I've installed DRL-CAD to see how well it compares against the more mainstream options (AutoCAD and SolidEdge). I've installed from the .deb package but have run into a problem. It doesn't really say how to run the application.

Example: I just installed Blender. From the terminal I move to the appropriate dir and type:

$ ./blender

For DRL-CAD I can't see which way to turn.

Barnes

may be its just the spelling BRL-CAD not DRL-CAD or if you use a graphical front end for apt ie synaptic you can check the proipeties and see the files and where they are installed usually .....bin

sorry, misspelt in the post. It is BRL-CAD. I do know where it is installed. Only there is no obvious file to launch the program from.

If you are looking to see how BRL-CAD stacks up to AutoCAD, I can save you some trouble: There's no comparison. BRL-CAD is more like a back-end program: it can do anything you want it to, but you got to tell it everything from a command line or from scripts. You won't get anywhere without reading the documentation, cause startup is not intuitive. Using it doesn't get any better, in my experience.

I'm as disappointed in this as I expect you are: how I wish there was a good substitute for ACAD, especially the way they keep forcing obsolescence on releases. I think QCad would be a better way to go if you want something ACAD-like. QCad is commercial software, but at $30 US for a license, it almost doesn't matter.

To start brl-cad:
From your "working" directory (~/drawings or ~/brl-cad whatever), execute usr/brlcad/bin/mged assuming that you installed it to the default location. That will open a command line, like a terminal window and it will open a graphics window where you can see your drawing.

There is lots of documentation of good quality, but the learning curve is tedious: but in BRL-CAD you are drawing solids with physical properties, while AutoCAD just draws lines and curves in space.

Good luck~

Thanks, not sure how I feel about the command line based drawing!
Have you looked into SolidEdge? Much like ACAD but more 3D. I prefer it, but again I think it may be just as expensive.

Barnes