Is ADT worth it?

[P.R.S. Sivakumar .]

Hello everybody,

Someone please tell me whether it is really worthwhile to spend hard earned money in upgrading to ADT2004 (from AutoCAD2000)? I have received mail from Autodesk that my options are being closed for upgrade from Jan 2004. I have to take a decision before that. Upgrade price is frightfully expensive. Thanks in advance.

PRSS

[STRAT]

why do you want to upgrade?

 

as a sizable firm we upgrade because it's company policy to go with the latest software releases where applicable.

 

personally Rel 14 suited me

[Fernando Lino]

Hi,

depending on what your plans are...if you are an architect ADT is a good option but if you want to work just in 3D stuff Autocad 2000 is enough!

 

I am using ADT3.3 and it's great for modeling and construction documents.

[P.R.S. Sivakumar .]

Thanks Mr.Strat and Mr.Fernando,

 

I am an architect and I don't use Cad for construction documents. I use it for design, some drafting and for 3d modelling. Once the design process is over half the drawings are still done manually on the drawing board! I saw a demo of ADT where the people did very fast 3d work. Do you think that it may not be worthwhile to invest huge money for this part of ADT?

[Fernando Lino]

Usually I am using ADT for designing, modeling and construction document in one step....It is practice and speed up your performance....but in my opinion Revit is better.

[Sawyer]

I have some questions about ADT. Back in the day (about 2 years ago) I lived and worked in Salinas and just about everyone there used ADT. It was hip and kind of sort of being understood. Now where I work in Sacramento no one uses ADT. Totally off the map. I would like to be able to use it at work but our consultants will not be able to see our work. Seems so complicated to try and get them to use Volo View and even that will disrupt their work flow (ie using our plans for backgrounds and just changing lineweights).

 

Those who do ADT how do you guys deal with this? Actually some of our consultants still use rel 12. Getting our office up to speed is one thing getting everone we work with on the same page seems impossible.

[Kerry Thompson]

Hi

 

Is ADT worth while - depends if you are prepared to commit time to learn it.

 

ADT4 is definitely a major step forward compared with ADT 3.3 and I would recommend that anyone new to the software learn ADT4. The interface is more approachable, the project manager controls xref relationships, building levels, storeys, and contains a project database which can be linked to the title sheets used in the cad database files. A lot more feed back within the software with many of the interface features of Revit having been added.

 

As far as 2D/3D, the idea of object based CAD systems, such as ADT, is that the 2D and 3D are just different views of the same object. - justification for purchase should be on the basis of producing the 2D documentation as well as the 3D models.

 

As far as file exchange is concerned, you can export AutoCAD 2000 2D plan layout for use as background xrefs for consultants and the same model powers the Viz Render. 2004 will write out R12 dxf.

 

A issue I find is that much of the building industry here in New Zealand uses CAD as an electronic pencil within traditional paper based methods and relationships. Introducing an object based CAD system is a massive conceptual change to many CAD users.

 

I find Voloview difficult for clients to download load and use and recommend dwf 6 within a browser. The download is around 2Mb and the dwf are flat plots rather than a cad databases (dwg).

 

As far as a comparison to Revit, I feel that ADT 4 provides more strength and flexibility as things stand at present - but then I am not that familiar with Revit. I like that fact that there is also an AutoCAD within ADT. - But things may change - will be interesting to see.

[P.R.S. Sivakumar .]

Thanks to everybody who have replied. I am really gratefull. In fact now I am thinking of joining a tutorial course on ADT. After that I can decide. Any more suggestions or tips are very much welcome. Which is why I am logging into this forum every now and then. I must really say that CG Architect User Forum is really great! Thanks in advance for more tips/information.

 

PRSS

[Arnel]

I've been using ADT for quite a while it's a powerful pogram it can produce 3d models and construction documents at the same time however be aware of the learning curve. Its not that easy to grasp right away for you to be able to use it for production.

 

I for one though very familiar already with ADT is now a Revit convert after we tested revit for a couple of months we have decided that this will be our program from now on its the most revolutionary architectural product in the market. In terms of the learning curve, it has a very simple user interface with all the menus and toolbars logically organized. It will only take few weeks of practice to get familiar with the capability of the program and you will be amazed of the things it can do that other software can't,or if it can be done in ADT it takes a lot of linking and updating before you can achieve the same result.

 

The core technology that makes revit excel over other programs is the bi-directional associativity of all building components which means change anywhere in you drawing, views (plan, elevation, sections, details), model, schedule and etc. it is all coordinated and updated.

 

This is just my thought on this topic.