A First Look at General CADD Pro version 3.1

… by Noël H. Browning, December 17, 2004

Many New Features have been added to this Windows re-work of the
now classic Generic CADD 6.1.5 DOS program.

With this third major release of General CADD Pro we now have a re-programmed 2D Design Drafting software 
that is a true Windows redesign of the highly respected Generic CADD v.6.1.5 and one that remains absolutely true 
to the original User Interface.

Only two significant Generic CADD v.6 features are still missing from the v.3.0 beta:
Multipal Viewports, and the Bill of Material utility. [Improved versions  of these two  features 
are being tested in the  General CADD Pro 4.0 beta version.]

A very short learning curve is expected for Generic CADD users. [I was up and running the 1st-day.]
Other accomplished CAD operators should be productive after only 1-week of serious study because 
of the 2-Letter native commands and the straight forward nature of the user interface. 
Generic CADD users will save expense, time & hassle (with their next system upgrade) reinstalling Generic CADD 
and will find more than 79 useful new Native Commands plus many improved Generic Commands.

General CADD Pro is so easy to use compared with AutoCAD that I personally don't think 
the establishment of a General CADD University will ever be necessary.

GCP runs well on both my Windows 98SE, and XP, Operating Systems. [PC with 128 Mb RAM minimum.]
and uses standard Windows printer drivers. [No special proprietary plotter drivers are required.] 
AutoCAD Release 2004 of the DWG and DXF files are supported plus Generic CADD friendly DWG and DXF output.

Better quality drafting at a much lower cost with the fastest 2D professional design/drafting program available are the best 
reasons to replace your Generic CADD or AutoCAD LT programs with General CADD Pro. 
General CADD Products, Inc. provides Incredible Technical Support that may be the best the Software Industry has ever known. 
GCP may be the only design drafting program (other than Rhino 3D) that was developed exclusively on the Internet, 
by the original Generic CADD programmers, over more than three years, with help from more than two dozen beta testers 
recruited from the loyal Generic CADD user base.

It is truly amazing to me that General CADD Pro (with so many new native commands & features) can sell for only about $100 more 
than the final 1993 release of Autodesk Generic CADD. 
The Version 4.1 Pre-purchase Discount offers a significant Software Upgrade cost advantage to the thrifty delineator:

Many New Features have been added to General CADD Pro:
A PDF Writer tailored to produce Adobe Acrobat vector drawing files now ships with GCP.
Install a single registered copy of GCP on several PC's and run them all by simply moving the USB Security Device from one to the another.
— Use GCP on your office PC and then take your drawings on your Laptop to the field or to visit a client.
The ConVert utility translates TrueType, AutoCAD, & Generic CADD fonts to the GCP vector font format.
— AutoCAD or Generic CADD Hatch Patterns & Component Blocks plus Generic CADD Drawings & Attributes
— are converted to the native GCP formats.
Drawing File Size has been greatly reduced using self-compression.
AutoCAD save as Release version from menu prompt. GCP now supports R-2004 files.
More improvements to the GXM Macro Programming Language [Also runs the GC6 MCR batch files].
Use [Shift]+[Spacebar] to repeats last macro.
A List of all the Macro Commands (old GC6 and new GCP) has been added to the HElp file.
An improved GXV Video Menus [Also runs the GC6 native & custom video MNU menus]
All Menus display the, easy to learn, 2-Letter Mnemonic Native commands.
— Side menu & custom side menus can be hidden to increase screen space.
A Text Editor with Spell Check is included plus the new Quick Edit text command.
[Ctrl] with Wheel changes character Size when placing Text and Dimensions.
Use [Shift] + Right mouse button to edit Text, Dimensions, Leaders, or Components.
Improved Print/Plot function that adds perfect control of the Printed Line Widths while using Color as Color.
An unlimited number of Components may be placed in drawings, up from a limit of 256 in GC6.
— Visual scaling and rotation of component blocks may be done on the fly.
GCP stores Floating Point numbers in 8-byte variables, GC6 stores them in 4-byte.
Number of Layers increased from 256 to 1024.
Line Type pattern files are included for GCD, DWG, and ISO file compatibility.
— Generic CADD native line type file may be loaded with LO command.
— General CADD Pro native Device and World line types include a total of 80 different patterns.
— Custom line types may be added by the user. [File conversions create custom patterns for non native line types].
Optional Thumbnail image selector used for loading drawings and placing hatches or components.
Faster direct entry for line Length + Angle using the optional Polar Coordinates command
— modifier ( ` ). [The grave accent symbol replaces < for angle and decimals replace the colons] provides
— a new faster shift free command line entry of distance + angle].
Land Survey Bearing + Distance input & labeling are now supported.
Use the @ command modifier for Direct Entry of x, y coordinates.
Ortho Angle Stop settings aid the drafting of isometric & axonometric projected drawings.
Persistent Commands Hold the [Shift] key down while issuing a command or double click on a toolbar button and
— a command will stay as the default tool until the [Esc] key is pressed.
Rescale commands will now turn a Circle into an Ellipse.
An Image Capture Program is now included. [Alt]+C launches this utility.
Paste Text and Bitmaps directly into your GCP Drawing.
Full Digitizer support has now been included.
Optional use of the [Tab] key for Pen Up, Enter, or to Browse file lists.
Use the Arrow Keys to Pan and Zoom.
Use the Mouse Scroll Wheel to Zoom, hold down scroll wheel or [Shift] key to Pan.
[Ctrl] plus Wheel changes Component Rotation when placing them.
— [Ctrl] +[Alt] plus Wheel changes the increment value.

Only Useful Windows Features are provided in General CADD Pro:
Mouse left click on Status Bar Buttons to change settings.
Mouse right click on third line of Status Bar display settings list box.
Mouse Scroll Wheel input devices also support Windows menu and list picks.
Windows Scroll Bars are only used in selection list boxes.
Windows Drop-Down Menus supplement the customizable Side Video Menus.
Windows Explorer style drag & drop file folder options for Thumbnail settings.
Windows pop-up box for most all the [on/off] Toggle settings.
Windows GUI Clipboard Commands (Cut, Copy, & Paste) commands were added.
Windows Icon Buttons show the more basic 2-letter commands to aid new users.
Windows command Button Pallets can be relocated or hidden.
Windows Toolbars [on/off] toggle commands & User Customizable Toolbars.
Visual status of current Text Justification shown in font field of status bar.

Online Features for All Versions of General CADD Pro:
Frequent updates of the downloadable HTML Help file.
Bug fixes are available promptly as downloads.
Send bug reports from the program directly to the developers by E-mail.
Contact on-line support directly from within the program.
Automatic Check for Updates option.
Plus an Internet bulletin board system (BBS) that provides the best technical support in the industry.
The BBS also has a Wish List section for users to suggest & discuss
new Commands & Features for GCP version 4.0

View the GCP native commands: [Appendix]

Author’s Disclaimer:
This review represents my knowledge of the current 3.0.27 beta program.
The 3.1 program (when shipped) will likely be subjected to some emendation
plus additional basic & useful features.
Author’s E-mail: noel@cirs.com or visit his www.GenericCADD.com Web site.

[Secure Online Credit Card purchase of General CADD Pro with worldwide shipping 
is no longer available at the CADD Village Software Store Link.]  
Contact: Walter Hagedohm, webmaster@cirs.com for more information and special offers.

Download your very own Free Trial Copy of the General CADD Pro 3.1 at:
www.generalcadd.com/downloads.htm
Also be sure to download the latest HTML Users Manual while you are there.

Permission is granted to reprint this complete review, providing that the Author is credited.
Copyright©2004 Noel H. Browning

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