ViaCAD’s automatic backup utility can help you in situations where your current file has become damaged.

The first thing that you must do is turn on “AutoSave”. If you don’t have the AutoSave setting turned on, there will be nothing to recover. To turn on Auto Save, go to the Preferences dialog box and click on the Filing category. Next click on Auto Save and select a “trigger” option. The trigger will automatically save files based on time or number of commands.

To recover a backup file, just visit your ViaCAD “BackUp” folder. This BackUp folder is located under your user documents folder within the ViaCAD folder.

Encore is pleased to announce open beta testing of ViaCAD 2D/3D v8 for Mac and PC platforms. Most notably, v8 introduces Push/Pull Modeling tools with intelligent face snapping via LogiCursor for intuitive positioning. ViaCAD 2D/3D v8 continues to raise the bar for state of the art digital design at an industry low $99. Come visit our lab site to access the beta and join in on the discussion of this exciting upgrade.

V8 New Features Videos
Check out the new Push/Pull modeling videos.

Download ViaCAD 2D/3D v8
Download a fully functional beta.

PunchCAD Labs
News and activity regarding PunchCAD development.

The ViaCAD and Shark products include thousands of pre-made CAD symbols categorized under the AEC, Electrical, Mechanical, and Process Plant & Piping headings. These are found under the Symbols tab in the Concepts Explorer dialog box which allow simple drag and drop of these symbols into your drawings.

In addition, to the symbols that come along with the application, you can create custom symbols.
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One of the little known features of the Punch!CAD products is the ability for the user to change the tool icons. Below are a list of some of the interesting changes you can do regarding the tool icons.

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Encore Software is pleased

to announce an open beta for our next major release of Punch!^® Home Design Studio Pro product for Mac.  Please find information below regarding this exciting upgrade for Mac home design users.

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Encore Software is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Shark  FX v7.  This major product update contains over 140 new features spanning 2D drafting, 3D modeling, interoperability, and photorealistic rendering.  Read more about the new features or download a trial version here.

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Encore Software is pleased to announce the next major release of ViaCAD 2D/3D. With over 100+ new features, ViaCAD 2D/3D V7 continues to provide intuitive 2D drafting and 3D modeling tools perfect for all types of design projects. With enhancements such as the Gripper, users can easily explore modifications in 3D by simply grabbing hold of graphical handles and dragging about to explore “what if” scenarios. Users working in 2D will find more tools for drafting and annotating including the addition of the Inspector which provides quick access to explore attribute settings within their design projects.

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Blending is one of those features where you gotta love using CAD.

When a complicated blend comes back successfully, it’s one of those “oh yeah” moments. We made a video demoing some of ViaCAD/Shark’s blending capability using a part that had stumped Rhino users. Click on the movie below which has several of those moments.

But… there are times when it does not work and you get frustrated. A frequent situation is that where the radius is too large for the given geometry. Another common issue is when the edges and nearby faces are nearly tangent (greater than 2 degrees less than 5). Below is a video by Nick Johnson of CADSoft Solutions Limited that demonstrates how to repair a body to blend that has the “nearly tangent” issue.