AUTO CAD

AutoCAD is a CAD (Computer Aided Design or Computer Aided Drafting) software application for 2D and 3D design and drafting. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC. At that time, most other CAD programs ran on mainframe computers or mini-computers which were connected to a graphics computer terminal for each user. AutoCad and its vertical products are incompatible with BitDefender security software.^[1]

Early releases of AutoCAD used primitive entities — lines, polylines, circles, arcs, and text — to construct more complex objects. Since the mid-1990s, AutoCAD has supported custom objects through its C++ Application Programming Interface (API). Modern AutoCAD includes a full set of basic solid modeling and 3D tools. With the release of AutoCAD 2007 came improved 3D modeling, which meant better navigation when working in 3D. Moreover, it became easier to edit 3D models. The mental ray engine was included in rendering, it was now possible to do quality renderings. AutoCAD 2010 introduced parametric functionality and mesh modeling.

AutoCAD supports a number of APIs for customization and automation. These include AutoLISP, Visual LISP, VBA, .NET and ObjectARX. ObjectARX is a C++ class library, which was also the base for products extending AutoCAD functionality to specific fields, to create products such as AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Civil 3D, or third-party AutoCAD-based applications.

AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT are available for English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Russian, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Vietnamese. The extent of localization varies from full translation of the product to documentation only. The AutoCAD command set is localized as a part of the software localization.

AutoCAD origin

AutoCAD was derived from a program called Interact, which was written in a proprietary language (SPL) and ran on the Marinchip Systems 9900 computer (Marinchip was owned by Autodesk co-founders John Walker and Dan Drake.)

When Marinchip Software Partners (later to be renamed Autodesk) was formed, they decided to re-code Interact in C and PL/1 -- C, because it seemed to be the biggest upcoming language, and PL/1. In the end, the PL/1 version was unsuccessful. The C version was, at the time, one of the most complex programs in that language to date. Autodesk even had to work with the compiler developer (Lattice) to fix certain limitations to get AutoCAD to run.^[2]

AutoCAD LT

AutoCAD LT is a lower cost version of AutoCAD with reduced capabilities first released in November 1993. AutoCAD LT, priced at $495, became the first product in the company's history priced below $1000 to bear the name 'AutoCAD'. In addition to being sold directly by Autodesk, it can also be purchased at computer stores, unlike the full version of AutoCAD which must be purchased from official Autodesk dealers. Autodesk developed AutoCAD LT so that they would have an entry-level CAD package to compete in the lower price level.

As of the 2011 release the AutoCAD LT MSRP has risen to $1200. While there are hundreds of small differences between the full AutoCAD package and AutoCAD LT, currently there are a few recognized major differences^[3] in the software's features, being:

1. 3D Capabilities: AutoCAD LT lacks the ability to create, visualize and render 3D models as well as 3D printing.
2. Network Licensing: AutoCAD LT cannot be used on multiple machines over a network.
3. Customization: AutoCAD LT does support customization with LISP, ARX, and VBA.
4. Management and automation capabilities with Sheet Set Manager and Action Recorder.
5. CAD standards management tools.

AutoCAD Freestyle

Built on the AutoCAD platform, AutoCAD Freestyle is a simplified, low-cost (US$149) application that makes it easy to create accurate, professional-looking 2D drawings and sketches.

Student versions

AutoCAD is licensed at a significant discount over commercial retail pricing to qualifying students and teachers, with a 14 month license available. The student version of AutoCAD is functionally identical to the full commercial version, with one exception: DWG files created or edited by a student version have an internal bit-flag set (the "educational flag"). When such a DWG file is printed by any version of AutoCAD (commercial or student), the output will include a plot stamp / banner on all four sides. Objects created in the Student Version cannot be used for commercial use. These Student Version objects will 'infect' a commercial version DWG file if imported^[4].

The Autodesk student community provides registered students with free access to different Autodesk applications.

Vertical programs

Autodesk has also developed a few vertical programs, for discipline-specific enhancements. AutoCAD Architecture (formerly Architectural Desktop), for example, permits architectural designers to draw 3D objects such as walls, doors and windows, with more intelligent data associated with them, rather than simple objects such as lines and circles. The data can be programmed to represent specific architectural products sold in the construction industry, or extracted into a data file for pricing, materials estimation, and other values related to the objects represented. Additional tools allow designers to generate standard 2D drawings, such as elevations and sections, from a 3D architectural model. Similarly, Civil Design, Civil Design 3D, and Civil Design Professional allow data-specific objects to be used, allowing standard civil engineering calculations to be made and represented easily. AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD P&ID, AutoCAD Plant 3D and AutoCAD Structural Detailing are other examples of industry-specific CAD applications built on the AutoCAD platform.

File formats

AutoCAD's native file format, DWG, and to a lesser extent, its interchange file format, DXF, have become de facto standards for CAD data interoperability. AutoCAD in recent years has included support for DWF, a format developed and promoted by Autodesk for publishing CAD data. In 2006, Autodesk estimated the number of active DWG files to be in excess of one billion.

In the past, Autodesk has estimated the total number of DWG files in existence to be more than three billion.^[5]

Official Name	Version	Release	Date of release	Comments
AutoCAD Version 1.0	1.0	1	1982, December	DWG R1.0 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Version 1.2	1.2	2	1983, April	DWG R1.2 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Version 1.3	1.3	3	1983, August
AutoCAD Version 1.4	1.4	4	1983, October	DWG R1.4 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Version 2.0	2.0	5	1984, October	DWG R2.05 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Version 2.1	2.1	6	1985, May	DWG R2.1 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Version 2.5	2.5	7	1986, June	DWG R2.5 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Version 2.6	2.6	8	1987, April	DWG R2.6 file format introduced. Last version to run without a math co-processor.
AutoCAD Release 9	9.0	9	1987, September	DWG R9 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Release 10	10.0	10	1988, October	DWG R10 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Release 11	11.0	11	1990, October	DWG R11 file format introduced.
AutoCAD Release 12	12.0	12	1992, June	DWG R11/R12 file format introduced. Last release for Apple Macintosh till 2010.
AutoCAD Release 13	13.0	13	1994, November	DWG R13 file format introduced. Last release for Unix, MS-DOS and Windows 3.11.
AutoCAD Release 14	14.0	14	1997, February	DWG R14 file format introduced.
AutoCAD 2000	15.0	15	1999, March	DWG 2000 file format introduced.
AutoCAD 2000i	15.1	16	2000, July
AutoCAD 2002	15.6	17	2001, June
AutoCAD 2004	16.0	18	2003, March	DWG 2004 file format introduced.
AutoCAD 2005	16.1	19	2004, March
AutoCAD 2006	16.2	20	2005, March
AutoCAD 2007	17.0	21	2006, March	DWG 2007 file format introduced.
AutoCAD 2008	17.1	22	2007, March	Annotative Objects introduced. First release for the x86-64 versions of Windows XP and Vista.
AutoCAD 2009	17.2	23	2008, March	Revisions to the user interface including the option of a Microsoft Office 2007-like tabbed ribbon.
AutoCAD 2010	18.0	24	2009, March 24	DWG 2010 file format introduced. Parametrics introduced. Mesh 3D solid modeling introduced. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of AutoCAD 2010 and AutoCAD LT 2010 are compatible with and supported under Microsoft Windows 7.
AutoCAD 2011	18.1	25	2010, March 25	Surface Modeling, Surface Analysis and Object Transparency introduced. October 15, 2010[6] AutoCAD 2011 for Mac was released.