Problems with Deployments

[jbednarz]

I've been managing Autodesk software for many years now and have never been able to get Deployments to work properly.  

After giving up and manually installing for the past several years, I decided to try deployments again with 2017. I meticulously went through and created a Deployment for Building Design Suite Premium. 

Tested the install and everything seemed to go well until I opened AutoCAD Architecture and it loaded with AutoCAD as the default (ACAD.cui instead of ACA.cui)  Switching ACAD to ACA in options changed the ribbons, but the AEC functionality won't load. Have tried modifying the settings several times and after 8 installs, still cannot get it to work properly. Have had to uninstall and reinstall AutoCAD Architecture in order for it to load properly.

Also, For some reason, in Revit the Deployment decided to set Default path for User Files and Root path for point clouds paths to the user profile of the computer used to create the Deployment. Nothing was customized for these paths in the Deployment. 

Also, users are unable to change the project template files paths. As soon as they change it, close and reopen, it switches back to the default. Again, I did not customize this in the DEployment. 

In my effort to figure all of this out, I ran across a funny thing. In the Best Practices page it says "Avoid modifying an existing deployment once it is has been used to install a program. Instead, create a new deployment for each modification that you make (for example, when adding profiles, service packs, etc.)." WHY IS THERE AN OPTION AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODIFYING A DEPLOYMENT INCLUDED IF IT SHOULD BE AVOIDED!?

So, every time I change a deployment, I have to create a whole new one? So incredibly frustrated with Autodesk once again. 

[Otto]

Hello jbednarz

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[Mark.Lancaster]

@jbednarz

I've never heard of this before..  I have modified many existing deployments in the past and never had to recreate one unless something happened to it.

[TravisNave]

I agree.  There is nothing wrong with modifying deployments.  As for your problems, what is your methodology for making your deployments?  Perhaps you are doing something out of the ordinary every time?

[jbednarz]

I dont think I am doing anything out of the ordinary. I thought I was keeping things simple. I copied the installation files to a network share. Ran the setup. Started a Deployment, entered the network licensing information, then proceeded to choose and customize the applications as needed. 

For Revit, the only modifications I made were to place the RSN.ini file and set the Revit Server Accelerator.

For AutoCAD Architecture, I checked Express Tools, unchecked Global and US Metric content, set Printer Support File paths, set Template Settings paths, Set the Default Profile name to AutoCAD Architecture (US Imperial), and checked Include computer name in error reports.  

For include Additional Software, I added Revit Site Designer, Worksharing Monitor, Batch Print, DB Link, Model Review, Space Naming, Steel COnnections, and Revit Extensions

EDIT: I'm only installing AutoCAD Architecture, Revit,  Raster Design, Navisworks Simulate, and Showcase

After that I added available updates and service packs. 

At first I thought maybe migrating settings from the previous version of AutoCAD was screwing things up. But, on the second machine I skipped migration and went to the defaults and still ended up with ACAD instead of ACA. I tried repairing and reinstalling options but those did not work. Had to uninstall and reinstall. 

I don't know why it is not letting me set template paths in Revit or why its setting the user paths to the account used to create the deployment. 

I created the deployment on a Windows 10 machine. The issue is happening on both Windows 10 and Windows 7 machines. 

I thought it was odd that Autodesk Best Practices said that about modifying deployments. 

[dgorsman]

Sounds like ACA is being "run as AutoCAD".  How are you starting the program ie. what command-line arguments are being supplied to the EXE?

[asburyj]

Hi jbednarz,

Sorry for the trouble you are running into. To Echo what others have said you should be able to modify deployments. The reason for the caution when modifying deployments is that Autodesk software installs will often seek out the installation source during patching and sometimes uninstalling. Modifying the deployment and changing it's path or removing software can cause issues for users when the software seeks out that original install source. Changing configuration options within a deployment should have no adverse affect. 

In regard to the Revit Deployment, problems with the templates location there is a known issue with Revit 2016/2017 installs from a building design suite deployment due to certain files not being copied over during install. You can find details at the link below. 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles...

[jbednarz]

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@dgorsman wrote:

Sounds like ACA is being "run as AutoCAD".  How are you starting the program ie. what command-line arguments are being supplied to the EXE?

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As I recall, I looked at it and it was calling out /product "ACA" and the Profile name was correct. I didn't look at the rest of the line though. Could be there was something else. I don't have a broken one to look at at the moment. 

[jbednarz]

@asburyj wrote:

Sorry for the trouble you are running into. To Echo what others have said you should be able to modify deployments. The reason for the caution when modifying deployments is that Autodesk software installs will often seek out the installation source during patching and sometimes uninstalling. Modifying the deployment and changing it's path or removing software can cause issues for users when the software seeks out that original install source. Changing configuration options within a deployment should have no adverse affect. 

In that context, that makes sense. I just thought it was odd that the "best practices" advised against any modification. 

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@asburyj wrote:

In regard to the Revit Deployment, problems with the templates location there is a known issue with Revit 2016/2017 installs from a building design suite deployment due to certain files not being copied over during install. You can find details at the link below. 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles...

---

I've seen this error on occasion with the family template path, but my issue is that the Project template paths cannot be edited after installation.

I create a new deployment and used a custom  Revit.ini file. This didn't work at all for me. All of the paths were empty under File Locations and I received that Family Template invalid error.  Not sure what I did wrong this time.

But the AutoCAD Architecture install worked in this Deployment. I didnt set any paths or change the default profile name. 

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[Tony_Michniewicz]

Based on your description, it sounds like you've encountered a known issue where custom Revit.ini files are not properly handled in some of the Autodesk 2017 suites. Here are the steps necessary to resolve this issue:

1. In Windows Explorer, browse to the location of your BDS 2017 install media.
2. Use Notepad to open the Setup.ini file that resides alongside the main Setup.exe file.
3. Locate the section titled [ProductSelectionDlg2] and add the following four lines between the UI_Source= and BACKGROUND_IMAGE= lines:
   UI_CONSTRUCT_SOURCE=Setup\RevitContentPackUI.dll
   UI_CONSTRUCT=SelectionDlgConstruct
   UI_FINALIZE=RevitCreateCustomIni
   UI_FINALIZE_SOURCE=Setup\RevitSetup.dll
4. Save the changes made to Setup.ini and exit Notepad.
5. Launch the BDS 2017 installer from the main Setup.exe file and create a new deployment image.

[jbednarz]

I will make note of this when I create my next deployment. 

Just finished setting up new deployments using default paths for now. I'll manually set the paths  for now.