Hire experienced detailers to be developers

[acbsdesign]

I wish there was a magic stick to be used for real Advance Steel users to be part of the development team.

[Sebastian_Eiche]

the API could be used by everyone...so if you could do it better...do it.
I think this is a part of a forum and therefore exist some rules for communication between human people. 
The developers are human and so, in my opinion, you should have a little bit more repect to them

[acbsdesign]

I am trying to be respectful, but Tekla and SDS/2 have used real detailers' knowledge, and this is why they are ahead.

[Drawtech · Accepted solution]

...I think the point is that the "developers" who write the code (and who are no doubt talented programmers) are not detailers and do not need to be.

...so unless the programmers are let loose to code whatever they see fit, I would say the lacking in steel detailing knowledge is on the management side.

It is the people who write the specifications for what the programmers are to develop (and test it afterwards before it is signed off) and who are ultimately in charge of what gets on the "to do" list that need to be experienced detailers 🙂

...and this is where it appears to fall down.  Either Autodesk do not have people with the right experience or senior management above them are not allowing those people with the necessary knowledge to prioritise what is really important in the software for steel detailing.

Having worked in development, I know this is what happens.

The top of the team need to be from a robust steel detailing background.

If they employ programmers, sales guys, general "CAD experts", draftsmen or managers from other disciplines, graduates or even experienced structural engineers, none of these have sufficient knowledge and experience of STEEL DETAILING to lead the development.

...unless these same people have also worked at the sharp end as STEEL DETAILERS for many years. 🙂

Considering the current state of the software and the length of time it has been in development, this is not happening.

...so I would agree with Ilko on his post. 🙂

[Sebastian_Eiche]

Sorry guys,
I could understand what you want to say, but do you know the management? Do you know what they're working before? You both are writing that these people have no knowledge belonging to this...you don't know them in person. It's easy to write here in a forum where nobody know each other and don't have to look in his eyes by saying such words.
I didn't want to write anything more to this thread but in my opinion this is not the place to offend other people.
To create ideas, to bring knowledge to the development is important but this idea here is not knowledge it's only grousing.
Have a nice weekend

[bukko · Accepted solution]

"The squeaky wheel get's the grease."

The more users speak up... the more things will get done.

My company is growing like a weed.  We just purchased  SDS2 and we have AST2018.   We are hiring a minimum 2 more detailers after we move into a brand new building at the end of this month. 

How Autodesk plans to deal with the basic productivity fixes and enhancements will have a direct effect on how I personally advise the company on which software to purchase the next seats in.  Tekla is also on the table. 

Some of the idea requests and major issues in AST (which are very basic detailing drawing creation issues that have been problems for literally years... simple things!!) need to be addressed before AST can even sit at the same table and Tekla & SDS2. 

Pros and Cons:

1) AST modeling is great!

2) Large model handling is mediocre at best (AutoCAD as a 3d platform has always been slow...we're gonna have to wait for faster computers)

3) Network modeling is still kind of an afterthought at this point

4) Doc management is poor

5) Drawing creation is mediocre because of many simple unfixed issues.... it could actually one of  AST's premiere features but as of today....

it's a diamond in the rough.  Better output is paramount if AST is going to play in the same arena as the big boys.

6) AST configurability is TOP NOTCH!  Even with the many drawing creation issues the software is  "Cad Jockey Heaven".

Just deliver the basics that the detailers around here have been screaming for and you'll have a real winner in AST.  

Regards

Craig

ECMS 

[acbsdesign]

Sebastian, 

I feel nothing but respect towards the devs as a team.

Otherwise I would include a second wish for the magic stick to do.

What I want to see  is an experienced detailer to be hired and to be a leader.

Udo-do not get me wrong...just you are not the one to do it.

We are suffering on a daily basis by extensive clean up dwgs after each update,

labels moved,

dimensions moved,

cut views appear and moving, and messing up.

And our families we support depend on our productivity.

Cheers.

Ilko Dimitrov

[Austruct]

I would put my hand up for that job to guide the development team.  

[acbsdesign]

Send me a project sample and I will vote for you.

There is probably a 99.99% chance to get something better.

[iwafb · Accepted solution]

Unless someone is dealing with the sort of issues/delays/time wasting raised here on a daily basis, it will be impossible to appreciate the difficulties we are experiencing.

I think the answer is NOT to hire a single person, but rather to have a team of hand picked detailers who are using the software on a daily basis, around the world and to give them a voice. Kind of what the Ideas Station was supposed to do.

Not dissing anyone, just trying to offer a users perspective...

[acbsdesign]

"Thanks for taking the time to submit your idea and to everyone else for contributing your thoughts and votes.

Unfortunately, this idea did not get the support of the community and as such we will not be pursuing it.

Please feel free to rework and resubmit this one down the road."

How about this idea, are 14 votes so far enough to get implemented?

How many votes do you need to get something done?

I mean - in Advance Steel, not in Revit.

[bukko]

Did they send you that message regarding this posted Idea???

Craig

ECMS

[acbsdesign]

No, this is an usual answer used to get rid of an idea. 

So many good ideas, and so little done, unbelievable.

Revit is getting most of the effort, at least this is what I see.

[acbsdesign]

Probably we have to stop paying for couple of years, no other way.

[bukko]

We are looking at Tekla at the moment.  Already have a detailer working in SDS2 which produces some really nice dwgs out of the box.

I'm excited about it. I've spent some time with Tekla and always liked it.  I have to admit that I do like the configurability of Advance Steel but I'm done with the moving dim, labels and views etc.  

 I've just had enough at this point.

     Tekla handles large models so much better than AST. but that's because Autocad is a resource hog. Too bad Graitec or Autodesk didn't continue with the standalone version of advance steel without Autocad.... but I quess they know best.  "I got the fever..... for some more cowbell... ooops I mean Revit Connections! "

     I'll keep checking back on the forum if we make the switch for the long awaited anchor bolt macro and the basic fixes for drawing creation. Maybe they'll surprise us with a mega fix update that actually works.  

    I spoke with our sales rep and he said that we probably wouldn't see another AST update until April of 2018.... that, my friend is unacceptable to me, with the current crop of bugs in AST .

Tekla 2017 is already on sp4. A least they are hitting it hard with the updates and fixes.

I'll push for a renewal of the lic if Autodesk can fix the basics of Advance Steel. It's really good for misc metals.

Craig

ECMS

[acbsdesign]

We will see, but switching to Tekla is not on the horizon at least for now, 

Just the dev's P Management did not get it...-they just don't care. 

[acbsdesign]

Tekla has a lots of Monkey Junkey amateurs as well.

Their sales person came to my office without setting up a meeting, yelling something from his car I couldn't hear, over caffeinated amateur seeking sales.

Not much difference.

[Adrian.Mangan]

I kind of agree with everyone, I'm sure everyone is doing the best they can and for me I try not to compare it to Tekla because I can't afford to work with Tesla where Advance Steel at least gives me the opportunity to work asomething I wish,(even with a lost of cleaning up)
Just remember there is a reason everyone is not using tekla along with the fact that AS is great for Architectural and Misc.
Having fun here, enjoy it while you can everyone.

[Adrian.Mangan]

Excuse the mispellings (using my phone carelessly unlike my drawings, hopefully) 🙂

[bukko · Accepted solution]

Advance Steel is more powerful than Tekla as far as configuration possibilities for the nonprogramming user and Advance Steel misc metals are the best out there. (We do alot of commercial misc metals..there're always bundled with the package... but Tekla wins on structural and it's misc metals is okay.

Tekla's document management and large model capabilities are much better than Advance Steel at this point in time. 

Tekla has made alot of progress over the last 5 years.... and in fact they have taken some of the Advance Steel "camera" ideas and implemented them in a thing called the "detail manager" Look it up on youtube. This kind of module is what we need to manage our Advance Steel cameras and model view/cameras. They are not only beating Advance to the punch on this which is sad but they have incorporated camera like objects for isolating details as a feature in Tekla's detail manager.

My question is this,  why is Autodesk sitting on their hands with Advance Steel?

 I've spent the last two months hitting the DSM really hard and I'm thrilled at the results that I'm getting. It's really an amazing tool.

The more proficient I become with Advance Steel the more it frustrates me to see the lack of direction that it's management team has.

Who's driving up there???  They need a new driver soon....fix the basics and then get back to the bells and whistles.

Regards

Craig

ECMS