[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Can I draw house plans with PC?

rogerc@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM (Roger Collins) (04/12/88)

I bought a clone over a year ago with the following:

	Herculese-compatible monochrome graphics card,
	High-res amber monitor,
	640K, 20MB hard disk, 2 floppies, RS-232, 4.77-8 MHz

I would like to be able to draw some house plans on the PC and be
able to output them to different devices, at least a popular dot matrix 
printer with graphics mode and a popular plotter (whatever I can find).

Like anyone, I would like for the software to be free, but I might pay if
I have to.  I envision buying a mouse and dot matrix printer, using a
high-power public-domain drawing package to draw detail plans, with ease
of editing, zooming, text-writing, scrolling, etc. on my herculese card and
monochrome monitor and printing the plans on the dot matrix printer until 
I feel they're ready, then taking them to where I can borrow a plotter
(maybe a draftsman instead), printing big copies, and then build.

Is my vision possible?  Or am I much better off just using traditional 
drawing tools.  (I've had Engineering Drawing in school, but I've also 
tried to balance my checkbook with a computer if you know what I mean.)  
Any comments, suggestions or criticisms will be appreciated.  Please 
respond by mail (I will summarize if necessary).

Thanks,
Roger Collins
rogerc@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM

stanwyck@druco.ATT.COM (Don Stanwyck) (04/18/88)

in article <3251@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM>, rogerc@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM (Roger Collins) says:
> 
> I bought a clone over a year ago with the following:
> I would like to be able to draw some house plans on the PC and be
> able to output them to different devices, at least a popular dot matrix 
> printer with graphics mode and a popular plotter (whatever I can find).
> 
> Like anyone, I would like for the software to be free, but ...

I would recommend that you look at Generic CADD, a $99.00 package that is a
complete CAD package, rated by some (not by me as I haven't tried both) as
more powerful than AutoCad.

Available from Generic is a package called DotPlot, which drives many
different dot matrix printers to do plotting.  This additional package is
$49.95.  There are also numerous symbols libraries available, including
residential floor plan, plumbing, wiring, kitchens, landscaping,
furnishings, framing, HVAC, etc., each at $49.95 per library.

Generic Software is in Redmond, WA, and have been very helpful to me in
their telephone support.  The number for Customer Service is (800) 345-9194
(M-F, 9-5), and for Tech support (206) 881-0174.

They also have a package which converts their drawings to AutoCad format
for transfer to other AutoCad compatible Cad packages.

Speaking only as a satisfied customer......
-- 
AT&T 				o  o			303-538-5004
Don Stanwyck		         ||   			ihnp4!drutx!stanwyck
Denver, CO USA			\__/			Telecom Standards

bicker@hoqax.UUCP (The Resource, Poet of Quality) (04/25/88)

> in article <3251@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM>, rogerc@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM (Roger Collins) says:
> > I would like to be able to draw some house plans on the PC and be
> > able to output them to different devices, at least a popular dot matrix 
> > printer with graphics mode and a popular plotter (whatever I can find).


 There is a PD program called HOUSE that is interlinked with an
energy efficiency program....  Look around on the BBSs.

-- 
/kohn/brian.c      AT&T Bell Laboratories Semantic Engineering Center
The Resource, Poet of Quality   ...ihnp4!hoqam!bicker  (201) 949-5850
"It is useless for sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism
while wolves remain of a different opinion." - Wm. Ralph Inge, D.D.

steve@dad.UUCP (Steve Cook) (04/26/88)

> in article <3251@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM>, rogerc@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM (Roger Collins) says:
> 
> Like anyone, I would like for the software to be free, but ...
 
    There is some shareware out there somewhere called KEYDRAW.  Should
    be able to find it on some bbs or compuserve or somesuch.  Don't
    think they're asking too much.  Also I noticed several cad packages
    at B. Daltons this weekend for well under a $100.


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