OK I got the new version -- Furniture Maker 10. It
might be worth the "deal" price.
Many functions work much better, but, the language in the Videos is "strange" Czinglish -- even if read by a native "American" (as opposed to English) speaker... Some of the videos are in
proper Czinglish -- none are in "English".
You have to run the videos several times to fully understand the importance of far too many steps.
But yes I built some custom cabinets and am currently working on a router table design.... I have had to re-do the top several times due to misunderstanding the steps required to get the "optimization" and material assignment steps correct... The last time will be because I extruded a wrong inner diameter on the inset for the router plate -- my fault -- not theirs...
I figured out how to add materials and run the optimization and assign "patterns"/"materials to the components...
So I can get 80% of what I need.
What is not there is an intelligent routine to build labels. Now, I work in metric, but the only
easily available labels that are suitable are on 8 1/2" X 11" paper...
not the "easily available" label forms template they supply -- available on A4. One of the disadvantages of living in Canada I guess.
For the specifications and so on they can download the program and hunt out the specifications here...
http://www.avery.ca/avery/en_ca/I will describe how to find the specifications later when I remind myself -- but I did find them...
By specifications I mean top,bottom, right and left margins, horizontal distance between labels and actual label size...
Cutlist was able to create a Label Routine -- surely it is not beyond these programmers -- who clearly can do many very clever things... Maybe the should use one of the third party report writers -- I can recommend some...
That has to be fixed or people who use System 32 in Canada and the US and who need labels will be disappointed and likely never use the package....
Why do you need labels? Well, break down 20-30 sheets of MDF/Melamine or Plywood -- with lots of different sized parts and you will find your self constantly using a measuring tape to find the parts.
If you break down the goods in smaller batches you use a lot more material -- which can kill you on the cost side.
Then there is the manual...
For example...
They use the word "assortment" to mean raw materials description list and inventory.
A counter-top is a desktop.
A Socle (correct word actually for a special purpose plinth/pedestal) is the counter unit "kick plate".
Test: What is a frieze -- quick now? Time counts...
Probably the "raw materials Templates" should be separated -- rather than having that huge flat file.
So the terminology is a killer without careful use of a dictionary.
Now my first language -- long forgotten -- was Ukrainian/Russian and most of my relatives spoke broken English -- so I am used to the mangling of the language. (I read several Latin languages for my work and speak two languages besides English) -- so the point is I am used to Language mangling -- I do it myself.
Now I have worked with a Czech firm to translate a manual used for database design -- which is highly technical and calls for precise wording and translations. In some parts they even had misunderstanding of how their own product worked (it worked correctly) so it made for "lively discussions".
Point being I am used to and unafraid of this process.
However, the manual and videos are probably among the worst I have seen.
The training materials and the product desperately need work and some serious cooperation with the developers cleaning up their product language issues. It also needs methodology clarification -- like don't apply materials till you take the first step within the Furniture Maker 10 Work Flow...The Generate Step.
It also needs clarification of how important it is to assign each piece to the correct layers...
It likely needs a "table Top" layer (as opposed to desktop) layer -- since router table tops and coffee table tops are likely different than counter tops (their desk top) -- though I have not explored this issue.
Surprisingly
I would still recommend it -- it iff you have the patience to cope.
Note the "iff" -- that's mathematician talk for "if and ONLY if"...
A product that can take you from the concept through the production documents is a worthwhile endeavor. A user base here could push these issues through.
I will add more later.