OFFLINE HELP?

[Anonymous]

When is Autodesk planning on fixing the HELP dialog and making it default to offline?

I have been working with AutoCAD for almost twenty years and this is ridiculous, I am going back to old help files to find information. No CONTENTS, INDEX now? Why? Sometimes you need to browse to find things. Also, it would be nice to be able to filter out all the LISP, ARX, etc. from a search. I use it, but sometimes (especially basic users) would need just the basics not things like DXF codes coming up confusing them. I do not like the ONLINE help at all, it is slow, and at work have had many times it didn't load. Slow is something you definitely don't need when you are ALREADY LOOKING FOR HELP. Now I need to download the offline help, what a nuisance and most people don't know you can do this either. I work in CAD Support and use help and forums constantly to problem solve and find solutions. I haven't seen something so bad since 13 when AutoCAD was first introduced to Windows. Also, then I'm reading older posts, and stuff from blogs that are saying that Autodesk has been listening to feedback, how long has the online been out since version 2009? Not impressed at all after spending a lot of money upgrading...

Is there a direct complaint center for Autodesk? Better yet I'd love to speak with somone in person?

PS As far as I'm concerned time is money and the more CLICKS you need to make to find something the more money you are wasting, Autodesk you had it right before with the old format, if it ain't broke why did you have to change it?

[viper_007]

Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more. I have to work at LAN which is totally isolated with internet, it really bothers me. What's more, I need a content besides search bar.

[mathewkol]

I have no trouble with the online help. I can find everything I need there and the Autodesk Knowledge Base in no more time it took with the old system. Sure it's organized differenltly, but I'm used to that now. And it searches the live online database for new articles which could never be done before and can't be done now with offline help.

[Anonymous]

Well to say it takes no more time than before, I COMPLETELY DISAGREE. Just to give you a basic example, one that everyone should be able to relate to new or old. I looked up HOW TO DRAW A LINE, so I type in LINE at the search bar. I'd like to note, there doesn't seem to be any alphanumeric order, ability to sort, or way to bring up just plain commands, minus the autolisp or .NET. 

LINE how to draw comes up exactly 55TH on the list for how to draw, because as a keyword it brings up naturally other things like SPLINE, LINETYPES, etc. But if I was a beginnner and didn't know better, heck it shows you how to create a line in .NET before using the actual commandline? So I go down the list looking for what I am looking for, and in my case I know exactly what to look for doing this for twently years with AutoCAD. So it's at the bottom, 55 clicks on the down arrow and skimming through each page. This was a waste of time in my opinion.

HERE'S A TIP for those of you reading...

My way around this for now, is to...

*************************************************************************************************************************************************************

 TIP - Type LINE at the COMMANDLINE, then click F1 for help, it will take you directly there (NOT USING THE SEARCHBAR)

*************************************************************************************************************************************************************

There is no order to the information being presented, this is where the CONTENTS comes in. I used to use this to read the entire help menu and learn more about AutoCAD, no I'd be jumping all over the place? Makes no sense to me, I wish Autodesk would just listen to the customers, maybe they don't know any better?

I know in the above example this works, also you can hover over the button on a toolbar to show you some help too, this is great!

What do you do when you don't know the command, or keyword, and you cannot BROWSE to find it? It's like being in the grocery store and they took down all of the aisle group names, which aisle will have what you are looking for? Guess you need to walk down all of the aisles, hopefully this isn't a Costco, or Superstore haha! Or better yet, what if they moved everything around, mixed everything together, now you can't find all the dairy in one place, you need to go to one end to find butter, another to find milk, and yet another to grab eggs, does this seem practical? This is the new help.

[Alfred.NESWADBA · Accepted solution]

Hi,

from your first post:

>> Also, it would be nice to be able to filter out all the LISP, ARX, etc. from a search

from your last post:

>> heck it shows you how to create a line in .NET before using the actual commandline?

At least it's up to you how you use the help. As long as you have "All Content" active the help will show all content, also the developer and admin ones.

When you active "User" and try your _LINE<SPACE><F1> shot again you'll see the the line-command is the first listed and displayed.

- alfred -

[nestly2]

---

riseball wrote:

When is Autodesk planning on fixing the HELP dialog and making it default to offline?

---

 Here's one channel you can use to share your opinion with them.

Feedback form

[Anonymous]

Alfred, thanks for the screenshot. I did not have this on mine, as I downloaded the OFFLINE HELP. Not even close to usable. One of the reasons for me is my internet is set up through Bell (cell phone) router, the data costs a lot of money so anywhere I can speed it up or reduce costs I need to. Cost me a small fortune just to download the 6GB file (which I had to do twice) to get Autodesk Design Suite installed.

I switched to the online method and yes it appears much better, this still doesn't address the offline help? It even shows as 2014 on my 2015 AutoCAD?

Apparently this is what Autodesk keeps pushing. For an internationally recognized software that probably has several million or more seats out there you'd think they'd cover all the angles.

Thanks again Alfred, I might just have to use this for the time being. Beats going to AutoCAD 2008 help files.

[Anonymous]

Thanks nestly2, I'll look into this 🙂

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> It even shows as 2014 on my 2015 AutoCAD?

Yep, I saw that on your screenshot and so decided to try the offline help on my laptop ... looks totally different compared to your screenshot.

Maybe you can uninstall the offline help (all, if you have downloaded multiple releases) then download the current help again and install it.

That is what I get after the _LINE<SPACE><F1> sequence: (please find attached image)

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

I have the same issue. My install does not show a filter of any sort on the Help and without a filter it really sucks. (Please bring back the old help - which was excellent!) I cannot have AutoCAD connected to the internet for security reasons so online help is no help at all.

[Anonymous]

Another issue is that though it seems to allow you to set bookmarks for Help topics they do not appear to be saved. Maybe "bookmarks" isn't the correct word - set favorites might be the term. Anyhow, it seemed like I could save a useful help topic so that I could easily access it later. This feature does not appear to actually work in the offline help as when I opened AutoCAD again no bookmarks or favorites were found. This means I have to wade through all the search results again to find the one that was actually helpful.

Bring back the old help - ie. the Help that actually Helped!