Is there any simple vector drawing application that can let me make rough sketches with arbitrary units?

For example, I want to be able to draw a rectangle that is exactly 2’6 x 12".

If I scale it by 50% it should be 15" x 6". I want to be able to measure distances. I don’t want to keep track of a scale/conversion/ratio in my head, that’s a perfect job for computer.

In the old Sketchup software (RIP) you could type the measurements in while drawing or manipulating objects. It was extremely fast and intuitive. I don’t need 3d modelling; it was just a great UI.

All I can find is CAD and it is way overkill. Not gonna design a cotton gin or a circuit board. I just want to make a simple floor plan to see if the furniture would fit the way I want to arrange it. Or estimate material requirements for projects.

Desired features: Layers, customizable/smart keyboard shortcuts, colors, rectangle circle lines, transform/scale/skew/rotate, group/lock objects, rulers grids guide snapping.

anything?

  • AmazingAwesomator@lemmy.world
    5·
    5 months ago

    you mentioned CAD was a bit too much for what you are looking for; however, there is a simple code-only cad program that makes simple tasks like making a shape super easy: openscad

    https://openscad.org/

    example:

    Circle(17);

    makes a 17mm radius circle.

  • otacon239@lemmy.world
    2·
    5 months ago

    I personally use Blender to sketch things out. It has the Grease Pencil for 2d work and it has pretty decent systems for measuring. There’s even an add-on called MeasureIt, which allows you to add notations to dimensions.

  • mko@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    2·
    5 months ago

    Take a look at Draw.io. It has an online mode, but also binary downloads for most operating systems (with everything saved locally).

    I agree on your assessment of SketchUp - the old 2017 binary is still my go-to for woodworking design, even if it is a Windows install.

    • layzerjeyt@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
      1·
      5 months ago

      Can’t think of any better designed and built software package I ever used than sketchup desktop. I wasted soooo much time making needlessly detailed 3d renderings of things around me. I sort of specifically dont want anything that good because it was way too engaging and a real time sink. So fun though. I miss it.

      Its criminal to throw that much good code in the trash. If the companies don’t want it it should revert to worker control or go to an archive/conservation organization. Another great product destroyed by capitalism.

      I now need the try the various viable programs that have been recommended.