Autodesk Desktop App gripe

[james.levieux]

Dear Autodesk,

We use Revit at our office.  Keeping our staff's software up-to-date is a nightmare.

1. The staff never look at the Desktop App update list even if I tell them to.  Not their fault. They're busy.  More on this later.
2. As an interior design firm we must use the same version of Revit as the Architect.  That means we can't choose which version of Revit we will use. Ergo, we must install every version of Revit.  This make the list on the Desktop App HUGE.
3. The desktop app doesn't distinguish important bug fix updates from dozens non-essential feature apps.  The important updates are a needle in a haystack.
4. Adding to the above, some user never uninstall their older version of Revit so they see all those older non-essential feature apps too.
5. Adding to that, we have licenses for the AEC collection, so we get all the MEPS stuff so we get all those non-essential feature apps and updates too.
6. I have about 70 items on my Revit "updates" list using versions 2018-2022.  That's 14 page-downs!
7. We don't want our staff installing 95% of what might appear on this list and we have no way to control it's content.

I builds up to an absurdly long list of items to scroll through when simply creating a filter for "Important updates" would be an equally absurdly simple thing to do for hot-shot programmers like yourselves.  We should be able to see all our important updates on a single screen.  All those feature "add-ons" are not "updates" and should be separate.

The list is too long for me.  Imagine what it's like for a busy PM who barely even uses Revit at all?  Let's do that! Take Mary, a PM who looks through the "update" list (because I told her to). She might find the correct update, then she presses the button to update Revit (which will incapacitate her underpowered computer for about an hour).  After all that, she's learned her lesson, ignore everything I say.

Sorry about the length, but my frustration has been building for a while.  We're dependent on this tool to keep our office updated and it simply fails to do the job.

Begging for better control.  Regards,

James

[aaronrumple]

I know. Right?

Adobe has this down. Why can't Autodesk?

You walk in and Adobe says, you have a new Photoshop. Have a good day!

It should be easy.

[barthbradley]

I feel your frustration.  Sounds like you need help.  Maybe your Autodesk reseller can offer bi-weekly or bi-monthly "tune-ups" for a nominal fee. 

[ToanDN]

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autodesk-desktop-app/bd-p/971

Our office needs a dedicated IT person to deploy periodical updates, can't rely to users to do it.

[RDAOU]

@james.levieux ..

Users, coordinators and PMs should not be doing all THAT!! If you have used deployments, you can push all the updates to users silently and prompt them to reboot at the end !! I have used in the past several apps that does that ( ex: PX Tools or PDQ)

If you are running the office without anyone who knows how to handle that and more and you have no external support then something is very wrong in your office setup!!! And this doesn't apply only for Revit, any setup using any BIM authoring application require an expert BIM Manager or IT who is familiar with AEC Application. 

[barthbradley]

OUCH!  That's some scolding!  

[RDAOU]

That is not scolding Barth. That's reality. And lots of firm nowadays are doin this "Lets make the PM a BIM manger" or "Lets Assign the BIM Role to that Coordinator" it just doesn't work...Mostly medium to small businesses; they think they are saving on the costs but this is where they end up... Then jumps someone and tells you "But Photoshop does that automatically!!!"

Yeah well...on the bright side, here if Autodesk lags on a support ticket, you find tons of people (on this forum and other) who can help...You should go see the DP and Building Design world!!! a nightmare 

[barthbradley]

…or maybe the OP just want’s Autodesk to improve upon the Autodesk Desktop App’s existing automatic updating.  Maybe build in more customizable filtering controls so the user can filter for the updates that they deem "Important Updates", as the OP put it.  It’s not that absurd of a request.  Granted, it’s a request that should be posted on the Ideas Forum and not here on this Forum. Most he can expect from members on this Forum is empathy…or a good scolding.  😉

[ToanDN]

The interface and organization are mediocre, not great not terrible imho.  If anything, more filter and sorting options will be welcomed.

Regardless of how simple/ complex it gets, it should be taken care of by admin level staff.  In most corporate environment, users are not granted admin privilege, and for good reasons.

[RDAOU]

@barthbradley the OP is having difficulty cooping with basic Software administration and believes that automatic update and more filtering and sorting of update/hotfix/optional patches will solve it. In reality it will make more of a mess than what he is experiencing at the moment. Moreover, what kind of organization/firm allows for automatic updates on there systems?! That is something one may or may not do at home...not in work environment!!

• Priorities on what and when to install patches/updates are decided by the BIM Manager after consulting with his counter part from other stakeholder (after all the OP doesn't want to end up having a different build than the architects they are working with...or?)
• the BIM Manager can then  either push such updates or pass on to IT Department to do it.
• Users should not even have the desktop app installed on their machines.

[RobDraw]

Most of what you are complaining about can be solved locally. Choosing to not install updates is at the root of it all. All updates should be installed regardless. 

Good luck!

[barthbradley]

@RDAOU, are you drunk pinging me again?  

 Anyhow, good to know that the OP's Autodesk Desktop App gripe can be resolved by a BIM Manager. 

😉

[james.levieux]

Thank you for all  of your replies!  I agree with you ALL in one way or another.  I'll be switching to deployments since you have convinced me that ADA is inappropriate for this use.  I guess it was wishful thinking on my part.

That said, it doesn't change the fact that ADA is underpowered.  I'll send this to the ideas section.  Now that we're all on login subscriptions we have central control over the usage of every license...which could also include control whether important updates are required to be installed before proceeding with license authentication.

Regards,

James

[james.levieux]

I just discovered that deployments have moved to the cloud.  That's a bit of a game changer.  Thank you Autodesk!

[syman2000]

I remember Autodesk doing a survey whether or not they want to have user install these update. I told them this is a bad idea. When you have people who have no idea what is going on in the software, they will click update thinking it will fix something. Most often some fixes cause issue with another software or cause the software to completely failed. If something failed, then user have to waste time uninstall and reinstall. This can take half a day to get it up and running.

As software gets complex and more connected, any update will cause unknown issue down the road. I am more worrying about constant update now than before. We have older project using older software. If anything goes wrong, the software is toast and you cannot download the older software because Autodesk remove them from their list but they still support them. As well sometimes their update cause the plugin to failed. I've install Autodesk own COBIE extension only to have Revit keep popping up error message the plugin is missing DLL. It doesn't help Microsoft update also cause something to go wrong with the system and software.

[RobDraw]

It's been years since I've seen an update cause problems. I don't live in your world but it's been a standing rule to install all Autodesk updates promptly for quite some time and at a few different offices.