"DoubleCAD stands for 'Drafting & Detailing'... and with our new PRO version, we really feel we're raising the AutoCAD LT bar," stated Royal Farros, CEO of IMSI/Design.

Based on IMSI/Design's award-winning CAD code with over two million copies sold worldwide, DoubleCAD XT PRO works like AutoCAD LT -- that is, you get high-level AutoCAD (.DWG) compatibility and a familiar menu bar, menu items, drawing tools, modify tools, command line, even a familiar intelligent cursor.

But DoubleCAD XT PRO goes beyond AutoCAD LT with useful features like an innovative Drafting Palette, powerful parametric 2D constraints, and terrific workflow compatibility with other popular applications like Google™ SketchUp™ (NASD: GOOG) and Blender... for about half the cost of AutoCAD LT.

"Our goal is to intelligently improve upon AutoCAD LT," added Farros. "We think this is an upgrade AutoCAD LT users will be excited to see."

DoubleCAD XT PRO's Drafting Palette is exceptionally powerful and unique and expedites the drafting-to-detailing process. It creates associative 2D sections based on standard views or sectional planes of 3D surface or ACIS® solid models, including XREFs. You can even create nested, associative sections (i.e., cross-sections of cross-sections). The 2D views may be placed in paperspaces (layouts), hatched, dimensioned, and annotated. Because they are associative, if the model is changed, or the section plane is updated, the 2D profiles, hatches, and fills are also updated automatically.

"The time savings alone of knowing that each view in each paperspace is automatically updated can easily pay for the product in a single design project," said Farros.

Geometric and dimensional constraints are also new to the AutoCAD LT world. Users can perform rapid rework and 'What If' analysis without having to manually redraw each geometric or dimension change.

"What used to take minutes or hours now takes seconds," continued Farros. "Here is a simple example: Parallel lines in a parking lot are usually between 11 and 13 feet. Adjusting this distance to optimize parking spots is as easy as entering a value. Everything adjusts automatically. That doesn't happen in AutoCAD LT -- and is only now being added to AutoCAD 2010."

DoubleCAD XT PRO also contains other powerful, professional CAD capabilities that go beyond AutoCAD LT, such as a range of intelligent (parametric) architectural objects, Parametric Parts Manager, Bill Of Materials (BOM), Design Director, and XREFS from any supported file format, as well as innovative features like self-healing walls, self-aligning blocks, handle-based editing of selected objects, snap prioritization, brush editor, and smart dimensions.

With high-level .DWG support, exchanging drawings with AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT is simple and straightforward. A DoubleCAD .DWG file, containing AEC-compatible objects like walls and windows, can even be brought into AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT and designs retain their self-healing properties. This could save hours of adjustment and iteration if they are ever brought back into AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, neither of which can create this intelligence on their own.

DoubleCAD XT PRO also has superior compatibility with Google SketchUp, importing all visible geometry, layers, and components, converting all components to DoubleCAD blocks to optimize drawing performance, and creating a paperspace from each SketchUp scene, thereby saving time by automatically creating viewports with the correct layer visibility and 2D or perspective view properties. These paperspace views are also immediately ready for dimensioning and annotation.

DoubleCAD XT PRO has one of the widest varieties of file filters in the CAD industry, including support for .DWG (AutoCAD R14 [1997] to 2009), .SKP, .SAT, .3DS, .OBJ, and .IGS, and more. The product has a fully customizable interface and includes one-year free premium customer support.

"We think DoubleCAD XT PRO will make an impact in the AutoCAD community, especially with those involved in drafting and detailing" added Farros.


About DoubleCAD XT PRO

DoubleCAD XT PRO is an AutoCAD LT work-alike that goes beyond AutoCAD LT in terms of CAD capabilities and drafting detail. DoubleCAD XT PRO is $695. For more information, visit http://www.DoubleCAD.com. Visit user forums at http://forums.DoubleCAD.com.


About DoubleCAD XT (free CAD software application)

DoubleCAD XT is a free AutoCAD LT work-alike that also contains many new, innovative features such as self-healing walls, self-aligning blocks, modern handle-based editing, snap prioritization, brush editor, and smart dimensions. DoubleCAD XT is free for commercial and personal use. For more information, visit http://www.DoubleCAD.com. Visit user forums at http://forums.DoubleCAD.com.


About IMSI/Design

IMSI/Design is the global leader in retail CAD (Computer Aided Design). With over 15 million products sold since 1988, IMSI/Design products include the award-winning TurboCAD®, TurboFLOORPLAN™, DesignCAD™, and IDX® Renditioner families of precision design applications. Please visit www.IMSIdesign.com for more information.

CONTACT:
IMSI/Design
Pam Volpe
415.483.8025
pr@imsidesign.com

© 2009 IMSI/Design, LLC. All rights reserved. DoubleCAD™, TurboCAD®, DesignCAD®, IDX®, and IMSI/Design® are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of IMSI/Design, LLC. All other identifiable marks are the property of their respective owners.

NOVATO, Calif., February 5, 2009– IMSI/Design, maker of the #1 best-selling CAD in retail, announced today it is entering the corporate CAD market with DoubleCAD XT, an AutoCAD LT work-alike that will be distributed online at no charge.

"DoubleCAD stands for 'Drafting & Detailing'... and if you're an AutoCAD shop and need an extra seat of AutoCAD LT -- or just need a better way to create 2D construction documents -- why spend $1,200? We think free is pretty compelling," stated Royal Farros, CEO of IMSI/Design.

Based on IMSI/Design's award-winning CAD code with over two million copies sold worldwide, DoubleCAD XT works like AutoCAD LT but goes beyond in a number of important areas, including innovative features like self-healing, ADT-compatible walls, self-aligning blocks, advanced handle-based editing, snap prioritization, a brush editor, and smart dimensions.

DoubleCAD XT also has productivity tools not found in AutoCAD LT that can accelerate the drawing experience. Special line, arc, and circle tools automatically create tangent, parallel and perpendicular entities without snaps, allowing the user to proceed without resetting their snap modes. Tools such as multiline, bezier curves, and fixed ratio ellipses extend the types of entities you can create, expediting drawing production. And modify tools, such as meet-two-lines and convert-to-curve, eliminate the use of cumbersome tools found in other CAD applications.

With high-level .DWG support, exchanging drawings with AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT is simple and straightforward. A DoubleCAD™ .DWG file, containing ADT-compatible walls and self-aligning blocks, can even be brought into AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT and designs retain their self-healing properties. This intelligent behavior can save hours of adjustment and iteration within AutoCAD products, making DoubleCAD XT a great companion and an easy way to kick-start a project.

"We think DoubleCAD XT will really surprise everyone in the AutoCAD world, especially those involved in drafting and detailing and exchanging files," said Farros. "This isn't a product you would expect for free."

DoubleCAD XT also has superior compatibility with Google SketchUp, importing all visible geometry, layers, and components, converting all components to DoubleCAD blocks to optimize drawing performance, creating a paper space from each SketchUp scene, and allowing you to visualize 3D models, even with hidden line and perspective, giving you a printable 2D drawing from the moment you import a model.

"DoubleCAD XT is the CAD of choice for Google SketchUp users wanting to go from concept-to-construction drawings," added Farros. "It's also a great companion to AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, especially those with older copies that can't read the latest AutoCAD files. We think there are a lot of good reasons why DoubleCAD XT will be popular."


About DoubleCAD™ XT

DoubleCAD™ XT is an AutoCAD LT® work-alike and is available at no charge for commercial and personal use. To download, visit http://www.DoubleCAD.com. Visit user forums at http://forums.DoubleCAD.com.


About DoubleCAD™ XT Pro

DoubleCAD™ XT Pro is the upgrade to DoubleCAD™ XT. It is an AutoCAD LT work-alike that goes beyond even AutoCAD LT® in terms of CAD capabilities, especially in the area of drafting and detailing. Most significantly, DoubleCAD™ XT Pro includes a powerful and innovative Drafting Palette that expedites the drafting-to-detailing process by creating fully associative, 2D views or hatched sections (even from xrefs). Other unique features include geometric and dimensional constraints (lightning-fast "what if" design scenarios), a range of intelligent (parametric) architectural objects, Parametric Parts Manager, Bill Of Materials (BOM), Design Director, and premium customer support, as well as self-healing walls, self-aligning blocks, advanced handle-based editing, snap prioritization, brush editor, smart dimensions, and viewport editing. DoubleCAD™ XT Pro also has a number of useful tools not found in AutoCAD LT, including special line, arc, and circle tools, as well as multiline, bezier, fixed ration ellipses, meet-two-lines, and convert-to-curve tools. The product has a fully customizable interface and includes one of the widest varieties of file filters in the CAD industry, including support for .DWG (AutoCAD R14 [1997] to 2009), .SKP, .SAT, .3DS, .OBJ, .IGS, .STEP, and more. DoubleCAD™ XT Pro is $695 and is expected to ship in Q1 2009. For more information, visit http://www.DoubleCAD.com.


About IMSI/Design

IMSI/Design is the global leader in retail CAD (Computer Aided Design). With over 15 million products sold since 1988, IMSI/Design products include the award-winning TurboCAD®, TurboFLOORPLAN™, DesignCAD™, and IDX® Renditioner families of precision design applications. Please visit www.IMSIdesign.com for more information.

CONTACT:
IMSI/Design Pam Volpe
415.483.8025
pr@imsidesign.com

© 2009 IMSI/Design, LLC. All rights reserved. DoubleCAD™, TurboCAD®, DesignCAD®, IDX®, and IMSI/Design® are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of IMSI/Design, LLC. All other identifiable marks are the property of their respective owners.

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