Jump to content
  • 0

iPad + Android(tablet) App ASAP


sam0

Question

Seriously, in addition to Yoginathaswami's recent topic post a Vectorworks iPad and Android App would be a very good idea.

Even as a place-holder a simple port of something like minicad 6 could probably be achieved in a week by a small reasonably skilled team [unfortunately i don't have such skills-yet]as there are approximately 2 available cad apps on each platform neither of which has the already existing user base of Vectorworks.

in addition to this I'm sure you're already aware autocad is soon to be release an iPad and iPhone app. -which is a little frustrating as i've always considered vectorworks to be the historically more innovative interface.

as an architect on site/and an often moving designer the ability to sketch in cad whilst mobile would be invaluable! even simply the ability to view and pan around emailed dwg files on site would be greatly appreciated.

currently the iPad is presented as a device for consuming media, however it's potential as a sketchpad, as a tool for creating is i feel vastly under appreciated. at this point seeing as there's a very small but growing number of apps for creating appearing vectorworks adoption will have to be quick to take advantage of this.

iPad development is fairly obvious- especially as vectorworks has succeeded as one of the few cross platform systems. however, the range of tablets existing (predating the ipad) and appearing on the vastly adopted Android platform should be recognised as an opportunity to stake a presence apparently not yet appreciated by autocad.

at a more conceptual level the long awaited ability to reconnect drawing input and visual output presented by the humble touchscreen has been long awaited. the input of your finger or stylus, and the output of the line are now almost in the same place, whereas currently mouse and screen are two very different places. although small tablets represent the first available return of the concept of CAD on a drawing board. -this isn't even considering the possible use of built in accelerometers and other such sensors to view/manipulate 3d objects.

the one single largest obstacle people consider is input accuracy, but this is a problem even i can solve.

on a personal note i would be more than happy to be involved in your dev process -even and especially for experimental builds from ui suggestions to testing. if there are any established would-be porting experimenters looking to resolve the issue of screen input accuracy please email as i believe i might have a simple solution that could give you the edge over other packages.

i hope this gets read by a capable engineer.

sam0

Link to comment

Recommended Posts

  • 0

Christiaan, Here is a question, in your recent comment in regards to Ozzie's existing tree comment. Could you use numbers to create data in the field and import it to the existing tree tool. If so how? This would be huge for me and will be playing with it to test. please advise if you have had experience on this. As for the ipad app I am all for it. It would be an incredible resource in the field (I believe for all). I remember when I got the iphone thinking just a cool toy, now it is an integral part of my business and could not imagine working without it, I believe the ipad would be the same. VW should move forward not stand still. technology moves to fast. If other do not like or need the ability oh well, to each there own. I bought designer because I wanted Architect features. I have no use for Spotlight or Machine Design. this dose not mean that I am upset that these exist, or that I had to buy them, I just work on.

Link to comment
  • 0

Too be honest I don't have experience importing from spreadsheets but I'm nearly 100% positive you can copy and paste from Excel documents into VW worksheets (sure I've seen that mentioned).

Therefore the workflow would be: use Numbers for iPad to create table. Export as Excel document from iPad using one of various methods (e.g. email, copy to iDisk). Open in Excel. Copy and paste into VW.

Link to comment
  • 0

Thousands of web sites use Flash and ipad comes along and says we will not show it. Small business people, carpenters, cafes, building designers, architects ? home based businesses ? so what do they do?

Safari for iPad is based on open standards: HTML/CSS/Javascript. Which is different to Adobe's proprietary closed Flash plugin. One is an open industry standard, one is a closed system controlled by one vendor. In your imaginary world Apple is using the closed one

Apple says they are trying to stop Adobe controlling rich content on the web. Gee we should be so grateful to Apple for saving us web users from big Meany Adobe

Many out there will have to come up to ipad scratch if they want their content displayed on an ipad unless things change and it appears it may ? when I say many ? that is millions!!

Ozzie, you've demonstrated amply that "understand" and "iPad" have no place in a sentence by yourself. There is absolutely nothing stopping Hulu from offering free TV shows through the iTunes Store. And there's nothing stopping them from offering HTML5 video via web browser either (as the BBC does). Adobe promulgates this rubbish because they're pissed that Apple is trying to stop them controlling rich content on the web.

This article is riddled with more holes than your comments on the matter. It even says YouTube doesn't work on iOS, simply an outright lie. YouTube has always worked on iOS.

The web site I put in my previous post ? just quickly picked and one of many that says ? Apple says they were looking after us - In reality also they are gaining profits

In my previous post I did mention also - the original poster and what he said and this thread was really about putting VW on an ipad. Others think NV should not do it and that is how I feel

What do you need an iPad for to upload PDFs to your website? Create PDFs of your work, upload them to your website, link to them. Any iPad user can then view them. PDF is an open industry standard after all, unlike Flash.

Who said I needed an ipad to upload Pdfs to my website? Adobe Pdfs ? the Zoom Tools are not intuitive and user friendly ? Flash is better for the purpose I am using it with Zoomify.

If I could set up a simple spread sheet run it on an ipad or similar, visit site, collect data on individual trees and port that data back into VWs Existing Tree Tool that would be useful for me and is probably doable today

That though as yet has not happened

I DO NOT BELIEVE you cannot grasp what I am saying

Your brazen ignorance is breathtaking for someone with Google at his fingertips: http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/numbers.html

Of course I know about Numbers and spoke to an Apple sales person two months back and OzCAD about taking data from the field into the Existing Tree Tool ? what an arrogant condescending assumption you have made

Too be honest I don't have experience importing from spreadsheets but I'm nearly 100% positive you can copy and paste from Excel documents into VW worksheets (sure I've seen that mentioned).

Therefore the workflow would be: use Numbers for iPad to create table. Export as Excel document from iPad using one of various methods (e.g. email, copy to iDisk). Open in Excel. Copy and paste into VW.

Can you really do that? Try Import CSV

Wow and what then with the Worksheet? How do you connect that data to the Existing Tree Tool.

Can you please post a file here where you have done that

You say I am Brazenly Ignorant

It cannot be done yet in VW today ? can you get that? I was just saying I could find a practical use for an ipad or similar today if that was possible

If through two way WSs and potential future WS improvements; even data base connectivity not only could the Existing Tree Tool be propagated other tools may also be able to be. What about Window manufacturers being able to provide data for their wares as an example.

Do not give me Apples evangelical hype about protecting us from Meany old Adobe and how cool it is Apple is supporting open standards etc and all that goodie goodie crud you profess.

They are lining their own pockets and making many small and large people / organisations out there rebuild their web sites if they wish ipad users to be able to use them unless that changes

Again VW should have nothing to do with producing an app for ipad ? put the $ into VW

Link to comment
  • 0

It's like talking to a brick wall that can talk back.

Thousands of web sites use Flash and ipad comes along and says we will not show it. Small business people, carpenters, cafes, building designers, architects ? home based businesses ? so what do they do?

Stop using it. And think twice about forcing people to use proprietary, closed plugins to view your content in the future. My old man's a builder with a website. He doesn't require people to use plugins to view his website.

In reality also they are gaining profits

Feel free to explain how they're lining their pockets by using an open standards-based web browser on their devices?

Others think NV should not [put VW on an ipad] and that is how I feel

Then let's tick that up as another reason why they probably should.

Adobe Pdfs ? the Zoom Tools are not intuitive and user friendly ? Flash is better for the purpose I am using it with Zoomify.

Ah yes, using your index finger and thumb to zoom and your index finger to pan?something my 4-year old nephew picked up in a matter of seconds?is not as intuitive as using that horrible Flash plugin on your website... right.

You expressed annoyance that iPad users can't view your design examples. I just offered you free advice on how to easily make your site standards-compliant (and hence viewable with an iPad). And you brushed it off saying the status quo is better. Why am I not surprised. One more free bit of advice: you don't need to ditch the plugin. Just provide links to PDFs as well.

How do you connect that data to the Existing Tree Tool.

We were talking about iPad capabilities and you said "if you could set up a simple spreadsheet" on the iPad to which I pointed out that there's nothing stopping you from doing this. If there is any limitation in getting that data into the Existing Tree Tool then it is in VW, not the iPad. Of course Vectorworks for iPad with Existing Tree Tool capabilities would solve your problem in a jiffy.

Link to comment
  • 0

im sorry, but i have to agree that NNA should concentrate on the main VW software, having an app for the ipad is not a priority, sure it would be nice for the people that have an ipad, but im sure they are a small percentage of the VW user group. All users deserve to have a better working main program. sure they could release a viewer for the ipad with some ability to makes notes etc, but i dont think they should waste time rebuilding even a lite version for a bit of hardware that in reality very few people are going to use (with VW, not in general!)

Link to comment
  • 0
i dont think they should waste time rebuilding even a lite version for a bit of hardware that in reality very few people are going to use (with VW, not in general!)

I'd see VW for iPad more as a strategic move into multi-touch. iPad just happens to be the first and leading multi-touch platform.

And if you have children, they won't be using mice. That's a lot of people using multi-touch.

Link to comment
  • 0

I like the iPad possibilities, I also think don't spend time on an app if it will take programers away from VW. The solution,VW should start a poll, ask questions, determine aprox price. If the need and monies are there then hire a team to program. If not then theres your answer. VW should let the users help direct the future actions they take. If there is a legitimate need by an large majority, they should move in that direction.

Link to comment
  • 0

Heated discussion

Talk about blinded by the bulldust

So Christiaan

Feel free to explain how they're lining their pockets by using an open standards-based web browser on their devices?

Careful little twist of words which is often how you do things buddy

I did not say they're lining their pockets by using an open standards-based web browser on their devices?

I just say they?re lining their pockets

You talk about open standards not me

Do a search on Google for "ipad and flash" - read a few articles and tell me no commentators out there are saying Apple is lining its pockets which is my claim

Of course they are

And there are some interesting ipad comments like this one on You Tube - this one is quite old and quite funny actually

and whilst you are there just on You Tube as an example look at some of the other stuff

as for your last post where you suggested it was like

talking to a brick wall that talks back

And Brazenly Ignorant as an example

can a moderator or two tap Christiaan on the shoulder and suggest becoming personal and offensive to another is not the way to go

As for the Existing Tree Tool

We were talking about iPad capabilities and you said "if you could set up a simple spreadsheet" on the iPad to which I pointed out that there's nothing stopping you from doing this. If there is any limitation in getting that data into the Existing Tree Tool then it is in VW, not the iPad. Of course Vectorworks for iPad with Existing Tree Tool capabilities would solve your problem in a jiffy.

Does not matter if it is ipad or whatever device you collect data on

You said this to Bryan G proving you do not know what you are talking about - but what is new?

Too be honest I don't have experience importing from spreadsheets but I'm nearly 100% positive you can copy and paste from Excel documents into VW worksheets (sure I've seen that mentioned).

Therefore the workflow would be: use Numbers for iPad to create table. Export as Excel document from iPad using one of various methods (e.g. email, copy to iDisk). Open in Excel. Copy and paste into VW.

I said

Can you please post a file here where you have done that

You say I am Brazenly Ignorant

It cannot be done yet in VW today ? can you get that? I was just saying I could find a practical use for an ipad or similar today if that was possible

Why was I in your words Brazenly Ignorant and point me to this

Your brazen ignorance is breathtaking for someone with Google at his fingertips: http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/numbers.html

Doubt you will answer that because you cannot honestly can you?

Truth is you were saying in a condescending and arrogant manner - I did not know an ipad had Numbers

Not true!

Brian G said this

The expert say what?

Dont get me wrong I am relatively literate in computer speak, whats ODBC and from what you are saying I could use filemaker to create a list and import direct to Existing Tree Tool (ETT).

This would be incredibly useful.

Brian - Christiaan has misled you by his comments

The guy that built the Existing Tree Tool would first have to make it able to accept data from an external source into Vectorworks maybe through two way Worksheets or another method - I do not know exactly how

I was only saying if that could happen ipad or similar would THEN be potentially a valuable tool

ODBC = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Database_Connectivity

Beyond all of this crud I still think porting Vectorworks to a device as immature as an ipad is foolish

Link to comment
  • 0

That must be Petri.

Despite the impressive haka, the All Blacks are not exactly winning in these Commonwealth Games.

http://www.emirates247.com/sports/other/all-blacks-the-team-to-beat-in-dubai-sevens-2010-10-14-1.303976

The Kiwi side received a massive boost ahead of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens with an historic victory at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi this week.
Edited by Christiaan
Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...