Carlson Software Forum

For a while now i have been able to predefined boundaries in Carlson on AutoCAD/C3D/IntelliCAD. I have been evaluating the OEM as an alternative. Most of the limitations have been CAD related, and understandable, but this on seems like a missing command from Carlson.

my list so far
1. No adcenter (Design Center)
2. No Sheet set manager (Major sheet sets would need to be managed from an ACAD/C3D install)
3. Cannot insert Fieldtext (though Fieldtext that already exist does seem to work)
4. no custom DWG properties (I don’t think many people use this)
5. no user loaded lisp routines (appload is missing)
6. no Express Tools
7. Upgrade will be a variable cost, and could be more on a year to year bases
8. No Quick Keys. Some of the Shortcut key strokes that I am use to are gone,
9. No pre defined surface boundaries.


Also, if anyone knows of any other limitations, or comments to my list, I would appreciate a reply back.

Thanks,
Bobby P.
McKim & Creed

Items 5 and 6 are the only ones missing. "Express Tools" items are scattered out among several menus. Standard Lisp routines cannot be used. However, the ones that I did have, I found to be already in the Carlson OEM package,
Here's the deal, Carlson has the other features you list, it's just that they are called something else. Predefined areas are pretty much the same as "Shrink Wrap Areas".
Your old Quick keys can be loaded into Carlson OEM. The "How" is in one of the first entries in this topic.
Carlson does things differently from AuitoCad. The trick is to learn those differences. I do not know where you are located, but there is probably a Carlson Certified Training partner in your area that can show you the light. If not, do to thatcadgirl.com and order her 2 training manuals. That will be the best money you will ever spend. Her books are written in plain English and assume you don't know snit about the program. She walks you through all of the processes via a USB stick with a complete set of data files.
Don't give up too soon. You will find that what you really need is there and as they say, "Carlson simply works because it works simply". Don't over think it. It's not as convoluted as AutoCAD.

These are the 2 Carlson Certified Training Partners nearest you. I have taken training from both of them and can recommend their services:



That Cad Girl–Jennifer DiBona
P.O. Box 294, Clayton, NC 27528
Phone: 919-417-8351; Fax: 919-573-0351
www.thatcadgirl.com; Check That Cad Girl training schedule here: www.thatcadgirl.com/training_calendar.html
Email: ContactUs@thatcadgirl.com



Harken-Reidar, Inc.
1105 North Royal Avenue, Front Royal, VA 22630
Phone: 540-635-6742; Fax: 540-635-6752
www.harken-reidar.com
Email: info@harken-reidar.com

Thanks for the reply Dent.

I found the fix you refereed to for the Quick keys. Nice to know that is just a plain text file. I can see some edits coming its ways. I also found the Carlson solution (FIELD) text field solution, its a shame that ACAD put the field button in the context ribbon that doesn't work. I Clicked that thing a hundred times.

The predefined boundaries that i mentioned is not SWPLINES, or BOUNDPL, the command is PLZONE in the other CAD platforms. I talked to Brandon at Carlson support that confirmed command is missing, and that the surface menu is structure different in OEM 2018 than in ACAD/ICAD version, their going to look into it.

The DWG Properties (in ACAD) "DWGPROP" (also not in ICAD) would allow you to set custom properties and values that could then be use by field text. It was useful, but there are other ways to do it.

As for the Design Center, and Sheet Set manager. I am not seeing replacements for ether of these. The civil Module has a Carlosn Sheet Set Manager alternative, But they don't license it for Surveyors. It would be nice to have that added to the ICAD OEM Survey products as they do not have a sheet set manager that a can see. Design Center is useful but not crucial.

Thanks for the guidance.

Make sure the "Standard" menu is turned on. To the right end you will find the "Properties" and "Match Properties" buttons. See if this is what you are looking for.

OH, yesterday when I fired up 2018OEM it downloaded a major update. Maybe this will fix some of your issues.