BricsCAD for Linux

Message

strider2003 · Post by **strider2003** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 3:57 pm

Maybe you know that Bricscad (www.bricscad.com) is developing a CAD application for Linux. Currently, beta versions run on wine.
The latest beta version can be downloaded in http://www.bricscad.com/about/download/downloadForm.jsp, and it's a rpm file.
I'm running Bricscad in my Gentoo box with wine-20040615 (fake windows and default options).
To setup Bricscad in gentoo, download the rpm package, and convert it to tar.gz

Code: Select all

rpm2targz bricscad-5.0.0013-1.i386.rpm
tar -zxvf bricscad-5.0.0013-1.i386.tar.gz
cd tmp
tar -zxvf bricscad.tgz

Then, as root

Code: Select all

mv bricscad /opt/

Now you can run bricscad with wine:

Code: Select all

wine /opt/bricscad/icad.exe

Bricscad is not free software but i think it is (now) the nearest to a professional CAD software for Linux.
For AutoCAD users, Bricscad will be very easy to use, and it isn't so expensive.

hunky · Post by **hunky** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 6:51 am

So I've downloaded the latest Bricscad to give a try. I dl'd the tarbal, rather than the rpm. Unpacked it, mv'd it to /opt, and tried the command that strider gives. I get an error saying that it couldn't load the application's module icad.dll(126). I suppose it may have something to do with not having a icad.exe file.. the above happens when I type wine /opt/icad.exe.so (showing my ignorance? be kind.) I do get this inspite of that dialog, but am just put back to the prompt when I click ok to the error dialog (there's an ok button on it.):

Code: Select all

wine /opt/bricscad/icad.exe.so
ICAD_TRACE: Loading icad.dll..
ICAD_TRACE: Module icad.dll loaded

If I just type /opt/icad I get a pop up dialog that asks for the license key. On the webpage, the rpm instructions say that the rpm process will create a license for evaluation that will be picked up by the program. Here's what I get in the cli:

Code: Select all

/opt/bricscad/icad
shell-init: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
chdir: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
ICAD_TRACE: Loading icad.dll..
AfxInitialize
ICAD_TRACE: Module icad.dll loaded
ICAD_TRACE: Invoking app entry point...
ICAD_TRACE: App terminated

I think I must just be missing something obvious.

Here's the list of files in the parent directory:

Code: Select all

dir /opt/bricscad/
API                ID_S_BONUS6.bmp    bricscad.ico      imagemenu.dll.so        pc3ed.dll.so
Bonus.mnu          ID_S_BONUS7.bmp    bricscad.menu     imagemenu.lsp           profileseditor.dll.so
Bonuspop.mnu       ID_S_BONUS8.bmp    db.dll.so         layerstatus.lsp         pstyleapp
BricsCad-EULA.txt  ID_S_BONUS9.bmp    dcl.dll.so        libauto.dll.so          pstyleapp.dll.so
Fonts              ID_S_EXPLL.bmp     geo.dll.so        libdb.dll.so            pstyleapp.exe.so
Help               Icad-cm.dwg        gr.dll.so         libdcl.dll.so           pstyleed.dll.so
ICAD.LIN           Icad-imperial.dwg  heavyduty.lsp     libgeo.dll.so           r18tor15.dll.so
ICAD.UNT           Icad-meter.dwg     icad              libgr.dll.so            readme-bonustools.txt
ICADISO.LIN        Icad-mm.dwg        icad.dll.so       libicad.dll.so          regapp
ID_S_BONUS1.bmp    Icad.dwg           icad.exe.so       libicadauth.dll.so      regapp.dll.so
ID_S_BONUS11.bmp   Image.dcl          icad.fmp          libicadutils.dll.so     regapp.exe.so
ID_S_BONUS12.bmp   ImageMenu.txt      icad.fnt          libmfc42.dll.so         release.txt
ID_S_BONUS13.bmp   Patterns           icad.lin          libpc3ed.dll.so         std.dll.so
ID_S_BONUS14.bmp   Plot\ Styles       icad.lsp          libpstyleed.dll.so      sysvarstack.lsp
ID_S_BONUS15.bmp   Plotters           icad.pat          libstd.dll.so           userprofilemanager
ID_S_BONUS16.bmp   Samples            icad.sds          licensemanager3.dll.so  userprofilemanager.dll.so
ID_S_BONUS17.bmp   auto.dll.so        icad.tip          mfc42.dll.so            userprofilemanager.exe.so
ID_S_BONUS2.bmp    base.dcl           icad.unt          objproptb.dll.so        xrm.dll.so
ID_S_BONUS3.bmp    binary.trg         icadauth.dll.so   pc3app
ID_S_BONUS4.bmp    bonus.mnl          icadbrx.lsp       pc3app.dll.so
ID_S_BONUS5.bmp    bricscad.desktop   icadutils.dll.so  pc3app.exe.so

So anyone spot the obvious or help in other ways? cheers, Jim

linuxtuxhellsinki · Post by **linuxtuxhellsinki** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 8:15 am

So U've checked those links on http://www.tech-edv.co.at/lunix/CADlinks.html & http://www.linuxlinks.com/Software/Grap ... ndex.shtml ?

I'd like to ask from you that is there any other good GPL/Free licence CAD program than Qcad, or is it the best 'free' one

There was also mentioned some BlenderCAD project, but when I searched Blender's homepage there was nothing about it. Maybe they've buried that project.

Post by **pjp** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 5:23 pm

Moved from Other Things Gentoo

hunky · Post by **hunky** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 5:30 pm

I'm no help for your question - I'm searching as well. I put my hard drive in a caddy so I can switch hard drives easily - I have a hard drive with Win2k on it that I keep an older copy of autocad on and switch to that when I need it. Kinda a hassel and then I don't have my linux apps or tools I'm used to. I would love to have a good cad program. I've used intellicad way back when it was free (windows) and tried Progesoft's linux version not too long ago but now it freezes if I try it again on my system. Won't start. If I could code, I would definitely help out on some cad for linux product.

Some have suggested looking at Brlcad as well. I searched their webpage to see if that program could read autocad drawings but didn't find it. Also read about some problems installing it. Was thinking of throwing Fedora Core or Suse on another hard drive and trying it. I've spent a few hours searching on those links you provided.

Blendercad: I saw on their forum a message from August '04 I think that the project may have turned into Blendertools. But when I searched that I didn't find anything.

good luck in your search. /jd

joey_knisch · Post by **joey_knisch** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:46 pm

BRL-CAD can import autocad stuff. For more info, look at it's wikipedia entry.

If you are still interested in using BRL-CAD, here is the bug entry where ebuilds are being built. The one I made in September seems to work for people but it sounds like a nice ebuild for the newer version of BRL-CAD will be up shortly.
http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=77197

If you use that ebuild don't use those instructions use the ones I posted here: http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-38 ... ight-.html

dol-sen · Post by **dol-sen** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:16 am

I have not used it, but see release announcements on the pygtk mail list.

http://www.pythoncad.org/

The latest release is 27th. It aims to surpass all currently available CAD programs.

Jedi Master · Post by **Jedi Master** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 2:02 pm

Python CAD? Sound -- hey, just stupid... Probably good enough to draw a dog house or maybe printout a drawing for a bolt and nut. Of course it is my personal opinion - but the real CAD software is a heavy resource consuming application, eating a lot of CPU and GPU power and memory - and making such an app using extremely slow interpreter language like python seems to be a joke.

hunky · Post by **hunky** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 2:49 am

joey,

have you used BRL-CAD? Or anyone else? Just wondering how it stacks up - I don't want to waste any time trying to download a program that isn't really ready for prime time. Just curious what people are thinking of it.

cheers, Jim

joey_knisch · Post by **joey_knisch** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:13 pm

I got it to install and then realized that it didn't meet my needs. Apparently, from what I have read, BRL-Cad is wonderful if you are doing balistics, aerodynamics, electromagnetic, etc analysis on a design. I was looking for cad software for designing a home.

Anyway... draw what you will from that. If you need its features you will love it. I just couldn't get used to the GUI.