What's new in Robot 2021

[pawelpiechnik]

Robot team is happy to say that the release  2021 is live and we have just published a What's New article on the blog:

https://blogs.autodesk.com/revit/2020/04/14/whats-new-in-robot-structural-analysis-professional-2021... 

Enjoy

[Rafacascudo]

@pawelpiechnik  , Is there a plausible answer other than , " we are not allowed to discuss future development ,etc,etc..." to the msgs on the thread below?

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/robot-structural-analysis-forum/rsa-2021-what-s-new/m-p/9436267/highl...

[m_sheinin]

Hi @pawelpiechnik , 

Do we have a full release memo including what bugs were addressed? 

Thanks, 

[pawelpiechnik]

@m_sheinin , we will be shortly sharing the release notes (there are c.a. 160 issues addressed with this release)

@Rafacascudo, there is going to be a Public Roadmap for Robot published in the upcoming days and that will explain the intents around future investments for Robot. This article can give you a broader context as well:  https://blogs.autodesk.com/revit/2020/01/20/shifting-strategies-roles-for-structural-analysis-softwa...

[m_sheinin]

Thanks for the update.

I think we users need to be sure that the development of the structural part of Robot/Revit will continue and Autodesk has long term plans for the software.

[Anonymous]

Almost nothing, like every year

[Anonymous]

Yep, the version number "2021" is brand new and a huge step forward. It's leap ahead. Rest stays nearly the same...

I have strong belief that next year there will be too many changes and improvements like changing version number to "2022" and adding a few check boxes around. Nice job guys...

[m_sheinin]

HI @pawelpiechnik , did you release this information already? 

Thanks

[okapawal]

Hi Mike,

We are working on this.  We have to compile a long list.  

[m_sheinin]

Thanks for the update

[turkelie]

Well guys, I think it's time to abandon ship. No major update since v2015.

It's really sad, a lot of resources were invested over the years to master robot and now I'm seriously looking for other alternatives.

[zeeblake]

I strongly recommend Autodesk to consider a hybrid open-source/commercial scheme for Robot, in a similar way to what Apple does with MacOS.

For example, you could make Robot open-source, but provide support in a commercial basis (NOTE: most of the complaints I've heard about Robot is about the lack of proper support that can answer deep technical questions, so I'm sure lots of engineering firms would pay for having deep technical support that can help them).

If Robot was open-source, many of us would be willing to volunteer in adding support for more international standards, or in porting it to other operating systems (I'd be one willing to do this, with decades of experience in C/C++ development for in-house engineering tools).

I don't think Robot should grow in size. On the opposite, I believe the interface should even be minimized to a cleaner concept. The sad thing is that people are used to see monster-sized horrendous user interfaces in the big applications nowadays, so commercial brands are into the mindset of "let's add more things to the UI for the next version, and let's make the additions very noticeable". Maybe that's good for selling licences, but it's very bad for the quality of the software (I'm not saying the Robot UI is increasing version by version --it's not, but however, some things should be simplified: The RC modules UI is just untidy).

Please consider open-sourcing it. Otherwise, seeing it disappear would be too sad.

[pavlo_ukraine]

I am looking forward to hearing soon "there is going to be a Public Roadmap for Robot published in the upcoming days and that will explain the intents around future investments for Robot. " For the next version of Robot 2022. Thank you.

[pawelpiechnik]

Here we have just published it, the refreshed Public Roadmap for Robot: https://blogs.autodesk.com/revit/2020/05/21/robot-structural-analysis-roadmap/

[pavlo]

I found that there was added "Sequential analysis". To me it is "big piece of pie". Other features of the software also important which were released in 2021 version. There is Road map. It seems that Robot would have great future. https://blogs.autodesk.com/revit/2020/05/21/robot-structural-analysis-roadmap/?_ga=2.234699422.12122...

[m_sheinin]

I think Autodesk needs to consider open API/ Create API for code related checking. I'm sure the community will create all needed codes. 

[pawelpiechnik]

Good point, @m_sheinin . Robot today has a very robust API that supports any customization and code checking extensions whether developed by 3rd parties or even created as spreadsheets by users themselves. The latter is due to helpers that make Excel connected easily (with formulas) to Robot data. Some more information can be found here:

https://blogs.autodesk.com/revit/2019/12/11/access-robot-structural-analysis-model-data-and-results-...

[zeeblake]

Thanks a lot @pawelpiechnik  for telling that. I didn't know about the Excel connection, which could help to workaround some of the limitations that Robot currently has. For example, I'm guessing you could use this not only for supporting custom code calculations, but also for other things, like grouping RC beams by geometry, just to name one (the group columns by geometry is a feature you miss a lot when you are designing beams).

And this very clearly shows how different Robot would be if we had comprehensive manuals showing all its features with examples. Without such manuals, we are just guessing by trying, or learning things by coincidence here in the forums: and this turns off too many potential users, who just give up because of not finding detailed-enough documentation.

[m_sheinin]

Hi @pawelpiechnik,

I'm aware of the excel and we are using it. I also know that using API I can get the results. What I meant is to have the option to update RSA design features. See situation new amendment release for concrete code in my country and now I need to wait for Autodesk to update ROBOT to have this change. Instead if I had an option to do so using API then I don't need to wait and can add more stuff to RSA design modules. 

Thanks for your quick response. 

When we can expect to see full release note with all fixed bugs. ? 

[pawelpiechnik]

@m_sheinin  et al,

finally, we have the release notes for Robot published. I'm sorry that it took longer than expected: http://help.autodesk.com/view/RSAPRO/2021/ENU/?guid=Robot_ReleaseNotes_2021_release_notes_2021_fixed...