Sketch program choices

[John Hassler]

I am currently using Winsketch only because it is integrated and promoted by my software vendor. I find it to be a rather limited program with clumbsy features. I loved DC Sketch except for the fact that it was a DOS program. If you love your sketch program please share.

John Hassler

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

I am a big fan of Apex, have used it since 1987. It does intergrate with all the appraisal software programs. You can either buy it alone (which I do--so I can ask them for help) or you can buy it with your appraisal software. I only have to call them for help when one of my computers blows up and I have to change my registration. The best feature of Apex is their free form line, you can play around with it before selecting an area to calculate and do all sorts of strange line drawings in free form, which doesn't cause any problems. If you change your mind several times while doing a calculation are, it then can have problems. So I work on the problem in free form before selecting a calculated area. The latest version includes a survey module free (it use to be an extra fee) so you can sketch out legal descriptions, it will then calculate the area--and write the legal description for you. If you loved playing with an etch a sketch when you were a child--Apex will be fun! Oh by the way, both your software program and Apex will need to be 32 bit programs. Although there are 16 bit programs--but it could become difficult to get technical support.

 

[George W Dodd]

I am a big fan of Apex, have used it since 1987.

ditto

 

[John Hassler]

Nice to hear some kind words about a software program. It seem most stuff for retail sale is really retail beta. I'll download Apex over the weekend (between appointments) and check it out! Many thanks.

John Hassler

 

[Mountain Man]

John,
Like you, I usually us my software's sketch program because it intergrates so well. But, I love Apex for the features of being able to do land areas by meets and bounds, and odd angles on Y shaped homes.

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

When downloading Apex, it asks if it will be your main sketch program, if you say yes, then it becomes part of your appraisal software package. With Day 1, I access Apex while I am in a form, it then brings the GLA back to the form when I exit out of Day 1 and places the sketch on a Win sketch addendum page which is included in the pdf file. If printing instead of creating a pdf file I can print out the Apex sketch if I want too or the Win sketch addendum page. So both Apex and Day 1, I find very easy to work with.

 

[KD247]

DCSketch has newer versions that integrate well (copy and paste) with any appraisal software.

To be honest, I haven't fully explored other sketching programs, but I am under the impression that none of them offer DC's features. The most important to me is the ability to copy ground floors to second and third levels, and then easily modify and drag walls to reflect the differences between floors. Dragging walls is also important to me when a sketch doesn't "close" by six inches or when an arc or angled wing doesn't line up exactly.

If I'm wrong, and some other program offers these features, I'd love to hear about it. In the meantime, many of the appraisers I know have used DCSketch for the last 12 or so years and wouldn't switch unless they were forced to.

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

I haven't tried the copy of other floors with Apex, but the free form lines with Apex is the solution for the other problems. I use the free form to square the improvement, to try to figure out odd angles, curves, wings, etc to a property before I choose a caculated area. The I join a corner and just follow the lines, joining at corners and there is my neat sketch with all it's oddball angles, turns and curves with one drawing of the calculated area.

 

[aprazer]

Apex is the best. You can clone areas, and with the crosshair cursor, you can line up odd lines/angles. The ability to create curves/arcs and to use free form-allows you to draw pretty much anything. There are a lot of features that many people don't ever use or know about. Most people learn the basics which is usually enough to draw the vast majority of homes.

 

[KD247]

I'm really curious to know whether Apex or Winsketch allows you to "tweak" a sketch after it's drawn.

For example, to create a second floor in DCSketch, I copy the first floor, drag some walls, cut out the stairwell, and eliminate other areas.

Or, if I'm using an old sketch for a new subject with same floorplan, I can drag one or two walls to incorporate a family room addition or bonus room.

Like Apex, DCSketch also has a crosshair cursor, and unlimited curves/arcs and angles. I'd just like to know who hard it is to change the sketch once it's closed.