AutoCAD LT for Mac: The Details

You asked, we answered: AutoCAD LT 2012 for Mac is now available for purchase on the Mac App Store.

What does it look like?

AutoCAD LT for Mac looks a lot like AutoCAD for Mac, and a lot like AutoCAD LT.

The drawing window is essentially the same whether you're on Windows or Mac, as is the status bar. The Windows ribbon is replaced with the Apple Menu Bar and Toolsets. There are three Toolsets included: Getting Started, Drafting, and Annotation. You can also create your own through the CUI command.

You may also notice that the command line is turned off by default. Don't worry, it's not gone -- it's just in the Window menu (or accessed by ⌘3), along with Layers (⌘4) and Properties (⌘5).

How is AutoCAD LT for Mac similar to AutoCAD LT?

In essence, these two programs are the same. They both provide the drafting & detailing tools you need to create your professional design documents. Annotation scaling, external reference editing, associative array, command auto-complete, Delete Duplicate Objects -- all these features work exactly the same on both operating systems, not to mention the classic create/modify/annotate tools.

How about the differences between AutoCAD LT for Mac and AutoCAD LT?

We tried to make the two programs as similar as possible, but the differences between the Windows and OS X platforms mean they aren't identical. As you see in the image above, the user interface is a little different, but not so odd that you won't be able to find commands. Plus, there's always the Help search to show you where commands are in the Menu bar. (A feature that would be nice to have on Windows!)

A few features from the Windows side haven't made the leap to Mac yet, for a variety of reasons. PDF Underlay, Sheet Set Manager, and dynamic block creation are the most noticeable; we're working on a document that will give more information on the specific feature sets.

There are also a few features that only work on the Mac side. These include multitouch gestures like the two-finger pinch for zooming and the two-finger swipe for panning, the Quick View palette, and the Content palette. These last two have counterparts in Windows (Quick View Layouts/Drawings and Design Center/Content Explorer), but are their own features.

Other than that, many of the differences are cosmetic. The Options and CUI dialog are both set up differently on the Mac, but function in essentially the same way. PICKADD is set to 0 by default, but if you've read this blog for a while you know how to change that if you want to.

What are the differences between AutoCAD LT for Mac and AutoCAD for Mac?

Here's the comparison matrix. The short version is that if it wasn't available in AutoCAD LT before, it isn't now either. That means LISP/VBA/etc., 3D modeling, network licensing, and creation of parametric elements.

Does AutoCAD LT for Mac use the same DWG files as AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT?

You bet! We knew that this wouldn't be any good to you if you couldn't easily share files with others, so once a DWG file has been created, you can't tell by looking at it whether it came from AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT or from a Windows PC or a Mac. (Okay, if the DWG has 3D elements, you get a hint about part of where it came from.)

What are the system requirements?

They're in the FAQ (page 3). Lion and Snow Leopard (10.6.4) are both supported, and although the last few years of Mac products are supported, to be honest you'll be better off with newer hardware like a MacBook Pro 6,1 or later or an iMac 11,1 or later.

How do I try/buy AutoCAD LT for Mac?

AutoCAD LT 2012 for Mac is currently available for $899.99 in the Mac App Store for users in the US and Canada only. (Notice this is not the same App Store where you get things for your iPad or iPhone -- although AutoCAD WS is available there for free.) If you'd like to be notified when AutoCAD LT for Mac is available in your country, sign up here.

Due to the restrictions of the App Store, we are not currently able to offer a trial version of AutoCAD LT 2012 for Mac. If you want to try before you buy (understandable), I'd go get the 30-day free version of AutoCAD for Mac, then make sure you fully read the comparison matrix before you go get AutoCAD LT.