Downloading print files to a laptop

[Dave G]

Help! I draw all my drawings on a PC thats not connected to the internet. The drawing program I use is TurboCad. What I wanted to do was to download some drawings to a CD, then upload to my laptop which is connected to the internet. I would like to share some drawings by e-mail with another individual. When uploading the files with the drawings, my laptop asks what program it wants to use to view the files. I don't have TurboCad loaded on my laptop so I can't view the files. If the person I e-mail the drawings to doesn't have TurboCad, he won't be able to view them either. There's got to be a way but with my limited computer knowledge I'm lost. Any help would be appreciated. The learning curve continues. The solution will probably be so simple a cave man could do it, but I couldn't find any cave men in the yellow pages to help me. I'm sorry if this has been covered before, I,m fairly new to the forum, so be patient with me. Dave

 

[Troutsqueezer]

You need to check which formats TurboCAD can export to. Adobe PDF format is popular but not having TurboCAD I don't know if that is possible. You also need to realize there are two different types of image files, bitmapped (JPG, BMP, PNG, GIF, et al) which are not scalable per se and vector-based (dxf, AI, DWG, CDR as well as the native format of TurboCAD).

If you want your friend to be able to zoom in and out, bitmapped images do not work well. Unfortunately, vector-based formats usually require the originating program to view, but not always. Many CAD programs offer free viewers so others can view your work.

You can do screen captures and embed the captures in something like PowerPoint or Word. The possibilities are many but there is a learning curve.

I'm sure there are many forum members here who use TC.

 

[bambuko]

Get your friend to install free turbocad viewer - google it, download and install on your (and your friend's) laptop.

Chris

 

[kjk]

You could also install any one of a number of free PDF printer drivers (cutepdf, primopdf for example) and simply print the drawings to a pdf file - then send that.

 

[Omnimill]

Maybe this will help:

http://turbotech.wordpress.com/2006/10/10/creating-a-pdf-document-in-turbocad/

Vic.

 

[Dave G]

I'm with you now. Checked Turbo Cad, and can save as a PDF file. Will have to check to see which format is needed.
Thanks for the help everyone. The quest for knowledge goes on. Dave

 

[ironman]

Does your buddy haave any CAD program installed? You could save them as DXF and he could open them in most any CAD program. (Lots of free ones and free viewers on the internet.)

Save your drawings as jpg files and he can view them in Windows. Lots of ways.

I have TurboCAD 12.5 Pro and 16 Deluxe. Which version do you use?

ironman (Ray)

 

[Dave G]

I'm not sure if he has a Cad program, Haven't asked yet. I have version 16 2D/3D Turbo Cad. I've been messing with it for about 6 months now. Getting better at it but still very slow. I took a couple Autocad classes back in the early 90's at the local CC and am now just putting it to use. I normally build my scratch built engines with just a few sketches on paper and have just lately ventured into the realm of documenting everything. It's alot more work than building the engine. I made parts for a living for 30 years and now do it for fun. I thought it would be a good idea to start documenting my work so I could share with others. I told my wife the other day I should have left her and ran off with one of the young female engineers I used to work with so I'd have someone to do my drawing for me. Boy did that get me into hot water.
Once again, Thank you for all for the advise, Hopefully I can reciprocate someday. Dave

 

[Maryak]

Dave,

I am a TurboCAD user and all the advise you have been given is great. I would only add one comment. The output to print in either .jpg or .bmp formats is IMHO very ordinary. Appears to be a very poor conversion from vector to raster. However it is very useful to save in such a format, to reduce drawing file size, should you wish to have large assemblies rendered in paper space.

Hope this helps

Best Regards
Bob