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recommend an easy to use program?

Printed From: CAD Forum
Category: EN
Forum Name: AutoCAD
Forum Description: Discussion about AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, viewers, DWG and DXF formats, Design Review, AutoCAD web, Drive, add-ons
URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=583
Printed Date: 02.Jul.2026 at 15:31


Topic: recommend an easy to use program?
Posted By: gebb
Subject: recommend an easy to use program?
Date Posted: 24.Mar.2008 at 18:57
I'm in the wrong end of the community pool here, I know.
 
But I'm hoping someone will indulge me with a quick spot of advice before sending me packing.

I'm retired and enjoy messing around on the laptop.  Occasionally I'd like to draw out and print something that includes lines and symbols and text boxes. 

Right now I simply want to draw a label for the front of a panel, about six inches square, that illustrates "water in" water out"  "temperature"  "pressure"  "idle time" and "run".    I'd like to put these texts on the label with lines drawn to the appropriate spots.   Filling in color in the background would be nice.   

All I have is MS Paint right now and even that is too complicated for this old guy!    I keep getting things lost behind "layers" and things get resized, and I can't judge true dimensions,  and the text "boxes" are a nightmare to use.    I downloaded a freeware CAD program, probably the simplest one available, and it was still too steep  a learning curve or such simple needs. 

Any suggestions?   Anything genuinely, extremely, simple to use out there?  No layers.  No 'snap to'.  No learning curve?

Thank you very much.


Replies:
Posted By: bcbenton
Date Posted: 24.Mar.2008 at 19:47
Try Autodesk's PROJECT DRAW.  It is an online drawing program.  It is very basic, very simple and can draw to scale.  Here is a link:

http://labs.autodesk.com/technologies/draw/

Best thing is that it is free.  I hope this helps.

Oh yeah, once to this site, click on the big green button at the top that says TRY IT.

Enjoy


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For AutoCAD Tips & Tricks
http://cadablog.blogspot.com/ - CAD-a-Blog

Posted By: gebb
Date Posted: 26.Mar.2008 at 19:49

Thank you bcbenton.  

I tried Project Draw, but unfortunately I don't have a 100percent reliable wireless connection.   It's fine for my own use, but irritating as all get out for using web based programs.  Response time is spotty for me.  

I downloaded and tried "Diagram Designer 1.20"                         

Once again, I got very frustrated with its interface.  Kept getting lost in 'layers' and couldn't seem to manipulate objects intuitively.

I then downloaded a program called "Dia" at http://www.gnome.org/projects/dia/ - http://www.gnome.org/projects/dia/

...and was up and running with it within ten minutes.  I'm no expert, which is entirely the point.  No doubt, it's the immediately intuitive ease of use of this program that would show it's limitations to expert demands pretty quickly.   But for me it was astonishingly easy to use.   While it indeed does have layers funtionality, they respond so well to such simple commands that I'm actually able to use them without enrolling in a community ed tutorial!
 
....just in case anyone else blunders in here with a similar request.
 
And thanks again.

Posted By: Arben.Allaraj
Date Posted: 27.Mar.2008 at 11:14

 

 Maybe try to use Microsoft Visio?



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Ing Arben.Allaraj
http://cad-drafting-corner.blogspot.com


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