M Series Macs and Land F/X
Question
Is Land F/X compatible with M series Mac computers (M series & M2)?
Are you having a specific issue using our software on an M seriec Mac? See the Land F/X & Troubleshooting section below for links to issues we've seen and resolved with Land F/X on an M series Mac.
Answer
Although AutoCAD and Land F/X will function on an M series Mac, our specific recommendations for using CAD on an M series Mac will vary depending on your particular setup:
• Local Data: Not compatible
M Series Macs currently do not support Local Data Land F/X with AutoCAD or F/X CAD in any regard because no ODBC connectors for ARM are available, which makes a database connection impossible. If you choose to use Land F/X on an M series, you will be required to use Cloud Data.
• F/X CAD: Technically compatible, but not recommended
F/X CAD doesn't play well with the M series yet. On any given day, Windows could release an update that breaks F/X CAD or AutoCAD on an ARM platform. The fix typically involves repairing the install, and possibly rolling back a particular Windows update or updating a particular library. In the case of F/X CAD, repairing the install may leave it in an unusual state. Here's why: We develop F/X CAD by starting with an Autodesk AutoCAD engine and customizing it extensively. As such, repairing an F/X CAD install could likely require running an additional installer to restore some F/X CAD–specific modifications to the underlying Autodesk product. It could also require waiting for us to make a brand-new installer or repair program, which might take several days.
In short, the main issues with F/X CAD and the M series are that F/X CAD is a unique product and we are a small company. Autodesk has more engineers than we do, so they are simply in a better position to develop an ARM-compatible product.
That said, our office is currently running F/X CAD with Cloud Data on M series Macs – however, note that we have a dedicated IT department that is well versed in repairing F/X CAD installations and helping them function properly. If you don't have the same type of dedicated IT team and you're using F/X CAD, we don't recommend M series Macs yet.
• AutoCAD (not F/X CAD) with Cloud Data: Technically compatible, but proceed with caution
If you're running Land F/X with AutoCAD using Cloud Data (not Local Data), this setup may very well work properly for you on an M series. However, if Windows releases an update that interferes with AutoCAD's functionality, repairing your install should work out just fine. However, note that if the repair fails to resolve the issue, you'll need to contact Autodesk for technical support.
Why we're not ready to give a full recommendation for running Land F/X on an M series Mac
M series Macs require the use of (at the time of this writing) a beta version of Windows for ARM. Also (at the time of this writing), Autodesk does not officially support Windows for ARM for any of their products. With these limits in mind, using an M series Mac for AutoCAD use, while it may work overall, may result in bugs or problems with the software that have no solution due to the use of a product in a manner for which it was not designed.
The main problem with the M series at this moment is the only Windows Virtual Machines you can run are beta editions of Windows for ARM. There's currently no ETA for official release, and Autodesk doesn't officially support Windows for ARM either. "Official support" means Autodesk has published a version of AutoCAD with a minimum version of all third-party frameworks, software packages, etc. that are required for AutoCAD to function. The minimum versions guarantee AutoCAD operates as designed. As Windows for ARM is still in beta, no official minimum versions of any of these items are compatible with any edition of AutoCAD.
Another caveat is that the Windows for ARM Virtual Machines all have Windows updates enabled by default. If you disable them, they will turn back on automatically. We've seen Windows Updates install a new version of one of the above-mentioned frameworks that completely broke AutoCAD, preventing it from working at all. You can't uninstall said version in this case, as Windows Updates will simply reinstall it. Further, you're running a beta release, so updates are enforced. We were able to solve this issue by tracking down and installing a slightly newer version of the framework, but there's no guarantee another update won't come out at any given time that breaks something else.
All this is to say that if you absolutely need to upgrade your systems to M series, they can be made to work from what we've seen. However, you should be prepared to run into unforeseen problems, glitches, bugs, and crashes until these platforms are officially out for public release and Autodesk announces official support for the platform.
Land F/X & M series Mac Troubleshooting
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Our software tailors AutoCAD® to the needs of landscape architects, irrigation designers, and other professionals. We automate your most tedious tasks and ensure accuracy, giving you more time to design.