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How does autodesk continually find new ways to make revit suck?

12 REPLIES 12
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Message 1 of 13
plawton5092
872 Views, 12 Replies

How does autodesk continually find new ways to make revit suck?

After installing Revit 2014, I still need to use Revit 2013, and sometimes 2012.  When I try to get Help in 2013, the program dutifully goes out to autodesk's web page for help with Revit 2014, NOT 2013.  Also, there is no option for changing to the correct web page for the version I am using.  Also, when I type in 'revit 2013 help' here on the forums, no relevant answer comes up.

 

This is what lack of strong competition does to a company - they can continually produce 'uttercrap', and they have no incentive to address any quality issues, except as they pertain to the demands of shareholders.

12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
HVAC-Novice
in reply to: plawton5092

I think this is just a bug, not a a matter of lack of competition.

 

Most problems are resolved by google anyway, or on this forum.

 

Most people here don't really tag the Revit version, so that is why it doesn't come up. Or your problem hasn't discussed yet.

 

In general you should use the newest version. I know if you work with consultants you are bound by what they use. But the subscription model is designed to use the most up-to-date version. so they should update.

 

If a problem is resolved in Revit 2014, you can't blame A-Desk for not providing a solution in 2012.

Revit version: R2024.2
Message 3 of 13

I understand that with the migration to the new interface, the links to the help articles of previous versions has been temporarily unavailable, but the articles are going to be included. Perhaps there was a lack of a temporary location for those articles during the migration, yes, but the articles will be back in the new interface. That's what I read from my friend Jeff Hanson.

 


Alfredo Medina _________________________________________________________________ ______
Licensed Architect (Florida) | Freelance Instructor | Autodesk Expert Elite (on Revit) | Profile on Linkedin
Message 4 of 13
plawton5092
in reply to: HVAC-Novice

Mr. kschindel

 

I think this is just a bug, not a a matter of lack of competition."

 

I would submit that autodesk's continuous (decades-long) stream of 'bugs' can only exist becasue of a lack of competition.  When any other product has problems, they are fixed, or the product fails in the market.

 

"Most problems are resolved by google anyway, or on this forum."

 

People have HAD to help each other via Google, because autodesk traditionally provides terrible Help solutions.  When I searched this forum for help with Revit 2013 Help, there were no relevant solutions - try it yourself and see.

 

"Most people here don't really tag the Revit version, so that is why it doesn't come up. Or your problem hasn't discussed yet."

 

This very same problem existed in between 2012 and 2013, and I got someone at autodesk to fix it, but then the next person broke it again.  If you type in 'revit 2013 help' or 'revit 2012 help in google or bing, the link will SAY  that it's going to autodesk's 2013 or 2012 help page, but then it opens up help for 2014.  This is completely inexcusable BS - it's like this is the first software they've ever written, FOR EVERY SINGLE RELEASE!

 

 

"In general you should use the newest version. I know if you work with consultants you are bound by what they use. But the subscription model is designed to use the most up-to-date version. so they should update."

 

The project architect is setting the pace, deciding which version to use - this is completely out of the hands of the subconsultants, which is autodesk's intent.

 

"If a problem is resolved in Revit 2014, you can't blame A-Desk for not providing a solution in 2012."

 

This comment is completely unrelated to what I've asked.

 

So, do you have any useful insights into how this is going to be resolved at autodesk?

 

 

 

Message 5 of 13

Mr. Medina:

 

"... temporarily unavailable ..."

 

The program has been out since March of this year, and they are on Update Patch #2.  "Temporarily" could mean a few weeks or a month, or even two; there is no excuse for 8 months.  For a long time I told my students to 'use the help menu', but that has been bad advice for years now.

 

If a major cornerstone of the software (the Help menu) is not available, then the program should not be released.  If the online portion has some problems, then autodesk should provide a baseline, updateable .chm file as a local backup.

 

There are two possibilities:

 

1. the programmers used for 2013 departed (to go work on helathcare.gov), and their replacements have no idea what problems remained with the software

 

or

 

2. the programmers used for 2013 are still at autodesk, and don't want to solve the problems that remain with the software (I'm sure they could if they wanted to, or if they were allowed to).

 

Any idea which is the case?

Message 6 of 13
HVAC-Novice
in reply to: plawton5092

Every software I was ever on subscription on (Trane Trace etc.) is supported for the newest version.

If windows has a problem that is fixed in a service update, every support person will tell you to update to the newest release.

When I call Trane support on Trane Trace, the first thing they asked me is if have the most recent version.

 

You haven't really stated what your problem is, so no one here can actually help you. If you posted your actual question (and include your version), users or A-desk can help you .

 

When you search for a problem, just search for the problem, not the version. enter "Revit cannot draw a line" in google. If this is a typical Revit 2012 problem, it will come up.

 

Google or search only can find what exists. If your problem hasn't been discussed, it won't be found.

So the best way to find a solution is to post the question here.

 

 

Revit version: R2024.2
Message 7 of 13
plawton5092
in reply to: HVAC-Novice

Mr. K.:

 

Are you using Windows 8.1?  If you applied your logic to Microsoft, they would not support Windows 7 at all. 

 

It's sad when autodesk cannot even keep up with the standard of care (free updates and patches, automatically downloaded and installed) set by the company formerly known as The Evil Empire.

 

However, that point is moot - until autodesk notifies the world that they will stop supporting a version, they DO provide some support.  And as of today, they are supporting Revit MEP 2012 and 2013.

 

Further, I have described my problem:  When I type anything in the help menu of Revit MEP 2012 or Revit MEP 2013, and hit enter, the webpage that pops up is for Revit MEP 2014.  Please try this with your own installation of 2012 or 2013.  (In a useful answer to my original post, Mr. Medina appears to understand my point, and offered some clues about the status of the help menu functionality.)

 

For you to imply that Google is responsible for providing definitve and authoritative help for any of autodesk's programs would seem to indicate that you approve of such a model.  If you design electrical systems, is it appropriate for the project architect to come to you for help with a plumbing code question?

 

Why do you defend such deep flaws in the product?  Do you work for autodesk?  if so, can you ask the programmers when the help menu functionality is going to work?  It's been 8 months since the release of 2014, and they need to start working on 2015 -- right?

Message 8 of 13
CoreyDaun
in reply to: plawton5092


plawton5092 wrote:

"After installing Revit 2014, I still need to use Revit 2013, and sometimes 2012.  When I try to get Help in 2013, the program dutifully goes out to autodesk's web page for help with Revit 2014, NOT 2013.  Also, there is no option for changing to the correct web page for the version I am using.  Also, when I type in 'revit 2013 help' here on the forums, no relevant answer comes up..."


I believe that the is the result of the death of WikiHelp - I believe that Autodesk is (has been / will be) changing the Help system, and moving away from the previous WikiHelp. I fully agree that support information for the old versions of Revit need to be available due to the drastically evolving/changing nature of Revit. I've gone to help myself to look up things for Revit 2012/2013 which are much different or completely changed in 2014.

I don't have a solution to offer but if you need information, search/post here and we will do what we can to help!

Corey D.                                                                                                                  ADSK_Logo_EE_2013.png    AutoCAD 2014 User  Revit 2014 User
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⁞|⁞ Please use Mark Solutions!.Accept as Solution and Give Kudos!Give Kudos as appropriate to further enhance these forums. Thank you!
Message 9 of 13
HVAC-Novice
in reply to: plawton5092

I'm using W7, but W8.1 is different OS with totally different UI etc.

 

Revit 2012, 2013, 2014 are basically the same with upgrades inc. bug-fixes, and additional features. So for A-desk it is proper to fix the current version.

 

You did not post your actual problem. You posted a problem that was called "you can't find the answer when you enter it in help".

 

You should post what you actually wanted to know for Revit 2012/13 before you got stuck with 2014 help.

 

As far as support goes, Revit is probably one of the best documented and supported software i know of. I hope the Wiki gets fixed or comes back. the current help system is odd.  but ther eis a huge community helping solving the weirdest problems.

Revit version: R2024.2
Message 10 of 13


@plawton5092 wrote:
...

 

The program has been out since March of this year, and they are on Update Patch #2.  "Temporarily" could mean a few weeks or a month, or even two; there is no excuse for 8 months.  For a long time I told my students to 'use the help menu', but that has been bad advice for years now.

 

...

To clarify, by "temporary" I was referring to the date when the new interface was launched (the interface that replaced Wikihelp) until today. You are interpreting that "temporary" as if it was from the time Revit 2013 was launched. The help in Wikihelp for Revit 2013 had been working until a few weeks back when this new interface was created. All I know (and maybe others here too) is that Autodesk knows about this issue and they are working on it. Maybe Jeff Hanson from Autodesk would be the person to give us an update on this, if he sees this message.

 


Alfredo Medina _________________________________________________________________ ______
Licensed Architect (Florida) | Freelance Instructor | Autodesk Expert Elite (on Revit) | Profile on Linkedin
Message 11 of 13

Mr. M.:

 

To further clarify, I was referring to the launch date of Revit 2014.

 

Are you saying that the wikihelp system worked earlier this year, then autodesk launched a new interface initiative, and that is what pranged the system?  If so, then I guess autodesk might be a tiny fraction more qualified than healthcare.gov, but since autodesk has been writing software for decades, I cannot think of any excuse for them .. nor am I inclined to try.

 

Thanks anyway

 

PS: When I tried to spell check this response, the checker did not recognize the words Mr., Revit , or autodesk ...... who's at the wheel at autodesk, the kindergarteners?

Message 12 of 13

Well, the world is not perfect, nor the health care system, nor a large software corporation. All I know is that the issue is known and they are working on it.

As others have suggested, instead of talking about why it is not working now, we invite you to use this resource of the forums to post specific questions about Revit 2013. We will be happy to help you if we can. And most of the times, we can. 🙂

 


Alfredo Medina _________________________________________________________________ ______
Licensed Architect (Florida) | Freelance Instructor | Autodesk Expert Elite (on Revit) | Profile on Linkedin
Message 13 of 13

Mr. M.:

 

No, of course the world is not perfect, but autodesk keeps telling us 'it'll be fixed in the next release';  over the past decade that has become a sad joke, so most folks have become content with mediocrity in certain American products.  I am ashamed that autodesk is an American company - the rest of the world sees them as a textboook example of capitalist thievery, and as Americans, that reflects poorly on us, while fuelling those who argue against capitalism.

 

My original quest began when I looked for a basic outline of rendering in Revit.  Having to come to the discussion group, post a question, wait for an answer, then go to google to see a video in Chinese, really seems like too much for a simple overview.  I am very familiar with rendering in AutoCAD and in 3DSMax, so I was hoping for a simple step-wise discussion in the Help menu.  However, that no longer matters, as I will do the work in 3DS Max.

 

Thanks anyway

 

 

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