Scale on Rulers and drawing - newbie questions

[Helix]

Hi. I'm a total QCAD virgin and have no experience of CAD drawing software (although many years ago I used Visio), so apologies, please bear with me! I have downloaded v3.9.4.0 onto a Win 7 desktop. QCAD seems very advanced and complicated to me and it may be that it is too sophisticated for my needs, which are very basic. I need a simple way in, to start learning but I don't want to waste time if the tool is overkill for my tasks.

I wish to draw 2D plan and elevations views of a garden shed with a pent roof measuring say, 4 x 9 metres width/ length, 2 metres tall walls, say 3.5 metres to ridge. (Just guessing the numbers for the purpose of illustration.) I need simply to have the horizontal and vertical rulers on the workpage display units in metres or centimetres and scaled so that, with an end view for example, the scale across the page goes up to say 5 metres, and for a side view it might run to say 10 metres. Basically so that my drawing fills most of the page view.

I also need to be able to attach dimensions to each line I draw, expressed in 'real life' units (so scaled so that the dimensions read in the metres/centimetres that the shed would actually measure.) These dimensions need to automatically update when I adjust the length of the line to which they are related. Also, angles where corners are other than 90 degrees.

Can anyone point me to how I can achieve these basics so that I can determine whether it's worth continuing with QCAD?

[andrew]

I need a simple way in, to start learning but I don't want to waste time if the tool is overkill for my tasks.

You will likely have to invest half a day or a day to get familiar enough with QCAD to use it productively. You won't find a simpler CAD system though (Visio and the likes are drawing tool, not CAD).

I need simply to have the horizontal and vertical rulers on the workpage display units in metres or centimetres and scaled so that.

In CAD you always construct in real sizes (1:1). Even if your drawing is several meters in size. So all you have to do is set up your drawing unit as meters:
Edit > Drawing Preferences > General > Drawing Unit

I also need to be able to attach dimensions to each line I draw

First, draw the geometry of your object, then add dimensions where needed using the dimensioning tools.

expressed in 'real life' units (so scaled so that the dimensions read in the metres/centimetres that the shed would actually measure.)

That's always the case. Since drawings are always constructed in real size, dimensions will always show the real size as well. That's one of the perks of using a CAD system.

These dimensions need to automatically update when I adjust the length of the line to which they are related.

That's not possible like that. However, for common tasks such as lengthening a piece, you can use the stretch tool which will stretch lines as well as dimensions:
http://qcad.org/doc/qcad/latest/referen ... oc/Stretch

Also, angles where corners are other than 90 degrees.

For angles, you can add angle dimensions:
http://qcad.org/doc/qcad/latest/referen ... DimAngular

Can anyone point me to how I can achieve these basics so that I can determine whether it's worth continuing with QCAD?

That depends on whether you're willing to learn something new or not. If the answer is 'no', then you better stick to pen and paper, sure thing, much easier to learn and handle

[Helix]

andrew - that's very helpful; thanks for taking the time to respond so comprehensively. I appreciate the need to invest learning time but sometimes it can take rather a long time to discover that a particular program doesn't quite do what you want - different things rather than the wrong things. You've answered some basic points as well - the 'always ... in real sizes' thing for example, had completely escaped me! I'll persevere a bit longer but it may be that CAD is not quite what I need and a 'Drawing' programme may be more suitable for my basic needs. Thanks again.