More importantly, perhaps, the visualization rendering updates, which will be discussed in a moment, are also of value to the AEC TurboCAD Mac Pro 8 user. The program features many parametric tools for AEC, and new Cut List BOMs are useful to builders and design-builders. Some of the new features that bear on the AEC market, besides the obvious connection in the new woodworking joinery tools, include the 3D Linear Duplicate tool, which would be useful for spiral stairs and the like.ġ1 – TurboCAD Mac Pro 8 as an ACIS-based solid’s modeler can model just about anything, architecture included.
The program even has sub-layers, which is another way to organize elements within a larger element and be able to control their visibility uniquely. We have mentioned in past reviews that for floor plan work the 2D features of TurboCAD are quite solid. Version 8 actually does’t introduce any new features specifically made for this market segment however it is warranted that we at least recap those features that apply to both MCAD and AEC. We have not yet spoken about any AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) features in this release yet. Once the joint has been placed into the solid form, the user can edit its placement, width, length and other relevant dimensional features. Each joint type operation begins by selecting the type of joint first, then any sub-types (e.g.: dado, stopped dado or blind dado) and then selecting the parallel edges and appropriate face. For instance, you can create dado joints that include stopped dados as well. Within these joint types there are several options. With a dedicated tool for each type of joint, the new tools allow the user to quickly model a rabbet joint, dado joint, miter joint, dovetail joint, and tongue and groove type joints.
TurboCAD Mac Pro 8 can easily model all the sophisticated German cabinetry hardware found in today’s modern cabinets, but what about the basic prepping of panels for the wood part of the cabinet itself? That’s what these tools are for.ġ0 – The user has full post operation dimensional control of all joinery parameters. The goal of the new woodworking tools is for modeling furniture and cabinetry-in detail.
The Windows menu contains several other dedicated functional domain tools so the woodworking tools are hardly isolated and without company. The menu for these tools doesn’t find itself in the main tool bar, but must be brought out from within the Windows menu commands. Even though I am not a woodworker (yet!) I do know quite a bit about cabinetry being a practicing architect therefore I was naturally interested to try these tools out. In TurboCAD Mac Pro 8, IMSI/Design has decided to create a dedicated set of woodworking modeling tools. I would find the Deep selection tool more handy if the Ambiguity palette allowed me the option to choose Groups also. I must admit I am baffled a bit by the logic of this decision as it seems to force me into the decision-making process of what selection tool to have at hand if I should want the option to select “groups” at any time. But with Select versus Deep Select, the Ambiguity palette presents different results that may throw the user off-which was clearly the case for me during this review.Ġ8 – When you select objects that have been modified within a group, the Ambiguity Selection palette pops up but the ability to select the whole group isn’t an option. As it is, the Ambiguity palette (which Architosh has commended as a feature in the past) provides choices to the user.
Next, if I use Deep Select, and I select the same element, I get the Ambiguity palette again but this time the group itself is not an option. If I use the regular Select too to select a block that has a translated feature, the Ambiguity palette is provoked giving me the option of selecting the group or the translation element only. To make this a bit clearer, look at image 07 above. However, if you modify a block in some way creating a secondary feature, that provokes the Select Ambiguity palette. Using the Deep Select tool you can choose an individual block. When you have a group of, say blocks, you can select them as a group with the Select tool. There is also the ability to independently select and modify elements within a group.