An Application Software is a Computer Program that is designed for specific purposes to fulfill the user’s desire. An Application Software may be for free, or we may have to pay for it. Some of the examples of Application Software are Word Processor, VLC media player, Spreadsheets, etc. Here in this article we will learn about AutoCAD i.e. as the heading of this article clearly suggests Auto Computer-aided Design.
AutoCAD is a Commercial Computer Program, which can be used by the users for 2D and 3D Computer-aided Design or Drafting. The AutoCAD Software is developed and marketed by Autodesk. Its first version was released in December in the year 1982. It can run on microcomputers that have internal Graphics Controller. Before the release of AutoCAD software, CAD programs were run on mainframes or minicomputers where each user behaved as a Graphics terminal. As it is mentioned earlier, its first version was released in the year 1982, and that was a desktop application. Its mobile web and cloud based application was launched in 2010 and is marketed as AutoCAD 360.
AutoCAD is used in various fields by engineers, project managers, graphics designers and some other professional who needs 2D and 3D Computer-aided Design. In the year 1994 it was found that AutoCAD is supported by 750 training centres.
File formats used in AutoCAD are:
.dwg: This is the native file format of AutoCAD.
.dwf: This file format is for publishing AutoCAD data.
DXF: It is AutoCAD’s interchange file format.
Till now 30 versions of AutoCAD software have been released. The last one has been released on March 23, 2015, by the name of AutoCAD 2016. It has more comprehensive canvas, richer design context and some intelligent new tools like smart designing, coordination model and smart PDFs, etc. Other software that support AutoCAD export is ESRI ArcMap, Civil 3D, etc.
AutoCAD is available in the following languages:
English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional and Brazilian Portuguese.
Languages in which it will be available later on are:
Russian, Czech, Polish, Hungarian.
A number APIs are supported by AutoCAD. Some of them are Auto LISP, Visual LISP, VBA, .NET and ObjectARX, which is a C++ class library.
ObjectARX is an important API for AutoCAD as it is a base for products extending AutoCAD functionality to specific fields and for creating products such as AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Civil 3D.
AutoCAD is available for students and teachers without any cost with a renewable license period of 18 months. It is available with to them without some of the functionalities.
