First Step in Fusion 360 Tutorial

ts.vm · ‎11-05-2015

Ok. I downloaded and installed Fusion 360. I started going through the Tutorial. The very first step... "THE VERY FIRST STEP" says to right click on the top assembly node in the browser and select New Component.

What the heck is a "top assembly node"? Even the picture doesn't tell me what it is.

I can't get beyond the first step, and now I'm scared that I'll never learn this software. And there is no email address where I can get an answer to this specific question.

..

daniel_lyall · ‎11-05-2015

it`s just ADSK name for the tree, the bit you can see that is light blue (Unsaved) is the top assembly node just right click there.

there are a few things that will catch you out with what there name is, just ask there is no silly question`s.

Edited by
Discussion_Admin

TrippyLighting · ‎11-06-2015

Congratulations! Twice!

1. You are actually following tutorials and start first with creating a component. That is very refreshing to see.

2. You've come to exactly the right place to find answers. Fusion 360 is very community driven and this is the place to ask.

When using Fusion 360 you don't have to be afraid of anything. Just give yourself some time and allow for mistakes. Experiment. This is software. The worst thing that can happen is that you have to re-do a few things. We're here to help you along the way so dont be afraid to ask either!

If you manage to crash Fuison 360 it's their fault 😉

Create a bug report here on the forum.

TrippyLighting · ‎11-06-2015

All asseblies have one main component that everything else is attached to. From there you branch out like a tree. You may have one or more single parts attached to that top node or root but you may have also have another assembly attched to that main component. That assembly is a sub-assembly and may have it's own tree structure consisting of more components and perhaps other assemblies.

As such that "top node" is also ofter referred to as the Browser root.

ts.vm · ‎11-09-2015

I really hate forums. I didn't get an email notification that my question was answered, so I thought I was being ignored. Why can't companies have email help (rhetorical question)?

Is there a place somewhere that I can go to, to find a one-on-one tutor for the software in my city? I learn faster when someone sits next to me and can help me back out of the mistakes that I make during the learning process. It takes me too long to figure out I made a mistake, where a second set of eyes would see it right away. That's why I hate on-line tutorials. You don't know you've made mistake, nor how to back out of them easily.

TrippyLighting · ‎11-09-2015

I am sure we'll all be highly motivated to help you after reading what you hate twice in one post 😕

thepirate1 · ‎11-09-2015

I had the very same issue., could not start the first step because it was unclear that you had to click precisely in a tiny part of an object. It was made doubly difficult because left click is not clear on a mac. This newbie, and I bet many others, would appreciate it if autodesk i) made the first steps more clear (assuming we're computer savy, but new to their world), and ii) unified all of your "new users start here" material in one place. As for ii), I found different stuff at various places on line, different stuff from the help menu, and let's not forget there are vidoes, PDFs, and user groups, and it is time consuming to search all of them.

Thanks,

-TP

TrippyLighting · ‎11-09-2015

It would appear to me that is more an issue of you being new to CAD software as the used terminology is rather selfexplanatory for users used to operate CAD systems.

Oceanconcepts · ‎11-09-2015

Starting CAD, or even a new CAD program, is a bit like starting a musical instrument or leaning a new language- the first steps are hard, and it seems disorienting and almost impossible until you get a foothold. I do think there should be better help for those new to 3D CAD- probably there is, it would be good to have some pointers to a basic orientation, even if it’s not Fusion specific. And yes, terms should be explained in tutorials in terms understandable to all.

Give this Forum a chance- I expect you will find it far superior in responsiveness, depth of knowledge, and speed to any company email help system. This forum is very positive in tone and filled with helpful users. And it is monitored obsessively by Autodesk employees on the Fusion team. I think if you scroll through the messages, you will find no one is ignored and all but the most obscure and specialized questions get very rapid responses.

There are settings that will send you email notifications whenever there is a reply- are you sure those aren’t getting lost or filed as spam by your system? If not, go to your Autodesk profile, check your Preferences under Subscriptions and Notifications- Notification Settings. I have mine set to automatically subscribe me to all topics in which I participate.

Some cities have developed Fusion User groups. It’s a pretty new program, and evolving rapidly, so your best bet is to find someone who is a little more experienced. I just attended the first meeting in Seattle, and most of the users had only been using Fusion for a few months. Most had considerable CAD experience, however. You don’t say where you are located, so it’s hard for anyone to respond with a suggestion for one on one help.

- Ron

Mostly Mac- currently M1 MacBook Pro

ts.vm · ‎11-09-2015

>> Some cities have developed Fusion User groups. It’s a pretty new program, and evolving rapidly, so your best bet is to find someone who is a little more experienced.

That is my question. Exactly where would I find someone experienced in using the software that I can pay to be a tutor to me? Where should I start looking? I need a tutor that is willing to do one-on-one, sitting right next to me.

Finding a tutor is my number one priority. I don't have time to make mistakes as part of the learning process, as that is too inefficient for me. I run a small business, and time is not a luxury.

TrippyLighting · ‎11-09-2015

Hard to say as you've not told us where your city is.

ts.vm · ‎11-09-2015

@TrippyLighting wrote:
I am sure we'll all be highly motivated to help you after reading what you hate twice in one post 😕

Thanks for the feedback. I seem to have made a faux pas. But it does prove my point about forums, and why I detest them. As soon as you state an opinion, you get brushed aside like a school child. Yep. I feel significantly marginalized.

Autodesk, if you're reading this, please get an email system in place to ask questions. I don't know why companies try to hide from their customers. It makes no sense to me.

TrippyLighting · ‎11-09-2015

It does not prove your point. You responded to two posts attempting to help you with how much you hate forums and again you mention how you detest forums.

That is obvioulsy not the most sensible thing to say on a forum 🙂

prabakarm · ‎11-09-2015

@ts.vm, we will be happy to get you started 1:1 or via e-mail if you are comfortable with forums. You can reach us via e-mail using our support e-mail alias. support.fusion360@autodesk.com.

Thanks,

Prabakar.

Oceanconcepts · ‎11-09-2015

This forum is an email and web based system, in place for several years now, where Autodesk responds to questions about Fusion. I can only think you must not have explored much here, as Fusion team members (at all levels) are constantly on line- at all hours of the day and night- responding to questions, often with video demonstrations or specially made demonstrations. I’ve been working in various areas of technology a very long time, and I have never experienced support at a level anywhere remotely approaching what I find here. Your comment about “companies hiding from their customers” is the polar opposite of this reality.

You got a number of people trying to help you, offering an answer to your question and positive suggestions, quite quickly. What’s so bad about that? My business is mainly in electronics design and embedded systems, if we post a support question to a vendor for an IDE we feel lucky to get any response in three days, and usually it’s a response from someone who doesn’t begin to understand the problem. Many of us here also run small (or not so small) businesses and have a lot of demands on us, but take some time to try to help newer Fusion users. It's one of the very best things about the program. I don't know what other experiences you have had with support forums, but this one is relentlessly helpful, and Autodesk is very much present and great at accepting criticism and making changes based on what is said here.

I made the point that it was hard to know where to direct you in terms of local help without knowing where you are located- you may have a great group nearby, but without knowing anything about where you are… Fusion is a new program, and there are not yet large numbers of users everywhere.

In this long thread are many references to online training classes, like ones from igetit, that others have found helpful.

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/design-validate-document/learning-fusion-is-like-riding-a-bike-backwar...

- Ron

Mostly Mac- currently M1 MacBook Pro

daniel_lyall · ‎11-09-2015

this forum is the nicest forum you could ever be on, try the Arduino or linuxcnc forum it is full of Aholes.

in this forum we work on a kudos system the amount of Kudos can mean how many problems a member has solved and if they are a Autodesk expert eilte thay only get that for one reasion.

also on this forum you can get a reply from any AD staff member even the ceo.

if some one needs help they just need to ask and the longest you may have to weight for a answer if it`s posted in the correct spot is 12 hours most time it will be within an hour.

but if some one is being silly you will get told off by member`s realy fast or you will get a pm from admin, I do quite often but that`s me telling them off and they discuse the issue, they dont block you or boot you off the forum, they enter into a discusion with you about what the problem is a try to fix it.

there is the odd staff member that is useliss but 99% off the AD staff do try to help, most of the time a forum member will beat them to a answerr and if it is correct they thank us. (it would be good if they gave swag away)

Anonymous · ‎08-29-2016

@Oceanconcepts wrote:
Starting CAD, or even a new CAD program, is a bit like starting a musical instrument or leaning a new language- the first steps are hard, and it seems disorienting and almost impossible until you get a foothold. I do think there should be better help for those new to 3D CAD- probably there is, it would be good to have some pointers to a basic orientation, even if it’s not Fusion specific. And yes, terms should be explained in tutorials in terms understandable to all.

These are good points, and an accurate way to represent a lot of learning and new experiences. Foreign languages have irregular verbs that must be memorized, usually starting with the most basic, "to be". F360s version of this seems to be in Sketch. We are able to make lines, rectangles, circles and arcs, but when it comes to Trim/Extend/Break, the only option is to work on a sketch curve or curve. Imagine my frustration at spending significant time looking for the ability to Trim/Extend/Break a line. Nomenclature is not something insignificant; it's how we understand our world, and gives us the ability to make logical decisions. What if AutoCad changed the the dialogue boxes for Trim/Extend/Break from sketch curve and curve to curve/line? Simple things like this can make all the difference to a new user.

Anonymous · ‎08-29-2016

@prabakarm wrote:
@ts.vm, we will be happy to get you started 1:1 or via e-mail if you are comfortable with forums. You can reach us via e-mail using our support e-mail alias. support.fusion360@autodesk.com.

Thanks,
Prabakar.

Prebakar, Sorry, I was unable to get through to the E-mail you listed. Can you help me find, or recommend someone who does one on one F360 tutoring in the SF Bay Area? My work is in Richmond, CA I find forums and You Tube videos very time consuming, and they often don't address the specific problems I'm having. I'm willing to spend money to save time. Thanks in advance,
--

brianrepp · ‎08-29-2016

Hi @Anonymous - welcome to the community! I'd be happy to help try and connect you with someone, and also recommend checking out some of the Meetups that are in your area... we often cover a variety of topics and would be a great place to meet other local Fusion users. If you'd like, send me an email brian dot repp at autodesk.com.

TrippyLighting · ‎08-29-2016

If you're comfortable with Skype we can do this remotely. I've done this with other users.

Fusion