Autodesk Technology Managers Forum
Share your knowledge, ask questions, and engage with fellow CAD/BIM Managers.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Lack of a common software architecture

4 REPLIES 4
Reply
Message 1 of 5
jcstahl
379 Views, 4 Replies

Lack of a common software architecture

Most of our firm's work is related to municipal wastewater treatment plant design. We offer the full design package: Civil, Architectural, Structural, Process Mechanical, HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical design. We would like to create a set of drawings that can be managed in a way that can be plotted, filed and accessed in a logical manner. Due to the way each software (Plant 3D, MEP, Architecture & Civil 3D) manages their files, this has become a nightmare for file management, plotting and file access.

I do not mean to rant and rave, but this is a real problem. Autodesk has too many products and it seems that there is no communication between each software group. To me there should be a common software architecture as a base for all Autodesk software products. This base architecture should help make the different software packages look similar, create the same file structure, have compatible AEC objects, create views in a similar fashion, etc... Take a page from Apple/Mac and reduce the number of products offered, bundle the software for firms that do multiple disciplines of work and sell more software. Any comment from anyone?
4 REPLIES 4
Message 2 of 5
Anonymous
in reply to: jcstahl

On Tue, 9 Mar 2010 09:49:15 -0800, jcstahl@ati-ae.com <> wrote:

>Most of our firm's work is related to municipal wastewater treatment plant design. We offer the full design package: Civil, Architectural, Structural, Process Mechanical, HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical design. We would like to create a set of drawings that can be managed in a way that can be plotted, filed and accessed in a logical manner. Due to the way each software (Plant 3D, MEP, Architecture & Civil 3D) manages their files, this has become a nightmare for file management, plotting and file access.

>I do not mean to rant and rave, but this is a real problem. Autodesk has too many products and it seems that there is no communication between each software group. To me there should be a common software architecture as a base for all Autodesk software products. This base architecture should help make the different software packages look similar, create the same file structure, have compatible AEC objects, create views in a similar fashion, etc... Take a page from Apple/Mac and reduce the number of products offered, bundle the software for firms that do multiple disciplines of work and sell more software. Any comment from anyone?

Yup. Which is why I love the Revit platform.

Matt
matt@stachoni.com
Message 3 of 5
dgorsman
in reply to: jcstahl

To a certain extent they do cooperate, but there is a limit imposed by what each package does. Architectural work is very different than piping, is very different from subdivision layout. If they were all based around the same core concept (at a deeper level than current) there could be problems adding new features which could break something needed by another offshoot. Give it another couple of generations and things will be working a little closer.

And find something different than Plant3D - IMHO its still at least one version away from being useable in a production environment.
----------------------------------
If you are going to fly by the seat of your pants, expect friction burns.
"I don't know" is the beginning of knowledge, not the end.


Message 4 of 5
omc-usnr
in reply to: jcstahl

Your joshing, right?

Autodesk wouldn't be able to sell four different packages to one firm if they did what you want.

Reid
Message 5 of 5
jcstahl
in reply to: jcstahl

No, I wouldn't be joshing Reid. The four products I would like to at least work together would be Plant 3D, MEP, Architecture & Civil 3D as mentioned before. Yea, make it a suite that works together within Project Navigator, so you can keep track of the entire project in one location. Maybe that’s why they call it a “project” and not “part of a project”. What a concept!

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Administrator Productivity


Autodesk Design & Make Report