F/X CAD 2020

Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)

• Intro/TOC
• About F/X CAD 2020
• Pricing
• Who Should Use It?
• Key Differences
• Interface Customization
• Key Changes Review

0:00 – 5:05: Intro/TOC

Supported version changes (4:16)

5:06 – 7:01: About F/X CAD 2020

What is F/X CAD? (5:06)

• Only for Land F/X users (requires an active Land F/X license)
• Powered by AutoCAD technology (command limited)
• Similar to AutoCAD LT
• Sold and supported by us
• Requires us to change the name
• PC only (run on Mac through Parallels or VMWare Fusion)

What F/X CAD 2020 can and can’t do (5:58):

Can’t:

• Run AutoLISP scripts, Action Recorder, NETLOAD, ARX, DotNet, Capability
• Live Maps
• Install add-ons (M-Color, Carlson, AutoTURN, ProjectWise, ArcGIS)
• Rendering, Lighting, 3D
• Autodesk 360, Cloud Seek, Content Service, App Manager, Material Library, Inventor Fusion, Cloud & Mobile Services, DWG Compare
• Run without a Land F/X license

Can:

• Open/Save any version of DWG, DXF, DGN
• Insert raster images
• Geolocate plans
• Import/export PDF
• View Civil 3D, Architectural, and Mechanical proxy objects
• Any AutoCAD command you use regularly
• Command line auto-complete
• Sheet Set Manager
• 3D Connection for SketchUp, Rhino, and Revit
• Customize interface and shortcuts (+importing, exporting)
• Tech support through us!

7:02 – 10:07: Pricing

Cost comparison (7:02)

• F/X CAD is a perpetual license (optional upgrades)
• $1,995 purchase, including tech support for CAD issues with Land F/X

F/X CAD upgrade costs:

• 1 year: $500
• 2–5 years: $995 + $50 Legacy Activation required on install

(+ Land F/X renewal/support)

AutoCAD is a subscription license

(+Land F/X renewal/support)

10:08 – 12:37: Who Should Use It?

• Those who are dedicated Land F/X users and will be maintaining their Land F/X license long-term
• Solo practitioner or small firm looking to reduce costs, used to using AutoCAD LT or AutoCAD without add-ons
• M-s- or large-size firm looking to reduce costs by having some users on F/X CAD, and only those trained in Civil on Civil 3D
• Anybody who prefers to update every 2 to 3 years and wants to remain on a perpetual license
• Anybody wanting to stay up to date at a reduced cost, with the security of knowing F/X CAD will only be released when it’s confirmed compatible with Land F/X
• Those who’ve experienced the difference between other CAD support and Land F/X support

12:38 – 19:16: Key Differences

Installation process – only what you need! (12:55)

Why upgrade from F/X CAD 2015–2019 to 2020? (14:25)

• Quicker adjustments to updates and changes
• Easier to send and receive files from other firms
• Cost easier on budget
• New features each year
• Interface will match our most recent training videos
• You’ll have the same version our tech support staff is using, which will help them answer questions and solve issues more quickly
• Encourages your office to keep up with computer maintenance

What’s new with F/X CAD 2020? (17:07)

• ACAD ribbon improvement 4.0
• New 2020 tools, plus user requests for easier access
• Clear dropdown titles on Home ribbon
• Array/Mirror is its own dropdown
• Added even more “secret” Land F/X commands as real buttons
• XCOPY, XCOCO, SUPERJOIN, PHATCH, XLAYER, MTEXTTOMLEADER, Save Dimstyle, simplified MLeaders, and more added to F/X ribbons
• Quick Measure tool
• Drawing Compare: Let F/X CAD tell you where the differences are between 2 DWG files.
• Improved Purge toolL Find non-purgeable items
• New dark blue theme
• Faster performance on your most-used tasks: Save, Load Xrefs, Regen Layer Changes
• Updated graphics configuration: Works better with high-resolution monitors
• Integration with online storage such as Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, etc.

19:17 – 24:27: Interface Customization

Migrating your settings & customizing (19:17)

Shortcuts (we recommend memorizing them) (21:27)

Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar (22:16)

24:28 – end: Key Changes Review

Overview of the ribbon (24:28)

PHATCH (Home ribbon) (25:23)

Enhanced hover-over text (Tool Tips) (25:25)

XCOPY & XCOCO (Home ribbon) (26:02)

Array and Mirror (Home ribbon) (27:38)

SUPERJOIN (Home ribbon) (27:48)

XLAYER (Home ribbon) (28:34)

Quick Measure (Home ribbon) (30:00)

Drawing Compare (31:10)

Condensed F/X Leaders with Text (Annotate ribbon) (34:15)

Find Non-Purgeable Items (Manage ribbon) (35:10)

Recap: Why is this worth it? (39:29)

Question: What command/ribbon button several years ago allowed erasing all objects on a layer? Was this feature removed? (40:50)

Answer: That tool was called Delete Layer. We removed it in the interest of not duplicating AutoCAD features.

Question: When will F/X CAD 2020 be out? (42:50)

Answer: Stay tuned for the announcement in our newsletter!

Question: Can I use the CAD 3D drafting tools? (43:08)

Answer: No, the 3D tools are unavailable in F/X CAD. We connect you to SketchUp, Rhino, and Revit, which are better 3D tools for our users. (Plus, the removal of items such as the 3D tools make F/X CAD run faster.)

New dark blue theme (46:00)

Land F/X vs. F/X CAD (46:48):

F/X CAD is just the AutoCAD engine. It requires Land F/X, which is a plugin for AutoCAD. If you upgrade your F/X CAD version, you’ll swap out your F/X CAD. Land F/X will remain the same.

Differences between the F/X Mirror tool and ACAD Mirror tools (51:25)