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Blockpad
- Thread starter IFRs
- Start date
I can see nothing on the website except a spreadsheet "like Excel" animated demo.
All other links on the page lead to the "please subscribe" page to create an account.
Aside from harvesting the e-mail addresses of engineers, I can't tell what's the point.
All other links on the page lead to the "please subscribe" page to create an account.
Aside from harvesting the e-mail addresses of engineers, I can't tell what's the point.
Not sure what you see - I see an smath/excel/sketch program on The support page doesn't ask for anything: but it does seem to have videos for all the features, like how to create sketches and link them to calculations
$18/month is the lowest paid level. Free level is limited to 20 formulas in the web app.
This is what I see on the home page
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
This is what I see on the home page
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
I couldn't see anything about perpetual licences.
To get the engineering library you need to sign up for the "enterprise" version, which they don't give any pricing details for.
Other than that, it looks good. I thought the available documentation on-line was quite comprehensive, and as noted by IRStuff, there is a limited free version, that should be adequate for doing an assessment of whether it is worth the money.
Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services
To get the engineering library you need to sign up for the "enterprise" version, which they don't give any pricing details for.
Other than that, it looks good. I thought the available documentation on-line was quite comprehensive, and as noted by IRStuff, there is a limited free version, that should be adequate for doing an assessment of whether it is worth the money.
Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services
- Thread starter
- #6
The perpetual license is $950 which I'm OK with compared to an annual license mode - after a few years it's paid for, andi t's yours, and it's a deductable expense.
I asked this question:
I'm interested in a perpetual license for laptop use. Is the program linked to the internet? If you guys get bought, get hit by a beer truck, etc will my software still work in 20 years?
And this was their answer:
With a perpetual license, the program will always run once it has been installed on a computer. We can provide a special installer that will work on future computers, on a case by case basis. The program does not require an internet connection (except for updates, specific cloud-based features, etc.).
Thanks for reaching out. Let me know if you have any more questions.
My day-to-day life depends on MathCad and Excel.
I have a license for MathCAD 15 which I've transferred from laptop to laptop.
I have to pay for Office every year to get Excel.
Mathcad is not being developed and I've not found Prime to be of my liking.
I can go to other spreadsheet programs that are not tied to annual fees but they are not quite as funcitonal.
I've tried SMath and a few others but none really grabbed me.
I'm curious about this BlockPad thing - it seems to combine MathCad (units!!) and Excel with a bit of Word thrown in.
So far, no one on this site says they even tried it.
If it is real and gets good grades here, I'll give it a whirl.
If it imported and converted MathCad and Excel files to something useful, I'd consider converting over slowly.
I asked this question:
I'm interested in a perpetual license for laptop use. Is the program linked to the internet? If you guys get bought, get hit by a beer truck, etc will my software still work in 20 years?
And this was their answer:
With a perpetual license, the program will always run once it has been installed on a computer. We can provide a special installer that will work on future computers, on a case by case basis. The program does not require an internet connection (except for updates, specific cloud-based features, etc.).
Thanks for reaching out. Let me know if you have any more questions.
My day-to-day life depends on MathCad and Excel.
I have a license for MathCAD 15 which I've transferred from laptop to laptop.
I have to pay for Office every year to get Excel.
Mathcad is not being developed and I've not found Prime to be of my liking.
I can go to other spreadsheet programs that are not tied to annual fees but they are not quite as funcitonal.
I've tried SMath and a few others but none really grabbed me.
I'm curious about this BlockPad thing - it seems to combine MathCad (units!!) and Excel with a bit of Word thrown in.
So far, no one on this site says they even tried it.
If it is real and gets good grades here, I'll give it a whirl.
If it imported and converted MathCad and Excel files to something useful, I'd consider converting over slowly.
- Thread starter
- #8
I sent them this question:
My reading of the perpetual licence was that there was still also an annual support/maintenance fee, but no indication of what this was in terms of cost or more importantly what I'd miss out on by not paying it.
They responded (in 90 minumtes on the Saturday after Christmas) with this:
There is no mandatory maintenance fee with the perpetual license. You can always continue to use the software without paying for updates, etc.
Premium support is included for the first year. After that you can renew premium support or proceed with free-level support. Currently we offer ongoing updates and premium support for $99/year.
So, I read this as it's yours and it works but if you want updates it costs $99 per year after the first year.
My reading of the perpetual licence was that there was still also an annual support/maintenance fee, but no indication of what this was in terms of cost or more importantly what I'd miss out on by not paying it.
They responded (in 90 minumtes on the Saturday after Christmas) with this:
There is no mandatory maintenance fee with the perpetual license. You can always continue to use the software without paying for updates, etc.
Premium support is included for the first year. After that you can renew premium support or proceed with free-level support. Currently we offer ongoing updates and premium support for $99/year.
So, I read this as it's yours and it works but if you want updates it costs $99 per year after the first year.
- Thread starter
- #9
I'm not pushing this software or anything like that, but I'll relay what I get from them, in case anyone is interested or cares.
I asked tis:
Are you considering importing Mathcad or Excel files?
I tried copy/past from Excel to Blockpad and it just copied results, not formulae.
They responded (in about 90 minutes) with:
Thanks for sharing your experience so far. Blockpad currently supports opening xmcd and mcdx Mathcad files. If there are any files that don't quite open 100%, we're happy to help, as we are working on refining that feature. Opening Excel files (and better copy paste) is in development and envisioned for around late January or early February.
I asked tis:
Are you considering importing Mathcad or Excel files?
I tried copy/past from Excel to Blockpad and it just copied results, not formulae.
They responded (in about 90 minutes) with:
Thanks for sharing your experience so far. Blockpad currently supports opening xmcd and mcdx Mathcad files. If there are any files that don't quite open 100%, we're happy to help, as we are working on refining that feature. Opening Excel files (and better copy paste) is in development and envisioned for around late January or early February.
It seems to do a pretty poor job of translating Mathcad, and this is simple stuff like 1.60217653*10^-19 doesn't translate.
One thing nice, for structural and civil engs., is the ability to display equations with the variables filled in for documentation purposes:
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
One thing nice, for structural and civil engs., is the ability to display equations with the variables filled in for documentation purposes:
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
The spreadsheet seems to be only partially functional; I can maneuver down to at least A7059, by down arrow, but the display won't go below row 6601, and I can't seem to maneuver using the PG-DN key. Nevertheless, being able to use units in a spreadsheet seems like a plus, but too many things to overcome, still.
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
- Thread starter
- #12
From the Web site, Block Pad looks quite promising, especially for people who prefer to work in Mathcad.
You can do much the same in Excel with a bit of VBA of course.
I have added to my Units4Excel spreadsheet the option to return the function with symbols replaced by values with units:
Download from:
Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services
You can do much the same in Excel with a bit of VBA of course.
I have added to my Units4Excel spreadsheet the option to return the function with symbols replaced by values with units:
Download from:
Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services
- Thread starter
- #14
I'm checking it out, and asking questions.
It does seem (cautiously) promising.
I like the combination of MathCad type visuals and units plus Excel plus Word and am looking for the limitations of each.
I'm learning the structure and options, slowly.
It does not import from MathCad cleanly but it does get much or most of it so far, for very simple worksheets.
It does seem (cautiously) promising.
I like the combination of MathCad type visuals and units plus Excel plus Word and am looking for the limitations of each.
I'm learning the structure and options, slowly.
It does not import from MathCad cleanly but it does get much or most of it so far, for very simple worksheets.
Eventually I realized that they have youtube demo videos (like any other software). That's worth watching if you want a quick tour.
It isn't sophisticated enough to win me over, yet, but I'm glad to see another contender in the field.
It isn't sophisticated enough to win me over, yet, but I'm glad to see another contender in the field.
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