Drawing sketches or creating diagrams

[Voyager77-disab]

I'm new to MathCAD and would like to use it for homework in a CE structural engineering course I am taking. I have thus far been unable to find a means to draw simple diagrams or sketches in MathCAD to supplement the calculations and text. A search found reference to SmartSketch LE from Intergraph, but communication with them indicates that this software is no longer sold. The full SmartSketch package costs ~$1500, which is out of my reach.

Is there a less expensive means to create or import diagrams into MathCAD? I'm looking to do simple things like cross sections for moment of inertia calculations, free-body diagrams, etc.

Regards,
Voyager77

[ptc-1295782]

I have always used either Presentation, or Power Point. Create drawing, select and copy to clipboard. Return to MathCad and find a clear space and hit paste. Select picture or bitmap. You can then move the drawing (grab edge) and size it (grab handles).
---------------------
Physics: Common Sense made Obscure by Mathematics Don Sparlin

[Voyager77-disab]

I was hoping for something more CAD-like, but it is good to know that this will work in a pinch.

Thanks,
Voyager77

[IRstuff]

On 12/7/2005 8:32:20 PM, Voyager77 wrote:
>I was hoping for something
>more CAD-like, but it is good
>to know that this will work in
>a pinch.
>
>Thanks,
>Voyager77

There are plenty of free CAD programs on the web:
http://www.cadstd.com/?sender=adwords

TTFN,
Eden

[pbaxter-disable]

If you have access to a CAD program, go ahead and use it. I will often plot CAD drawings or sketches to PDF, or even format with a white background and do a screenshot. Then you can copy/paste the image right into the document.

Preston

[RichardJ]

I use CorelDraw. It's not CAD, but it can do 3D extrusions, dimensions, etc.

Any drawing package should work. Just copy and paste the drawing as a metafile (not as a bitmap, which will potentially make the Mathcad file very large).

Richard

[SteenGroðe]

I use Smartsketch...

[ChrisKaswer]

SmartSketch used to have a bi-directional API to Mathcad...back in the day...ah yes, the good ole days!

[StuartBruff]

On 12/7/2005 8:25:08 PM, sparlin wrote:
>I have always used either Presentation, or Power Point.
>Create drawing, select and copy to clipboard.

OK.

>Return to MathCad and find a clear space and hit paste. Select picture or bitmap.

Would you want to paste it as a native object rather than a picture or bitmap? Would this allow future editing and reduce the size of the document?

Stuart

[AA_9913955]

I was thinking of using creo for quick schematics. I haven't used it yet. But I think they have free student versions.

It's by PTC.

https://www.ptc.com/en/products/creo/schematics