I searched the forum before creating this thread and found a couple previous threads pertaining to CAD programs for Linux (Any decent CAD programs for Linux? and CAD program for Ubuntu on Linux Mint),
but nothing specifically came up about AutoCAD in particular. Through reading those 2 threads, I learned of FreeCAD and LibreCAD, but neither seems to suit my needs.

I'm a current AutoCAD for Windows user and I'm growing to hate Windows 10 more and more by the day, which brings me to Linux.

My requirements are very basic:

• 2D (preferably non-parametric) design
• must be able to open, edit, and save to .dwg file format

the main issues are that

1. I am working remotely for a company which primarily using AutoCAD and am exchanging files so working exclusively with DWGs is therefore paramount
2. opening a DWG in AutoCAD that was last saved by any application other than AutoCAD will return an error stating "the file is not a TrustedDWG"
3. AutoCAD for Windows is heavily dependent on .NET framework

issues #1&2 rule out FreeCAD, which is compatible with AutoDesk DXF format (close, but still a no-go). and I don't see any documentation on what file formats LibreCAD works with, but issue #2 rules it out regardless.

basically, the only 2 options I'm aware of are to run AutoCAD from within a Windows VM or to figure out how to run AutoCAD for Mac on Linux if at all possible.
because I'm trying to migrate to Linux in order to get away from Windows, running a VM would be illogical so that really leaves me with only one option. perhaps one day AutoDesk will transition AutoCAD to rely on .NET Core instead,
but for now I simply ask 'how can I run a MacOS application on Linux?' - a subject which near as I can tell has not been broached on this forum so at a minimum this thread is being created to open a dialogue.

There is a project called darling which basically is an emulation layer but it is just beginning to be able to run GUI programs. As far as I know autocad does not work using wine unless you are running a really old version but I have not checked its database lately.

Running Windows is probably your only option at the moment.

And running that in a well-protected VM would be my advice.

1 members found this post helpful.

The only thing I know about AutoCAD is a signature from a fellow internet dweller:
They post almost daily, but haven't changed that signature in ~10 years.

So there's no chance of running the Mac version on Linux, or even on something like FreeBSD? I understand that Unix and Unix-like OS's are probably beyond the scope of this forum

I found out that FreeCAD does support DWG import/export via ODA File Converter.
I'm trying to test it out on Windows right now, but I don't understand the UI of FreeCAD.. there are no drawing tools in the ribbon or menus.
it also doesn't appear to have command-line input. in AutoCAD, for example, I just have to type L and press enter to start the line command

No, MacOS uses the Mach-0 executable file format but linux and FreeBSD use ELF. Basically you need an emulator to convert the system calls from one OS to the other. Someone is developing an emulator called darling as posted but it isn't ready for prime time While it appears that CLI programs run but GUIs are not there yet.

Which version of autocad?
https://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?iAppId=86

I don't know any of these.
https://www.qcad.org
http://openscad.org/
https://www.3ds.com/products-service...ad-draftsight/
https://www.bricsys.com/en-us/
https://librecad.org/
https://nanocad.com/

2020.
also,lol

I'm going to test DraftSight 2019 for Fedora on Fedora 30 Workstation

and I'll also test DraftSight for Windows on Debian 10 with WINE
my problem with this is DraftSight is $199/year for the version I would want and I already have a license for AutoCAD 2020, which is $1600USD/year per PC

well, even just testing out opening DWGs saved by DraftSight with AutoCAD 2020 has proved problematic



the problem is not that I can't open DraftSight-create DWGs in AutoCAD, but that the "Foreign DWG File" message appears and it's unacceptable for me to send clients files resulting in such

I guess Autodesk now embeds something in the file the other programs haven't figured out yet. Maybe wite to the authors of Freedesk and the others to see if they are willing to "fix" the problem.

I'd think that the tricks to getting some Adobe products on wine should work with autocad but why bother. There are some programs out there that are windows and simply better than any linux alternative. I've never used a Mac but I'd think that someone out there uses some Mac program and happy with it.

However, this page may have a few other choices to look at. https://all3dp.com/1/free-autocad-viewers/

It has been for some time, apparently. DWG Support in Freemium and Free Software

Basically, AutoCAD is (or at least was) the gold standard of CAD from the very beginning of CAD itself. AutoDesk knows this and so they've basically got the CAD community, or at least the DWG file format, by the balls and have licensed use of DWGs in a way which essentially makes it propietary.

Why would that be? AutoCAD is developed by AutoDesk, not Adobe

I need a drafting and design program, not just a viewer