Install GardenCAD Pro

When you enrol for the course 'Using GardenCAD - CAD software for landscape designers' on our companion eLearning web site: [http://www.landscapetutor.net], we will post a copy of the software to you.  The software is free, but you pay for the training. The software will be delivered on a USB drive.

Since we deliver the software to you by post, we will need you to contact us by email [info@gardencad.net] and provide us with a delivery address.

Installation steps

GardenCAD is delivered on a USB drive (memory stick

 Note that the USB drive must remain in the computer at all times while you are using GardenCAD. [The USB drive can (and should) also be used to store your backup files]. Remember, your 'live' copy of GardenCAD will be delivered by post, it cannot be obtained by downloading it from the Internet.

1. Insert the USB drive into your computer. Most computers sense the presence of a new USB drive and pop up the window similar to that shown in the figure below. Select 'Open folder' to view files.

2. When you click 'Open Folder' (you are logging the USB drive), depending how your copy of Windows Explorer is set up, you should see a dialog box similar to that shown below:

Windows Explorer shows the contents of the USB drive. Copy the GardenCAD configuration file from the GardenCAD directory to the root directory of your computer - the C:\ drive. This is easily done by dragging the GardenCAD notepad icon to the C:\drive.

3. Copy the file GardenCAD.cfg to the root directory of your computer. This is sometimes called local disk C: [also referred to as C:\].

 If you are at all unsure of the steps, click here to play a movie which shows how to copy the GardenCAD configuration file to the hard disk of your computer.

Once the configuration file has been copied, it is a good idea to check that the configuration file is indeed at the root directory of C: after you have done this. See the figure below.

Checking that the GardenCAD configuration file is correctly located. Log the C: drive (circles at left) and check that the GardenCAD.Cfg file shows on the right.

To copy a file, you can select the configuration file (which should have a notebook icon associated with it) and while holding the left button of the mouse down, drag the file and drop it on the local disk C: drive as shown in the movie. You can also select the file, right click, select copy, then move to the C: drive, select the top level of the drive (the one showing all your folders, right click again and select paste. Do not drop the GardenCAD.Cfg file in a folder other than the 'root' of the C: drive.

4. Use your mouse to log (focus your attention on) the GardenCAD USB drive. Double click on the folder GardenCAD and on the file GCADSetup.exe [application]. This will install GardenCAD. As the setup file runs, you will be asked to accept our end user agreement (licence) which basically says that you can use the software on one computer only and that you will not copy the software and distribute copies to others.

**** Keep the USB key in the computer when you want to use GardenCAD. Do not alter the files on it or GardenCAD will not operate. ****

Installation of GardenCAD

Rather than describe in detail what transpires as the GardenCAD program is installed, we have provided a small movie which shows what happens when you run the GardenCAD setup program (GCADSetup.exe).

 Click here to play a movie which shows how GardenCAD is installed.

Note that GardenCAD install in its own folder away from the usual Program Files folder. This is a deliberate move on our part. The figure below shows GardenCAD's folder structure.

GardenCAD's folder structure.

GardenCAD will automatically file the drawings that you complete in the Jobs folder. You can of course, store them elsewhere, but if you do nothing, the drawing files you create will be stored there.

Note the appearance of a ''Blocks" folder. Here we have collected some 80+ plant symbols for you to use. The use of these blocks is covered in the 'Using Blocks' module in the Using GardenCAD course on http://www.landscapetutor.net.

Sample drawings

We have provided several sample drawings for you to experiment with. These are stored in the Jobs folder and are shown in the figures below. If these drawings load and display correctly, then your copy of GardenCAD is ready for work!

The sample drawing file SampleCourtyard1.vec file