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

[kwilson_design]

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.

[ihayesjr]

I am sorry but we do not have a thin client link in the thick client at this time.

[toddw.schuler]

Our experience was very different. We implemented Vault Pro 2016 and the new Thin Client is a great low/no cost business solution for our needs. We have many read only users who do not need a full Vault Client application installed on their desktops.  The ability to download the CAD files from the Thin Client has made me the budget hero once again. The last time was when we implemented Vault.

[steveh4]

Yes...much improved from 2014...going to implement when I find some time.

Biggest hangup is that you can't view files on devices that aren't windows based. Unless some progress has been made there???? Need an Android/iOS viewer of some sort.

[kwilson_design]

Todd,

You have to understand that this thread was created several years ago and they have made improvements to the design of the new'ish thin web client compared to how it was when it was first implemented. That's not to say there isn't room for improvement, especially on the admin and securities/access side of things and the general interface could still use some polish but it's certainly better than it was.

I also agree with Steveh and wish there was a mobile solution. There are many times when someone on the team is out of the office and needs to view a DWF and doing this from their smart phone is much easier than lugging around a laptop. Autodesk says it's "Under Review: so they are at least looking into it http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/vault-ideas/thin-client-on-mobile-devices/idi-p/5501442. How long before it's implemented is anyone's guess.