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CADopia's TrueSpace for IntelliCAD is actually a repackaged copy of the TrueSpace 5.0 program, combined with their CAD File Converter add-on, which is normally provided as an extra-cost option for the standalone version of TrueSpace. The combination of TrueScape and IntelliCAD provides several useful additional features for the IntelliCAD user. The CAD add-on includes support for IGES, STL and SAT (ACIS) solid modelling files, formats which are not directly supported in IntelliCAD.

Although there are many benefits to having both IntelliCAD and TrueSpace operating together, it's important to realise these are two independent products which simply happen to share some common 3D file formats. There is no fundamental interlinking of these products present. So you can build 3D models in IntelliCAD and export them to TrueSpace for enhancement and rendering, or build 3D geometry in TrueSpace and bring it back into IntelliCAD, but in all cases there will be a DXF file translation process involved in transferring the geometry between the programs.

Having said that there are some clear advantages to having TrueSpace available, provided you feel the purchase price of the program makes these benefits worthwhile. In practical terms, an IntelliCAD user would probably do most of their 3D modelling in IntelliCAD, but hope that the TrueSpace option would provide some extra benefits at some stage. Obviously TrueSpace wouldn't have any application for someone who only uses IntelliCAD for 2D draughting work. 

TrueSpace is a full 3D modelling, rendering and animation program, so it duplicates many of the modelling functions in IntelliCAD. The Professional version of Cadopia's IntelliCAD already provides a basic rendering facility, based around the LightWork's renderer, which is fast and able to produce very good quality. It's really in the nature of the 3D modelling functions that the two programs differ.

TrueSpace is very much a freeform modelling type of program whereas IntelliCAD is a classic technical CAD program. It's perhaps most descriptive of their differences to identify IntelliCAD as the sort of program where you build dimensionally accurate 3D models while TrueSpace involves building models which look right, but where dimensions never really come into the equation. This fundamental difference is also reflected in the user interfaces of both programs. IntelliCAD uses the classic Windows standard layout, with a menu bar across the top of the screen. The FILES pulldown is on the left and the HELP pulldown on the right. In contrast, TrueSpace provides many colourful icons and, by default, the menu bar is across the bottom of the screen. This fundamental difference in user interfaces can be the biggest drawback in using TrueSpace, particularly for experienced CAD people.

It's important to state there is nothing wrong with the TrueSpace user interface. It's just very "different", particularly for someone who may have been using classic CAD programs for several years. In concept it's very clever and its clear objective is to provide an interface which is both intuitive and enjoyable to use. People with an animation background would probably like it a lot. But it does tend to make different assumptions to those a CAD program makes, and that's why some CAD people can find it very difficult to come to terms with TrueSpace.

TrueSpace's user interface is very "different", particularly for someone who may have been using classic CAD programs.

A case in point is the ZOOM command. TrueSpace works on the concept of modelling in a 3D World, where you view most editing opeerations from a 3D perspective. The view manipulation and editing tools available to you operate with this general concept in mind. So zooming involves moving closer to, or further away from your 3D geometry. In contrast, CAD tends to view the 3D World in terms of 2D plans and elevations. So here zooming involves acting on a 2D view of a 3D object. My CAD background showed itself when I went looking for a "Zoom Window" command in TrueSpace, only to find there isn't one. You need to develop a different mindset in order to come to terms with the TrueSpace interface. Generally, people will either love it or hate it.

The TrueSpace user interface operation relies in principle on picking particular regions of the screen in order to perform certain functions. This is good as you can, once you're familiar with the operation, perform many functions rapidly without needing to select menu options.

3D icons are also provided to handle other types of screen manipulation. Clicking on various parts of these 3D icons also cause particular screen, or object, operations to become active, such as panning, moving, rotating about a particular axis, etc.

3D icons are provided to handle other types of screen manipulation.

Once you know how these functions work the screen handling does become very intuitive. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of initial learning in order to remember all the possibilities. No matter how much some people will try to convince you an icon based user interface is naturally intuitive, the fact is you still have to remember certain things. The TrueSpace interface is powerful, and complex, so there is a lot to learn. Fortunately a point is reached where everything does fall into place. You simply have to persevere.

Even if the interface defeats you there is still good reason to invest in TrueSpace. It is very well endowed with file import and export options, quite apart from those provided with the CAD File Converter. I know of one animation company which bought TrueSpace just for the file conversion capabilities it provided.

Apart from the native TrueSpace 3D format (COB), it can also read 3D Studio's format (both the ASCII and 3DS binary forms), Microsoft Direct X, VRML 1.0, Imagine, LightWave, VideoScape, Wavefront and AutoCAD DXF, plus STL, IGES and ACIS (SAT) formats, and also read Postscript files, but the latter only as 2D data. Geometry can be written to Direct X, VRML, DXF and 3D Studio (both ASCII and binary forms). Output, in the form of rendered images, can also be output to Microsoft AVI (Audio/Video Interleave), Windows BMP, Autodesk FLC, JPEG, Targa, PNG and TIFF formats.

File transfers to and from IntelliCAD would have to be done using the DXF format, as this is the only format common to both programs.

Although the 3D modelling functions in TrueSpace are not "technical" in nature, there is much merit in building some base 3D geometry in IntelliCAD, importing that into TrueSpace for enhancement, using the much more sophisticated modelling and editing functions available there, then returning the revised geometry back to IntelliCAD (TrueSpace offers many clever 3D functions and supports NURBS surfaces). This is the only practical way I can see IntelliCAD and TrueSpace being used together. If you really wanted sophisticated freeform 3D modelling you would have purchased TrueSpace to begin with, and not IntelliCAD. Nevertheless they can operate well together.

Because TrueSpace is intended for the manipulation of models in a fully rendered state, a fast computer and accelerated graphics  card are highly recommended. The faster the computer the more smoothly the program flows. Most current computers provide the level of performance necessary. Although they suggests a Pentium 120 or faster I would be recommending a Pentium III or faster for best results.

The program is supplied on a single CD-ROM, enclosed in a protective plastic case, with no other material included. A full installation occupies about 122 megabytes of hard disk space. The documentation for the program is extensive, but provided only in digital format, as PDF files on the distribution CD-ROM.

TrueSpace is a useful addition to IntelliCAD, even though it can be considered to be an equivalent product in many ways. For an IntelliCAD users I see TrueSpace as offering a range of complementary facilities, without needing to use all it's available functions.

TrueSpace can operate as a file import/export application, expanding the range of formats accessible to IntelliCAD. Its 3D functions are also much more sophisticated than those in IntelliCAD, so using it to build specific 3D objects, which are then returned to IntelliCAD as DXF geometry, is also a practical use of the product.

While the TrueSpace renderer is very good, and the program offers keyframe animation, in some respects the IntelliCAD internal renderer (based around LightWorks) can give better still images for architectural and mechanical applications than the TrueSpace equivalent. Overall though, if you do lots of 3D modelling, TrueSpace for IntelliCAD is worth considering.

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