AutoCAD 2002: A Compelling Upgrade
The biggest news in Autodesk's industry-leading AutoCAD 2002 ($3,300 street) is true associative dimensioning and DesignXML support. True associative dimensioning may be reason enough to move up from AutoCAD 2000 or 2000i. But once you add the dramatic potential of DesignXML in today's Web-centric world, you'll see that AutoCAD 2002 is a compelling upgrade for serious CAD users.
Other significant enhancements include AutoCAD's useful Block Attribute Manager and Layer Translator. File format compatibility with AutoCAD 2000 is maintained in the 2002 version, and we're delighted to report more stability and responsiveness than with AutoCAD 2000i (First Looks, October 17, 2000).
Associative dimensioning, which avoids the dependency on definition points in earlier versions, automatically updates dimensions when you modify an associated geometry. The feature also includes what the company calls geometry-driven dimensioning and transpatial dimensioning.
Geometry-driven dimensioning means that when you are assigning dimensions to objects or to their features, the associated dimensions are automatically updated after you relocate or edit related geometry. In transpatial dimensioning, you can dimension model-space geometry directly on a layer. The association of the dimensions is maintained when you change model-space geometry.
Together, these two types of associative dimensioning can eliminate the need for calculating dimension scales and creating special annotation layers in your drawings. Associative dimensioning survives round-trip transporting of diagrams to and from older releases of AutoCAD, and legacy-dimensioning methods continue to be supported.
It's a Web-Centric World
DesignXML responds to a key issue in today's Internet world: efficient delivery of geometric-model information for often Mongo-size CAD files. DesignXML is a schema that represents your CAD creations using the XML language and defines a vocabulary for the representation of 3-D drawings. DesignXML takes advantage of existing schema such as SVG and raster graphic formats like JPEG, GIF, and BMP.
You can process the schema with standard XML tools, such as XSL and XSLT, but you don't need to be a Web designer to exploit DesignXML. Simply tell AutoCAD 2002 what you want in the XML version of your drawing (you can choose the entire drawing or select objects in it) and save the results in any filename ending with XML.
AutoCAD 2002's Layer Translator can change the layers in your current drawing to match those of another drawing or of a CAD standards file. If a client submits a drawing that doesn't conform to your firm's layer conventions, the Layer Translator can convert the drawing's layer names and properties accordingly.
Do you want to alter the visibility of certain layers or delete unwanted reference layers from a drawing? Again, the Layer Translator comes to the rescue. LayerP (Layer Previous), which is similar to Zoom Previous, can restore a prior layer state without undoing geometric edits.
The Block Attribute Manager offers a convenient way to modify attributes of a block with immediately updating existing block references. AutoCAD displays all of your changes in the drawing in real time. And you can extract block attribute data to various file formats. For those who use pre-2000 versions of AutoCAD, the only real decision is whether to upgrade or be left in your competition's dust.
Autocad LT 2002
Let's be blunt: AutoCAD LT 2002 ($660) is an attractive option for only the casual CAD user who is on a tight budget and can live without many features found in AutoCAD 2002. This lite version truly is light.
AutoCAD LT 2002 supports only 2-D drawings. You won't find customization (as through VBA) and extensibility through custom plug-ins either. And forget access to the Layer Translator and DesignXML, two of our favorite features of the full version.
AutoCAD LT 2002 clearly targets the individual rather than a networked user. Autodesk does not provide the network licensing or license management featuresor the various subscription, rental, and self-hosting capabilitiesof its flagship product in the lite version.
AutoCAD LT 2002 makes sense only if your needs are limited to 2-D drawings and you don't regularly exchange files with professionals using the full-featured version of AutoCAD. Even if that describes you, you will want to consider whether the LT version is your wisest choice. You'll find other 2-D CAD programs that offer AutoCAD file format compatibility and perhaps greater simplicity of features at a lower price.