Content Catalog for C3D / AutoCAD - Usability is not there

[vaughan.giles7AGEV]

Hi everyone,

There doesn't appear to be a section for Content Catalog, so I'm posting it here.

Current issues with Content Catalog (CC) for AutoCAD / Civil 3D

• There is a lack of graphical interface within AutoCAD / Civil 3D – nothing exists on the ribbon, even after installing the Content Catalog Extension.
  • This is acknowledged via a knowledge-base article, but no indication as to if or when a CAD-based interface will be available
  • The only way to access it within CAD is via the command CONTENTCATALOG (although this appears to not have anything to do with it).
  • The graphical interface looks like something out of the 80s

• 
• When trying to tie-in with live website databases, it’ll add it and show it as a "content catalog" like the above image shows, but won’t actually work.
• When trying to access a website-added content catalog, you end up with an endless loading window that doesn’t do anything

• 
• It would appear to be extremely slow, to the point where it doesn’t work.
• A variety of different live URL links have been tested, none of which work.
• Further development needs to be done to ensure this is tied-in with Live Databases instead of links to different files on a computer system (such as an .html file).

• I'm now convinced that the application appears to almost work completely separately to the website-version of CC and has nothing associated with it.

• When accessing via the website, there is no method by which you can change the layout / arrangement of the files within collections, you have to manually navigate the massive icons

• 
  • There needs to be a better way of managing the display of items as well as the organization of them.
  • Bonus points if there is a way to tie-in with an API for direct access / connection to Company-based CAD customizations and/or to build a CAD-side interface.
  • And of course, being an AutoCAD / Civil 3D user we are still waiting for thumbnail previews to work without the need to manually upload images!

Problem Statement

• We have a problem where we need to have a centralized database that contains all of our data (such as Blocks) that we need to access across multiple countries.
  • Example problem: CAD Drafter in Australia needs to access our New Zealand Blocks, but they’re located on our NZ Server, something that they do not have access to. Therefore a solution is required for them to be able to seamlessly access this data. Rinse and repeat this scenario for ~hundreds of users.

Potential Solution(s)

Create a singular cloud-based database that all users can access.

This, for example could be in the form of:

• A properly working Content Catalog for ACAD / C3D users (such as what Revit users have experienced and loved over the years from Unifi).
  • Personally, I recommend that your Civil 3D / AutoCAD developers directly interface with your Revit developers to see how well the Content Catalog integrates for them and how it is used.
• An ACC (Forma) hosted project, specifically for the storage of items such as Blocks, for all users to access.
• Another solution? What alternatives are out there? Has anyone come up with a clever solution to this classic problem?

In either case, there would also need to be an intelligent / mostly automated feature by which Users would be automatically added to these platform(s), so there is no manual arduous interventions required in order to provide basic access for employees – which would number in the hundreds, potentially thousands in some very rare cases.

This is an open discussion and while I hope for some serious Content Catalog development specifically aimed at AutoCAD / Civil 3D users, I look forward to some debate! Thank you.

[Dewald_Bosman]

This is much needed as there is no current library a company can setup that uses Both Revit and DWG related software. 
Will will help alot to align a company with having a proper national Library setup. 

[Cadguru42]

When Autodesk created this I noticed they listed C3D as one of the products. When I asked what it does for C3D crickets. There is no support from Autodesk for the Content Catalog to work with C3D and I doubt there ever will be. 

[vaughan.giles7AGEV]

@Cadguru42 I believe part of the problem is connecting the dots between Autodesk's different development teams. For example I would probably argue that their Revit and Civil 3D teams work largely independently of each other. Part of our job in my opinion, is to help bridge such teams and identify the shortcomings of particular features.

Arguably, in the Vertical (Revit) space, there have been more strides made across the industry. It's up to us to make sure that the likes of Autodesk are aware of the needs of Civil Infrastructure.

Which brings us here, as well as other methods that are at our disposal!

The more attention we can bring, the more likely a positive outcome :).

For example, I love the improvements that have been made to both Civil 3D and ACC (now Forma), especially over the last couple of years. They do listen, though sometimes it does take a lot longer than we would like 🙂

[Cadguru42]

Another major issue with it is that C3D already has an external program called Content Catalog Editor that's used to edit the SQLite files for pressure catalogs. In true Autodesk fashion, one team created the Content Catalog to have a way to store usable assets, such as blocks, details, etc., but never bothered to check with the C3D team on whether something is already named similar. Autodesk also didn't even bother to check if it'll work for C3D and provides no help on it.