AutoCAD 2018 new features

[ingegnerizuccolo]

I just installed Autocad 2018 and watched the new feature video.

I just want to resume them all in one word:

NOTHING!

It's really a shame. I don't understand why I have to pay every year to maintain the subscription to have absolutely nothing new.

Shame shame shame!

[TSneo5869]

Actually there are a few new features that I am excited about. Now off screen selection is possible, where before with 2017 and prior if you started a selection box for a large drawing when you panned off screen anything off of the screen would be removed from the selection. This is great now when I am working on my laptop I will not lose what I have selected off screen. Also there are enhanced PDF text recognition when inserting a PDF. There are many new features you just have to look for them or look them up, no need to be negative about a new release, just open your mind and do the research.

[TSneo5869]

No need to be negative, just because some of the new features aren't what you may need. It's a huge program and it takes a lot of work to get it updated and re-released every year. 

[zzz144]

"no need to be negative" - should I be happy that nothing was provided for my money? 

"lot of work to get it updated" - maybe true for 2004 and 2007 version but the past few have been zero work 

" lot of work to get it rereleased" - doubt that - even the icon stayed the same 

Not negative - just disappointed. 

[pendean]

I think what everyone is saying is your banner should read:

NOTHING NEW FOR ME TO USE

That's all, you made a broad statement that doesn't really apply to everyone, see posts here already talking about what other found useful.

Yes it is disappointing there wasn't a lot more: especially since the DWG format has changed (or did no one notice that yet).

[TSneo5869]

Really? You need a new icon to make you happy. And there are many new features, sorry you are disappointed but that is life my friend. Either we deal with it or do something about it. If you are that unhappy then end your subscription and move on, we are too busy in this industry to whine and complain instead of making the best with the tools we are given, that is our job isn't it? To solve problems and figure out the best way to get from point A to point B. 

[nrz13]

It has become a money-making machine for Autodesk?  I bet that's always been their intent to make money off of the software they provide.

That aside, 2018 represents more incremental improvements.  We didn't upgrade from 2016 to 2017 on our office computers because there wasn't enough there.  Maybe between the 2017 and 2018 releases there will be enough.  A big improvement has been made for people with 4K screens, though.  That update was developed and patched into 2017, and is a part of 2018.  And 2018 will get patches that get rolled into 2019.  With the annual release cycle, updates (and patches) are more incremental, but if you compare it to the traditional three-year period we used to have, it's not so bad.

[pendean]

You need to start your own topic for your installation issue.

[TSneo5869]

Ok, I was just hoping you had some insight on this. I guess I will mess with it later this week.

[pendean]

It appears your post has been replicated in the I&L forum with answers https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/installation-and-licensing/ct-p/3001

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

I do agree, most features Autodesk is presenting as "new features" were already built in AutoCAD 2017 with Update 1.1 (e.g. 4K-monitors, SHX-recognition, complex linetype selection)

But there is one major change (not an improvement) .. that is a new DWG format: so be careful with that when not updating all systems to 2018.

- alfred -

[nrz13]

Regarding Rob's share of the Autodesk blog link:

The blog says:
Take the power of AutoCAD with you wherever you go with an easy-to-use mobile app (included when you subscribe to any AutoCAD product).

What app is this?  AutoCAD 360?  How is this different from previous versions?  Or in other words, why is this listed as a 2018 feature?  I haven't used any Autodesk mobile apps, but I'm interested in trying it out.  Could be handy to be able to pull up the CAD drawing in the field from time to time, although we mostly only do that for reference, in which case the PDF set works for that.

[GHASEM_ARIYANI]

*PDF IMPORT

*External file references

*Object selection

*Text to Mtext

*User interface

*Share design views

*High-resolution monitor support

*AutoCAD mobile app

[nrz13]

*PDF IMPORT (2017)

*External file references

*Object selection

*Text to Mtext (many releases ago...so far back I can't remember, first as an Express Tool and then built in; it does better text conversion for PDFs imports apparently)

*User interface

*Share design views

*High-resolution monitor support (2017.1 and 2017.1.1)

*AutoCAD mobile app (I think this is just Autodesk 360, which has been around a while.  I have a question out about that right now)

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

there is the readme for 2017 update 1 and 1.1 >>>click<<<, that lists what was already in the "old" release 2017.

- alfred -

[GHASEM_ARIYANI]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLFaiut3Z6IxD4NvkMt4qHQ

[GHASEM_ARIYANI]

Thanks for your guide @Alfred.NESWADBA - @nrz13

[dieters]

You might want to review Heidi's AutoCAD 2018 Preview Guide for a more complete description. The idea is to make solid improvements with a minimum of disruption. 

http://blogs.autodesk.com/autocad/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/03/AutoCAD2018WinPreviewGuide_ENU...

- My favorite (don't laugh) is to be able to change the color of the orange dashed line that appears when you edit something.

- Extremely important nowadays, but hardly visible (or mentioned) are the security updates applied to AutoCAD.

- There are considerable improvements with 3D Orbit performance, which I really like when I work in 3D. Along the same line, a lot more error checking was added to the 3D solid modeler, which also prevents certain types of malware.

- Tons of annoying defects were fixed.

Another resource is to look through the New and Changed Commands and System Variables topics that you access from the Help home page.

Dieter

[GHASEM_ARIYANI]

@dieters

Thanks for your guide

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi Dieter,

>> Another resource is to look through the New and Changed Commands

That sound like kidding ... looking to >>>new commands<<< and >>>updated commands<<< in the help tells a lot about what a user sees as "worth to install" or "worth to buy". That is what counts.

I'm quite sure at the time updates had to be bought you would not have sold any single update when Autodesk tells the customer "hey, we have two new and three updated commands" (whereas command _REGEN3 sounds for me like a bug-fix, repairing defects in view-objects, hopefully)

>> considerable improvements with 3D Orbit performance

The info about more performance with 3D-Orbit is heard with every product update, but never with measurable values. What is better performance ... 1% or 1000%. Without that numbers the text is presented by default from marketing. I can't see and performance difference, but as I don't know which special cases might be improved maybe I have not found it.

>> a lot more error checking was added to the 3D solid modeler

Is error checking necessary when the software had not produced errors? Is that then bug-fixing or update.

>> - Tons of annoying defects were fixed

That should have already done in the past with service packs or hot-fixes ... without making a new release (and dwg-format)

I know that it is not easy nowadays with a CAD system updates, but there are so many wishes listed (e.g. in AUGI), so the list what to do does exist.

What makes me a bit more frustrated is that Autodesk tries to sell now features as new which were already existing in AutoCAD 2017 (especially 1.1) ... that is a special type of forced confusion of customers (sorry if that is not the best wording, in messages like that I would love more than ever to speak English more fluent and so would be able to find the better wording).

I do understand and appreciate when bug-fixing is done, even if these fixed makes the time-distance between 2 releases bigger. But then call it service pack and not update.

If a new DWG format is really necessary if not any new object-type is introduced ... I don't know, but that's another discussion.

- alfred -

[dieters]

Hi Alfred,

Please understand that what I listed was just part of some of the work described in the Heidi Hewett's New Features Guide. No, I'm not in marketing. I worked on several of the feature teams directly, documenting Security, 3D graphics performance, and PDF import changes.

Having worked with AutoCAD since Release 9, I remember when AutoCAD produced over a hundred new features in a release, which was necessary at the time but it was very time-consuming for customers to learn and to integrate. My neighbor, who is an architect, would complain to me that updating AutoCAD would cost him two weeks of otherwise billable time. AutoCAD also had a "long tail" -- users who were many releases behind and had to deal with other companies using newer versions and vice versa. Autodesk spent a lot of money ensuring round-trip compatibility as much as possible. Not all software companies do this. 

To me, AutoCAD 2018 represents a transition to smoother, more frequent updates with less disruption and more complete features. It will shorten the long tail of customers working on different versions of AutoCAD, which makes it easier for everyone to work together.

Be assured that the older versions of AutoCAD are significantly more vulnerable to the new types of cyber-theft that are continually emerging. Please believe me when I tell you that security is a constant battle against hackers, your competitors, mercenary organizations, and foreign intelligence services, all of whom are trying to steal your work or break into your system. I've attended FBI briefings at Autodesk, and other software companies are also acutely aware of the all-out cyber warfare that began in earnest around 2012. Everyone who is knowledgeable in this area recommends keeping up with the latest versions of your software!

REGEN3 does repair data defects, which can come from a variety of sources including marginal operations, errors introduced from data transmission, and the accumulation of error similar to what happens on calculators with repetitive calculations. Heidi described the reasons why an updated DWG format was necessary--and we don't introduce them unless absolutely necessary (the last one was five years ago).

I hope this gives you some perspective from someone with considerable experience working with dedicated colleagues on feature teams who work very hard to deliver solid value in AutoCAD. I'm proud to be able to work on AutoCAD for so long, but I will also assure you that I'm not satisfied.There's a lot more that needs to be accomplished.

Regards,

Dieter