AutoCAD vs. AutoCAD LT - hatching, printing

Our customers often ask us whether they should buy AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT? There's lots of good data out there regarding the differences, like AutoCAD 2010 vs. AutoCAD 2010 LT matrix, but sometimes it's hard to read between the lines if you haven't used both products.

Recently a customer asked specifically about the differences with respect to hatching and printing. I needed to dig around for the answer and thought it was worth sharing:

- AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT ship with identical versions of the hatch (.pat) file so out of the box they have the same hatch patterns available. (NOTE: AutoCAD Architecture does ship with over 100 additional hatches that are architect-specific.)
- Printing and Batch Printing are the same in AutoCAD LT and AutoCAD.
- One difference worth noting however, is that AutoCAD LT does not have a Sheet Set Manager.

I can't imagine working without the Sheet Set Manager (SSM) on projects with more than five sheets. For eTransmitting, Printing, and Publishing the SSM saves tons of time.

For more info on the nuances between AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, I’ve found that LT Help is a good resource.

Submitted by: Glynnis Patterson, N.C.A.R.B. – Director of Services
Glynnis is a Registered Architect and has been a consultant to the AEC industry since 1998. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, she has worked as an architect, educator and construction site manager. In 2002, she was invited to speak at the 2002 Autodesk Worldwide One Team Conference about the future of CAD in the AEC market. Glynnis is currently the Director of Development Services at Ideate, Inc. and continues to work with AEC clients across the nation, developing, and implementing best practices solutions.