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New thin web client (Subscription Release 1) sucks!!!

23 REPLIES 23
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Message 1 of 24
kwilson_design
10100 Views, 23 Replies

New thin web client (Subscription Release 1) sucks!!!

Don't get me wrong. The old web client was a dated looking design and needed to be updated for a more modern look and feel. I'm all for Autodesk allowing for more properties and files to be seen but it just seems like the new thin web client was designed by Ray Charles and that Mr. Charles has never been in a shop floor environment.

 

First I'll discuss my positives:

 

  • It looks more modern. Gone is the Win98 UI and feel.

 

  •  More properties and data can be found. This is only a positive for what I call "Power Users" or people that actually are proficient in database software.

 

  • Finally we have a "Keep me Signed In" button!!

 

 

Now I'll discuss my gripes which far outweigh my positives:

 

  • The efficiency has DECREASED with the new web client. It takes more time and steps to get to a drawing than it did on the old web client. Take simple searching for example. In the old client after you logged in you were greeted with a search window right off the bat on the top left. In the new web client you have to firs ttime log in, then click to the project explorer and THEN you are able to search using the search panel on the right side. More clicking = more time. Time = money.

 

  • On a related note on efficiency, it also takes more time and steps to actually get to viewing a drawing. On the old version you would search for your file, then be greeted with a list of files it find based off your search, you click said file and it would bring you to a detailed window of that file allowing you to view the DWF quickly. The new version you do the same search, get to the desired file, then I'm greeted with thumbnails (more on that in a second) then I have to....wait for it...click on this stupid little magnifying glass icon inside of the thumbnail. Why can't I just click the big thumbnail instead? But wait that's not all. It then opens up yet another "viewer" that shows me two things, one being yet another thumbnail of what I already clicked on but now I have to click on the DWF icon to actually view the drawing now. i mean why increase all these steps and hurdles thus INCREASING time? What year are we in? Doesn't Autodesk constantly goat about increasing productivity and efficiency? I don't see how with their approach to this new web client. 

 

  • Now I want to vent about the new "viewer". It sucks to be honest. For one thing it's not even working when trying to view a DWF on several machines. But the main reason why I say it sucks is that there is no way to have a maximized view easily. I have to right click (or press N for the browser shortcut) to go full screen. Guess what happens when you go full screen? Yup....you lose all mark-up capability. So now if I want to view a drawing in full screen I have to click N to view it and then when I'm ready to mark it up have to click N again and then spend like 10 minutes panning, zooming and scrolling all around the **** drawing to mark it up. Would be nice if I could have my mark-up tools WITH my maximized view (think Design Review).

 

  • The Download button. Why would I want to have my shop floor download an IDW or DWG when clearly they don't have Inventor or AutoCAD installed? Why can't I lock that option out as admin or better yet, replaced it with "download DWF" instead? I don't know about you guys but we NEVER, EVER EVEr send out native Inventor or AutoCAD files. EVER. It's always a DWF or PDF to protect our designs. So if the shop floor doesn't need a DWG and I certainly don't want to send out a native file, then why on earth can I not turn this option off or replace it with a DWF option instead?

 

  • The thumbnails. It's overkill. It's like a used car salesman saying "Sunday!! Sunday!!! Sunday!!". I mean why is there an overkill with thumbnails? They are EVERYWHERE. It is too busy of a web design layout. The key to success with web design is to K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). The normal shop floor worker is not generally a computer-savvy user. By throwing all these thumbnails in their face it is very confusing to decipher what they should and shouldn't be paying attention to.

 

  • The Show All Versions button. It doesn't work plain and simple. When searching for a file and clicking on any file with history it shows ALL the file versions from Vault. Even after I tell it to show only latest released file. So yea again, thumbnails thumbnails thumbnails thumbnails thumbnails thumbnails. Well you get the idea...

 

  •  Administration Panel. I was hoping that with the new web client that surely some much needed attention would of been given to the admin control panel. Doesn't look like anything has been added, only a refreshed look. Yay. As an admin I should be able to completely control how I want my web client to look and feel. Yet the only real controls you have are what properties get displayed. Oh and I can add a banner. Awesome control there.

 

  • Display views. Do were really need planks, tiles and grid views? I mean who is actually going to sift through an entire Vault directory looking for files that way? Serious question. The answer is nobody. Shop floor folks want to easily plug in their part number, find the file and then view or print said file(s). Nobody in their right mind if going to thumb and scroll through hundreds or thousands of files when they easily could of just searched for it. Think about that and let it soak in. 

I could go on and on as I find these types of annoyances throughout the new web client. To be honest we upgraded our Vault yesterday mainly for this new highly touted thin web client upgrade, only to be completely disappointed with it's lack of thoughtful layout design and drawing view quirky workflow. Yea the older design looked like a 80's Caddy Seville but it was efficient and to-the-point at displaying exactly what the shop floor needed to be focused on.

 

Sorry for the long-winded rant/vent session. I feel other subscription members should know up front what they will be upgrading to IF they decide to use the new thin web client. Maybe you will like it. Maybe it will fit your company and their chaotic workflow. But for every user that I've shown it to here that is familiar with the old crusty web client, none of them like it. They all agree that it has potential but it just seems like ZERO thought was put in actually creating a pleasant experience to quickly find what you're looking for. For this, we have decided to keep ole crusty and no use this new thin client until Autodesk actually spends real thoughtful time on it in the future.

 

As a long time Subscription user who spends thousands upon thousands of dollars each year to Autodesk in licensing, maintenance, services, etc I'm pretty disappointed. It s good thing I didn't go to AU this year. I would of been that guy in the room blowing real world holes in all the marketing hype.

 

 

Regards,
Kenny
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23 REPLIES 23
Message 2 of 24
kocsistech
in reply to: kwilson_design

Kenny,

 

Bravo!!!  Well put!  I can only picture what the meeting this was pitched at was like...

 

I continue to be amazed at the sheer stupidty of their solutions as of lately.  Well at least you know someone else shares your setiments.  

 

Again great rant, I thourghly enjoyed it.

 

Todd P.

Message 3 of 24
ihayesjr
in reply to: kwilson_design

I would like to discuss your comments on the Thin Client.

Please send me a private message with your contact information.




Irvin Hayes Jr
Sr. Product Manager
Autodesk, Inc.

Vault - Under the Hood Blog
Message 4 of 24
jeamy.baena
in reply to: ihayesjr

Hi, Experts

 

Today I upgraded my Vault to this new "version". I totally agree with kwilsonamerex.

Honestly I expected more, because this feature didn't have modifications for many years.

 

I am not sure if in AU2013 this class (I am going to attend): PL1721 - The Ugly Project Data Management Duckling Takes Flight, will talk about this and if it will pay off

The support (visualization) of LINKS inside the web client, would be great!.

 

We would like to know what is the position of Autodesk about this and if these issues will be attended soon or not.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Message 5 of 24
Bill.Schmid
in reply to: jeamy.baena

How does one get (or avoid getting) this new web client?  We upgraded our server from Vault Professional 2013 to Vault Professional 2014.  Other than different background graphics at the top of the screen, I'm not seeing much difference.

Message 6 of 24
jeamy.baena
in reply to: Bill.Schmid

Hi, Bill Schmid

 

The old web client will still be available here

http://servername/AutodeskDM/webclient

The new Thin Client URL is as follows

http://servername/AutodeskTC

Message 7 of 24
DarrenP
in reply to: Bill.Schmid


@Bill.Schmid wrote:

How does one get (or avoid getting) this new web client?  We upgraded our server from Vault Professional 2013 to Vault Professional 2014.  Other than different background graphics at the top of the screen, I'm not seeing much difference.


this is a separate download/installation from the subscription center
http://crackingthevault.typepad.com/crackingthevault/2013/10/autodesk-vault-2014-subscription-releas...

DarrenP
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Message 8 of 24
SeanMacOz
in reply to: kwilson_design

Any luck with getting the thin client to display Links?

 

We engineer and manufacture ROVs for many different clients. Our base ROV system uses the same drawings, then as we modify for each role we add and change only certain drawings. So we link back to a main drawing pool for 90% of the drawings as they are common across all platforms.

 

So when other users go to use the web client they CAN'T see the Linked drawings, so they have to go to the drawing pool and wade through 100s of drawings to find what they're after.

 

AUTODESK: Why does your thin client not show Links. This is not a smart move.

Message 9 of 24
chearhuat
in reply to: SeanMacOz

Hi SeanMacOz,

 

Would quoting the URL of the vaulted file meet your requirement?

Meanwhile, i will bring this 'Display Link' request back to feature team.

 

 

 

Regards,
Chear Huat.



Chear Huat
SQA Analyst
DLS- Data Management
Autodesk, Inc.


Be sure to check out the Vault Help Wiki!
Message 10 of 24
SeanMacOz
in reply to: chearhuat

"Would quoting the URL of the vaulted file meets your requirement?"

 

How does this make the linked files visible in the thin client?

 

Please explain.

Message 11 of 24
chearhuat
in reply to: SeanMacOz

Hi SeanMacOz,

 

Could you walk us through how you create those linked files? This will give us a better understanding of the reported case.

 

Meanwhile, Thin Client feature team is aware of the feature request on showing shortcut link (created thru VE > Copy, and VE > Paste as Link workflow) in Thin Client main grid. Do let us know if this is indeed the same case you reported as 'Linked file'.

 

Again, thanks.

 

Regards,

Chear Huat.



Chear Huat
SQA Analyst
DLS- Data Management
Autodesk, Inc.


Be sure to check out the Vault Help Wiki!
Message 12 of 24
SeanMacOz
in reply to: chearhuat

Hi Huat

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Okay, what on earth is "VE >"...

 

The process with which I used to create the links is as one would expect. I right click the .dwg file and drag to the destination folder. A pop of menu then appears at which point I select "create link". In the example below I have selected a drawing in "T18-T21 Only", I then right click-drag to the "surface electrics" folder and then select "create link" from the pop up menu.

 

The links show up as normal within the vault client, but from within the thin client the links can't be seen. This causes major issues as you can see from the structure below. We have 4 folders containing (1 to 4) containing common drawings across the ROVs, then there are two folders for build specific items (customisations). We then create links to the drawings within the projects folders (just above the templates folder) but then the links can't be seen by anyone having to use the thin client.

 

linkedfiles.jpg

 

I guess the question is, why does vault not show files created by vault itself? These links are created within the vault client, surely the thin client should be able to see them too. This is a massive oversight, this negates almost half the value of purchasing the vault in the first place. What are the guys on the floor to do as they can't see 90% of the files they need (linked files) and it is time consuming to sift through the drawing pool to find what they are after.

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Sean Mac

Message 13 of 24
chearhuat
in reply to: SeanMacOz

Hi Sean Mac,

 


VE = Vault Explorer, or the Vault Client in the context.

Indeed, we're referring to the same 'link' objects, which could be created either thru 'Paste as Link', or drag-n-drop 'Create Link' workflow.

 

We're developing Thin Client in phases. And, rest assured that i'll escalate this request to the feature team.

 


Regards,
Chear Huat.



Chear Huat
SQA Analyst
DLS- Data Management
Autodesk, Inc.


Be sure to check out the Vault Help Wiki!
Message 14 of 24
SeanMacOz
in reply to: chearhuat

That would be excellent, and will promote you to my christmas list 😉

 

Thanks mate, I look forward to the progress of this one, it will have a massive impact on our vault environment.

 

Sean Mac

Message 15 of 24

After reading Kenny's rant, I tend to agree with all points. We just installed Vault Pro 2014 and the subscription pack in our test environment and could not agree more. It does nothing but confuse the user.

 

Keep the old crusty interface. It works. Simple is good. You can use the old crusty interface on small monitors on the shop floor (which is where old outdated monitors go to die). That is the beauty of the simple interface. It doesn't require a jumbotron.

 

Just add change orders, custom objects, and the ability to save multiple advanced searches for the more savvy users. To the old interface.

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i7-4800MQ Dell Precision M6800, Win 7 Enterprise 64-bit, 16GB RAM
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2015
Autodesk Vault Professional 2015
PLM 360
Message 16 of 24
Josh_Hunt
in reply to: kwilson_design

Message 17 of 24
pney
in reply to: kwilson_design

If I could give this post a 1000 'kudos' I would; I totally agree. The new client was designed to be 'modern' but with little regard for functionality and usability. We use the viewer almost exclusively for the shop floor and I don't see the new version as even usable in that context. Luckily we can still use the old version. If things don't change we are considering using a different PDM system entirely. Preferably one that uses PDF's, like the rest of the world.

Message 18 of 24
Miquel
in reply to: kwilson_design

in 2015 is the same case... autodesk is working with this? thin client is horrible...

Message 19 of 24
steveh3
in reply to: SeanMacOz

Ditto all of the comments.....I just want to view the idw's/dwg's on a mobile device.

 

It's got to be...

 

Fast

Easy to Use

No Clutter

Ability to lock out Project Explorer and only view thru Items

Ability to view change orders

 

And..really getting crazy here and wishing they could approve CO's too.

 

Biggest thing to remember....."We are dealing with non-CAD users here!!"

 

Inventor---Vault Professional
Message 20 of 24
sc000
in reply to: chearhuat

Is there any news in the TC for Vault 2015R2?

We urgently need the file linking process showing in th TC.

 

 

Regards,

 

Achim Schröder

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