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Need a simple drawing viewer

Need a simple drawing viewer

Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
I need a simple drawing viewer to replace pdf format for internal use. We have a couple hundred standard parts that we have autocad drawings for. Currently our parts viewer program spawns the free Adobe viewer with the drawing pdf. It is such a pain to maintain current pdf files that we are looking for a free drawing viewer that can print also. We don't need any other funcionality. If I can integrate it into a VB6 progrm, even better.

Any and all suggestions and comments are welcome!!

Thanks!!

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

the users in my company that need to view drawings but don't need a cad program use volvoview from autodesk. Its a free download. I don't know about integrating it with vb6


RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
Sunthorn - good idea but AutoCAD no longer has the free VoloView viewer on their web site.

"The download Volo® View Express 2.1 is no longer available."

By the way, our drawings are AutoCAD 2005 format.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

Are the parts ever modified? If not what about screen dumps saved in word, paint or such like.

Not the ideal solution but a possible get around.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
The parts do change.  I am trying to eliminate the intermediate step of creating an image - pdf, jpg, bmp, etc. and just want a simple dwg viewer/printer.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
Thanks ajack1 for your suggestion.

I tried this one, but it printe very light, does not do thick polyoines and does not do imbedded images.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
ajack1 - Thanks for your suggestion.

I have Googled and installed Bentley, Brava, Delcam PS_Exchange, ETransmit, VoloView Express (old version) and a couple others.

The Bentley one is way more than we need.  Too many featuers, too complicated, can't be called from a command line, harder to manipulate by non-techincal users.  It is the only one so far that does a good job on 3D files though.

I'm still waiting for ProgeSOFT to post their latest version.

I have not given up hope just yet, but it's looking bad for eliminating pdf files.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

Try Slick View from www.slickwin.com
Relativly cheap and work real good

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
Ralph2 - Thnaks for the suggestion.  Slick is the best thing so far.  Simple, it works and it prints.  It does not handle 3D rendered viewports though and is not free.

I know, I know - I'm shooting for the moon!!

Maybe the next post will be the golden arrow I'm looking for.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

At work we use "Slick" to view and print drawings by those that do not have access to Autocad. Unfortunately it does not yet support Autocad 2004 and 2005 formats. And as we do not have any 3D drawings that is not an issue (yet).
I made a data base of our drawings in MS Access and one of the features I incorporated is shelling out to Slick. Once a drawing is found through various search criteria ... if it is in an electronic format a click of a button will open the drawing where it can be red lined, viewed, printed or.......

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

We use Fastlook (by Kamel Software) to view drawings, it works very well for us.  Not sure what the cost is.

http://www.kamelsoft.com/

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
I'm intrigued by Fastlook because they make available an API I may be able to integrate into our custom software.  They don't have pricing on their web site though so I'll have to call them.

Guthcad looks nice but at $75 per seat it is a bunch more expensive than Slick.

Good suggestions all !!

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
palmeira - Thanks for your suggestion.
Nice viewer.  But, the unregistered versions do not print and it does not seem to render 3D objects well.  I tried their converter and viewer.

I am once again cast adrift in the sea of dwg....but I have ot lost hope yet!!!

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

HAVE YOU TRIED TO INSERT .PDF DRAWINGS INTO ACAD VIA THE INSERT>OLE OBJECT BY OPENING A NEW DRWG?

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
chicopee - thanks for your suggestion.  What I am trying to do is eliminate pdf altogether.  I am looking for a dwg viewer/printer so we don't have to maintain pdf files at all.  I hoped to get a simple one that was free or very low cost that viewed and printed but nothing more.  I would also be happy with some VB code or API I could build into custom software.

Keep 'em coming !!!

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

I am not sure but also check on the Solidworks site for eDrawings. I believe it supports viewing DXF and DWG files. It has been a while since I looked up its capabilities.

"Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects." — Will Rogers

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
borgunit - EDrawings has several issues.  It does not render or print polylines of non-zero thickness, it does not render or print embedded images and it prints very light lines, nearly unreadable at least on our printers.  They are aware of these limittions and plan upgrades to the first two.

Thanks for your suggestion though!!

Keep 'em coming !!!

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
mcintya - Nice software.  Heavy price - $595 per seat!!  They have a lower price 2D only version, but it is $195 per seat.  Still too much and I need 3D.  This is nice software in that it supports many formats, a feature I really don't need since I only need to view and print dwg files.  Good idea though!

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

if you can open a .PDF file thru the ACAD OLE oject command then you can save that file in .DWG--Alas,it has to be done one file at a time.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

(OP)
chicopee - I appreciate your efforts, but my problem is not using autocad to view pdf drawings, but rather finding a viewer for dwg files for users that do not need or can't afford autocad.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

Try

http://www.bravaviewer.com/

I'm not sure about neither print nor 3D viewing ability, but it's free.. worth a try.

Che Dio ce la mandi buona, o almeno ce la mandi- Massimiliano Eusebi

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

About scanning A size .dwg files into raster images (.tiff files) and let the user open these .tiff files with an inexpensive image program.

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

I have not used it, but some folks at my office like bentley viewer.  Best part it's free and it works for both acad and microstation.  

Regards,
TULUM

RE: Need a simple drawing viewer

Chicopee-
How would I open a PDF in AutoCAD, even as an OLE object, and save it as a DWG? Are you suggesting saving the raster product into the "DWG" drawing? Sounds interesting- I've often imported raster (BMP, JPG, TIF, etc) files into ACAD, and saved the result, but I haven't yet discovered how to do this with PDF. Interesting idea.

Now If I could do this, I'd have access to viewing my PDF's with any ACAD viewer. However, on the face of it, this seems a bit backward, as I haven't found a "free" one yet that's worth using. Even the suggested BRAVA product costs $345 if you want to view any of your OFFICE documents, or mark up any comments ... And the question of viewing 3D Models is still open, as I still haven't discovered a free-ware program worth considering for that, either.

I get all the viewing & mark-up capabilities I need, circulating WORD dcouments with inserted raster versions of my documents and images, and as I've already purchased my OFFICE suite, the cost is already covered (not the same thing as "free", but lots of folks don't have to shell out extra for this functionality). A significant added benefit to this approach is that nearly everyone already knows how to use the tool, or has a secretary who can help. File security is a non-issue, as the embedded raster file almost NEVER results in an editable version of the original drawing. That level of security is available tho, for those who have a copy of one of the MANY free PDF writers and viewers available. ALL of this completely includes EVERY CAD format, including ACAD's DWG.

None of this attacks the original central question of conveniently viewing large directories of ACAD "DWG's" for free. Hmmmmm...
Tks-
C. Fee

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