• Manufacturing
• AEC
• GIS
• CAD Management
• Cadalyst Magazine
  • Purchase Latest Issue
  • Cadalyst Access Program
  • Magazine Archives (2004-2009)
• E-Newsletters
  • Tips & Tools Archives
  • CAD Manager's Newsletter Archives
  • AEC Newsletter Archives
  • MCAD Newsletter Archives
  • GIS Tech News Archives
  • HP Workstation Innovation News
  • Dell Tech Insider
  • Harry's Code Class Archives
  • Subscribe E-newsletters
• CAD Software & Hardware Reviews
• Columns
  • "CAD Manager" Column, by Robert Green
  • "Circles & Lines" AutoCAD Tutorial, by Lynn Allen
  • "Editor's Window" Editorials, by Nancy Spurling Johnson
  • "Learning Curve" AutoCAD Tutorial, by Bill Fane
  • "User Profile" Column
  • "Viewpoint" Guest Column
• CAD Software Tutorials
  • All CAD Tutorials
  • "Circles & Lines" AutoCAD Tutorial, by Lynn Allen
  • "Learning Curve" AutoCAD Tutorial, by Bill Fane
• CAD Tips & Tools
  • Cadalyst CAD Tips - Tips and Downloadable AutoCAD Code
  • Video Tips Gallery
  • Tips & Tools Weekly Newsletter Archives
  • CAD Software Tutorials
  • Cadalyst Benchmark Test
• CAD Video Gallery
  • All Cadalyst Videos
  • All-in-One Video Tips by Curt Moreno (Sponsored by HP)
  • AutoCAD Video Tips by Lynn Allen
• CADspeed: Hardware Blog
• Cadalyst Benchmark Test
• CAD Events Calendar
• CAD Cartoons
• Reader Polls
• Subscriber Services
• Job Search
• Cadalyst Store
• Advertising

GTXImage CAD PLUS 2000

GTX's Image CAD PLUS 2000 is a stand-alone automatic raster-to-vector program built on an OEM version of AutoCAD 2000.

GTX Corp.
Stand-Alone
5 stars out of 5
602.224.8700

Look familiar? GTX's Image CAD PLUS 2000 is a stand-alone automatic raster-to-vector program built on an OEM version of AutoCAD 2000. This raster hatching is about to be recognized and converted to vector.

GTX Corp. has developed raster-to-vector conversion tools since the 1980s. Its offerings have evolved into the AutoCAD-based GTXRaster CAD series and the stand-alone GTXImage CAD series based on AutoCAD OEM versions.

Using GTXImage CAD PLUS ($3,495) is not that different from using GTXRaster CAD PLUS, the highly recommended AutoCAD 2000–based plug-in we reviewed last time. ImageCAD PLUS 2000 is built on an OEM version of AutoCAD 2000, and its tools are in the same places and work the same as in GTXRaster.

When I reviewed GTX software in one of my first CADALYST articles in November 1992, I described it as "AutoCAD for raster," and that is as true as ever. More than any other program, GTX-Image CAD PLUS lets you use AutoCAD-like commands to work with raster data. AutoCAD users certainly have a head start on learning and understanding how the program works.

GTX installs some additional programs into your Start menu. GTXRasTrans is a raster-format converter you can use to convert image files between any of the 33 supported formats. GTX OSR (open systems recognition) is a batch conversion system that vectorizes mechanical and GIS files automatically.

GTXImage CAD Plus 2000 comes with a perfect-bound 540- page manual that includes a 30-page tutorial. The Image series is also available in less powerful versions: GTXImage Edit (image cleanup and raster editing) and GTXImage CAD (image cleanup, raster editing, and hybrid raster and vector functions). My only complaint is trivial, but the authorization scheme is irritating. Not only must you install the HASP hardware lock, you must authorize the software by fax and wait for GTX to return a code. Surely one or the other would be sufficient. Highly Recommended.