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Known Participant
November 18, 2020
Question

Any cheap alternative to CAD Tools

  • November 18, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 10462 views

Hello all,

I wonder if there is any cheaper alternative to CAD Tools in Illustrator for measuring and scaling technical drawing.

the 380$ they ask for the license are a bit too much for the amount of technical drawing I do in Illustrato but still, I need it every now and then.

BTW, it would be great if Adobe would add those capabilities but.... we know.... Adobe likes to invest their time in giving us smart filters to age people in photos and those short of really sueful things...

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3 replies

Mario Arizmendi
Legend
September 20, 2022

Very long feature requested with a high number of votes, and even Adobe team knows about it but never worked on it

 

Se this alternative

http://jlg.outils.pagesperso-orange.fr/videosdimensionfr.html

and this is the request on the uservoice forum

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/31941040-automatic-dimension-measuring-tool-please

barbara_a7746676
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 18, 2020

Would this one work for you? https://o2creative.co.nz/shop/Add_Dimensions_PowerScript_for_Adobe_Illustrator

By the way, the Illustrator features you require have been requested for years, but not added yet.

Two variations of a free script are described at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGf0zKF1Q0Q

Known Participant
November 18, 2020

Thanks so much for that Barbara.
I will give a go to both scripts. For what I have tried so far it is a pity that the dimensions are not recalculated if you reside the objects.

 

About this: "By the way, the Illustrator features you require have been requested for years, but not added yet."
I understood it was like so. It is so disappointing they don't add those capabilities. I understand that Adobe has to give some room to the plugin developers to make some business but... It has been already too long and when HOTDOORS software is asking for $400 for the license of CAD Tools without even offering free updates... Just a plugin.... It feels like a rip of for me. I wonder if Adobe is getting part of that deal from HOTDOORS and making some money that way.

 

The Adobe CC subscription is not a cheap one. Adobe should listen to their users a bit more.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Known Participant
November 20, 2020

Finding out how many users would really want this feature is an easy one.

Head over to http://illustrator.uservoice.com and search for it. Maybe someone has already posted it. If not, post it and wait for people to support it. And then count the votes.


Thanks so much Monika.

I just checked and is the 5th most popular request active since 2017.

 

Honestly....

 

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 18, 2020

Please tell us exactly what you need to measure and how.