IntelliCAD
Encyclopedia
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
. Unlike typical CAD programs, ITC IntelliCAD is not sold directly to end users. ITC IntelliCAD is exclusively licensed to Consortium members who pay fees in exchange for permission and guidance to include IntelliCAD technology in final OEM
"IntelliCAD" (and other) products with their own end user license agreements. The ITC has nearly 50 members.
IntelliCAD source code toolkits and APIs for their CAD interface. The ITC also develops several advanced integrations with third-party technologies. These third-party technologies include the DWGdirect library (now called "Teigha for .dwg files") from the Open Design Alliance
, 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.
, 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.
One focus of ITC development is improving compatibility between IntelliCAD and AutoCAD:
Toolkit features also include support for complex linetypes, multiline text, lightweight polyline, draworder, audit & recover, ADS support in most applications and raster image tools.
(Automated Mapping/Facilities Management)
software firm in La Mesa, CA USA. One of its products, AutoCAD Data Extension, allowed
multiple users to access the same AutoCAD drawing, or have a single drawing point to entities
stored in other drawings. Softdesk, the then largest third-party product developer for Autodesk
, acquired this company in 1994 and used the know-how to secretly develop an AutoCAD clone. Autodesk had recently entered into direct competition with Cyco Software (another third-party Autodesk partner), and Softdesk was concerned that the same could happen to them. The AutoCAD-clone project was kept semi-secret under the "Phoenix" project name
In December 1996 Autodesk announced that it would instead buy Softdesk outright for $90 million in common stock. A complaint regarding the inclusive sale of IntelliCADD was filed with the US Federal Trade Commission
("FTC"). According to FTC Docket No. C-3756:
By late 1996 a formal search for new venture capital was underway. Marketing director Robert Drummer was referred to John Forbes at Visio Corporation
and "gave him the pitch." Further according to his own first-hand account, "He (John Forbes) called back a few hours later and said that he along with Jeremy Jaech and Ted Johnson would be chartering a plane that day and would be down to take a look at a demo. They arrived in San Diego that evening." A core team of nine Softdesk/IntelliCADD developers soon moved to become employees of Visio. In March 1997 the FTC forbade "Autodesk or Softdesk from re-acquiring the IntelliCADD product or any entity that owns or controls it, without prior notice to the Commission for a 10 year period." The FTC granted Visio leave to acquire Boomerang completely for $6.7 million in the same ruling that prevented Autodesk from doing so (above). IntelliCAD's original architect, Mike Bailey, turned and left Visio before the first release. Nevertheless, after several years of background development, "Visio IntelliCAD" (one 'D' for the product, two for name of the original company) was finally released for the first time to the public in 1998 with a very low price compared to AutoCAD. Twelve thousand licenses of IntelliCAD were sold in the first three months before new concerns over software stability emerged.
Visio's IntelliCAD 98 sold about 30,000 copies—far less than some expected. IntelliCAD development seemed to need more resources than Visio could grant it. At this point, Visio "granted a royalty- free, perpetual license for the IntelliCAD (2000 version) source code to The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium."
On September 15, 1999 Microsoft
announced that it would acquire Visio Corporation (completed in January 2000)—a deal that evidently included Visio's IntelliCAD 98. A new IntelliCAD 2000 source code branch, however, continued independent development under the new ITC.
IntelliCAD 3 (IntelliCAD 2001) introduced complex linetypes, XREF clipping and IntelliCAD's first display and printing of ACIS 3D solids on May 22, 2001. IntelliCAD 4 followed with full ACIS 3D solid modelling. In October 2004, the ITC announced IntelliCAD 5, which added tabbed workspaces and DWF
support. The ITC also announced a new partnership with SolidWorks
. On October 29, 2008 the first test release of the new IntelliCAD version 7 was announced at the annual ITC meeting held in Athens, Greece. Among the features is complete replacement of the old ITC internal entity database and old "SDS" API with newer DWGdirect and DRX APIs from the ODA
. As of 2009, about 50 ITC members globally shared in IntelliCAD development.
Computer-aided design
Computer-aided design , also known as computer-aided design and drafting , is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer...
-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
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC...
. Unlike typical CAD programs, ITC IntelliCAD is not sold directly to end users. ITC IntelliCAD is exclusively licensed to Consortium members who pay fees in exchange for permission and guidance to include IntelliCAD technology in final OEM
OEM
OEM means the original manufacturer of a component for a product, which may be resold by another company.OEM may also refer to:-Computing:* OEM font, or OEM-US, the original character set of the IBM PC, circa 1981...
"IntelliCAD" (and other) products with their own end user license agreements. The ITC has nearly 50 members.
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-stockVanilla software
Vanilla software is computer software that is not customized from its delivered form - i.e. it is used without any customizations applied to it...
IntelliCAD source code toolkits and APIs for their CAD interface. The ITC also develops several advanced integrations with third-party technologies. These third-party technologies include the DWGdirect library (now called "Teigha for .dwg files") from the Open Design Alliance
Open Design Alliance
The Open Design Alliance is a nonprofit organization of over 1,200 members in 50 countries which develops Teigha©, a software development platform used to create engineering applications including CAD...
, which reads and writes the “.dwg
.dwg
DWG is a binary file format used for storing two and three dimensional design data and metadata. It is the native format for several CAD packages including AutoCAD, IntelliCAD and Caddie. In addition, DWG is supported non-natively by many other CAD applications...
” data format, and the ACIS
ACIS
The 3D ACIS Modeler is a 3D modelling kernel owned by Spatial Corporation . ACIS is used by many software developers in industries such as computer-aided design , Computer-aided manufacturing , Computer-aided engineering , Architecture, engineering and construction , Coordinate-measuring machine...
3D modeling kernel from Spatial Technology. The ITC office base is in Portland, Oregon, USA.
IntelliCAD Functionality
Modern IntelliCAD toolkits not only provide compatibility with .dwg.dwg
DWG is a binary file format used for storing two and three dimensional design data and metadata. It is the native format for several CAD packages including AutoCAD, IntelliCAD and Caddie. In addition, DWG is supported non-natively by many other CAD applications...
, but also has a set of commands similar to AutoCAD
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC...
by Autodesk, Inc. Similarly, IntelliCAD provides several calling convention routines, or APIs, such as LISP
Lisp
A lisp is a speech impediment, historically also known as sigmatism. Stereotypically, people with a lisp are unable to pronounce sibilants , and replace them with interdentals , though there are actually several kinds of lisp...
, COM
COM
COM is the original, yet still common, name of the serial port interface on IBM PC-compatible computers. It might not only refer to physical ports, but also to virtual ports, such as ports created by bluetooth or USB-to-Serial adapters....
, Visual Basic
Visual Basic
Visual Basic is the third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment from Microsoft for its COM programming model...
, and SDS (IntelliCAD's C/C++ Programming API) that allow users the ability to create complex custom CAD applications.
One focus of ITC development is improving compatibility between IntelliCAD and AutoCAD:
- Read and write binary .dwg.dwgDWG is a binary file format used for storing two and three dimensional design data and metadata. It is the native format for several CAD packages including AutoCAD, IntelliCAD and Caddie. In addition, DWG is supported non-natively by many other CAD applications...
file format using technology from the Open Design AllianceOpen Design AllianceThe Open Design Alliance is a nonprofit organization of over 1,200 members in 50 countries which develops Teigha©, a software development platform used to create engineering applications including CAD... - AutoCAD-like command line, menu (.MNU) and script (.SCR) files (AutoLISPAutoLISPAutoLISP is a dialect of Lisp programming language built specifically for use with the full version of AutoCAD and its derivatives, which include AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD Mechanical...
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 and raster image tools.
History
"IntelliCADD" began as an independent AM/FM/GISAM/FM/GIS
AM/FM/GIS stands for Automated Mapping/Facilities Management and is a subset of GIS, which is associated with public utilities like gas, electric, water and telecommunications. The term AM/FM/GIS mostly refers to GIS software that allows utility users to digitize, manage and analyze their utility...
(Automated Mapping/Facilities Management)
software firm in La Mesa, CA USA. One of its products, AutoCAD Data Extension, allowed
multiple users to access the same AutoCAD drawing, or have a single drawing point to entities
stored in other drawings. Softdesk, the then largest third-party product developer for Autodesk
Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational corporation that focuses on 3D design software for use in the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media and entertainment industries. The company was founded in 1982 by John Walker, a coauthor of the first versions of the company's...
, acquired this company in 1994 and used the know-how to secretly develop an AutoCAD clone. Autodesk had recently entered into direct competition with Cyco Software (another third-party Autodesk partner), and Softdesk was concerned that the same could happen to them. The AutoCAD-clone project was kept semi-secret under the "Phoenix" project name
In December 1996 Autodesk announced that it would instead buy Softdesk outright for $90 million in common stock. A complaint regarding the inclusive sale of IntelliCADD was filed with the US Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
("FTC"). According to FTC Docket No. C-3756:
- In approximately June 1996, Softdesk determined that it no longer had the financial ability to support continued development and marketing of the IntelliCADD product. The head of the team that had developed the product proposed to purchase the technology and formed Boomerang Technology, Inc. ("Boomerang") for the purpose of acquiring the product, completing its development, and bringing the product to market. Boomerang negotiated with Softdesk for the purchase of the IntelliCADD product and exchanged draft purchase agreements with Softdesk. Softdesk, however, terminated those negotiations at around the time that Autodesk agreed to acquire Softdesk. Softdesk representatives previously told Boomerang that Softdesk would sell the IntelliCADD product to Boomerang if Softdesk were purchased by someone other than Autodesk, but would not sell it to Boomerang if Softdesk were purchased by Autodesk...
- After being advised by Commission staff that Autodesk's acquisition of Softdesk raised competitive concerns in the market for personal computer-based CAD engines, Softdesk resumed negotiations with Boomerang and divested and sold all of its rights in the IntelliCADD product to Boomerang pursuant to a Technology Transfer Agreement dated February 21, 1997. On that same date, Boomerang assigned and sold all of its rights to the IntelliCADD product to Visio Corporation.
By late 1996 a formal search for new venture capital was underway. Marketing director Robert Drummer was referred to John Forbes at Visio Corporation
Visio Corporation
Visio Corporation was a software company based in Seattle, Washington. Its principal product was a diagramming application software of the same name. It was acquired by Microsoft and is now in a division of that company, which continues to develop the application under the name Microsoft...
and "gave him the pitch." Further according to his own first-hand account, "He (John Forbes) called back a few hours later and said that he along with Jeremy Jaech and Ted Johnson would be chartering a plane that day and would be down to take a look at a demo. They arrived in San Diego that evening." A core team of nine Softdesk/IntelliCADD developers soon moved to become employees of Visio. In March 1997 the FTC forbade "Autodesk or Softdesk from re-acquiring the IntelliCADD product or any entity that owns or controls it, without prior notice to the Commission for a 10 year period." The FTC granted Visio leave to acquire Boomerang completely for $6.7 million in the same ruling that prevented Autodesk from doing so (above). IntelliCAD's original architect, Mike Bailey, turned and left Visio before the first release. Nevertheless, after several years of background development, "Visio IntelliCAD" (one 'D' for the product, two for name of the original company) was finally released for the first time to the public in 1998 with a very low price compared to AutoCAD. Twelve thousand licenses of IntelliCAD were sold in the first three months before new concerns over software stability emerged.
Visio's IntelliCAD 98 sold about 30,000 copies—far less than some expected. IntelliCAD development seemed to need more resources than Visio could grant it. At this point, Visio "granted a royalty- free, perpetual license for the IntelliCAD (2000 version) source code to The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium."
On September 15, 1999 Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
announced that it would acquire Visio Corporation (completed in January 2000)—a deal that evidently included Visio's IntelliCAD 98. A new IntelliCAD 2000 source code branch, however, continued independent development under the new ITC.
IntelliCAD 3 (IntelliCAD 2001) introduced complex linetypes, XREF clipping and IntelliCAD's first display and printing of ACIS 3D solids on May 22, 2001. IntelliCAD 4 followed with full ACIS 3D solid modelling. In October 2004, the ITC announced IntelliCAD 5, which added tabbed workspaces and DWF
Design Web Format
Design Web Format is a secure file format developed by Autodesk for the efficient distribution and communication of rich design data to anyone who needs to view, review, or print design files...
support. The ITC also announced a new partnership with SolidWorks
SolidWorks
SolidWorks is a 3D mechanical CAD program that runs on Microsoft Windows and is being developed by Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp., a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes, S. A. . SolidWorks is currently used by over 1.3 million engineers and designers at more than 130,000 companies worldwide...
. On October 29, 2008 the first test release of the new IntelliCAD version 7 was announced at the annual ITC meeting held in Athens, Greece. Among the features is complete replacement of the old ITC internal entity database and old "SDS" API with newer DWGdirect and DRX APIs from the ODA
Open Design Alliance
The Open Design Alliance is a nonprofit organization of over 1,200 members in 50 countries which develops Teigha©, a software development platform used to create engineering applications including CAD...
. As of 2009, about 50 ITC members globally shared in IntelliCAD development.
See also
- Comparison of CAD, CAM and CAE file viewersComparison of CAD, CAM and CAE file viewersComputer aided design , Computer-aided engineering and Computer-aided manufacturing software produces files in a large variety of formats many of which are extremely complex and poorly supported by other applications...
- Comparison of CAD editors for AEC