CityCAD Viewer: Quick Preview and Navigation Guide

CityCAD Viewer vs Full CityCAD: When a Viewer Is EnoughUrban designers, planners, developers and stakeholders often face the choice between lightweight viewers and full-featured modelling tools. CityCAD — a well-known urban design platform — offers a dedicated Viewer and a full application with editing, simulation and analysis capabilities. This article explains the differences, practical use cases, cost and workflow implications, and guidance to decide when the Viewer is sufficient and when the full CityCAD is necessary.

What each product is for

• CityCAD Viewer is a lightweight application intended for opening, inspecting, navigating and sharing CityCAD models. It provides read-only access, fast performance on modest hardware, export of screenshots and simple measurements, and supports collaborative review without risking accidental edits.

• Full CityCAD is a comprehensive urban design toolset that supports model creation, parametric editing, scenario testing, density and capacity analysis, massing, infrastructure layout, and integration with GIS and other design software. It includes advanced tools for editing, generating alternative scenarios, and running analyses that inform planning decisions.

Core feature comparison

When the Viewer is enough

Use CityCAD Viewer when your role or task matches one or more of these scenarios:

• You need to review, present, or annotate completed CityCAD models without modifying them (stakeholders, public exhibition panels, council meetings).
• You want a fast way to navigate multiple scenarios and gather screenshots or basic measurements for reports.
• Your hardware is limited (older laptops, tablets) and you need responsive performance.
• You require secure, read-only distribution of models to prevent accidental changes.
• You are verifying output from a design team, checking assumptions, or performing quality control without editing tasks.
• You need a free or low-cost access point for many non-technical users to view designs.

Examples:

• A client looking over three massing options before a design workshop.
• A planning officer checking building heights and street layouts submitted as CityCAD files.
• A community group exploring proposed masterplan options at a public consultation kiosk.

When you need Full CityCAD

Full CityCAD is the right choice when you must create, modify, or analyze models:

• You are designing masterplans, adjusting parametric blocks, or iterating massing that requires re-running capacity and service analyses.
• You need advanced scenario modelling (e.g., varying densities, road hierarchy changes, housing mix) and want to compare outcomes quantitatively.
• You require integration with GIS layers, import/export workflows with CAD/BIM, or generation of technical deliverables.
• You perform iterative feasibility studies, costing linked to model parameters, or bespoke scripting/automation within CityCAD.
• Your workflow demands collaborative editing, version control, and advanced export formats for consultants.

Examples:

• An urban designer generating multiple density scenarios to meet policy targets.
• A consultant performing transport and service capacity checks tied to proposed developments.
• A design team iterating street networks and building footprints with parametric constraints.

Workflow considerations and hybrid approaches

Many teams use both tools: designers work in Full CityCAD and distribute read-only files for review using the Viewer. Recommended practices:

• Keep a “viewer-ready” export of each scenario for public consultation and stakeholder review.
• Use Viewer snapshots and measurement exports to speed up approvals without needing reviewers to learn modelling tools.
• Implement access controls: provide Viewer to broad audiences and Full CityCAD to the design team.
• Use a lightweight naming/versioning convention so viewers can reference the exact design iteration.

Cost, training and adoption

• Viewer reduces training needs: minimal onboarding and near-instant adoption.
• Full CityCAD requires training, onboarding time and potentially higher licensing costs, but yields greater value where iterative design and analysis are core to the project.
• Consider total cost of ownership: number of users needing edit capabilities, frequency of scenario generation, and potential time saved by parametric workflows.

Performance and file management tips

• For Viewer: optimize file sizes by keeping textures and heavy geometry minimal to ensure snappy performance on low-spec machines.
• For Full CityCAD: maintain disciplined model management (layers, naming, linked assets) to avoid performance slowdowns and to enable easier hand-off to viewers.

Decision checklist

Choose the Viewer if:

• You only need to view and measure.
• You need lightweight, low-cost access for many users.
• Preventing edits is important.

Choose Full CityCAD if:

• You need to create, edit, or analyze models.
• You must integrate with other CAD/GIS/BIM workflows.
• Quantitative scenario testing and parametric design are needed.

Conclusion

CityCAD Viewer is a powerful, efficient solution for review, presentation and secure distribution of CityCAD models. Full CityCAD remains essential for iterative design, parametric editing and in-depth analysis. Most successful projects use both: Full CityCAD for generation and editing; Viewer for widespread review and stakeholder engagement.