AutoCad Engine

[Robert G. Collier]

I've just landed a job where I'll be exclusively using Carlson. Up until this point in my career I’ve used LDD and before that AutoCad with Softdesk products attached. I’m looking forward to using the power I’ve this software have however one thing escapes me. If this product uses an AutoCad engine why are not all the AutoCad commands available?

Bob

[Dent Cermak]

Because you will find that Carlson does more, faster and more intuitively. You will find contouring about twice as fast. You do not have to have a srf-view layer anymore. You do not have to constantly clutter up the drawing with the tin lines anymore. They are there when you need them only and the changes happen instantly without having to go through the create contour pull down each time.
You will find that the Field to Finish setup makes life easier in that it does more than Point Groups, Figure Prefix Library and Descriptor keys all in that one setup. You will find that if you do work for clients that have their own layer names, associated line types and blocks that you can set up a fld file for them AND your own in-house stuff. (In LDD the Figure Prefix Library is not an editable file, so you only get one setup.)
Carlson is a whole new world. The transition can get confusing. I would strongly suggest a visit to one of the trainning session hosted by tha Carlson College folks. ( I went to one by Carlson DS as shown on the list. I learned SO MUCH in those two days!! Well worth the money!!)
Another thing. I would say that 95% of what you are used to in LDD may be found in Carlson. You just have to look for it. Things that AutoCad did away with, that I loved, are to be found in Carlson.
The only drawback to the Standalone version is that your custom LISP routines will not work, but all of the ones that I had are already in Carlson, just under another name.
You are about to begin working with a product that is just as strong as LDD, and IMHO superior to the Civil3D mess, for much less money, but a heck of a lot more speed once you get the hang of it.
I'll say it again, go to one of the Carlson College Trainning Sessions. The day of learning a software package this complex on your own are long gone. If the new company wants to train you in house....fine. But if they are not using Field To Finish (And 90% of the companies are not) then they are losing a WHOLE lot more money in a month than it would cost you to get real trainning.

[Bri_65]

Yes many AutoCad commands are missing.
When I started my own business 6 years ago due to price I decided to go with the standalone. 6 years latter their are still times I wish I had full AutoCad with the carlson addon. Oh well.

[tstrickland]

I have been using the standalone version for about 6+ years. There are times that I wished that I had the full capabilities of Autocad, but there is a big cost difference for a small solo firm. I've managed to get by with the standalone OK, but I miss user coordinate systems, lisp files, and some other features the most.

The intellicad version has all the bells and whistles, but I'm not convinced yet that it outweighs the problems, but all I know is what I've read. I haven't used it yet. Hopefully, these will eventually be worked out, and this will probably be the best route to go.