Software Upgrades - Trying to Keep it Cheap

[cieg22]

I run a bare-bones, freelance shop - very part time at the moment. I'm trying to keep costs down, but I think it may be time for a serious upgrade.

I currently have Hydraflow Hydrographs 2004, and I run AutodCAD (not Land Desktop) 2004. No StormCAD, etc. I use a lot of spreadsheets.

Has Autodesk taken over the entire universe in the past few years? Is there any way that I can get a recent version of Hydraflow (would be happy with 2007 version, if it was around), without getting the $7,000+ Autodesk 3d and the Hydraflow Add-on?

Are there any clearing house places to get honest-versions of last-year's software, or are those taken off the market as soon as the new stuff comes out.

Thanks.

 

[francesca]

The latest version of Civil 3D doesn't use Hydraflow anymore, it is a SWMM engine for their Storm & Sanitary Analysis. You could try Bentley's Haestad Methods, or you could go with EPA-SWMM, HEC-HMS, TR-20 or WinTR-55.

 

[peter246]

or good ol' HydroCAD

 

[cieg22]

Thanks, everyone!

 

[beej67]

I'm in a similar position, professionally.

For CAD I'm using BricsCAD, which is fantastic, thin, and works just like AutoCAD with a lot of cheap LISPs you can buy to emulate the functions of LDD / Softdesk such as cut/fill calcs and cutting sections off a TIN.

For site hydrology, I use Peter Smart's HydroCAD and am far more pleased with it than I ever was with Hydraflow Hydrographs.

For culverts, I use HY-8, free from the FHWA.

For flood studies, I use HEC-RAS and HEC-HMS, both free obviously.

For pipe and ditch hydraulics, I use custom spreadsheets.

For gutter spread, I use the FHWA Hydraulic Toolbox, also free from FHWA.

For highly fancy time series routing and other such craziness, I use EPA-SWMM, but I'm an old XP-SWMM user so the learning curve isn't particularly steep.

My total software exposure, including *cad*, is less than a thousand bucks, and all of it will run on a cheap laptop.



Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[martin888888]

Hydrocad is the cheapest I have seen, I have never liked the way it does conveyance calls though. Very good for pond and detention pipe modeling however.

 

[Civil771]

For culverts, there's a web based app at www.culvertdesign.com. I find it alot easier to use than HY-8 and it's not that expensive, $25/month I think.