What’s New in ZWCAD 2009i

l  Greater Stability

The stability of ZWCAD has been greatly improved with the help of an automatic test system and feedbacks from customers, while there are more than 20,000 drawings are employed for stability testing.

l  Faster working efficiency

The processing speed of Stretch function has been highly increased, especially for large drawings, and the speed of deleting entities has been improved by 30% when deleting 3D entities. With the faster operations, it can highly increase your working efficiency.

l  Improved Plotting

With the improved Plot functions, a lot of new features can be used for your daily work, and the plot work becomes much more convenient.

·           Paper space

Default viewport enable you to view the objects in the layout, the setting for background of layout space provide you a option to set the white paper in the layout, it can save your time to preview the drawing during the Plotting work, and let you pay more attention to your design.

         ·           Plot Stamp

With the Plot Stamp function, when you are working on your project, you can easily add the information such as Drawing name, Device name, Layout name, Paper size, etc. With Drawing Name option, the plotted paper can show clear information for you to find the drawing, and you don’t need to spend a lot of time to find the specified drawing in your workstation anymore.

·           Better CTB support

New print style properties such as Line end style, line join style and fill style show more print settings for your drawings, and it enables you to plot your paper as required according to different industries.

·           Highlight Plot Area

The previous Preview is available during the Window-Section, and it not only reminds your last setting, but also helps you to distinguish if your new setting is necessary.

·           JPEG Plotter and PNG Plotter

JPEG Plotter and PNG Plotter are listed in the Plotter list from plot dialog box, and you can plot the image with high precision by ZWCAD Virtual JPEG Plotter or ZWCAD Virtual PNG Plotter.

l  Easier Operation

·           Easy Update for Exteral Reference 

       

When the source of XREF is updated, a warning is added for your reference, and prompts you to update your XREF in time during your design.

 

·           Lock the Position of Attribute

With the option of Lock Position for attribute definition, it is convenient for you to decide whether it is allowed to move the attribute separately in the attribute blocks.

          

Basic Features

1-1           Compatibility

l  DWG Support

ZWCAD’s native file format is DWG, so it can open, edit, and save any existing DWG file generated by AutoCAD® from version 2.5 to 2009 without conversion or data loss. This makes ZWCAD compatible with a wide range of AutoCAD®-generated contents.

               

l  Commands and Aliases

The commands and aliases of ZWCAD are also compatible with AutoCAD^®.

l  Friendly User Interface

ZWCAD’s menus, toolbars, command line, drawing area, properties palette, and dialog boxes are arranged in a friendly style, which conforms to users' operation habits. This lets AutoCAD® – trained users begin to work with ZWCAD immediately.

l  Resource Files

All the resource files from mainstream CAD platforms can be used with ZWCAD, such as Windows TTF and AutoCAD® SHX fonts, linetype (.lin), hatch pattern (.pat), slide (.sld) and unit (.unt) files.

l  Creating and Modifying 3D Models

ZWCAD can create simple 3D models using solid modeling.

    

You can modify 3D models with commands like Union, Subtract, and Intersect.

l  Programming with ZWCAD

You can customize and extend ZWCAD through LISP, VBA and SDS programming languages and interfaces.

LISP is an AutoLISP-compatible programming language designed to extend and customize functions performed by ZWCAD.

Microsoft VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is an object-oriented programming environment designed to provide rich development capabilities similar to those of Visual Basic 6 (VB). The primary difference between VBA and VB is that VBA runs in the same process space as ZWCAD, providing a faster programming environment.

SDS (Solutions Development System) is a C/C++ programming interface compatible with the ADS® (AutoCAD® Development System) interface.

1-2 Features

l  Export

With the Export command, drawings can be exported in raster and vector formats, including bmp, wmf, emf, svg, dwf, eps, pdf, and sat.

               

l  Layer Properties Manager

Layer management applies properties to groups of objects, such as Color, Linetype, and Lineweight. In addition, layers can be frozen (invisible) or thawed (visible), locked (visible but not editable) or unlocked (editable). The current state of all layers can be archived through the States Manager for reuse in other drawing projects.

                                                       

l  Linetype Manager

The Linetype Manager adds new linetypes to drawings from existing linetype (.lin) files. You can change the names and descriptions of linetypes, and specify global and current object scale factors to achieve the proper size.

Linetype Filter, which contains a comprehensive list of linetypes, makes it easy to separate linetypes by type.

l  Text

For annotation of drawings, ZWCAD provides multi-line text and single-line text capabilities, with options for setting text styles.

ZWCAD is able to fit text along arcs with Arctext command.

                                         

l  Drawing

The majority of ZWCAD's drawing commands are compatible with those in AutoCAD®. Users already familiar with AutoCAD® commands and features can begin to draw and edit in ZWCAD immediately. There is little re-learning required.

        

                                                

l  Editing

ZWCAD contains a full set of editing tools for modifying drawings. Standard functions include Copy, Move, Array, Mirror, Offset, and Trim.

l  Dimensioning

You can dimension objects one at a time, or you can place series of dimensions.

  

With ZWCAD, you can easily manage different dimension styles within your project.

l  Gradient Hatches

With the powerful gradient hatch feature, it is easier to fill areas of your drawings with varying colors.

l  Blocks and Attributes

Create blocks, and then save them in your current drawing or as external files. You can also create blocks with attributes (text-based data) which can then be extracted to external files for use with spreadsheets, databases, and word processors.

l  Raster Image Manager

The Raster Image Manager allows you to attach image files to drawings, and then detach, locate, reload, or unload attached images. ZWCAD lists all image files associated with drawings, along with details, such as pixel width, color depth, resolution, and the file path.

l  Real-Time Zoom and Pan

Instantly switch among different views of drawings, between zoomed-in detailed views and zoomed-out overviews.

l  Unlimited Undo/Redo

When changes are made frequently to drawings, it can be more convenient to backstep, instead of deleting and redrawing. The history list allows you to undo and redo actions without limit.

l  Plotting

You can print your drawings easily by selecting settings in the plot dialog box. Page setup allows you to set the default plotter type, paper size, plot area, plot scale, and so on.

Advanced Features

l  Aerial View Window

With the help of Aerial View Window, you can pan and zoom large drawings in a window. This action zooms and pans the drawing quickly.

l  eTransmit

eTransmit improves collaboration between clients. It collects all relevant files in a single package, including drawings, images, external references, and fonts.

l  Multiple Grips Editing

With the powerful new Multiple Grips Editing function, you can work with more than one grip at a time. Objects can be stretched through multiple grips, and you can use new system variable to control the grips (Grips, GripBlock, and GripTips).

l  Filter

With the Filter function, you can search for text data or graphical entities through a variety of filter conditions – even searches of custom objects and their locations. Filter also supports searching previously filtered results and creating selection sets.

l  Publish

Publish provides a convenient way of creating hardcopy and electronic copies of sets of drawings. With the Publish function, you can assemble collections of drawings, specify their plot information, and then have them printed in sequence automatically. Drawings are output to printers or plotters, or saved as DWF files for viewing by your clients.

l  AutoTrack

AutoTrack combines polar tracking with object snap tracking. Together, they help you snap to difficult geometry more easily. When polar tracking and object snap tracking are turned on, temporary alignment paths show precise positions and angles.

l  Dynamic Prompt

Dynamic prompt provides tooltips that display useful information next to the cursor. It also lists all possible commands; you can quickly choose one by typing just the first several letters of the command, instead of its whole name.

l  Plot Style Support

Plot styles change colors and lineweights of objects through a batch process. With CTB and STB plot styles in ZWCAD, you can adjust lineweights , colors, Line end style, line join style and fill style all at once before printing.

 

l  Multi-Language Support in Mtext Editor

Multiple languages like Chinese, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese can be entered and displayed in the Mtext Editor simultaneously. This is convenient for collaboration between international users.

l  Modifying References and Attributes

In-place reference editing allows you to modify externally referenced drawings and to redefine block definitions, without needing to open external DWG files.

 

l  Quick Dimension

The Qdim command creates and edits batches of dimensions, including baselines and continued dimensions, radius and diameter dimensions, and ordinate dimensions.

l  MLine & MLedit

Multilines are objects composed of multiple parallel lines. You can define your own multiline styles, and then save them for later use. You can edit the multiline objects with MLedit command.

l  Wipeout

With Wipeout command, you can create masks to hide underlying objects. Masks are polygonal areas bounded by a frame and filled with the background color. You can turn masks on for editing, and off for plotting.

l  Design Center

The improved Design Center offers a convenient way to manage the elements of drawings, such as dimension styles, blocks, text styles, line types, and layers. To copy them from any source drawing to your current drawing, just drag and drop.

l  Quick Calculator

The QuickCalc includes all basic functions found in most standard calculators. In addition, QuickCalc offers advanced calculations, such as geometric functions, scientific functions, and units conversion. It also features a variables area and a unique text calculation area.

l  True Color System

ZWCAD displays drawings with True Colors, allowing you to choose from over sixteen million possible colors.

l  OLE Support

Object linking and embedding (OLE) is a Windows feature that embeds data from other applications into drawings, and vice versa. For example, ZWCAD drawings can be inserted in Word or Excel documents, and spreadsheets can be placed in drawings. To edit the document in the source application, simply double-click the OLE object.

l  Render

Renderings are made more realistic through the addition of materials and lights to 3D models.

l  Proxy Object Display and Edit

ZWCAD displays and edits objects created by other applications, such as AutoCAD® Architecture, AutoCAD® Mechanical, and AutoCAD® Electrical.

l  MDE & MDT

You can work more efficiently in Multiple Document Environment (MDE). ZWCAD is capable of opening up to 255 files in one session. 

ZWCAD provides a Multiple Document Tab (MDT), which lets you select from multiple open documents quickly.

l  Express Tools

ZWCAD’s Express Tools contains a library of productivity tools that extends its power. These easy-to-use tools cover a wide range of drafting options, such as layer management, dimensioning, drawing, object selection, and object modification.

 

So sánh tương quan ZWCAD 2009i và AutoCAD® 2009

 Kỹ thuật cốt lõi của ZWCAD dựa trên công nghệ CAD thông minh nhất (www.intellicad.org), một nền tảng CAD mạnh mẽ cho hầu hết các ứng dụng thiết kế. ZWCAD sử dụng DWG như định dạng bản vẽ gốc của nó, và mang lại cho bạn những khả năng tương đương như AutoCAD^®, từ phiên bản 2.5~2009
Bảng sau đây so sánh tính năng chính yếu giữa ZWCAD và AutoCAD^®.

ZWCAD 2009i	AutoCAD®2009	AutoCAD®2009 LT
Compatibility
Native DWG & DXF Support	2.5~2009	2.5~2009	2.5~2009
AutoCAD® Command	Yes	Yes	Yes
AutoCAD® Menu(.mnu)& Alias Support	Yes	Yes	Yes
TTF & SHX Font Support	Yes	Yes	Yes
AutoCAD® 3D Surface	Yes	Yes	No
ACIS 3D Solid	Yes	Yes	No
AutoLisp ( including DCL)	Yes	Yes	No
AutoCAD® Development System（ADS）	SDS (similar to ADS)	Yes	No
VBA Included	Yes	Yes	No
Advanced Features
Publish	Yes	Yes	Yes
Entity Snap Tracking	Yes	Yes	Yes
True Color System	Yes	Yes	Yes
Design Center	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tool Palettes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Quick Calculator	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hatch-clip	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gradient Hatch	Yes	Yes	Yes
CTB and STB Plot Style	Yes	Yes	Yes
Unlimited Undo/Redo	Yes	Yes	Yes
Right-click Customization	Yes	Yes	Yes
Menu, Toolbar & Alias Customization	Yes	Yes	Yes
ActiveX In-place Editing	Yes	Yes	Yes
External Reference	Yes	Yes	Yes
Xref, In-place Editing	Yes	Yes	No
Quick Select	Yes	Yes	Yes
Quick Dimension	Yes	Yes	No
Raster Image	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multilines & Multiline Editing	Yes	Yes	No
Filter	Yes	Yes	Yes
eTransmit	Yes	Yes	Yes
Paper Space	Yes	Yes	Yes
Plot Stamp	Yes	Yes	Yes
Unique Features
Batch Plot（pltplot）	Yes	No	No
Block Extraction	Yes	No	No
Image with TFW coordinate file	Yes	No	No