PowerCADD v6.04 for OS X and OS 9.2.2

As Halloween approaches, there are a few issues that need to be highlighted:

a) All the “goblins” are now out of PowerCADD v6, but you will need the 6.04 download that reflects a creation date of October 15. Although engsw.com web site’s Demos and Downloads shows an Oct. 6 date in the descriptive text, a replacement updater was posted under the same heading on October 15, 2003.

b) PowerCADD v6 now will run cleanly under Mac OS 9.2.2 and PowerCADD v6 updates are now issued in both OS X and OS 9.2.2 compatible installers. Now those who are subject to the October 31, 2003 sunset clause and run the risk of losing upgrade privileges can upgrade WITHOUT a OS X compatible computer. Engsw did a great job getting this done.

c) The PowerDWG translator XTNL for PowerCADD v6 has been substantially improved to translate fonts - to and from - AutoCAD, and get the line length and line wrap correctly.

d) PowerCADD v6 is Panther ready.

Upgrade Sunset Policy (stated again):

• Effective October 31, 2003, upgrades will only be available for the most recent version of the software. i.e. You will be able to upgrade only when your version immediately precedes the new release version.

• If you have a PowerCADD, PowerDWG and WildTools version older than PowerCADD 2000. PowerDWG 2000 and WildTools v6, you must upgrade before October 31, 2003 as no upgrade path will be available. After that date, your only upgrade path will be through the purchasing of new product.

Until October 31, 2003, there is an upgrade path for all versions of PowerDraw, PowerCADD, PowerDWG, and WildTools. We strongly recommend all our customers use this opportunity to upgrade their current PowerCADD product to the new version of software before that date.

PowerCADD v6.04 - No Goblins - More User Control

We recommend that ALL users, who have upgraded to PowerCADD v6, download and update to the October 15 issue of PowerCADD 6.04 - immediately.

• Overall performance is greatly improved and is faster.
• All the annoying bits have bit fixed and/or have been given option settings.
• PowerCADD preferences and custom commands now update with updates.
• All dimensions (and their colors) behave as they should.
• Compatibility non-Macintosh networks that use the FSpExchangeFiles call.
• Auto-update check by version of engsw.com for updates.
Note: The download we recommend - 15 Oct. 2003 - has the same version code as the 6 Oct. 2003 posting. IF you downloaded the 6 Oct. 03 one, the recommended update requires manual downloading and install.

... and more.


PowerCADD v6.04 - Now OS 9.2.2 Compatibility Is Supported

Engineered Software has recognized:
• that a good portion of PowerCADD users have not moved to OS X yet.
• PowerCADD v6 required improvement to enable v6 to run cleanly on Apple’s OS 9.2.2
• PowerCADD users require more time to transition within budget to OS X.
• PowerCADD users need one last OS 9.2.2/OS X “bridge” product.

PowerCADD v6.04 satisfies these requirements fully.

However, please note that PowerCADD v6.04 will be the last product that will be able to “bridge the 9.2.2./X gap”.

Accordingly, with the improved compatibility of v6 with OS 9.2.2, the engsw.com web site is publishing v6 updates in an OS9.2.2 compatible format.

Installers with .dmg are for OS X. Installers with “.sit” are OS 9.2.2 compatible.

V6 on OS 9.2.2 will give those who are facing the “Sunset” date of 31 October 2003 (and the possibility of losing their upgrade opportunities), the option of upgrading to PowerCADD v6 before 31 October 2003 while keeping their Mac OS 9.2.2 configurations and hardware.

By upgrading to V6 while running Mac OS 9.2.2 you can keep your options open -and- more importantly you can get the significantly improved PowerDWG v6 translator XTNL.

PowerDWG for PowerCADD v6.04 - No Tricks - Just Treats

The most significant news is the improvements that have been made to PowerDWG v6.

PowerDWG v6 now provides those long awaited (and much requested) capabilities to translate ACAD dwg files while maintaining most text - both in style and line length.

Here are the new rules that are available in the 6.04 compatible translator.

Outgoing fonts are mapped as follows:
• Arial to Arial
• Times to Times new Roman
• Helvetica to Arial
• Courier to Courier new

Note: Bold is supported for all the above fonts.

ACAD will usually have the fonts listed. Empirically derived height compensations are used to adjust for the difference in font metrics for the above fonts. The other fonts in your drawing are mapped to your default font choice in write options.

Incoming fonts are mapped as follows:
• Arial to Arial
• Times new Roman to Times
• Courier new to Courier

All other incoming fonts and shx (shape) fonts are mapped to your default choice in read options. ‘Trebuchet MS’ and ‘Arial’ are reasonable substitutes for the shx (shape) fonts. Incoming ACAD fonts seem to have a shorter line length than most Macintosh fonts and can easily overrun the intended space depending upon your default choice for incoming font.

Advice from Bill Stanley, President of Engineered Software :
“Avoid scaling after translation. Scale during translation use the translator to translate the file again. Translating again with a different scale is a far superior technique. Translating again takes a few more minutes but will save hours of agony and grumbling. So what if you need to translate ten times because you didn’t get the scale from the consultant.

Don’t hesitate to use large page sizes even up to 200 by 200 inches. The natural tendency is to believe the consultant wouldn’t draw off the printed page. Not a good assumption. You have no idea if the consultant doodled off the printed page and he probably doesn’t remember either. Model space and extents must by nature include everything.”