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Stop Annual Version Numbering

Stop Annual Version Numbering

Now that Autodesk has switched over to subscription licensing, there is no reason to put out a "new" version of Revit every year. No more Revit 2017, Revit 2018, Revit 2019, Revit 2020.             Just Revit...                 Let this be the silver lining to subscription licensing, follow Photoshop's example and drop the versioning.

No more upgrading/complaining that one can't downgrade Revit files.

No more keeping 6 versions of the same program for Construction Administration.

No compatibility issues between consultants.

1/2 the IT infrastructure to keep everything updated and deployed

No more having to remember which Revit icon correlates with which year

 

20 Comments
Anonymous
Not applicable

Revit 2017 cannot open Revit 2018 RVT files because they are of a newer version.  This is a long shot but why cant we get rid of versions and just go with updates to ONE version?  Maybe not as simple as I state but it is a pain to constantly have several different versions of Revit on my PC given the fact the icons all look the same, having to name my Revit files to what version they are, and having to upgrade my downloaded BIM objects and having several different versions of them and eating up space on my server.  I am working on 2 different versions with several different jobs and about to add a third which will be 2019.  Not only is it a pain to keep track of rvt file versions but also having to keep track of software versions is ridiculous.  The number of Revit versions will just increase for us to keep on our PC as you guys keep creating one every year because of the subscription program.  Revit may save time in CD Phase but subscription has me constantly updating, downloading and installing new software which is time consuming for IT AND the end user.

Anonymous
Not applicable

I can understand the version by year concept, to a point, but what is most needed is a "Save to Previous Version" option (like your friends in the AutoCAD  side have had for a very long time).  It is a major hassle when we find out that our client requires R2017 when we've already created many elements in R2018 -- and the client always wins.  We can't tell them they have to buy a subscription or standalone R2018.

 

Another thing that would help (if possible) is "version detection" when you double click on a Revit file -- forcing the open with option.

markcalloway
Collaborator

No more 2019, 2020, 2021 etc.

Just "Revit". Maybe keep the date in the name for marketing reasons but essentially Revit is no longer bound by versions.

 

Autodesk already release new features through the year making Revit versions less relevant.

This would also remove file version issues as everyone would just be on and have access to the latest build of Revit. If you get more than a couple of builds behind Revit just prompts you that updates are available.

 

Also no need for multiple installations as there is just one Revit.

 

I have looked through the forums and found similar posts about version compatibility but none about just one Revit.

 

 

 

 

Tags (7)
Anonymous
Not applicable

I can see this totally happening if a web hosted version ever comes to be...

ipselute
Advisor

One 'rolling-release' version is perfect for web-based software. Not so good for desktops. Might interfere with work, backups, syncing with central and may result in data loss or corruption. And that is not acceptable, especially for large projects involving multiple design teams. More yet, the new features should be released gradually to clients in different geographic areas due to the fact that no physical server (Autodesk, Google, Oracle, etc) could handle all customers at-once (on the same time).

Aaron.EllsworthTFCLR
Contributor

Someone from the development team hinted this idea of the software version doesn't matter is more of the direction that AutoDesk is heading.

 https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/save-as-previous-version/idi-p/6337733/page/2

I am curious how this might be implemented because it isn't just about the program itself, its about the changing nature of the files that are created. So, maybe a first step would be for the latest version to be able to open the previous version files natively, that is, without the cumbersome upgrade process. From a programming/development standpoint even that sounds quite complex.

bill_gilliss
Collaborator

But... wouldn't everybody in the whole world have to do the upgrade (or Autodesk push the upgrade, like Windows 10) the same weekend? Adobe can push continuous upgrades because, as I understand it, the file formats either don't change from version to version or an older version simply ignores what it doesn't understand - which is not an option with, say, a new kind of structural connection.

 

It's a puzzle. I share your pain.

awasyliw
Advocate

Photoshop still has version numbers... they're just less obvious. You can still run in to problems opening a file created under an older version in a newer one.

This change would end up being cosmetic, you can't force automatic updates and files will still need updating to be compatible with the changes... whether they have a version number or not.

eadamsonTES
Explorer

I work at a MEP firm and we are required to use whatever version of Revit that the Architecture firm is using which means we currently have to have 5 different versions of Revit on everyone's PC's which takes up a huge amount of space and has caused issues with versions accidentally being upgraded because someone is used to working in one version over another. It would be a huge asset to be able to just have one version of Revit and either give it the ability to "save back" like you can in AutoCAD or just have one version moving forward. So let's say they release this one version of Revit in 2021 then by 2025 everyone would be using just that one version of Revit and Autodesk wouldn't have to keep supporting all the previously released versions. This isn't an over-night fix but it would make life so much easier for everyone. 

bill_gilliss
Collaborator
Maybe the solution really is that, like Windows 10, mandatory upgrades
are pushed to all users at the same time -- "Please hold while we update
your system." That, of course, assumes that everyone is connected to the
web all the time and that local IT support staffs will buy in to it,
more or less sight unseen.
kadmonkee
Advisor

it is not just the version that is a concern.

there is a build Number associated with the version.

each service pack , patch or other fix has a designated number associated with it.

this is how Autodesk tracks their progress and follow through with the users complaints.

it is also how they Market their products for sale.

They are not about to change their Programming/ Marketing if it does not promote a profit.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Revit 365 is the new dream 😊😉

 

Kinda like having MS Word in a Office 365 licens...

No more Word 2013....2014...15...ect..

Just Word

m.alalkam
Enthusiast

my idea is to skip a Revit version, for example 2022-2024-2026

this way it gives the software delevlopers more time to improve it's product, and increase the impovements per product. Revit versions don't only confuse many users but is also not necessary.

samuelsanf
Advisor

Hi @ m.alalkam,


I think this would mean that the user would have to wait twice as long (two years) for some features. Many of the new features require formatting changes to the file type, which is why we have versions of Revit.


One-off versions (such as Revit 2022.1) do not require formatting changes. But maybe there are a couple or more features already developed that we will see in 2023 because then a new version of the revit file will be delivered.


You don't have to wait two years to get those features. But the user can decide to install a new version of Revit every two years, instead of annually.

 

This post from Sasha is useful to understan the issues implied in the format changes
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/save-as-previous-version/idc-p/6954018/highlight/true#M66...

m.alalkam
Enthusiast

@samuelsanf I understand what you say. Personally I think Revit has reached a point that quality is better than quantity. I understand that Autodesk is more than only Revit.

 

Never the less, practiaclly you don't want to switch often from Revitversions for your Projects
(mostly updating this project is not recommended from own experience). When you work on projects, over a couple of years, with multiple users, it will be confusing to have 10 projects in 4 different Revit Versions.

 

So my idea so to decrease the amount of Revit Versions, which will significantly increase its quality per update.

Jason_M_Gardner
Enthusiast

This absolutely needs to be solved. Everyone and every project need to be on the same build, no more version by year. Follow the Microsoft Office 365 software model. They do fine and it is a desktop app.  Your published previous version rights are 3 versions about 4 years of releases. Autodesk you let our clients have excess historical previous version rights to versions older than 6 years and when we try to get that right/license to work with them you won't give it to us. How do you expect this to work? Please end this software release model ASAP. Reduce the previous version rights this year for the 2024 release and cut the cord on the perpetual licenses. I think the first step is saying this year your license for the previous version and all prior versions ends on the release of the new version and the project files are simply opened an upgraded by the users. Thanks!

brooklynnumber1
Explorer

Please consider updating Revit instead of new releases of the software every year.  I have 6 versions of Revit on my computer.  This fills up my hard drive and I can't install a new version without deleting something else.  Honestly, the same goes for AutoCAD and all products.  Yearly releases are too much.

MichaelWolff
Advisor

Given that AD's AutoCAD has the capability to save to lower versions, I found no need to keep old versions on my machine. But then again, I do not use any add-ins to AC, so that is probably not an option for everyone. Also AC2024 still uses the 2018-Format. While writing this up, I remember that I found later versions of AC have some export formats deprecated (3ds), which might prove to be a reason to keep an old version.

aflferraz
Enthusiast

At the end off all this is une thing very important to the paying client...

Make the working life easier and less trouble free!

We went from drawing on paper to 2D CAD to 3D CAD to 3D BIM, always to improve and help us at work.

As somene said, I work at a STR firm and we need to follow the Architecture revit version which means need to have multiple Revit versions, and on top of that working on multiple projects I need (it's very stupid, had to make an excel list with projects revit versions) just to know which version os revit is this or that project I need to open.

The program it self has already many issues, "clean" this one or it's 2025 Sci-Fi?

johnevans
Advocate

That's fine if moving forward each year, and has already been said in this post replies, MS does that and hides each version update number from general visibility.

 

A point has also been made here about backward compatibility. This link goes some way to explaining the difficulties Autodesk has around backward compatibility. https://portal.productboard.com/fgzms7e5w5rfaulmsvksa6pw/c/170-revit-backwards-compatibility. Revit ...

 

I think the biggest issue is having to keep supporting and installing multiple versions of Revit in order to keep projects running older versions where it is not possible to upgrade across the design and construct teams, either due to team member organisations not able or capable of doing so (might incur new hardware or upgrdaes and the costs involved) or clients mandating a particular Revit version be used on their projects for the life of that project (an acute hospital project may need to use the same version for seven years or more!) and the possibility of all project team members signing up to a particular Revit version and enshrining that version into a BIM execution plan and contract particulars.

 

Where I work we have versions from 2020 through to 2025 in use because of the above project related/political issues. It is a pain having to do a full install of each version when available, especially when a user needs a new computer or a new starter and IT teams have to install multiple versions of Revit (and update any plugins used), which can take a long time. It might be more useful if Autodesk could arrange upgrades that overwrite or wipes earlier versions automatically or have a switch in the installer that allows this and then when a user next opens the Revit file it automatically updates to the next version. Mind you, a lot of organisations won't like this if the next version is a pup full of bugs and that's probably why Autodesk does not do this, they have to protect their business from a duff version after all and if they can't roll back to an earlier version in such a case, they'll get stuffed by the courts and the big players in the construction industry.

 

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