The roots of Mac CAD can he traced back to the original MacDraw, and that heritage is readily apparent in PowerDraw 3.0, from Engineered Software. PowerDraw relies on a single tool palette with pop-outs, scroll bars, and rulers along the left and top of the drawing window.
To position geometry at a specific location, you simply hold down a predefined letter key, such as C for center or T for tangent, and PowerDraw snaps the geometry to the nearest corresponding point. It's not as automatic as Blueprint's SmartCursor, but it's easy to use and it works under all conditions. An indicator on the left side of the title bar shows you which geometric condition is currently active.
At some levels, PowerDraw has much in common with Blueprint. They both support similar geometric entities and Mac fonts and fill patterns. Both programs offer Boolean joins and intersections and many of the typical MacDraw-style commands. Blueprint may have an advantage in layering, groups, and classes, but PowerDraw provides a more complete set of 2-D-CAD tools.
PowerDraw has a full complement of dimensioning commands that will satisfy most drafting needs. It has a centerline tool that automatically creates centerlines on selected objects. By holding down the Option key when selecting a dimension tool, you get a dialog box that allows you to specify or change units, accuracy (number of decimals), placement, tolerances, arrowhead orientation, and other dimensioning parameters. It would be better, however, if this dialog box was modeless and available at all times.
In addition to the standard Mac fill patterns. PowerDraw also offers true vector-oriented cross-hatching, which provides more flexibility and is more easily plotted than the standard patterns.
It's easy to customize the program by associating keystrokes with any command or tool palette. You do more-extensive customization in the built-in Pascal-based macro environment. If you have some programming experience, you’ll be able to create custom programs easily.
PowerDraw offers no native import/ export capability other than for PICT files. Engineered Software offers a separate PowerDraw 3.0 Translator for $275. It reads the native PowerDraw format, DXF, Adobe Illustrator, PICT, MacDraw, HPGL, and Claris CAD. The Translator writes to the PowerDraw, EPS/Adobe Illustrator, PICT, and DXF formats.
Unlike Graphsoft, Engineered Software includes a built-in plotter driver that supports many plotters from companies such as Hewlett-Packard and Houston Instruments. It also supports plotting to a disk file for subsequent transfer.
Anders, James K. (September 1991). MacUser. (pgs. 54, 56).
Engineered Software
Applications
out of 10 (0 vote)
89 / 
2014-04-14 / 
9f1e76b8429bdef074fb1df2629d211775035793 / 
/ 
PowerDraw3.hqx
Emulating this? It could probably run under: 
Mini vMac
