Great update, more modern features

I routinely import a scan of my designer's hand drawn floorplans and work with them in MacDraft. I can overlay the computer drawn plan and work with it very well.

Pros

I have been using MacDraft for at least 20 years. Over that time, it has become a mature, useful tool for me. Although I have used Autocad before, I find MacDraft so much easier to use and 'Mac-like'. Not all the tools are intuitive, but easy enough to figure out with online help. With the new update to V7, the interface has been cleaned up significantly, and everything is easier to use. I now can do my work in less time, and achieve better looking results. I really appreciate that Microspot continues to update this great piece of software.

Cons

Some of the tools look different than the last version, so there is a bit of a re-learning curve. That's not to say that once learned, the improvements are evident.

Very useful 2D CAD tool

Generally the graphic interface (UI) of this version is closer to the way other 2D CAD works and for my activity MacDraft 7.x it's ideal.

Pros

The new 7.x version is certainly more user friendly than all previous versions. Better stability. Better speed. All the necessary tools are just a mouse click away.

Cons

However I would like to underline two aspects that I would like to personally change: 1) It would be nice if the actually list of various fonts, showed their real graphic appearance, otherwise for the desired choice, I necessarily to scroll through and view them all and it is a waste of time. 2) For small projects where only one A4 sheet is enough, the one-page scroll on the 27 "screen is too reactive at the touch of the mouse; sometimes it comes out of the visible area and makes it take a little time to bring it back in the working position. Certainly this is useful with worksheets greater than A4 in the landscape version. It would be really useful if the user could activate or deactivate this function directly from the "Preferences" panel.

MacDraft is a Secret Shouldn't Be

I really like this application and have been with it for awhile. I like the combination of precision and intuitive.

Pros

Very versatile. What I like best is that it uses standard Architectural scale but it is fairly intuitive. The Pro version lets you output to .dwg or .dwx files and that it very useful.

Cons

Some of the tools and windows are a little wonky. Wish I could figure out how to change the font for a whole document. Opening .dwg files from another native application could be more accurate. The Zoom function should be more controllable. Wish .mcd was useable anywhere else. Having to translate and port things an extra layer of work.

Home plan drawing

I have been a Mac Draft owner since its origin. Other soft ware has advanced much faster than. I regret that I haven't learned to use the CAD programs. It would be really nice to draw a floor plan and then be able to rotate it into a 3D drawing. I expected much more from this upgrade.

Pros

The update makes the program commutable with the new Mac operating system and makes it possible to use older files. The tools are easy to identify and use.

Cons

Very disappointed with the templates. I ordered the entire package with all templates. I expected the templates of architectural features that are used in the drawing of house plans that include plumbing fixtures such as sinks of different sizes, toilets, bath tubs, showers, and appliances. Electrical symbols that depict light fixtures, electrical out lets, bath fans, ceiling fans. Furniture images to depict bed sizes, sofa's, tables, chairs, TV's. Doors that shows the door swing. I would like to down load PDF drawings and then make changes. If that is possible I would like to know how to do this. I would really like to down load a photo of a house and then be able to draw over it to demonstrate alternatives to owners. I guess that I was hoping for more.

REVIEW

Slightly frustrated - I am looking for a simple easy to use 2D draughting programme with the functionality of Vectorworks. This doesnt quite make it but it is better than other low-cost software for Mac.

Pros

Reasonable price.. it works OK once you get used to it. Works on Mac.

Cons

1. Problems setting up dwg/dxf imported drawings - setting size and scale. 2. Tools do not stay for repeat use. Need to be reselected each time. 3. Trimming is cumbersome - line by line. Ref 2 above. 4. Some of the tools are a bit cumbersome.