BIM Coordinator Program (INT) April 22, 2024
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Collaboration with other software
About model and data exchange with 3rd party solutions: Revit, Solibri, dRofus, Bluebeam, structural analysis solutions, and IFC, BCF and DXF/DWG-based exchange, etc.

iPhone 'CAD'

MMontgomery
Enthusiast
Just curious to know if anyone has found any slick way of doing field measurements using their iPhone. Not the measuring, but the recording/drawing.

I've dug through the "there's an app for that" list and haven't found anything that looks like it would be very suitable. I would think that a simple graph paper drawing app with the ability to add text and fixtures/doors is out there somewhere and I just haven't found it...

What other tools have you found to perform field measurements quickly? Leica Disto A6 maybe?
AC 6-27 - Intel i9-9900K - RTX3090 - Windows 11 - 64GB RAM
9 REPLIES 9
Anonymous
Not applicable
Now that I finally have an iphone app, I think your idea would be great... but until then - grab a laptop - and layout the walls/doors/windows right in archicad.... add some text/labels for plate heights, header heights...etc... and your as build plans are half done when you finish measuring (also you never have to go back to double check any measurements that don't add up)
RandyC
Advocate
CadTouch R2
closest thing I can find.
ArchiCAD 4.5 --- 27 , Win 10 , dual monitors, 64 gb ram,Nvidia GeforceRTX 2080 TI, I-9
MMontgomery
Enthusiast
I just recently started using CadTouch R2 again, it had been updated since I last used it. I find it much more intuitive to use. Simple for field measuring and being able to send an email to my office with a DXF file that can be opened in ArchiCAD for further editing.
AC 6-27 - Intel i9-9900K - RTX3090 - Windows 11 - 64GB RAM
Anonymous
Not applicable
A company called Fresh Design Base have just released a pretty decent 2D CAD app on the iPhone/iTouch called SitePAD.

Its a bit tricky to get to grips with but looks promising. Theres some sort of cloud computing file transfer system to allow you to take your drawing in and out of your desktop CAD app. Looks like it has real potential for those of you who work out in the field or on 'site'. Their website has a bit more info, www.sitepad.co.uk.

Word is it will work on the iPad using screen doubling mode, but there is a native iPad version in the pipeline.

Might be the first step to mobile and touch based CAD'ing!?
iPhone-app-trans.png
Anonymous
Not applicable
Is anybody here seriously considering work being done in iPhone?
I could imagine iPad but iPhone? Get real people. Best thing we can ask for is pdf viewer.
Anonymous
Not applicable
It's not intended for doing your 'work' on, but those situations where simple, quick CAD drawing would be more efficient than sketching with pen and paper, then transporting that info back to the office where you have to re-draw it on your desktop. With SitePAD you can quickly and easily produce an outline plan on a device you have in your pocket. You can then send it straight back to the office where your collegues can start working on it before your even back.
It will like all iPhone apps also work on the ipad and there are plans for a native ipad version too.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Just for fun tried the CadTouch R2;
Thought it might be a least good enough to do a perimeter
measure sketch of a new remodel design job.....
Sorry to say was complete waste of time and $15 for me.
Looked at Sitepad, but that interface seems to be connected through
their website at £15 a month; No thanks.
lec
Anonymous
Not applicable
There is a subscription for the drawing export. Is £15 that much though? That's £3.50 a week, which for multiple transfers on a job could easily be factored into the job costs?
There's a free trial of the service too so you can see if it works for your business first.
Fresh Design Base have said they will offer subscriptions packages to suit everyone, including students and low usage users.
There's supposed to be a payas you go option as well as a SitePAD pro that will let you import/export directly both in the pipeline.
Surely there's something there to suit?
Anonymous
Not applicable
IF it's that good, maybe a video clip of using/converting & sending a dwg to an email account could be posted here.
Maybe I missed it, but could not find any clips of using it.

And, at the moment, can't think of why I'd want to pay someone an ONGOING fee to convert simple drawing to dwg, which is what I think it would most likely be used for.
But maybe I just don't get it.
lec
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