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Help & Tutorials

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Message 1 of 16
mgookin
1189 Views, 15 Replies

Help & Tutorials

It's bad enough that the software is horrible. But could they at least provide a functional tutorial or help file?

 

The first thing in the 84 page "Getting Started" says to "Create or activate a project file before you open an existing file or start a new file to set the file location."

 

OK brainiacs: How do I "Create a project file????????????"

 

I have been on Autocad since the mid 1990's with lightspeed proficiency. I have wasted more than 150 hours of my life fighint this trash called Inventor all so I can get a STEP file. Seeing that it makes sheet metal parts, I'd like to draw a part. Importing my 3D dwg file of course has been a wasted event in my life like the rest of this trash.

 

Is there anything around which is actually written and organized with some semblence of intelligence? Where can I find something that says "here's how you make a box, here's how you make a sphere, here's how you create a project....." Because this trash thrown in with the software is absolute garbage.

15 REPLIES 15
Message 2 of 16
BMiller63
in reply to: mgookin
Message 3 of 16
cbenner
in reply to: mgookin

Wow.  Nice rant.  Probably not the best way to get a lot of help from people who use this "trash" every day and depend on it for thier livelihood.  Yes, it can be very frustrating to work with, trust me.... I feel your pain.  But, as a friendly word of advice,... I suggest toning down your rants when asking the "braniacs" for help.  You tend to get better responses.

 

Good luck.

Message 4 of 16
mflayler2
in reply to: mgookin

150 hours?  That sounds a little dramatic.  Have you considered getting some profesional training on the software to ease in the transition or perhaps ask your reseller if you have support with them to aid in your work if you are just looking for some simple tasks?

 

Btw, AutoCAD 2012 will import STEP files now too as well as a whole host of other files.

Did you find this reply helpful ? If so please use the Accept as Solution or Kudos button below.

Mark Flayler - Engagement Engineer

IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog: https://resources.imaginit.com/manufacturing-solutions-blog

Message 5 of 16
ampster402
in reply to: mflayler2


@mflayler2 wrote:

Btw, AutoCAD 2012 will import STEP files now too as well as a whole host of other files.



Mark, is that without Acad Mech installed as previously required?  stepin/stepout would be nice to see in plain Acad.

Message 6 of 16
mflayler2
in reply to: ampster402

Yes, it is without MECH.  You can also bring in Inventor files for documentation, ProE, SW, and a whole host of other ones too.

Did you find this reply helpful ? If so please use the Accept as Solution or Kudos button below.

Mark Flayler - Engagement Engineer

IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog: https://resources.imaginit.com/manufacturing-solutions-blog

Message 7 of 16
JDMather
in reply to: mgookin


@mgookin wrote:

Is there anything around which is actually written and organized with some semblence of intelligence?


 

Certainly not your post.

 

Attach your dwg file here and someone will show you how to import it and have Inventor convert it to sheetmetal part.

 

BTW -  AutoCAD 2012 will import a STEP file.  Oops, I see Mark already beat me to that.  vanilla AutoCAD will now import most everything that Inventor will import.

 


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Message 8 of 16
mgookin
in reply to: JDMather

Lots of progres after another 20 hours of work invested in this trash.

 

Here's the answer:

The 2010 version does not allow dynamic input where the user can define the dimensions of an object.

The help files do not match the actual program. The 2010 help files are full of incorrect information.

The 2012 version seems to have made an attempt at reality in that you can actually define the dimensions of, and location of, something as you draw it. Wow, how intuititive.

 

If Autodesk made automobiles, they would make a great car for decades. Then one day they would make one with the seat facing backwards, the steering wheel turning left when it should go right, doubling the horsepower and deleting the brakes.

 

How these crack heads stay in business is beyond me.

 

Message 9 of 16
elise_moss
in reply to: mgookin

I teach in the community colleges and I get students in my class who are coming from AutoCAD all the time.

 

It is stressful learning any new software, so you have to have some patience and understand there will be a certain amount of frustration.

 

Inventor does allow you to do dynamic input and also direct input (like AutoCAD).  You have to set up your system options to enable Edit Dimension when placed to automatically bring up the Edit Dimension dialog when you place a dimension.  There is also a toolbar you can launch where you can type in your X,Y,Z coordinates to do direct entry and place lines, etc.

 

However, you are missing some of joy of Inventor if you don't leverage the ability to use parameters to control your geometry.

 

Luckily, Autodesk has an amazing community of users who are willing to share information and help others.

 

Hang in there!

 

Elise Moss

Message 10 of 16
mgookin
in reply to: elise_moss

Thanks for that perspective Elise.

 

15 years on cad 2D doing site development, building structural, MEP's & fire protection and trying to get a 3D piece of brass sheet metal with one bend & two holes has been a nightmare. Suffered the torture with ribbons and all that stupid trash for 12 year old girls (you know it takes five steps in that to do what you do in one step in 2D and it's only because of the stupid ribbons and nothing to do with the actual program), couldn't get a STEP or IGES file out of that, so got Mechanical and the STEP and IGES files are trash. It's coming out on something like a scale of .000001 and yes the units were properly set. Then this Inventor trash and you don't even have a place to draw anything and you can't say what the dimensions are? Some inventing program, huh?

 

Microsoft blames all their ribbon trash on the marketing department who is trying to lure the tweens away from Apple.

 

These gorilla companies have no respect for those who actually work for a living.

 

To have any program go from one step to five steps for the same process is as stuck on stupid as stupid gets. And it's not just the four additional steps. You have to stop. Ok, I want to draw a this. I have to find the fluffy button, ribbon panel, dinkledork dumpleduff, blah blah blah.

 

These people could not have designed a worse program. What's sad is that we know that they know how to design a good system. Sick joke maybe? What the hell is this?

Message 11 of 16
elise_moss
in reply to: mgookin

A lot of the rant is just the frustration of learning a new software.

 

I got decent step files out of Inventor all the time.  You do have to check the Options before you save to make sure it set to the correct units, etc.

 

elise

Message 12 of 16
BMiller63
in reply to: mgookin


@mgookin wrote:
3D piece of brass sheet metal with one bend & two holes


Post a basic sketch and someone who is experienced with Inventor will provide you with an file example of your part. It should be quite simple.

 

Inventor is not AutoCAD (I use them both). If you take the time to learn the program it is a very powerful program and quite easy to use. Your rant speaks to your lack of understanding of parametric modelers and your attempt to use a parametric modeling program as if it were AutoCAD. You're not the first to get frustrated in your attempt to transition, but I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone so ****-sure that they were right and everyone else who uses the program to design are wrong.

 

btw, if you don't like the Ribbon you can turn it off in Inventor 2010.

 

I say keep on ranting, it's been an amusing thread so far!

Message 13 of 16
timster1984
in reply to: elise_moss

I have no problems learning a new software package but when I followthe first tutorials and the very first steps are not communicated properly......what is one going to do?  Call autodesk and say, "Hey, I couldtnt follow the very first step of your tutorials!"  I mean the very first step is not correct....the results on my screen do not even come close to what the tutorials have.  The videos on youtube were far better.  Who ever is writing their tutorials should run some use cases through their steps, because I can assure you, that I have and the results arent good.

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Message 14 of 16
timster1984
in reply to: timster1984

Here is another example of confusing directions in the tutorials:

 

Click Model tab
Pattern panel Rectangular
. The Features selection arrow is selected. Pick the Hole. If you are viewing the hole in a plan view, it is difficult to select the hole on the part. Rotate the view slightly in 3D before selecting the hole on the part. You can also select the hole directly in the Model browser. ImportantDo NOT select the extruded body, or it will be patterned with the hole.

  • Pick the Direction 1arrow, and then choose a horizontal edge to set the direction. The edge you choose determines the initial direction.

    For example, if you choose the lower model or sketch edge, the horizontal pattern direction is to the left. If you choose the upper model or sketch edge, the horizontal pattern direction is to the right.

    Use the Flip direction arrow to reverse the direction. Set the count to two, and then highlight the text in the dimension spacing field. With the text highlighted, select the horizontal sketch dimension to use the dimension value for the spacing. Pick the Direction 2 arrow, and then pick a vertical model or sketch edge. Set the count to two, and then highlight the text in the dimension field. Select the vertical reference dimension to use the dimension value.

Message 15 of 16
cvbt-thailand
in reply to: timster1984

If you can think of a way to improve a tutorial, please do so.  The WikiHelp allows us to edit the tutorials.  I believe we are also able to embed or link to videos from YouTube.  Here is a link to  IV2012 Tutorials.

I believe it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.  We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.  Make a contribution - edit a WikiHelp today.

Geoffrey Wheeler
AutoCAD Mechanical 2011 SP2, IV Pro 2011 64bit SP2, stand alone, Design Review 2018, DWG True View 2018, Inventor View // Win7 Ultimate SP1
ASUS P8H61-M LE, Intel i5-3450 @ 3.10 GHz, 8GB RAM // ATI AMD Radeon HD 6600 Series, 1GB RAM
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Message 16 of 16
CAD-One
in reply to: mgookin

 

I am just amazed by the great support the community is providing. I use the help of this community very often.

 

There are few other good resources on You Tube. Just search for Inventor tutorials or lessons there. You will find tons of basic lessons that will bring you up the speed.

C1
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