Draftsight 2019 - no longer Free 3

[rothers]

"Autocad's single license runs on anything you have anywhere you have it. It simply "phone's home" to check out 'one user'"

So does it work if you're offline ?

 

[Ericsonbirdman]

If you are attached to DraftSight and wish to continue using their "free" software then you may find this workaround useful.
I stumbled across this fix while trying to resolve an issue with the activation email box appearing every time I opened a drawing. I can attest to this working on DraftSight 2017 x64 SP0.

To get rid of the activation message just open Regedit.exe and navigate to: “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SWActivation\K2”
Delete any sub key and value below “K2” (default key stays). Now edit permission on “K2”. Remove Full-Control from your
Current-User and set to Read-Only instead. Replace permission on this object. You should be able now to start DraftSight
without the activation message.

Here is the original article if you want the full context of the "fix". The text above comes from somewhere in the comment section.

https://gupta9665.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/fix-your-draftsight-activation-problem/

 

[SBaugh]

I am curious to know if that solution will allow people to continue to use Draftsight after their website specifically says all previous versions of Draftsight 2018 will stop after 12/31/19. We will find out when the time comes up here soon enough.

Really all you are doing here is resetting the activation process and after the above date, this tip goes away. Someone would have to figure out how to hack it to be able to use it, but that is illegal and they will prosecute if someone did that I am sure.

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[BarryCole]

I have just bough Draftsight as it is no longer free. It's a shame it is not still free, but better than being ripped off by AutoCad.

My question is:- Can I install DS on my laptop as well as my PC with the same license.??

BC

 

[SBaugh]

That would be something to ask your VAR that you bought it from. I know that they don't allow that with SW anymore so it's questionable IMO

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[BarryCole]

I just tried it. I installed DS on the laptop and then tried to authorize it with the serial number that I had. It would not work, as it said it is a one machine license.

BC

 

[itsmoked]

The whole reason I probably won't use it. ONE USER but I cannot use it on two computers.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[SnTMan]

So, I am thinking of saving all my .dwgs as DXF's as "insurance" in the transition to my next drafting program, what ever it is. Draftsight allows binary and ASCII formats. Should I prefer one over the other, for best compatibility? Should I even bother?

Regards,

Mike

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[itsmoked]

Stick with 2013 ASCII.

Never had a problem with ASCII but I've had a lot of no-goes with binary.

One of the original tenants of DXF was so it was human readable and tweakable, so everything tends to understand it.

I'd recommend saving to DXFs, can't hurt and it leaves your DWGs all intact in case whatever you switch to still ingests DWGs.

My 30 days of ACAD LT just crapped out and I DXFed everything out of it and DS took them in fine. (ASCII R14 I think I saved them as)


Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[SnTMan]

itsmoked, thanks, I'll go with that. Was looking at the Nanocad site yesterday, I'm currently leaning that way.

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[itsmoked]

Subscription can be used on a single computer only.
License cannot be transferred.

$180/year.
Need to use it on your home laptop? Pony up ANOTHER $180.

Acad LT is for the next 2 days $320/yr and can be used on any computer with web access.
Acad LT

Check this free cad package. Seems very similar to Autodesk Fusion 360. A true 3D open source cad program. Seems too much for most of my drawings like field wiring for customers.
BRL-CAD

Check also Q-CAD

Of course DraftSight
Now $99/year. You'd need two separate licenses to Laptop at home. Total $198/year. $120/year less than Acad.



Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[SBaugh]

NanoCAD you can use for Free. That's what I am doing, why pay if you don't have too unless there is something you need in the paid version I guess then its an issue. Solidedge also has a Free 2D software you can download for free and use for free, but it's not very intuitive.

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[SnTMan]

For what I need, I am a low-level user. I don't need to run on more than one machine, I don't care a thing about 3D, I don't need to customize, etc, etc.

What I liked about DS was it operated whole bunches like ACAD. That's what I'm looking for in my next drafting program, that and either buy once, run forever, or better still, free.

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[itsmoked]

Yeah but I'm learning that free means you'll be nagged to buy "better" constantly and when the number of users reaches a high enough level they'll screw you like Dassault has or they'll be bought and the new owners 'will take the company in a new direction', i.e. renege on everything.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[SnTMan]

itsmoked, yeah, I can't wait for the Internet Of Things. Then, you won't even own your refrigerator

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[itsmoked]

You'll own it it will just stop working if the license has lapsed.

"Mom! The mayonnaise is bubbling."

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[itsmoked]

Looks pretty nice AnaAna.

It doesn't, however, look like a single user can use it at the office and at home or am I mistaken?

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[SBaugh]

itsmoked - all CAD companies are like that. After you get so many licenses installed they are going to want something for you building an entire company out a free product. Even AutoCAD is like that. The first job I was given at a previous job was from AutoDesk and it was a misuse of the # of licenses we owned versus how many were installed. Took over 9 months and close to 500k to resolve the issue. CAD companies wait until you get so many licenses installed then they come after you to pay for the service they have provided to you. If you just buy it upfront its a lot less hassle in the end.

NanoCAD does not ask me to buy anything. It does have a startup screen is about all I see. I have installed 1 license I am not worth their time.

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[Russell66]

+1 for QCAD. I've been using it since the announcement above. It works fine with all my old .dwg files, is free and open source and works on Linux, MAC, and Windows. Your designs are stored locally so everything is under your own control unlike cloud based systems.

Goodbye Dassault. I will not be recommending your products any more.

Russell

 

[blades741]

I tried both TurboCAD and QCAD (bought them both), but I just can't get used to the UI of either one. My age use of AutoCAD since R12 seems to have permanently programmed my brain to how a 2D CAD program is supposed to work. I'm surprised to not see any mention of ProgeCAD here. It's not free, it runs $499 for a permanent seat license. I'm actually considering this option. It's a nearly seamless & identical interface to AutoCAD, using all the same commands and 1&2 character command aliases. As a bonus, the arctext command is MUCH more refined than in AutoCAD. I use this pretty often when designing 2D profiles for a CNC router.