Saving a project locally

[Anonymous]

How can you work completely offline? I am under an NDA which prohibits me from sharing their designs. I have to use my other workstation that is isolated from all networks. I need to know how to save my data when working offline locally and never put into the cloud or any other external network. Certainly there has to be a way to do so because I cannot be the only person that has this issue.

[Anonymous]

Anyone???

[neljoshua]

I do not believe this is possible, but I am honestly not sure.  As Fusion is cloud-based, I think that it needs to have things in the cloud in order to work.

[JDMather]

You can have a design on the "cloud" without sharing with anyone.

[Anonymous]

That does not satisfy NDA requirements. The "cloud" is not secure.

[JDMather]

Then you will have to purchase something like Autodesk Inventor.

Why did you get Fusion 360 if this was a contract requirement?

[Anonymous]

They do not really disclose that detail when you purchase it. Yes they say cloud based but you should still be able to work isolated when need be.

[schneik-adsk]

I'm re-posting this here as this question has come up before and I hope this answers why Fusion 360 is cloud based.

Fusion 360 was envisioned from the start as cloud based.  Our team had worked on a desktop application called Inventor Fusion and we realized we wanted to build a ground breaking new 20-year vision. It was founded on connecting teams and design disciplines together in an integrated solution. There is much of that vision not available yet. It was a 20-year idea after all... but, there are real benefits that are there today. Most obvious is Fusion 360 desktop client data is available in the web and mobile clients and on other devices with versions that are managed automatically. This is already an advantage over desktop based tools.

There are other more subtly but important advantages.  Rename for example.  Renaming a SolidWorks part (without using special tools) will break any referencing assembly.  Moving a SolidWorks part will break any referencing assembly.  In Fusion 360 you can rename and move designs and any references will automatically know.  In SolidWorks every assembly always opens the latest version of the parts you have on disk.  Fusion 360 assembly references are version aware. This means when you roll back to an older version you will see that assembly exactly as that version was at that time in history including all of the child parts.  Fusion 360 data can be shared with others using a public share.  This share can allow others to self serve and download the file in the format they need.  Fusion 360 data has a built in activity feed that lets you see versions and activity. This allows others to comment on designs and for this activity to be stored as part of a project keeping a history of changes and decisions. You get all this today without having to purchase EPDM, purchase Box/Dropbox or have a vault and data admin.

Using cloud technology as our platform helps ensure Fusion 360 is always the same version across the community so you can share data with other users and not worry about forward or backwards compatibility (Apple app store approval for Mac app store version can lag unfortunately).  Fusion data is translated via cloud translation so that we are able to offer OS X users access to data that typically is not accessible on a MAC.

Other advantages over desktop tools is the ability for remote services to work on your data asynchronously as you work or sleep. Today renderings can be offloaded to be rendered using a cloud based compute grid for example.

Let's look at some of the benefits that we could deliver in the future that would not be possible with desktop based data.  There will be additional clients that you can use to edit and create data. New clients like zero-browser clients and mobile clients that have access to your projects without any install. This will give you and your teams the ultimate flexibility to access and edit your data.

More services will be able to act on your benefit. Cloud grid computing will enable simulation studies, multi-variable design optimization and generative design tools. It will enable you to propagate change and have services update assemblies, drawings toolpaths and report on success or failure freeing designers to spend more time designing. It enables configurable parts to be deployed in engineer to order tools. It will enable 3rd parties to create new vertical solutions that can connect and enrich your projects no matter the device or your location.

Branch and merge of assemblies is built into the underlying data services for Fusion 360 and will allow individuals or teams to better manage change and explore design ideas. Branching and merging of design data is a nightmare to try and emulate on a desktop with folders and CAD file names. These are only some of the benefits that we think using the cloud as our platform will enable for you.

I think we have have been up front that Fusion 360 is cloud based.  We do not promote it as a desktop design app and we would not want to mislead anyone that it is. I know that requests to make Fusion 360 a desktop app comes from an appreciation of how the design tool works and from a lack of appreciation of how the cloud service might benefit you.  The benefit of cloud as a platform will take time to realize its' full potential. We are committed to take the time to listen to feedback from the community on that future direction and deliver on it, but, the feedback has to fit into the guardrails of the underlying product vision and values.  Please don't misunderstand me. Resistance to ideas to "go desktop data" is not because of a disdain for you or ignorance of your desires. We have core values for what Fusion 360 can be and tying ourselves to the problems and solutions that were right for the last 20 years will constrain us trying to solve the challenges of the next 20 years.

I hope some of what we offer above and beyond desktop tools today is of value to you. I also hope what we will be able to offer in the future is of even more value to you. If it is not, then Fusion 360 might not be the right tool for you. That's O.K.  We want to help people design and make their ideas real.  There are other tools that might be a better fit and we can help point you in those directions. Now you may say that we could do all this on the desktop or that we should "Just do both." I hope some of the complexity of the capability above shows that this just has not been possible with local and file based data.  Current tools have been trying to solve these problems for the last 20+ years and have not been able to do so. You might be able to get some of the above benefits with large very expensive and complex IT infrastructure but nowhere will you find all this available to hobbyist and students for free and to commercial customers for $40 to $100 per month.

I will add one more thought here. We know there are industries that don't allow the use of cloud data today. We are intentionally, and I hope honestly, acknowledge that, for now, Fusion 360 is not a fit for those users.  There are so many great design tools and each of us just want to realize our ideas.  You may not agree with Fusion 360's direction but that does not mean that is true for other users. If Fusion 360 is not a good, fit and there is anything we can do to help you find a tool this is a better fit for your needs, we are happy to help.

[WHolzwarth]

Hmm. I must admit, that I like to work on my own PC, without using any cloud assistance.

A big disadvantage for me is the time for upload/download files at the cloud. Another one is, that F360  can't handle Inventor assemblies and constraints (My actual knowledge)

And how about handling of big assemblies in F360, together with drawings, BOM management, Content Center parts and multiple standards?

IMO, F360 is a good 2nd way for part modeling. But I don't see benefits in assemblies.

Walter 

[s.david.baxter]

I don't have an NDA however, I do live in an area where telecommunications are....well, not fast.  I like that Fusion is the latest and greatest but I would like to manage my own designs locally so I don't have to go have a coffee every time I want to open or save the file.  I really want to be part of the Fusion experience but, if that requires mandatory adherence to the "cloud" then maybe Inventor is the better product for me.

[Anonymous]

I would say go for it. I am sure it cost's quite a bit more but given the disadvantages you face ( I could not work like that) it does not sound like you have to many options. I really wish they would re-visit this and think smart about it. I really did not like the politically correct answer given to me up above on why they will continue doing this.

[Anonymous]

While I personally don't mind the cloud approach, I think that Fusion 360 is primarily designed for people to make products that will be fabricated through various means.  This naturally means that things of a proprietary nature will be made with it, so I can see how cloud based copies of something can be an issue, as even if they were set to private, that does not guarantee security.  I'd say the people at Autodesk with access to the cloud, probably don't have as robust of security to ensure that their own systems aren't used to bypass a private cloud save file, and if a competitor was trying to get access to a design, I'd say it'd be pretty easy to hire someone capable of obtaining unrestricted access, whether locally or remotely.  From a hacker to a mere janitor, throw a few grand their way and an Autodesk employee who leaves their desk to go to the bathroom is all of a sudden breached.

While someone can usually save a file locally, it'll only be a model file, they won't really have all of the features of a full save file that includes parametric change history, so if someone wanted to go back and change a design it could be a bit of a pain.  

I do believe that Autodesk should offer some non cloud based saving system, as I'm sure there can be legal loopholes that pretty much grants Autodesk full ownership of saved files, which could be a disaster if someone in the higher up decided to exercise that authority at some point.  On top of that, if the cloud is hacked, it could lead to legal troubles for Autodesk even with a disclaimer, as disclaimers are only as good as they are thorough, and only as good as they hold up in the law of the land of the customer.  

If you are under NDA, I would talk it over with the employer, explain the issue and see if they will accept the methods of a private cloud based file save.  

[Anonymous]

I too was excited about learning Fusion 360, but not after this Cloud only saving system.  I want to save to my local computer, open from my computer, etc.  Back to Inventor, forget Fusion, and micro-managing AutoDesk. 

[Anonymous]

If you use the export function the file is saved to your computer and not the cloud.

[Anonymous]

When I was working Offline, the Export function would never load.

[Anonymous]

I also read that there is a time-limit to working offline, 2 weeks. Then, you have to re-sync, then there goes your drawings, back up to the Cloud.

[Anonymous]

What we need for cloud use is password protected files.  

[Anonymous]

Hmm, glitch? When I restarted Fusion I was able to get to an old drawings I had exported, and able to export a new one (save locally) while working offline. But, there's that time limit thing (two weeks). Once I logged into Fusion, it automatically uploaded a drawing I had saved/exported in offline mode. They did it without asking me. Like others, I just don't like having to play in AutoDesk's house all the time.

[Anonymous]

Yes but you are the only one able to view or download those drawings, unless of course they get hacked and that’s why I suggested password protection.

I would like to see two weeks increased to four and password protection.

[Anonymous]

Yes, agree Cx2, that would help (password protection) and only I can see my drawings. But still, as one mentioned, what if AutoDesk is down, crashed, hacked, or you have a falling out with them. It's like an HOA on steroids, you're stuck having to upload your work to Big Brother.