MacDraft Professional Reviews

Great update, more modern features

Comments: I routinely import a scan of my designer's hand drawn floorplans and work with them in MacDraft. I can overlay the computer drawn plan and work with it very well.

Pros:

I have been using MacDraft for at least 20 years. Over that time, it has become a mature, useful tool for me. Although I have used Autocad before, I find MacDraft so much easier to use and 'Mac-like'. Not all the tools are intuitive, but easy enough to figure out with online help. With the new update to V7, the interface has been cleaned up significantly, and everything is easier to use. I now can do my work in less time, and achieve better looking results. I really appreciate that Microspot continues to update this great piece of software.

Cons:

Some of the tools look different than the last version, so there is a bit of a re-learning curve. That's not to say that once learned, the improvements are evident.

Review of MacDraft Professional 7

Comments: Using the application to design furniture and built-ins

Pros:

I like the ease of use and the fact that it is not cluttered with features not required for 2D drafting.

Cons:

1. I would like to be able to close or hide the Libraries tile. It blocks the Parameters tile and I have to scroll down to get to the 'Parameters"of Length and angle, etc. 2. I would like to be able to snap to a predefined distance from an end or a corner of an object. For example, to be able to snap to a location 25%, or 1/3 from an end of a line or corner of a rectangle.

Home plan drawing

Comments: I have been a Mac Draft owner since its origin. Other soft ware has advanced much faster than. I regret that I haven't learned to use the CAD programs. It would be really nice to draw a floor plan and then be able to rotate it into a 3D drawing. I expected much more from this upgrade.

Pros:

The update makes the program commutable with the new Mac operating system and makes it possible to use older files. The tools are easy to identify and use.

Cons:

Very disappointed with the templates. I ordered the entire package with all templates. I expected the templates of architectural features that are used in the drawing of house plans that include plumbing fixtures such as sinks of different sizes, toilets, bath tubs, showers, and appliances. Electrical symbols that depict light fixtures, electrical out lets, bath fans, ceiling fans. Furniture images to depict bed sizes, sofa's, tables, chairs, TV's. Doors that shows the door swing. I would like to down load PDF drawings and then make changes. If that is possible I would like to know how to do this. I would really like to down load a photo of a house and then be able to draw over it to demonstrate alternatives to owners. I guess that I was hoping for more.

Thank goodness for MacDraft Professional 7

Comments: I am a woodworker, and I make engineering drawings of my projects prior to building them.

Pros:

This program has all the easy use features of the original MacDraft of which I was a Beta Test professional in the mid-1980's.

Cons:

I did not like the fact that I purchased MacDraft and within a year had to purchase it again due a change in the Mac operating system.

REVIEW

Comments: Slightly frustrated - I am looking for a simple easy to use 2D draughting programme with the functionality of Vectorworks. This doesnt quite make it but it is better than other low-cost software for Mac.

Pros:

Reasonable price.. it works OK once you get used to it. Works on Mac.

Cons:

1. Problems setting up dwg/dxf imported drawings - setting size and scale. 2. Tools do not stay for repeat use. Need to be reselected each time. 3. Trimming is cumbersome - line by line. Ref 2 above. 4. Some of the tools are a bit cumbersome.

My Go-To Design Software (and I have a lot of choices)

Comments: MacDraft is based on an illustration app, into which has been integrated a set of very sound drafting tools. This is unusual; I know of nothing like it. I'm pretty enthusiastic about it, as you should be able to tell. For me, it means that once I became proficient, I could make what I'm thinking about straightaway without having to 'figure it out', I can just keep going. If I make a mistake I can usually just keep on and fix it later. This is rare in design software.The Pro version is not a toy or a 'hobby' app. It's professional 2D design software I make a living with. As an example, we are working on a site now, for which drone topo was being planned. We took Google Earth elevation profiles and an aerial into MacDraft Pro and laid out the terrain diagram we still refer to, even though the drone topo is now at hand.If you need isometrics, it's a snap (literally), and easier than in AutoCAD. And its easy to use photos and drawings directly as reference. I'll use AutoCAD sometimes to create an isometric view of an existing plan, then port it to MacDraft and make a '3D isometric'.We also use it as a straightforward graphic design tool, or just to make notes, especially with the new upgrades for making columns.

Pros:

I usually start projects in MacDraft and increasingly just stay with it through the project. I do use AutoCAD a lot, but it is 'indirect' and difficult to be spontaneous with it or to try things out quickly. In MacDraft I work directly and 'experimentally' with no downside; it encourages spontaneity and is fast and direct. The drawings look great, and often other designers or drafters ask what software they were made it. In planning meetings MacDraft docs are usually the conversation starters. It's easy to combine photos or even loose pencil sketches with MacDraft in the same document, and it looks great. I do believe it shortens the approval cycle. Also, it's just fun to use. I usually go to MacDraft first before SketchUp or AutoCAD. The tools are *actually* intuitive, and the interface is appealing and easy on the eyes (and brain).

Cons:

MacDraft is a bit challenging to use with the deadly accuracy of, say, AutoCAD, as it only resolves to two decimal places. Also oftentimes I need to zoom in to make sure I hit the point I was aiming at— even when Smart Snap is in use. Also— you cannot snap to intersections. I know MD *recognizes* intersections, because you can trim accurately to them.End marks (arrows) look perfect in-app, but when you make a PDF or plot them, they come out larger than in-app and overrun the object they are meant to point to. This is relatively easy to compensate for or edit, but it is annoying.Also it would be good to be able to customize key assignment. The existing ones make solid sense, so this not a big 'issue'. Just needs more of them— real time-savers, the shortcuts.

Full-Featured 2-D Design/Drafting for the Mac

Comments: MacDraft has very simply allowed me to produce documents to support my designs and convey the design intent to my clients.

Pros:

Forst and foremost, MacDraft is deigned for the Mac, not just ported over from the PC environment. This allows full integration of features with the Mac interface and structure. Mac's were based on a Graphical User Interface, and what could be better for a drafting platform?Like any software package, there is a learning curve with MacDraft, but even though the software is powerful, it is also easy to learn and implement.I have yet to come across a situation where I needed a feature that was not available in MacDraft. Also, the documentation makes it easy to find and pickup new (to me) features and capabilities.

Cons:

The one aspect of MacDraft that could use improvement is with regard to exporting to DWG/DXF. While this is not a failure of MacDraft (AutoDesk doesn't make it easy for any competing software to produce documents in "their" formats, even though they do not offer any fully functional alternatives for the Mac), it would be great if anyone could open an exported file and have it look the same as the original in MacDraft.

Excellent 2D Drawing

Comments: I've been using MacDraft for years, in its various iterations, primarily to produce blocking diagrams for theatrical performances. The latest version is even more powerful than the earlier ones. Sure, there's a bit of a learning curve, and I know I'm not using even half the power of the app, but it's versatility has won me over. There are plenty of other drawing applications available, but for the combination of features I want, plus a relatively low price, MacDraft takes the cake!

Pros:

Ease of use combined with power.

Cons:

I can't find any way to set up various preset groups (e.g., line weight x, line color y, line style z), so I have to select each one individually

Mac draft for 34 years

Comments: I use the program to draw house plans mostly. Also I like to use it to design interior finishes like tile and trims in unique patterns.

Pros:

I had many versions of Mac draft. I started recently with version 5 and 6. The latest one version 7 is quite a bit different than the previous versions. I have been able to fine what I need but takes some practice to get work done fast again.

Cons:

When converting to Autocad format the program has limitations. So I wish this feature worked better and others with auto Cad could review my work.

Functional, fast, featured and user friendly!

Comments: I've been using MacDraft for more than 15 years. In that time it has matured and stabilized thru the many iterations of MacOS. It's broad capabilities help me in my work as a real estate developer and it is reasonably priced. A good value considering the cost of other full featured drafting programs. I tried AUTOCAD and found it overly complex and unintuitive. In contrast, MacDraft has remained easier to use with a very good Mac like experience, despite having added many capabilities through the years.

Pros:

Ease of use and broad capabilities

Cons:

Occasional crashes

Long-Term User

Pros:

I run a one-man woodshop. Design/build. Free-standing furniture, specialized cabinetwork, like library walls, off-the-wall woodworking projects. You never know what a client might want. No kitchen cabs, no re-modeling. I've been using MacDraft through many iterations, since late 1990. I've always appreciated its intuitive nature, much like Macintosh computers. (Although, Macs aren't quite as intuitive as they used to be, but there you are, what can be done, time marches on).

Cons:

Honestly, my only pet peeve regarding MacDraft is this, (very small): When you're drawing a series of very long, thin rectangles; say a series of mullions in glass cabinet doors, routinely one or two of them will be visually miss-matched in width, even though the software assures me that all the widths are the same.

Satisfied new user -

Comments: We had been using a very simple drawing software that hadn't been supported for several years. For us, it worked as good as we needed. When it ultimately quick working because of equipment upgrades etc. we were at a loss for a simple drawing program. MacDraft Professional 7 has allowed us to provide the simple drafting projects we need for our customers as well as for our manufacturing team. It's also allowed us to design new equipment and procedures internally. We are amateurs when it comes to drafting programs. If it was too complicated or time consuming, it wouldn't have worked for us. MacDraft Professional 7 is turning into exactly the software we need to support our business.

Pros:

Every day I'm learning how to use this software, it's capabilities, and how it can support our manufacturing team and our customers. It's easy to use from the first download and your growth can be as fast as the time spent working with it. It will do everything we need plus.

Cons:

I'm yet to find a con for this software. If I had to say something, I'd say that it's more complicated than what we'd been using which has led to more time to learn how to use it.

Replacing the Old with the New

Comments: All in all, I'm ecstatic with Microspot MacDraft, 6.2 and 7, as I am now using modern equipment and technology with the ease of my old, trusted program from way back when - all at an affordable price. AND, when I had questions, I was able to write to England, and invariably the next morning a reply would be waiting for me. AND, when my backup thumb-drive for 7 didn't arrive via international mail after several weeks, they sent me another, which contains both versions 6.2 and 7. Fantastic software and customer service, would highly recommend!

Pros:

I originally bought "MacDraft" back in 1996, and installed it on a Macintosh Performa CD. Many years passed, and I used it to design several houses and projects, and became quite proficient with the software, even though I was limited by the hardware involved - small screen, ancient printer , no ability to email, no ability to download to thumb drives - until finally this year, I could no longer find ink for my printer. So, I searched the Internet, and found this program to be affordable, modern, and with nearly the identical menus, tools, and libraries. Now I use it on my IMac, and a Brother Pro Series printer. Fantastic!

Cons:

I was initially sent MacDraft Professional 6.2, until the MacDraft Professional 7 release. I actually thought 6.2 was intuitively easier. With the release of 7, some of the tools have been switched to the right side, where before everything was on the left - I don't like the back and forth with the mouse that 7 requires. Also, 6.2 had a light background, whereas the background on 7 is black, which to me makes it a bit more difficult to find the tools I want.

Planning family homes

Comments: I’ve used MacDraft Pro since the days when it came on a handful of 3.5” floppy disks.
It still works Intuitively. Things like duplicate with smart repeated placement and spacing along a line just WOWs PC world ers.

Pros:

My family bought 18 acres of wooded land. We use this sw to draw to scale the whole region and the plans for three houses for us and our two sons’ families.

Cons:

Cost. It’s buyable, but takes a lot of thought. Compared to the price of 18 acres and 3 houses, it’s cheap. Specially if it stops us from making even one mistake. I am giving my older son the PC version as a present so he doesn’t come borrow my Mac all the time.

It's a Good Tool

Comments: MacDraft Pro 7 continues to allow my to design whole house solutions from remodeling to decorating. Last year was my first backyard [outdoor living space] project and it delivered, from 1000 miles away, and it was quite useful.

Pros:

For me, the critical end use allows me to provide client with preliminary to final concepts and contractors with plans detailed enough for execution. I have become skilled at both floor plan and elevation work and the layers allow for easy duplication, then modification.

Cons:

Some hiccups from the last update that are a bit annoying. And, it can take a bit more time than I like. Despite that I can still arrive at my goal.

very good software

Pros:

simple, intuitive software that can be used for complex projects

Cons:

sometimes complicated to achieve a perfect precision to the millimeter and to join well all the lines

MacDraft Professional 7

Comments: I am very please with the new make-over and feel peace of mind knowing that this platform will continue beyond the next OS redesign plus the ability to open and continue to use files that were created several version ago.

Pros:

Very pleased with the overall redesign of all features and the fact that it is now 64bit compliant which is important for continuing to utilize this program with future rewrites of OS X. The ease of creating templates surpasses the older version and is easy to implement.

Cons:

As a long time user of MacDraft, just like the redesign of any good software, I had a bit of a learning curve to adjust over to the new design - always takes some effort to unlearn habits. It would be nice to have a "Save As" function for creating and modifying similar drawings.

It use to be much better

Comments: Not happy moving onto another software.

Pros:

When my company first started using the software it was great! Highly recommend it. Did everything top CAD software can do. But the past couple of years I have seen a few bugs that leaves my team frustrated.

Cons:

There are a few bugs that will not go away. Customer service did not help.

Exceptional Software!

Comments: I am an Architect and Designer, I've been using this software for more than 10 years, and I can do from a Simple Drawing to a complete Architectural Drawings, easy to use and Autocad compatible.

Pros:

Easy to use Libraries have lots of materials to choose from

Cons:

I cannot modify on an Autocad document/file.

not that impressed

Comments: It does what I need it to do although can be frustrating at times, overall its ok for non professionals.

Pros:

In comparison with the previous version I had this one is a lot better, relatively easy to use but not without it's problems.

Cons:

The snap to option is very inaccurate, very rarely seems to hit the spot so that you have to zoom in to max to position a line in the correct intersection. The most frustrating aspect is when in zoom commend it will suddenly zoom in to the maximum into the top left hand corner so that you have then to zoom out to find out where it was that you were working.

Great for a the occasional woodworder

Comments: I'm a woodworker but I also use it for drawing my house projects. I also coach Eagle candidates for the Boy Scouts and it come in handy for showing them dimensions etc.
I've using MacDraft since ....?1988? When did the first MacIntosh come out?

Pros:

The new features in the side panels make it easy to get to some of the features I use alot. One of the these is resize. I use it all the time and this makes it easy. The whole look and feel has been upgraded.

Cons:

I want to have more shortcut keys. command-d for duplicate for instance. I also don't like that you don't offset the dupe like you used to.

Unhappy with the last update

Pros:

See my explanation below, please. I'm NOT happy with this newest release

Cons:

The previous version I had purchased LOTS of templates along with the app. When I updated the app ONLY to the newest version, none of my previous templates are usable and support never replied to my request for help.

User issue

Comments: So far a pleasure.

Pros:

Very easy and practical. Only use 50% of its ability.

Cons:

I upgraded from a very old obsolete version that I was used to. So there’s a learning curve for me. More or a user issue not a software issue.

Great for Mac

Comments: I am pleased with the program. It was an easy transition from MacDraft Professional 6.

Pros:

I have used this versions of this program for over 15 years. I am able to do all my design work in MacDraft and it has been very helpful in getting jobs done on time. The tools in the program provide all that is necessary to create detailed designs and drawings

Cons:

The only issue I have had is with Apple eliminating 32 bit programs from their new operating systems. This has forced me to upgrade to the latest version of MacDraft.

MacDraft Review

Comments: I have been using MacDraft and its predecessors for over 20 years and use it for drawing almost everything I build or model from site plans to home floor plans to parts I build for projects.

Pros:

The relative ease of use and the many features, specifically the ability to work on multiple layers.

Cons:

The inability to to zoom at levels other that the preset levels. The lack of any 3D capability, although if it had 3D capability it might become more difficult to use than I would like.