Uses a minimal, yet simple UI to create, edit, view, and mark up 2D drawings. It includes production tools, an API and makes transition easier from other CAD apps.
DraftSight is a software program created for CAD users, offering them the tools to create, view, and manage DWG and DXF drawings. The tools can be used even by novice users as long as they have some knowledge CAD drawings. The software installation process is quite intuitive, though it does ask for patience because it lasts several minutes.
The right word for the GUI is modern. Besides the modern look, it's easy to navigate through its menus because of its well-delimited interface sections and big text and button icons.
The program comes packed with different features that improve the user experience. One of them, called G-Code Append, allows users to re-work the user interface and add a program append capability.
Also, DraftSight supports formats like DWG, DXF and DWT; has a wide array of formatting tools, such as styles for texts, tables, scales, and offers the option to insert lines, rectangles, circles, ellipses, text or masks.
You can now click anywhere on a dimension to reposition and place dimensions with widgets for automatic alignment and spacing, thanks to some dimensioning improvements. Moreover, it provides users with a command interface where they can input coordinates, distances and angles.
Overall, DraftSight, despite being a program that doesn't allow for 3D drawing and which consumes a lot of system resources, remains a interesting choice for CAD users.
v2017.1 [Mar 9, 2017]
Import DGN File
Directly import and convert the DGN file format drawing into a DraftSight project for direct editing.
Attach DGN File
Easily attach a DGN file format drawing into a DraftSight project as an underlay for reference or retracing purposes.
Pattern Along a Path
Create a pattern along a predefined path.
Predefined Layer Support
Set up and map entity types to layers in a drawing. When switching tools (entity types), the layers change automatically.
Auto-Completion Commands
Provides the command line suggestion list, a fast way to access commands and system variables by typing part of the name on the command line.
Split Dimension
Create a gap in dimension lines when dimensions are intersecting with other drawing entities in order to give more clarity to the drawing.
Dimension Snap Offset Distances
Provide "snaps" to accomplish placing and locating dimensions with more precision.
Block Attribute Editing Improvements
Provides a new advanced options dialog box when editing the advanced values of the block attribute.
Export Tables to Excel
Provides the ability to export Tables, Bills of Materials, and Revision Tables to .xlsx spreadsheet format.
Heads-Up Display Toolbar
A heads-up toolbar that is context sensitive when selecting an entity on screen with relevant tools.
Insert Centerlines
Easily create a centerline that divides the distance equally between two selected segments.
Ribbon Interface API
Allows 3rd party add-in developers to add their custom User Interface to the ribbon to interact with those add-ins.
Power Trim
Trim and Extend entities by holding the left mouse button down and dragging over the entities to modify.
Drawing Compare
Use this feature to graphically compare similar drawings in order to find their differences.
Batch Printing
Print multiple files or even folders of files without opening them.
PDF Underlay
Attach pages of a PDF document to a drawing with the Attach PDF command.
Layer Preview
Visually see what objects reside on any given layer.
Rotate-Move-Copy
A combination of the ability to Rotate, Move, Copy and Scale entities without leaving the command.
Design Library
Navigate to files and insert them into the current design as a Block. Users can also extract certain features from the file and bring those into the current design.
Delete Duplicates
Clean up a drawing file that has duplicate entities, overlapping entities and abutting entities.
Recent Documents
Quickly navigate to files that were previously opened.
Dimension Palette
Conduct in-place editing of the Dimension format.
G-Code Generator
Create simple generic G-Code for 2D flat shapes.
Create a floor plan for your home and start adding walls and textures
Review 2D and 3D designs without using the application they were created in
