# drawing programe



## locoboy (Sep 7, 2008)

Guys,
Since my early found success in making my garden planter i would like to make some more but i would like to try some different designs.

Some of you guys have knocked up some drawings and posted them on here in the past and i was wondering if you could point me to an easy to use free softwarte package that would allow me to design and draw up some garden planters.

Any ideas?
Many thanks


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## tdubnik (Dec 18, 2008)

Try Google SketchUp. 

You can design just about anything you want and it's free.

www. sketchup.google.com (just remove the space between the "." and the "s")

I can't post actual links yet.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tony

Take care with Google SketchUp you can't uninstall it 


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Yes, Sketchup is very popular. Another free one is GIMP. A very nice program. www.gimp.org
There is also Paint.net but it requires you to also install Microsoft .NET framework. Something I won't do.


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## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

Bob,

I don't quite understand what you mean about not being able to uninstall Sketchup (does it leave some unwanted uninstall artifacts).

As far as I know (in Windows) it uninstalls like any other program through the control panel.

Details are here for Windows and Mac 
http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=36209

However, the program is so useful that I've installed it on several machines, so uninstalling it isn't in my future.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi AlanZ

It may just be my machine but try it on your machine...it has many items that are locked in place,,sometimes you can uninstall it safemode but the uninstall program as errors in it.. 

But if you like it keep it in place don't play with it 

If I have a program and it has one error I drop it like a hot potato ,if it has one error it has more that I don't know about, I don't like to reinstall my OS for one program ... 
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AlanZ said:


> Bob,
> 
> I don't quite understand what you mean about not being able to uninstall Sketchup (does it leave some unwanted uninstall artifacts).
> 
> ...


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

bobj3 said:


> Hi AlanZ
> 
> It may just be my machine but try it on your machine...it has many items that are locked in place,,sometimes you can uninstall it safemode but the uninstall program as errors in it..
> 
> ...


Bj, I have never had a problem with installing nor uninstalling Sketchup. I have installed each upgrade and then uninstalled the older version without a hitch each time. I don't know what you mean by "locked in place", but I haven't experienced anything like that.
If you are running "Winblows" I think you are being a little unrealistic about errors since that is the nature of this beast.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI George

Yep I run windows , the program has many hidden files in it ("locked in place")...take your hex edit program and take it down to parts and you will see them 

I have all my computer set so I can see and read any and all files and it has some that are so well hidden you can't see them unless you use a good hex program  but like I said once I find one that's for me it's gone..

If it can't place nice with all the other programs and the OS it's kicked out..by default 



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curiousgeorge said:


> Bj, I have never had a problem with installing nor uninstalling Sketchup. I have installed each upgrade and then uninstalled the older version without a hitch each time. I don't know what you mean by "locked in place", but I haven't experienced anything like that.
> If you are running "Winblows" I think you are being a little unrealistic about errors since that is the nature of this beast.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Bob -

I think the issue is more with InstallShield and not so much with Sketchup. 

One way of really screwing up InstallShield is to pick locations other than the default for a installing a program. Chances are you DIDN'T do this but I've seen it happen several times. InstallShield is supposed to make registry entries (bet that made you cringe) to keep track of such things but sometimes it just doesn't seem to work. 

I use InstallSheild at work for things and we have found that it is VERY easy to make it loose its mind when building an install package and this ultimately contributes to the problem. Sort of a "give a man enough rope" situation. Just too many options in the setup! 

On the other hand, I've had very few (knock on wood) problems with the PCs under my control in the last 5 or 6 years. All running XP Pro now with one exception that needs to still run Win98 due to legacy software issue. Furthermore, here at the university where I work, they have "outlawed" Vista. You can have XPpro, a Mac (I'm guessing v10 OS) or run Linux (can't remember which distribution) if the machine is to be on the network. This includes the use of servers (those are mostly Linux boxes around here). All other is verboten.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi rwyoung

Thanks 


''Error Code 6003 is generated when a file is submitted without a Record Type (RT) 001 - Header record. 
The header record is mandatory to identify the source of a transaction file.


6003 There is no valid encryption recovery policy configured for this system.

As you know there are numerous reasons for ERROR CODE 6003.

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rwyoung said:


> Bob -
> 
> I think the issue is more with InstallShield and not so much with Sketchup.
> 
> ...


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> Hi rwyoung
> 
> Thanks
> 
> ...



Ah yep! That reminds me of one other possibility and that is anti-virus software. Some of these programs are a bit over zealous about the whole "don't let anything get installed on the PC" business. And on the face of it, a good idea. But as with all well intentioned ideas, often times the implementation goes astray.

I'm gonna rant here and this isn't meant to be anything against BobJ3 or the way he manages his PC. While a bit zealous, he is doing something right and that is trying to control the chaos that is Windows software.  And I'm glad to see he knows how to do a screen capture of dialog boxes. That is SO much better than having people tell you "well I think it said something about the registry". 

I gave up a long time ago (when I worked in "the real world") trying to keep track of how many times I heard "but it doesn't work on my PC". When we test software we usually test on "virgin" PCs or perhaps with some big-name applications like Office installed. If it runs fine and passes the benchmarks then it goes out into the big wide world. Then 6-months later we get a call about some odd behavior. Hours and hours of testing and phone calls and core dumps later it turns out to be some half-ass cyberpunk's idea of a neat utility or game that got installed and his code is taking advantage of some obscure portion of the API to get a few extra cycles. And in the process corrupts memory. Sigh... They never want to hear that the solution is to un-install "Monkey Warrior Shootout 3"... Makes me glad I got out of writing application software and work mostly with embedded hardware and software design. Closed systems are usually easier to contain the chaos.

This is a reason I play dumb when relatives or friends ask me to fix their PCs. It is enough work keeping my stuff running clean and fast. There are geeks out there that enjoy the work and make a pretty good living at it. I refer these seekers to such geeks. Who am I to steal the food from their mouth. It has taken a few less-than-gentle reminders friends and family members that I am not a TV repairman and I'm not here to hold their hand while they re-install Windows because they thought it was a good idea to click "Buy Now" on that pop-up.

End of rant. 

And remember, Windows 7 is just around the corner (insert maniacal laugh here).  Now where did I leave my slide-rule and Curta Mark I?


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