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Thread: AutoCAD installation

  1. #1
    Member MZerby's Avatar
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    Default AutoCAD installation

    Hello,

    I'm a new member that signed up at AU Las Vegas. This is my first time in the forums.
    Our company is thinking of going to the AutoCAD subscription. Currently we have 30 seats of AutoCAD 2004 installed as stand alone installs. Out of those we have 22 full time users and 4 who open AutoCAD every once and awhile to view a drawing. We have 4 outsourcing users that have it installed on systems that we provided. We also have a lot of customization loaded that we load from the network.

    What I'm looking for is advice on the best way to install AutoCAD for our use.

  2. #2
    100 Club stilesj's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD installation

    I'm not sure exactly how this would work since you already have 30 licenses, but I like the network licensing. With that, we have 27 licenses, all on subscription, but we can install on as many computers as we want in the office. Each machine looks to the server when AutoCAD is started to make sure a license is available, so only 27 people can be on AutoCAD at any one time. But this works well to accomodate those "sometime" users. You could potentially have just 22 network licenses in your office and maintain 4 standalones for remote users (although these could be network licenses, too, if they can use VPN or other remote access to check out a license when they need CAD).

    I like subscription mostly for budgeting. I'm able to keep a pretty consistent number in the budget every year and always stay up-to-date on the product.

    HTH

  3. #3
    Moderator arcadia_x27's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD installation

    Personally I'd stay away from doing a network install. But thats me I've got a smaller company than Jenna, only having to take care of about 15 ADT users, but because we're a division of a much larger company , we have to depend on the corporate IT department to manager the server and network install and all that other fun stuff. They wouldnt let us have control of it and since their response time for problems is less than stellar, and they dont have the expertise to manage CAD software I go the stand alone route.

    For your 4 users that are only occasionaly using Autocad to look at files save yourself a bit of money and get DWF composer. They can view .dwg files, save them as .DWF files and redline, mark them up and take dimensions off them. Its a lot cheaper than a full Autocad liscense. If they need to do any .DWG manipulation even AutoCAD LT would be cheaper than a full seat of AutoCAD. Of course if youve already bought the seats thats a different story but you may want to only subscribe to 26 seats instead of the full 30.
    Last edited by arcadia_x27; 2004-12-22 at 01:31 PM.

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    Default Re: AutoCAD installation

    I would suggest network licensing and subscriptions for your 22 full time users. Evaluate your other users, do they really need CAD? or are they just viewing? Sounds like .DWF is a viable option for the other 8. You might even get by with the free .DWF viewer.

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    Default Re: AutoCAD installation

    I do it a little differently. We have about 100 seats in 15 offices. Each of my full-time users has a stand-alone version and the part-time users have network licenses available to them on the rate of about 2.5 to 1. This means that there is no messing around with access permissions or dividing licenses for full-time users. If the part-time users become more proficient, it is easy to add another license to the network version. I also have every seat on subscription, mainly for the ease of budgeting.

    John Morgan
    Greeley and Hansen LLC

  6. #6
    Member MZerby's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD installation

    Thank you all for the responses. We installed Composer but, we don't seem to be able to open .DWG files. Will we have to print every drawing out of AutoCAD as a .dwf file to allow it to be viewed in Composer.

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    Default Re: AutoCAD installation

    As long as server space isn't a problem... automate the process. Create a button that saves as a .dwg and a .dwf in one click.

    If you do the math and multiply 8 times the $$$$ for a full seat of AutoCAD... It would seem this would be a better option for your company.

  8. #8
    The Silent Type Mike.Perry's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD installation

    Quote Originally Posted by cad1.78887
    We installed Composer but, we don't seem to be able to open .DWG files.
    Hi

    With DWF Composer (full paid version) (not DWF Viewer which is freeware) you should definitely be able to Open and View and Plot DWG files.... does the following Technical Document help -

    ID: TS100129 - "Error regenerating graphics" when opening drawing in Volo View 3 with DWG Viewer installed

    Have a good one, Mike

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    Administrator rkmcswain's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD installation

    Quote Originally Posted by waynes.61209
    Evaluate your other users, do they really need CAD? or are they just viewing? Sounds like .DWF is a viable option for the other 8. You might even get by with the free .DWF viewer.
    .DWF viewer is not an option for us. We are not going to create a .DWF file for our thousands of existing drawings. We require a product to view .DWG files, period.

    We are evaluating and most likely will stick with Bentley View. This FREE product allows users to open and view .DWG and .DGN files, which works out great since we have several seats of Microstation also.

    URL: http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Product...w/Overview.htm

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    Mod / Salary / SM Wanderer's Avatar
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    Talking Re: AutoCAD installation

    Quote Originally Posted by rkmcswain
    DWF viewer is not an option for us. We are not going to create a .DWF file for our thousands of existing drawings. We require a product to view .DWG files, period.

    We are evaluating and most likely will stick with Bentley View. This FREE product allows users to open and view .DWG and .DGN files, which works out great since we have several seats of Microstation also.

    URL: http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Product...w/Overview.htm
    seems to be a popular consensus on the adesk discussion boards also... I know I tend to recommend it.
    Last edited by Glenn Pope; 2004-12-25 at 08:42 AM. Reason: Fixed quote tags
    Melanie Stone
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    Archibus, FMS/FMInteract and AutoCAD Expert (I use BricsCAD, Revit, Tandem, and Planon, too)
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