2012 Help

[Cadguru42]

The help for 2012 is one of the worst I've ever seen.  I like how it went to being online, but just do a search on ARRAY and see how it doesn't give you anything related to the command.  I also don't see a way to get the search field to look for non-Civil 3D commands.  I had to goto the AutoCAD Command Reference and do it by alphabet in order to even find the ARRAY command in 2012.  And to beat that, it still doesn't actually help because it doesn't explain what each part of the command actually is.  For instance, what are levels in an array?  The help doesn't tell you. Just another command that got changed in 2012.

2012 has been a complete disaster for us.  The auto-fulfillment for our contract didn't work properly, so I'm still waiting on them to fix that, but I can't get anyone to reply back.  I only have 9 days left on my 30 trial before I'm locked out of the software we've paid thousands of dollars for. I was emailed new serial numbers for everything, but no product keys.  The contract information on the subscription website hasn't been updated to reflect the new serial numbers and product keys, so I can't activate our software.

On top of that the support request part of the subscription website doesn't work.  I had to call a 800 number to even get the support request going because Autodesk messed up our subscription information completely with the 2012 release and we aren't able to make online requests. 

Oh well, I guess venting doesn't really help, but it does feel good to get it out.

[AllenJessup]

Levels seem to be Architect speak for 3D. You can kind of discern that from the graphic in help. But you're right. It doesn't tell you/ And I confirm that you can't have it search for vanilla AutoCAD commands.

There's a lot of discussion about the new help going on in the Autocad 2011 & 2012 groups.

Allen

[andrewpuller3811]

I'll throw my two bits in.

I am also extremely unimpressed with the help in 2012.

Online only versions of civil 3d developer guide wiki and API Reference.

Although we do get offline Map 3d Developers Guide, hmmmm.

What happened to the PDF's? heaps easier to go directly to a pdf with a useful name, or transfer it to a phone to read on the go.

Guess i'll hang onto the previously version pdfs for now.

[neilyj666]

FYI - the issue of lack of pdf's in 2012 help has been rasied http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Civil-3D/Help-Files-2012/m-p/3004028/highlight/true#M151061

[KLeighton]

Hi all,

You may find that search results in the Help are improved for certain words by modifying one of the search settings. I have found that I receive better results for some terms when I clear the "Find whole words only" setting.

1. To clear this check box, enter a search term in the search box at the top of the Help or in the Infocenter search box.
2. On the Search Results page, click the Advanced Search Options drop-down and clear the "Find whole words only" check box. Then repeat your search.

By default, results are combined from the books the terms were found in. You can click a book name in the list on the left to filter the results by book.

-Karla

[AllenJessup]

Yes. That does help. And I see that now the basic AutoCAD commands show up. You have to select the "Command Reverence" book to get them near the top of the list. But that's better.

I don't like that if I select Array Objects I get a different page than if I select Array. I think help is now too scattered and you have to click, click, click at multiple links to see what should be listed on one or 2 pages.

Why doesn't searching for the whole word "ARRAY" bring up the Array command. You have to unchecked "Match Whole Word" and then scroll more that half way down the list to find it. Or you can click on the  "Command Reverence" book. Even then it's not near the top.

Allen

[BrianHailey]

If you find the on-line help to be laggy or you don't have a reliable internet connection, you can always turn the on-line help off:

[Craig_B]

I agree the new help is very poor.

[OMCUSNR]

I'm off to the wish list to let ADSK know I'd really like pdf files of the help, tutorials, and user manuals.  (I'd really like the books, but that's like wishing for a stable program every 3 years.)

Reid

[KirkN]

Has anyone else noticed that searching help for more than one-word search phrases will crash Google Chrome every time? Maybe functional help will be an optional extra in years to come. Or maybe that will become the "added value" of being a subscription customer.

[Jeff_M]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Has anyone else noticed that searching help for more than one-word search phrases will crash Google Chrome every time?

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Nope, works fine for me.

[Joe-Bouza]

Seems to have gone over a few heads  

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@BrianHailey wrote:

If you find the on-line help to be laggy or you don't have a reliable internet connection, you can always turn the on-line help off:

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[KirkN]

Thanks Joe,

I did see that one and that is what I ultimately ended up doing. At least they gave us this work-around in an easy to access spot.

[DumitruFurnea]

What happened to 2012 Array command? It was so simple to use it in previous versions and now I can't get my head arouund it!!! On path selection it doesn;t allow me to space them out at the distance I want, on rectangular it doesn't give me the option for following a path !!...

That dialog box was much easier to use rather than typing all the data as you go along, let alone the preview possibility that allowed you to rectify before the final result!!

.... And the help menu has totally gone mad... no logical navigation and less information for learning/remembering stuff.

I am so disappointed with this 2012! Crash after crash!!.. Once I just left it open for 2 minutes without touching it and it crashed. Unbelievable!

E.g.. I hit the escape button twice and it crashes .. How's that possible? I have been using 2011 again because of all these issues!!!

Hello!.. Autodesk people! ... You can do better than this!

[Cadguru42]

Just to add that the help system is still messed up. Trying doing a search for "OVERKILL" and there are no results from any book. However, once I'm in the dialog box for overkill, I can click help and it goes to a command reference webpage with it.  Why doesn't the search on the help page find the same thing?  Also, it's set to look in all books and still won't return anything.