Frequently asked questions

SketchXpress is very easy to use and with just a few clicks you can create the hand-drawn look and feel you want to your CAD drawings. Each individual element of any drawing can be altered and the effects you put on your drawing can be altered using the side menu. You don't need to redraw anything as SketchXpress amends the drawing automatically based on the effects you choose from drop down menus.

SketchXpress will allow you to import the following file types to add effects and styling to:

• DWG (Drawing) - This is a file format used for storing two and three dimensional design data. It is the traditional format for most CAD software packages and PlansXpress allows you to export DWG files as well as many other file types. When you produce a CAD drawing you will most likely save the design in this format for use elsewhere or in SketchXpress.

• DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) - This is a CAD drawing file format developed by Autodesk (Autocad) for enabling the transfer of data between AutoCAD and other programs. PlansXpress by HBXL allows you to export drawings to DXF format for use in other CAD or graphical software packages.

• HPGL & HPGL/2 (Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language) - This is the primary printer control language used by Hewlett-Packard plotters and historically became a standard for almost all plotters to print graphical plots from a computer onto large paper-sizes.

Users of CAD software such as PlansXpress use SketchXpress to give their technical drawings a more traditional hand-drawn effect. Each line is sketched independently and results are not predictable - just like the human hand! Research has revealed that clients and customers often react better to hand-drawn sketches of their preliminary designs because they are more realistic and appear softer.

Builders, Developers, Architects and Designers most commonly use SketchXpress, as well as Self builders and renovators who want to get a better understanding of their architectural plans.

You don't need to be trained to use SketchXpress.

The software is very straightforward to use and has an in-built Help System that automatically provides you answers to 'Did you know...?' style questions. There is also a help system built into the software accessible from the main menu, and links to a Getting Started Guide with tips to get you started.

Once you've applied the effect you want to your drawings using SketchXpress you can save them back to DWG or DXF file format. You can also use the export function to convert the drawings into the following image file formats:

• BMP (Windows Bitmap) - This is the standard bit-mapped graphics format used in the Microsoft Windows environment.

• GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) - This file type uses a maximum of 256 colours and is best for displaying images with large areas of flat colour.

• JPEG or JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) - This file format is the superior format for photographic images, because JPEG files can contain millions of colours. As the quality of a JPEG file increases, so does the file size.

• PNG (Portable Network Graphic) - This is an extensible file format for the lossless, portable, well-compressed storage of raster images. PNG provides a patent free replacement for GIF and supports indexed colour, grayscale and truecolour images, plus the option to add transparency.

• TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) - This is a highly flexible and platform-independent format which is supported by numerous image processing applications.

• PDF (Portable Document Format) - This file format allows secure, dependable electronic information exchange. Viewable and printable on any platform using the free and extremely popular Adobe Reader software.

• DWF (Design Web Format) - This format was created by Autodesk (AutoCAD) to share complex design information while maintaining its integrity and producing much smaller file sizes.

• EMF - (Enhanced MetaFile) - This format stores a series of graphic commands that are used for drawing an image. The Enhanced MetaFile was created by Microsoft to replace the older Windows MetaFile format, for use in today's 32-bit applications.

• WMF (Windows MetaFile) - This format stores a series of graphic commands that are used for drawing an image. The Windows MetaFile format was created by Windows for use with 16-bit applications. Today's 32-bit applications use the newer Enhanced MetaFiles.

• SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic) - This is a text-based graphics language that describes images with vector shapes, text and embedded raster graphics.

SketchXpress works great with PlansXpress, AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, AutoSketch, ALLPLAN, Cadkey, CorelCAD, Corel VisualCADD, CorelDraw, DataCAD, DesignCAD, Draphix CAD, Drawbase, DynaCADD, EasyCAD, MicroStation, TurboCAD, or any CAD, drawing, or graphics application that outputs HPGL or HPGL/2 files. DXF files or DWG files.

SketchXpress and PlansXpress are very different software packages that do different things.

PlansXpress is a CAD software package for drawing vector based drawings suitable for plans and technical working drawings. These can then be used for planning application drawings and building regulation submissions.

SketchXpress however is not a CAD software package but allows you to add extra styles and effects to your drawings to then use them to impress clients and make your CAD drawings appear to be hand-drawn.

To get an online demonstration of SketchXpress you just need to get in contact with us and let us know your preferred date and time.

Our demonstration times are between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and are done using our GoToAssist technology allowing you to connect to our screen online and one of our demonstrarors will show you and discuss the software over the Internet.

We do not offer a support and updates package for Sketchxpress because it is not needed. Therefore there are no support costs associated with SketchXpress at all and once you purchase the software it will never lapse. You do however get a free Getting Started guide embedded within the SketchXpress software, daily top tips and built-in context sensitive help.

Once you purchase SketchXpress you will receive a disc for use within your organisation to install on as many machines as you like. The software is not licenced to one computer so can be run on multiple machines.

Yes the software is a lifetime licence which means once you purchase it, it's yours to use forever.

SketchXpress is only available as part of our rental plan when bought alongside two (or more) HBXL software products from ContractsXpert, EstimatorXpress, PlansXpress and Health & Safety Xpert.