FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I download OCAD?

Yes, OCAD can be downloaded after the purchase at latest within 2 working days.

Can I make a second installation of my license on an additional device?

According to the General Terms and Conditions (GTC), the primary user of the subscription option “OCAD for Single Users” is entitled to perform a second installation on request on an additional device and to use the software there, if this second device is used exclusively by the primary user. Please contact OCAD support for that.

Can I re-install and activate OCAD after purchasing a new PC or a total failure of my hard disk?

Yes, that’s possible. If the maximum number of activations has already been reached, you have to contact OCAD AG via the transfer form for OCAD Subscription, OCAD 12, OCAD 11,  OCAD 10 Professional, OCAD 10 Standard or OCAD 10 CS in order to release the license. In this case, the old and new licensee are identical.

What should I do if I want to transfer my license to another person?

For OCAD Subscription and OCAD 12 users it can easily be done in the License Transfer Utility in the OCAD Help menu. Alternatively, use the Transfer form on the webpage.

Does OCAD run on Macintosh?

OCAD is a Windows software. Additional software like Virtual PC, Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion or Bootcamp must be installed on the MAC to use OCAD. For more information, see the OCAD Wiki on the OCAD on Mac OS X page.

Do different versions of OCAD run in parallel on the same computer?

Yeah, that’s fine. Please install the different versions in different program directories.

Does OCAD run on Clouds like like Dropbox or OneDrive?
Yes. OCAD runs as app on clouds like Dropbox or OneDrive. Install your Team or Single User Licenses in the Cloud. Especially the installation of OCAD Team User Licenses in the Cloud has many advantages.

Are there different editions?

Yes, there is a suitable edition for each user group.

What is the difference between OCAD 2018, OCAD 2019, OCAD 2020 and OCAD Subscription?

OCAD is only offered as a subscription model since 2018. The year in the name should underline that you are buying a software with the latest features and standards. It is not a new version. If you are in the subscription model, you will automatically receive OCAD with the latest updates and do not need to buy new licenses.

For technical reasons, the installation folders etc. of OCAD will continue to be marked 2018. However, the general strategy is to omit the year in the name of each OCAD edition in the future. In order to distinguish it from earlier OCAD versions (OCAD 12, 11, 10…), the term OCAD Subscription will be used in a few places.

What is the OCAD Academic Edition?

The OCAD Academic Edition can only be ordered by universities and the license name must be name of the University. The university is allowed to install the software on max. 20 computers within one classroom. The OCAD Academic Edition is not a personal license for students. Teaching persons shall order an additional OCAD license each if they want to use it out of the classroom. OCAD Academic corresponds to the functional range of the OCAD Mapping Solution.

How do I know that I should update OCAD and what new features the update contains?

If there is a new update available, it will be displayed when you start OCAD. The update usually takes less than half a minute. Your personal settings will not be changed. We will inform you about the content of the update via blog entries, on the website, in the “What is New” menu of the OCAD Wiki or in the Release Notes.

How can I cancel, change or renew the subscription?

You can purchase OCAD for 1- or 3 year. After that, you have to renew your subscription to continue to use OCAD and benefit from the further development and support services.

About 6 weeks before the end of the subscription period, the person who purchased OCAD will receive an e-mail. It contains all necessary information to cancel, change (e.g. choose an edition with a higher functionality and/or another subscription period),  or renew the OCAD subscription. Subscriptions will not be renewed automatically.

If you do not renew the subscription, OCAD can not be opend after the subscription end date.

Can I view and/or print my created maps after the subscription expires?

Yes, after the subscription expired the OCAD files can still be opened/viewed and printed with the installed OCAD Viewer. With the OCAD Viewer can also save files in OCAD 2018, OCAD 12 and OCAD 11 version.

Is OCAD Subscription compatible with previous versions (<= OCAD 12)?

With OCAD Subscription all OCAD files can be opened. However, with OCAD Subscription you cannot save your map in all previous versions, i. e. only down to version 10. The reasons for this are that the OCAD file format is extended from version to version. So, it is possible that information may be lost when saving a map in a previous version. However, you will be warned if data would get lost when saving a map in a previous file format.

Are there different subscription options?

Yes, there are two subscription options. One option for “Single Users” and one for “Teams” (clubs, companies and associations).
Minimum order quantity for the “Teams” subscription option is two licenses, additional licenses can be added easily.

Subscription Option	OCAD for Single Users	OCAD for Teams
Target Audience	Individual users	For clubs, companies and associations
Minimum order quantity	1 license	2 licenses
Activations per license	1 automatic, further activation for own devices on request (e.g. Laptop, tablet, home PC)	1 activation
Automatic license transfer	Yes, transfer is possible independently, fast and simply in the OCAD program under Help->License Transfer Utility	Yes, transfer is possible independently, fast and simply in the OCAD program under Help->License Transfer Utility

What does a possible example for “OCAD for Teams” look like?

One club has 50 members, some of whom need OCAD from time to time to set courses or draw and edit maps.

This would be a case for the subscription option “OCAD for Teams”. The club buys e.g. 5 OCAD Team licenses. All of the 50 club members can install OCAD, but only 5 members can use OCAD at the same time.

There are different possibilities how club members can now use OCAD:

– Each member installs OCAD themselves

1. Share the license information among your members.
2. Each member has to install and activate OCAD. It does not matter which licence the member installs, but the licence should not be activated by another member.
3. Now, each member can open the the License Manager in Help menu and click on Add additional Team licenses. There he/she paste the complete license data of all 5 licenses.
4. Next, each member has to activate the option Deactivate this license automatically when closing OCAD. If you transfer a licenses often within a team, this option may help you not to have any license blocked by an inactive user.
5. When a member now starts OCAD again, he/she will see a list with all 5 Team licenses. If a license is available, he/she can activate it without any further installation.

See here for more information

– Install OCAD on Dropbox / OneDrive

1. One person can install all OCAD Team license in a local folder that is synchronized to a Cloud Folder (e.g. Dropbox or OneDrive).
2. Then he/she can share the Cloud Folder with the other team members.
3. The Team members then start OCAD in their local synchronized folder.

See here for more information.

– Individual sharing of licenses

1. Share the license information among your members.
2. If member A (has no license) wants to use OCAD now, member B (which has a valid license) can transfer his license to member A with the License Transfer Utility in the Help menu.
3. Member A immediately receives an e-mail with the license information and can activate OCAD. If member A no longer needs OCAD, the license can be transferred again to another member.

See here for more information.

What is the advantage of the subscription option for “OCAD for Single Users“?

For people who often work with OCAD and want to use OCAD on different devices, we recommend a Single User licence .

The user can activate the license automatically on 1 device (desktop or notebook). In order to allow the use on several own devices at the same time (desktop, notebook, tablet) further activations for own devices can be granted by OCAD on request. Please contact OCAD Support in this case.

How to transfer a license?

Licenses can be transferred with the License Transfer Utility in the OCAD Help menu.

How can I see which licenses my club/ company /association owns?

Licenses will be assigned to an organization by OCAD AG. The License Manager in the Help menu always provides an overview of which licenses an organization currently owns (subscription Team license, subscription Single User license, license of previous OCAD versions). If you start OCAD and your license is deactivated, you still can open then License Manager.

Which license fits best?

• First of all, you need to choose an OCAD edition.

There are four different OCAD editions.
– OCAD Mapping Solution: For use in professional cartography to create city maps, topographic maps and thematic maps
– OCAD Orienteering: All you need to produce orienteering maps, e.g. LiDAR analys tool, GPS support, WMS connection and much more. Including Course Setting module.
– OCAD Starter: Suitable for starting with cartography. Including Course Setting module.
– OCAD Course Setting: For course planning in orienteering sport.

See also here a list of all functions of the OCAD editions.

• Secondly, you have the choise between a Single User or Team license.

A Single User license is meant for one person. This person can use OCAD on several own devices at the same time (e.g. PC at home and work, laptop, tablet)

If there are several people of a club or company, which use OCAD irregularly, the Team option might be the better choice. Team licenses can only be activated on one device at the same time, but be transferred from one user to another user as many times as desired.

• Last but not least, choose between a subscription time of 1-year or 3-years (10% discount).

You can at any time upgrade an edition or add an additional license.

 How can I order an OCAD license?

You can order OCAD licenses in our webshop or write us an email at order@ocad.com and we can execute the order.

 

How much does an OCAD license cost?

The prices for OCAD can be found in the price list.

Are there any discounts?

• 3-year subscription: If you buy a 3-year subscription (Single User or Teams) you will receive a discount of 10% compared to the 1-year subscription.
• Volume discount: For total amount of all licenses (Team and Single User) of one edition (Course Setting/ Starter/
  Orienteering/ Mapping Solution) per order. 3 licenses-> 10%, 4 licenses->15%, 5 and more license->20%.

For details please see the price list.

There are no longer update discounts for previous OCAD versions.

Do I have to pay Taxes?

For supplies within Switzerland and the EU countries the VAT is compiled within the invoice. This tax must not be paid abroad these countries, but the customs authorities of the importing country can levy import duties and taxes.

How can I pay the invoice?

After an order we will send you an invoice, which can be paid in differnt ways. See here for more information.

Does OCAD require an internet connection when using it?
OCAD requires an internet connection…

• for license activation
• to transfer your license from one user to another
• once within 14 after the Pending Verification date
• if you are using features that require an Internet connection (New Map Wizard, WMS services, Online Map Services, Open Google Street View)

There is no internet connection required for daily work.