Vector software

[hannaugh]

Does anyone know of a decent vector program I can use to draft stuff to scale?  I downloaded a couple of the free ones only to find that they are completely useless to me because they don't give you any way of setting a scale and measuring your lines.  Seriously, why would you even make a vector program that doesn't have that???  It's kind of the whole point of a vector program to give you the ability to draft on the computer, and the only thing that is totally crucial to drafting is a scale ruler. 

In college I learned how to use Vectorworks, but that is $1200 or something insane.  AutoCAD is $4000, which is absolutely ridiculous.  It better come in gold plated, diamond encrusted box at that price.  I just want to draft my fretboard for the uke and design some furniture for my apartment. 

So yes, if anyone knows of a program I can use for under $100, please let me know.  The only requirement is that I can draft in scale in 2D.  Thanks! 

 

[Soylent]

Well.. Adobe Illustrator is pretty industry std for Vector.. I've always used it.

Anyone know of any GNU products that are comprable? I sell software for a living, so I don't keep track of the free stuff anymore.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Soylent]

BTW you can go http://www.adobe.com/education/purchasing/education_pricing.html and get it for 200 as education, teacher and all..

Best of luck!

 

[Soylent]

Also if you sell your soul, you can pick up a 30 day trial, which might be enough for you https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?loc=en&product=illustrator

I recommend when you do, jump around the web and find some tutorials to learn all the ins and outs.. there are some great ones out there.  NDesign Studios have great ones, but they aren't the easiest to start with. http://www.ndesign-studio.com/tutorials

 

[Soylent]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAND back in school I used tutorialized a lot too.. http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/Illustrator/1

Word.  :headbang:

 

[kboman]

Luke, you do know there's an edit button, right?

Well my first and only thought was Vectorworks, my dad uses it professionally (and has done so since it was still MiniCad, many moons ago).

 

[Soylent]

Edit Shmedit.. I just wanted to be cool like max...  :laughing7:

 

[Mor Paul]

What?

 

[Mor Paul]

Cool like me?

 

[Mor Paul]

Oh, try Inkscape.

 

[m4rk0]

I don't get it?

 

[m4rk0]

what does Max do?

 

[m4rk0]

and why is his post count so high?

 

[hannaugh]

I have Adobe CS.  I have never tried to use Illustrator for scale drafting, it never really occurred to me that it would be useful for blueprints.  I am not very good with the program though. 

 

[Dan025]

there is a lot of open source stuff but not all of it is strait forward to use, there isn't anything i can recomend of the top of my head but i know there is some powerful stuff that is totally free. did you try google sketch up? it is mostly free hand but it does allow you to enter dimensions with the number pad. it is annoying to use though.

 

[exaN]

You might want to try Corel DRAW too, it does a very good job imo