IntelliCAD

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IntelliCAD
Developer(s) IntelliCAD Technology Consortium
Operating system Linux and Windows
Type CAD
License Proprietary software
Website http://www.intellicad.org/

IntelliCAD is a CAD-software programming toolkit and API published by the IntelliCAD Technology Consortium (ITC). IntelliCAD aims (at some levels) to emulate the basic interface and functions of AutoCAD.[1] Unlike typical CAD programs, ITC IntelliCAD is not sold directly to end users. ITC IntelliCAD is exclusively licensed to Consortium members who pay fees[2] in exchange for permission and guidance to include IntelliCAD technology in final OEM "IntelliCAD"[3] (and other) products with their own end user license agreements. The ITC has nearly 50 members.

Contents

[edit] IntelliCAD Technology Consortium

The real concept of IntelliCAD is as complex to understand as its history. The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium (ITC) is the non-profit organizational body of developers maintaining all vanilla-stock IntelliCAD source code toolkits and APIs for their CAD interface. The ITC also develops several advanced integrations with third-party technologies. Some of these third-party technologies include DWGdirect library from the Open Design Alliance[4] which reads and writes the “.dwg” data format and the ACIS 3D modeling kernel from Spatial Technology. The ITC office base is in Portland, Oregon USA.

[edit] IntelliCAD Functionality

Modern IntelliCAD toolkits not only provide compatibility with .dwg, but also has a set of commands similar to AutoCAD by Autodesk, Inc. Similarly, IntelliCAD provides several calling convention routines, or APIs, such as LISP, COM, Visual Basic, and SDS (IntelliCAD's C/C++ Programming API) that allow users the ability to create complex custom CAD applications[5].

One focus of ITC development is improving compatibility between IntelliCAD and AutoCAD[2]:

  • Read and write binary .dwg file format using technology from the Open Design Alliance[6]
  • AutoCAD-like command line, menu (.MNU) and script (.SCR) files ( AutoLISP macro language), hatches, fonts and true type fonts.
  • new: developing method DRX, comparable to AutoCAD's ARX.

Toolkit features also include support for complex linetypes, multiline text, lightweight polyline, draworder, audit & recover, ADS support in most applications[7] and raster image tools.

[edit] History

In the early 1990s a company named IntelliCAD developed some source code that was integrated in AutoCAD[8]. Softdesk, the largest third-party developer of Autodesk, acquired this company and used its know-how to secretly develop an AutoCAD clone[9]. Autodesk had indeed recently entered into competition with Cyco Software, another major third-party developer, and Softdesk was concerned Autodesk could do the same in its markets.

The AutoCAD-clone project was kept secret under the project name "Phoenix" until Autodesk announced it was acquiring Softdesk in 1997. A competitor alerted the US Federal Trade Commission and Autodesk was directed to get rid of what was to be considered its only direct competitor at the time.

Developers working on the Phoenix project founded a company named Boomerang and continued the development of IntelliCAD. Visio Corporation finally acquired the technology for $6.7 million[10]. "Visio IntelliCAD" was released for the first time in 1998[11] with a very low price compared to AutoCAD. 12,000 licenses of IntelliCAD were sold in the first three months before new concerns over software stability emerged. The original version was already six months late. IntelliCAD's "chief architect" soon left Visio with many other historical developers.

In total, Visio's original IntelliCAD sold about 30,000 copies - far less than some expected. IntelliCAD development seemed to need more resources than Visio could grant it[12]. At this point, Visio "granted a royalty- free, perpetual license for the IntelliCAD source code to The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium"[13] [14]. On September 15, 1999 Microsoft announced that it would acquire Visio Corporation (completed in January 2000). IntelliCAD, however, continued independent development under the new ITC[15].

Ten years later (2009), about 50 ITC members globally share ITC development costs as membership fees. In turn, each member receives technology licenses and some guidance for final application development. On October 29, 2008 the first test release of the new IntelliCAD version 7 was announced at the annual ITC meeting held at Athens, Greece[16]. Among the features is complete replacement of the old ITC internal entity database and SDS API with ODA DWGdirect and DRX API[17].

[edit] See also

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[edit] References

  1. ^ Grabowski, Ralph (2004). "Ralph Grabowski on IntelliCAD 2004" (in en). TenLinks, Inc. http://www.caddigest.com/subjects/intellicad/select/092204_grabowski_intelli_conf.htm. 
  2. ^ a b "IntelliCAD Membership Fees" (in en). IntelliCAD Technology Consortium. 2009. http://www.intellicad.org/intellicad-membership-fees/. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  3. ^ Note some end-user products may use the expression "IntelliCAD" within the product name.
  4. ^ Smith, Susan (2004). "IntelliCAD 6.2 Update" (in en). Internet Business Systems, Inc.. http://www10.aeccafe.com/nbc/articles/view_weekly.php?articleid=272935&interstitial_displayed=Yes. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  5. ^ Grabowski, Ralph (2004). "Tailoring IntelliCAD" (in en). upFront.eZine Publishing. http://www.upfrontezine.com/ti6/default.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  6. ^ Harrod, Geoff (2000). "Bricsnet IntelliCAD 2000 Review" (in en). Digital Business Media Pty Ltd. http://www.cadinfo.net/reviews/icad2k.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-25. 
  7. ^ Sri Surya Prakash Sarda (2007). "Understanding ADS compatibility" (in en). Cadopia I Pvt Ltd. http://cadopia.typepad.com/cadopia_blog/2007/06/cadopia_underst.html. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  8. ^ Zilles, Tony (2006). "History of IntelliCAD" (in en). Digital Business Media Pty Ltd. http://www.cadinfo.net/icad/icadhis.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  9. ^ J. Marsden DeLapp, PE. "Early History of IntelliCAD" (in en). http://delapp.com/cad/analysis_of_intelliCAD.php. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  10. ^ Loizos, Constance (1998-10-31). "TAKING ON AUTODESK" (in en). RedHerring. http://www.redherring.com/Home/5986. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  11. ^ "VISIO Form 10-Q for Quarter Ending 06/30/1998" (in en). Visio Corp.. 1998. http://www.secinfo.com/dVgzt.7tp.htm#jgo. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  12. ^ Prepchuk, Ronald (1999-04-12). "How to Fix IntelliCAD" (in en). Visio Corporation Confidential. http://www.autodsys.com/ICADanalysis.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  13. ^ "Visio Corp SEC Filing 12/29/1999" (in en). SEC, archived by EDGAROnline. 1999. http://sec.edgar-online.com/visio-corp/10-k405-annual-report-regulation-s-k-item-405/1999/12/29/Section11.aspx. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  14. ^ "Visio Announces Source Code Collaboration Initiative for IntelliCAD Technology" (in en). PR Newswire Highbeam Archives. 1999-07-27. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55277327.html. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  15. ^ JackosCAD. "IntelliCAD - The VISIO/Microsoft Years" (in en). Reprint Visio Press Releases. http://www.jackoscad.com.au/Tips/Tips.cfm?SubCatID=19&catID=15. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  16. ^ "ITC announces IntelliCAD version 7" (in en). 2008. http://cadcam3d.blogspot.com/2008/10/intellicad-7-release-announced-by-itc.html. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  17. ^ "ITC Conference: IntelliCAD 7 Demo" (in en). 2006. http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2006/10/itc_conference_.html. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  • "ITC Releases IntelliCAD 6.4", Cadalyst Magazine, August 29, 2007. Accessed June 27, 2008.
  • OutsideLookAtIntelliCAD An Outside look at Intellicad, IntelliCAD World Meeting, Ralph Grabowski, October 2004.
  • [1] Autodesk, Softdesk Settle FTC Charges, Federal Trade Commission, March 1997
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