GStarCAD not AutoCAD - has anybody used it?

[nathanjh13]

At first glance it seems the PERFECT solution/replacement for AutoCAD.

It recognises the same commands etc and uses .dwg file format by default.

I can't find it mentioned at WineHQ and I'll see what the vendor has to say about it running Native.

Does anybody use this, happy? Just asking.

Thanks

http://www.gstarcad.net/

[wswack]

I haven't used GStarCad, but I have used the free version of Draftsight. It is very close to AutoCad and will interpret just about any version of dwg files. It works very well for me for 2D drawings, but does not do 3D. If you need 3D you have to pay for it. The only problem getting it installed in Linux Mint is that they only have 32 bit deb version, so there are a couple of things you have to do to get it installed. You can find instructions with google or ask here.

http://www.3ds.com

[GeneC]

+1 for Draftsight

Very close to AutoCad

This is my experience with the installation on 64bit LMDE, but that was some time back.. (Oct, 2011)
Things MAY have changed.. (ie. ia32-libs)

viewtopic.php?f=190&t=82786#p480104

[nathanjh13]

Great responses thanks, I'll have a look at Draftsight for sure (GStarCAD doesn't run native).

EDIT: Just had an in depth look and GStarCAD is by far the better of the two (in terms of CAD familiarity and functionality/look etc) but for 2D both seem fine. I'll try it under WINE at some point though.

[nathanjh13]

During install of Draftsight in Mint, a problemmatic thing it seems, I can't get over the missing dependency:

"Error: Cannot install 'libdirectfb-extra:i386'"

I'm using an Dell AMD setup and I've followed other threads but no luck.

How did you guys get a successful install? Did you force install? Remind me how.

Thanks

[DrHu]

Your product is commercial, and seems more expensive than Bricscad

I tried draftsight which looks pretty good, but if it is because you need to be cross platform or cross application support for Autocad dwg files, then other choices to work on those file formats exist..
http://forums.opensuse.org/english/othe ... lable.html
http://linuxmadeasy.blogspot.ca/2010/09 ... -ares.html

http://www.bricsys.com/et_EE/bricscad/
http://www.bricsys.com/et_EE/bricscad/comparison/

--Commercial program..

--full programs, autocad file(s) compatible: CAD

http://www.gdal.org/ogr/drv_dwg.html

http://lx-viewer.sourceforge.net/

You will need to download the OpenDWG libraries both the Viewkit and the Toolkit to use with this program. We are not permitted to bundle these with the source code..

http://lx-viewer.sourceforge.net/datain.php#dwg
--oops looks a bit out-of-date (circa files for 2002), depends on what you need I guess..

[DrHu]

"Error: Cannot install 'libdirectfb-extra:i386'"

Whenever you get that type of error
steps are..

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
--retry the install of the program, and possibly install that library that is being errored/ignored
..then
sudo apt-get -F

http://linux.die.net/man/8/apt-get
--check the command available, they are fairly descriptive, you can also run synaptic (gui package manager) and execute fix broken, which will clean up the application error for you..
--then try a reinstall, as per above steps, in the terminal

Additionally check the version your are installing (64bit or 32bit)
viewtopic.php?f=190&t=82786

[wswack]

Try this:
http://linuxaideddesign.blogspot.it/201 ... 64bit.html

I don't remember exactly what I did now, but I think the key is in modifying the the control file in the deb package. As I recall, I also changed the line “Architecture: i386” to “Architecture: x86”. I didn't find “'libdirectfb-extra:i386” that you are trying to install in Package Manager so I am sure I didn't install that. Hope this helps.

[nathanjh13]

Many thanks for your help gents.

For DraftSight I followed the link to the other thread as mentioned. The final post in the thread seemed to contain most of what I needed but I'm still not quite there.

I ran:
sudo dpkg -i --force-architecture DraftSight.deb (it's actually draftSight.deb looking at the lower case useage here)
and I recieved:

sudo dpkg -i --force-architecture draftSight.deb
dpkg: regarding draftSight.deb containing dassault-systemes-draftsight:i386, pre-dependency problem:
dassault-systemes-draftsight:i386 pre-depends on libdirectfb-extra (>= 1.2.7-2)
dpkg: error processing draftSight.deb (--install):
pre-dependency problem - not installing dassault-systemes-draftsight:i386
Errors were encountered while processing:
draftSight.deb

I then did an "Extract Here" and modified DEBIAN\Control to read:

Architecture: x86
not
Architecture: i386

Then double clicked "draftsight" and chose "run" but no luck there too (allow executable was enabled).

I've also tried cursing under my breath but it didn't solve it though I felt better. At one point I even went for a good old fashioned "shake your fist at the screen" but again it was fruitless.

Thanks for the other links DrHu they are very helpful but some options aren't as sophisticated as I'd like although BricsCad is a strong contender.

However, to pay that kind of money would take some convincing looking at the GStarCAD alternative, which is identical to AutoCad 2013 even down to the ribbon etc (and actually looks better IMHO). I installed it in windows and found it to be superb, an order of magnitude better than the screenshots suggest, the exact thing AutoCAD veterans like myself will crave (I've been at Autocad for so long I just can't face retraining in something else, however slight) and GStar has it all.

However, that's in Windows of course and I'm downloading it again to try in WINE. The price seems reasonable next to BricsCad too although I could only find USA prices for it so they'll be 10x that in the UK knowing my luck. Assuming it even works under WINE which I seriously doubt.

On top of all this I've pretty much made the leap to Revit anyway but it will come in handy now and again.

I'd still like to get DS running though for quick 2D blah blah.

Sorry for the long post.

[nathanjh13]

Try this:
http://linuxaideddesign.blogspot.it/201 ... 64bit.html

This worked a charm. Maybe all of the other dependencies I installed from the other thread helped who knows, but this was a great tutorial.

Sorry, I didn't even see it at first!

[nathanjh13]

Maybe this thread should be moved as it turned into a diagnostic really? Sorry about that.

GStarCAD works in WINE by the way but the Ribbon bar flickers etc and it's glitchy in that respect. Although this laptop is useless (I'm not at work at present).

Other CAD users PLEASE give this a go and see if there are any tweaks that can be made to get it running smoothly etc. 3D works but shading is OK wireframe yet less friendly if shaded etc (Shademode).

Should I start another thread for this?

[nathanjh13]

Ah. Word of warning, it's now taking a LONG time to boot and this is an SSD.

It was very close to more or less Autocad 2013 running in linux then. Nearly.

I've tried to remedy the boot problem in this order. As this is the reverse of what i did.

Disabled compiz and Cairo. Same.
Removed gstarcad. Same.
Removed playonlinux. Same.
Removed wine. Same.
Removed draftsight in synaptic. Same.
Ran bleachbit as root. Same.
Ran an update in terminal. Same.

It usually boots to login in around 13 seconds but now takes maybe 01:15

I know it's my own fault but sometimes you've got to jump in and try these things. Id sooner not reinstall mint 13 if i don't have to but i of course will if nobody has any ideas what to do next.

At least no one died.

Thanks.