CADD course for a veteran user, yeah or neah?

[LHA]

Those of you who have had actual CADD coursework are lucky to have had it. I've been using CADD for 9 years now, and I still debate taking a course, because I know there is so much more CADD can do than I am able to allow it to do.

At my first job using CADD in '96, no one (or at least, I) did not have AutoCAD in college. We had no clue how to utilize the full power of CADD, we were basically using hand-drafting strategies. Although I quickly caught on to Layering, it was years later until I actually figured out the concept of Paper Space, for example.

So, what do you think? Obviously, a beginner-level course would be pointless, but would a CADD course be worthwhile for me? Or, since I get by quite well, would it just be a waste of time and money...I do always seem to stumble on what I need to solve whatever I need to?

Just wondering. Thanks for your advice.


Remember: The Chinese ideogram for “crisis” is comprised of the characters for “danger” and “opportunity.”
-Steve

 

[Beggar]

I'd consider a class a waste of money.

Instead, get a good book and then spend time hunting through the menus, tabs, and toolbars. Use the help and the book to figure out what they do. You're experience will quickly show you the application of the tool in the real world.

Your example of it taking years to have figured out paper space is an ideal example. Given the toggle button at the bottom and the layout tabs (post R. 14, anyway), you'd have quickly found this valuable feature.

I've been to formal ACAD, MDT, and I-DEAS training. I consider each of those classes to have been of minimal value, especially by comparison to the aggressive exploration of features and time spent here at Eng-Tips.

--------------------
Bring back the HP-15

http://www.hp15c.org

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[diamondjim]

I have taken acad courses at evening classes
at the high school and also at the university
level as well as a seminar from an individual
instructor. I also took an autolisp seminar
which helped greatly to learn to automate many
tasks that were specific to my industry.
I would recommend any of these. All of these
courses are general in nature as acad is designed
for multiple industries, ie mechanical verses
architecture. I learned a lot from an acad
group that met in Cleveland Ohio and found that
the individuals were glad to share information
as well as questions that gave me insight to
problems which I had not yet ran into. The
general intro courses would not be that advantageous
to you but an advanced course would be helpful.
The new release seminars that are usually free
help to get the latest information on the updated
versions. This forum itself is great as you will
find many of your questions answered here. There
is always something new to learn. I applaud your
tenacity in learning acad on your own. Reading
thru the reference manuals several times is always
a great way to learn all the complexity of some
of the command options.

 

[Bloodwig80]

I learned a lot with a private tutor. It was paid for by the company i worked for. He would come in once a week and i would bombard the guy with all sorts of questions about the program.

While he was answering them, other questions would surface and he would elaborate further and further. He also passed onto me his toolbars and taught me tons of shortcuts, etc. (thanks to him i have 1 toolbar on screen nothing else but black space )

Also books can help you a lot. I know there is a book called 'photoshop masters' that has a Barrage of advanced techniques for photoshop users. I wonder if there is something like that for AutoCAD since i furthered my knowledge of pshop amazingly after i read one of those books. i loved it.

 

[RHMagster]

Hello lha,

I too was brought up on CADD without proper training and I, although I wouldn't call it struggeling, found it more difficult in not having the proper training than if I had.
I was fortunate though in that I did have some tutorage from a trained user, briefly.

After about 10 yrs I made the decission to tackle a real training course. First was at an authorized AutoDesk training center. There I received valuble information on how to speed the dwg. process. This also aided in the use of the program for design but the real breakthrough for me was at the local community college.

I took a real course, from beginner course on and found this to aid in my goal of using the program for design rather than print making. I was very satisfied.

My instructor filled us in on the shortcuts but more importantly the lingo. Basic theory to advance.

I fully recommend you check out your local community college to see what they offer. Talk to some of the students and professors about the program.

I've been using CADD for >15 yrs now, 5 yrs since I finished the training. I wish I had started much sooner.

I currently operate Mechanical Desktop and Inventor programs along with AutoCadd.

Hope this helps you decide and good luck.

RHmagster

 

[MikeHalloran]

Some people learn better, faster with personal instruction; I get distracted and tend to go off on tangents, which is sort of okay one on one but not so good in a group.

Some people claim to have picked it up just by noodling with it in spare moments. That didn't work for me, even when I made extra time for it. And help files then were every bit as helpful as they are today.

I was lucky, in that I got a new boss, and a new computer just as RAM came down to $100 a megabyte. (It was a while ago.) While we were waiting for my computer to arrive, the boss rented me a seat in an office that did work entirely different from our own. For a few weeks, I went to that offsite location, where I had no friends to distract me, and went from cover to cover of "Inside AutoCAD", working all the problems from scratch.

Late in my second week,the veterans started asking _me_ for help. They were doing very complicated E size architectural plans, in one color, on one layer. Which may be one reason why business was not good, and they had a seat available to rent.

I think for me the real key was getting off-site, and away from the constant stream of interruptions that normally punctuate a day.



Mike Halloran
NOT speaking for
DeAngelo Marine Exhaust Inc.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA