Core CAD workflows are still broken, but we get an unhideable Assistant?

[sunderlandjoe]

I have used Fusion for about a decade in a machine shop environment for design and drafting, I am becoming increasingly frustrated by how many basic workflow issues still exist while Autodesk keeps adding new UI layers like the Autodesk Assistant. I do give grace that I assume it's different people working on these things, but over time this becomes grating. 

On the design side, Fusion still does not have a proper workflow for helical cuts with custom profiles. Yes, there is the coil workaround, but it is not equivalent. It is tedious, fragile, difficult to constrain properly, poor for parametric work, and does not produce clean results.

On the drawing side, there are a lot of basic issues. Some examples:

• Linear diameter dimensioning is not implemented.

• Flip Arrows behaves poorly. If you put the arrows outside a diameter, the dimension line runs through the part, which defeats much of the purpose. It also only flips one arrow at a time, which is an odd and clumsy workflow.

• No sketch construction aids. In drawings, I cannot use a sketch as a construction aid the way I can in other systems. Sometimes I have a section view and need to dimension to a center point or otherwise create a useful intermediate reference. In Inventor, I could create a hidden sketch and dimension from it.

• Diameter dimension behavior is awkward. Moving the dimension “up” sends it one direction, moving it “down” sends it the other, and there is very little control over orientation. You also cannot extend the dimension independently in the way you often need for readability so it does not interfere with other dimensions.

• Scrolling and navigation in drawings still feels bad. The view snaps around inconsistently when scrolling, and especially when zooming, it is very unstable.

• Section hatching/material representation is weak in assemblies. Alternating hatch direction is not effective to show the differences between steel, aluminum, and composites, etc.

• Inconsistent drafting behavior. Diameter callouts and general drafting behavior still feel less mature than they should at this point. For instance, picking the longitudinal lines for a diameter so it won't break if you change something does not apply a diameter symbol, but picking the transverse line does.

I'm not trying to make Fusion out to be Inventor. It is about wanting core drafting and geometry tools to behave like mature CAD software. I'd use Inventor if it didn't perform like garbage on MacOS in parallels (it cannot access the GPU).

And now on top of that, Autodesk has added the Autodesk Assistant into the workspace with no obvious off switch. I find this disruptive; I do not need or want this in my work area. Trying to go to the ViewCube to change views pops this stupid menu out. I moved it by the browser for now but I just want a preferences option to turn it off. 

[tasha.addington-ferris]

Hey @sunderlandjoe, I can't speak much to the other comments you made about some of the other Fusion features, but I did notice your frustration with the Autodesk Assistant staying open. The Assistant is just minimized in the state you describe, which is why it keeps popping up on hover. 

If you open the dialog and click the Close in the bottom right corner, it will fully close the dialog. If you want to reopen it at any point, there is an icon for it on the top applications bar. 

I hope this helps alleviate at least a little of your frustration!