CYCAS: A Linux Alternative for AutoCAD/ArchiCAD

CYCAS is a piece of architectural software for drafting and design in 2 + 3 dimensions. In addition to typical CAD functions, CYCAS offers special elements and techniques for architectural design. Therefore, you can easily design and draft your ideas.

For Linux, CYCAS is offered in these versions:

• CYCAS professional: Commercial license
• CYCAS campus: license for non commercial only and educational use
• CYCAS basic: Commercial license

Developing professional 2D presentation of your design is worked out as fast as and as effective as illustrating your design 3 dimensional. CYCAS enables intuitive and uncomplicated handling of 2D and 3D elements.

The input of architectural elements such as of walls, openings and e.g. of dimension chains is intuitive and therefore it is easy to develop the concepts of a design. On top of that 3D elements and 3D units can be worked in for achieving professional 3D presentations.

In various perspective views you may create line graphics or hidden line graphics.

CYCAS exports its 3D data in various formats in order to pass these data on to software for creating computer based graphics. Therefore, you can quickly arrange a high quality presentation of your design.

CYCAS is being continuously developed for all those people who want to design, represent and build architecture.

Features:

User Interface
Easy to handle. Dialog boxes to design drawing elements easily with a database function to improve work flow. A layer technique which is flexible to employ. It simulates working with transparency sheets. HTML online help, illustrated with many graphics. Graphical user interface based on GTK (The Gimp Toolkit).
Elements 2D
Lines, circles, texts, patterns and color fillings, calculation of areas and volumina, semi-automatic and manual measurement, support of architectural presentation, extendable Symbol library
Elements 3D
Architectural elements such as walls, openings, windows, doors, 3D basics, extendable Symbol library
3D
Intuitive working in the ground plan, elevation and isometric views. Computing graphics such as hidden line graphics or wire graphics from various perspective or isometric views. Direct export to POV-Ray [TM of the POV-Ray Team] module to generate high-quality rendered images easily. Extendable Material database to support output of 3D data to renderer.

Here are some screenshot of projects that create with Cycas:







You can try and download Cycas for Linux at here.