AutoCAD for Mac Services & Support

How is AutoCAD for Mac different from AutoCAD?

AutoCAD® for Mac® includes the most popular functionality of AutoCAD, such as 2D and 3D design tools (including 3D free-form modeling), 3D visualization, customization of the user interface, support for LISP and ObjectARX®/DBX applications, and more. AutoCAD for Mac software also creates files in the same native DWG™ file format as AutoCAD software.

However, AutoCAD for Mac is not a straight 1:1 port of the Windows-based software. AutoCAD for Mac has a look and feel that is familiar to Mac users and a feature set most appropriate for the OS X environment. The grid below details the available functionality in AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD 2013 for Mac.

Some features not currently included in AutoCAD for Mac may be under consideration for future releases, while others are not due to platform incompatibilities or lack of user interest. Autodesk® welcomes your feedback regarding AutoCAD 2013 for Mac at feedbackacadmac@autodesk.com.

AutoCAD 2013 Platform Comparison Matrix (pdf - 549Kb)
FeatureWindowsMac
User Interaction
Command LineAvailableAvailable
Multifunctional GripsAvailableAvailable
Dynamic InputAvailableAvailable
Auto-Complete Command Entry¹AvailableAvailable
Hide and Isolate ObjectsAvailableAvailable
Create and Select Similar ObjectsAvailableAvailable
Delete Duplicate ObjectsAvailableAvailable
Properties PaletteAvailableAvailable
Quick Properties PaletteAvailable 
Quick ViewAvailableAvailable
In-Canvas Viewport ControlsAvailableAvailable
Editable UCS IconAvailableAvailable
Layer Tools²AvailableAvailable
Layer GroupsAvailableAvailable
Layer State Manager³Available 
New Layer NotificationAvailable 
FilterAvailable 
Quick SelectAvailable 
DesignCenterAvailable 
Tool PalettesAvailable 
Content Palette Available
Navigation BarAvailable 
ShowMotionAvailable 
Coverflow Navigation Available
Multi-touch Gestures Available
¹ Auto-complete may include commands and system variables that are not currently defined for Mac. System variables for missing features may still be editable but will have no effect if the accompanying feature is not included.They have been kept to help preserve scripting compatibility.
² Fundamental layer state operations can still be performed using the stAte option in the –LAYER command or using the layerstate-xxx AutoLISP functions.
³ Unavailable commands include: LAYCUR, LAYDEL, LAYMRG, LAYWALK, AND LAYVPI
Documentation Features
Geometry Creation & Measurement ToolsAvailableAvailable
Parametric ConstraintsAvailableAvailable
Associative ArraysAvailableAvailable
Copy ArrayAvailableAvailable
Object and Layer TransparencyAvailableAvailable
Strike-through TextAvailableAvailable
Blend CurvesAvailableAvailable
Multiple Hatch EditingAvailableAvailable
Sheet Set ManagerAvailable 
Project Manager Available
Dynamic Blocks¹AvailableAvailable
Model Documentation ToolsAvailable 
Geographic LocationAvailable 
Table Style EditingAvailable 
Hatch Creation PreviewAvailable 
Multiline Style CreationAvailable 
Digitizer IntegrationAvailable 
Change SpaceAvailable 
Express Tools²Available 
¹ Dynamic blocks created in Windows can be inserted and used on a Mac, but they cannot be modified.
² Some former Express Tools, including OVERKILL, are now included in the core feature set for both Windows and Mac.
Design Features
Solid ModelingAvailableAvailable
Mesh ModelingAvailableAvailable
Surface ModelingAvailableAvailable
Associative SurfacesAvailableAvailable
Surface Curve ExtractionAvailableAvailable
PressPullAvailableAvailable
Autodesk Materials LibraryAvailableAvailable
Material Creation, Editing, and MappingAvailable 
Basic RenderingAvailableAvailable
Sun Properties¹AvailableAvailable
Visual Styles¹AvailableAvailable
Advanced Rendering SettingsAvailable 
Camera CreationAvailable 
Walkthroughs, Flybys, and AnimationsAvailable 
Point Cloud SupportAvailable 
¹ On a Mac, these are found in the Properties Inspector. New visual styles may be created with -VISUALSTYLES.
Connectivity Features
External References (DWG)AvailableAvailable
Image UnderlaysAvailableAvailable
PDF UnderlaysAvailableAvailable
DWF UnderlaysAvailable 
DGN UnderlaysAvailable 
In-place Editing of DWG ReferencesAvailableAvailable
Batch PublishAvailableAvailable
Publish or Plot to PDFAvailableAvailable
Plot StylesAvailableAvailable
Plot Style Table EditorAvailableAvailable
AutoCAD WS ConnectivityAvailableAvailable
Autodesk 360 ConnectivityAvailable 
Data LinksAvailable 
Data ExtractionAvailable 
HyperlinksAvailable 
Markup Set ManagerAvailable 
dbConnect ManagerAvailable 
eTransmitAvailable 
WMF Import and ExportAvailable 
FBX Import and ExportAvailable 
SAT Import and ExportAvailableAvailable
Additional Model Import Available 
Licensing Features
Standalone LicensingAvailableAvailable
Network LicensingAvailableAvailable
Cross-Platform LicensingAvailableAvailable
Online License Transfer UtilityAvailableAvailable
Customization Features
CUI Files (Customizable Menus, Buttons, Toolsets/Toolbars)AvailableAvailable
Command AliasesAvailableAvailable
Ribbon CustomizationAvailable 
Right-click Menus, Keyboard Shortcuts, and Double-Click CustomizationAvailable 
ObjectARXAvailableAvailable
LISPAvailableAvailable
VisualLISPAvailable 
.NETAvailable 
VBAAvailable 
DCL DialogsAvailable 
Action Recorder and Action MacrosAvailable 
Reference Manager (Standalone Application)Available 
Dynamic Block AuthoringAvailable 
Custom DictionariesAvailable 
Password-protected DrawingsAvailable 
Digital SignaturesAvailable 
WorkspacesAvailable 
User ProfilesAvailable 
Migration ToolsAvailable 
CAD Standards ToolsAvailable 
CUI Import and ExportAvailable 
Support – Terms of Use
AUTODESK DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DOWNLOAD OR IMPLEMENT ANY SERVICE PACK OR WORKAROUND, OR ANY OF THE TIPS, TRICKS, EXAMPLES OR SUGGESTIONS OUTLINED IN ANY AUTODESK PRODUCT SUPPORT TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS. TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS, SERVICE PACKS AND WORKAROUNDS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE TO YOU. AUTODESK PROVIDES TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS, SERVICE PACKS AND WORKAROUNDS "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL AUTODESK OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF DATA, OR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, THAT MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF IMPLEMENTING ANY SERVICE PACK OR WORKAROUND, OR ANY SUGGESTION OUTLINED IN ANY AUTODESK PRODUCT SUPPORT TECHNICAL DOCUMENT, EVEN IF AUTODESK OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
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  • Document Information

    Published date: 2012-May-17
    ID: TS15833488

     

    Applies to:
    AutoCAD® 2013 for Mac®
    AutoCAD® 2012 for Mac®