VCarve Reviews

Summary: Almost great software hobbled by a lack of key mapping.
4.5 stars with key mapping.

I feel like this is the most amazing stupidest software ever, with outstanding features coupled with interface challenges. To be fair I probably design and draw things up differently than how this program was designed to be used, but a little compromise on vcarves end would make my job a lot easier

The design process is clunky and inefficient(for me). Almost no aspect of the program works quite like I want to use it, from how the nest function decides what constitutes a part and what's a feature of a part, to how it's move or rotate options are presented. I use other programs to align tricky to align parts (now that's inefficiency at work).

Overall it's amazing design and cam software, I hope they implement comprehensive hot keys or keyboard mapping.

Positive: Almost great design and CAM software.
Excellent toolpath control and toolpath options,
An ability to have multiple sheets in one file,
bump increments that dynamically change based on zoom.
Various export formats, multiple 3d format imports.
A sweet vector selector options window.
Node editing with bezier curve handles.
chamfer tool paths, v-carve tool paths, fluting tool paths, and all sorts of texturing effects.
An easy way into import different tooling.
Automated part nesting,
Really cool gadgets like the box creator
2 sided machining, and the list goes on.

Negative: Almost great because the software is hobbled by some design decisions I don't understand.

Its biggest flaw is a lack of comprehensive hot keys and keyboard mapping.

With no way to map the keyboard to the drawing icons or the vector selector.

No history or log of events.

Poor layer menu that I can't seem to nest on the screen where I like it.

No ability to add sheets to a job without the nest function.

The tool path menu doesn't display all of the information that i find relevant, I'm looking at you tool number.

No adaptive milling (you can't have everything).

Summary: I tried using the software for a while before making this review. I wanted to give it a fair chance and not rip on it just because I was a newbie. I'm not a newbie anymore, and can confidently say that this software has one of the most confusing user interfaces I've ever seen. For example, I wanted to create an arc with a specific radius. I set the radius. As soon as I click the next element, or tab out of the radius setting, or anything else I could think of, the damn software resets the radius to the previous settings. That's just one of many examples of UI operations that make no sense or don't work at all. Very disappointed.

Positive: It does a lot if you can figure out how to use the features. Unfortunately, that is very difficult to do.

Negative: Many features don't seem to work, or are so confusing that you just can't figure them out. And for documentation, Vectric supplies YouTube videos ONLY, and many of them are obsolete.