trade and what is expected of them (most of the time :roll: ).

There is a construction world that needs that level of advanced clarification, visualization and advanced toolsets, but it's not needed for all projects at every level and the job market for these simpler projects is large, and makes up the bulk of what is built outside metro areas. It just doesn't get the glitz and buzz that the big projects and tech get because it is not exciting or new. I worked at a firm for a short while that tried to push BIM usage for these types of simpler projects and it broke the company and they went under primary of that one fact alone. The overhead was too much.

All that said, I think Datacad has fallen behind the software players at our AAA end of the construction market also where simpler 3D modeling and visualization have become the norm here. The Smart Walls and other parametrics that were started looked like they were going good, but never were completed enough to actually be used without having to workaround their limitations which is why we never started using them here. There is TONS of room for growth and tools that could be added and should be added to keep Datacad relative in the future. I don't know anything about Datacad LLC's business side of things but I image after the US housing market crash there was a hole to crawl out of like we all did here in the US. My hope at this point is that with Datacad trying to get some traction in India that that might somehow get an influx of income coming in to get some staff on board to get Dave some help on moving things in the right direction so they can stick it out.

I love using Datacad. The direct support, drafting features that get added seemingly at the drop of a wish by us here on the forum is unprecedented & it makes working on con docs better and easier with each version and for that I am truly, truly, grateful. But as even my knuckleheaded co-workers are coming to understand, 2-1/2 D and poor DWG translation with client files is just not cutting it these days and I am getting a lot of push back recently on why we are still on Datacad when all that we are currently needing to push out of it is 2D construction docs and a Autocad LT yearly subscription is actually cheaper than a Datacad subscription. DWG translation has become the minimum benchmark as it's become the link between us and the rest of the world. Other apps that use the same DWG translation toolkits seem to have nowhere near the issues with opening and operating DWG files. Maybe that's because they are using DWG natively? I am not sure. If DWG translation was not an issue, they would be happy where we are at because 3D isn't that pressing for every project and sketch up has been filling the void well here in the office.

Digressing here, back on the original topic. Viewing of Datacad's files outside of Datacad. My comments below are based on what Datacad is today, not what it could be, and not meant to bash your idea Prasad. Just think it needs a bit more to be pulled off.

I think an AEC file viewer would only really benefit an existing Datacad user who understands the information they are looking at in the AEC file because it's using the systems and methods they have setup in Datacad.

If it's just a viewer ... For a project that is at the early stages of development, how often are you going to want to just lookup something on a job site, but then have to use another method of recording information and notes? I think it would have to be more than just a viewer to really be useful. It would need basic functionality along the lines of adding/editing lines, arcs, dimensions, text and other basic entities into the AEC file for use back in the office.

If it's just a viewer ... For a project that is near to completion, most of us have our base files setup ready to output to PDF which is usually our final goal and more accessible to more people.

1. GoTo Views support (This might be useful to some folks)
2. Better control over Layer visibility (what are your ideas on how would it be better than PDF layers?)

3. Ability to filter entities for visualization
4. Integrated 3D visualization (no need for 3D PDF support)
5. Possibility of ray-tracing/ Photo-realistic renderings
(We need the above items native in the main program before needing it in a browser or mobile app)

6. (Optional) Central cloud based repository for shareable files meant for clients. (No need to recreate the wheel on this point. There are other services that are ready to fill this need and most of us are already using them because the interoperate with other clients. Creating something new and having to devote resources to supporting it would just muddy the waters and cost resources)

Man I have sounded like Debbie Downer here, sorry gang. :oops: It's just when you get me looking to the future and Datacad there are just some more important key areas that need attention than some of extra stuff IMHO. And I know all about the extra fluff. My wishlist posts are full of it. All kind of goes back to this old post from 2005!
Dick Eades wrote:These are all great ideas and I would love to see them implemented, but how is Dave going to deliver parametrics to make DataCAD competitive if he spends all his time polishing the old program?

joshhuggins wrote:I hear ya Dick. I posted that same question to the beta team before, whether or not I should keep putting these kinds of ideas on the forum (might have been dbug back then),as it could be prolonging the parametrics, which is what I personally would like to move towards. I didn't really get a response, but figured Mark, Dave and team are smart enough to make the decisions on what the priorities are for their company, and I would keep throwing ideas out there and hope they get picked up along the way. Not many of my big wishes have made the cut, but I like to think they are on the big list. Somewhere below multiline / paragraph text!

We still don't know what the current goal set is for Datacad LLC as they keep that played pretty close to the vest. But as far as I can tell things just keep chuggin along and my wishes keep getting added which I love. I just hope it's enough to keep things going for another 15 years. :D

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