Add Semantic Versioning Option for Engineering Document Revisions in Vault Professional

[jan.wagnerRB67Z]

Hello Everyone,

I would like to propose the addition of a Semantic Versioning Revision Scheme as an optional feature in Autodesk Vault Professional. The current revision system in Vault is robust but follows a traditional approach that can sometimes cause confusion, especially when managing secondary and tertiary revisions. Adopting a semantic versioning-style option would offer significant clarity and flexibility for engineering document control.

Current behaviour:

Numbering format with initial 0.

•   Primary Revision

• Automatically increases when moving a document from Released back to Work in Progress (WIP).
• Example: Revision 0 → 1.

•   Secondary Revision:

• Increases during intermediate transitions, such as (WIP →) Awaiting Approval → WIP.
• Example: Revision 0 → 0.0

•   Tertiary Revision:

• Used for minor fixes (e.g., spelling corrections) via a Quick Change → Released lifecycle state.
• Example: Revision 0 → 0.0.0

What is Semantic Versioning?

Semantic Versioning (commonly used in software development) follows the format:
Major.Minor.Patch

• Major (Primary): Indicates a significant change, like a new product release or a major design overhaul.
• Minor (Secondary): Represents incremental updates, such as adding new features or small improvements.
• Patch (Tertiary): Used for minor fixes, like correcting spelling mistakes, adjusting dimensions, or updating metadata.

Example:

• Revision 0.0.0 → 0.0.1 (Patch)
• Revision 0.0.0 → 0.1.0 (Minor)
• Revision 0.0.0 → 1.0.0 (Major)

This format ensures clarity and traceability across all levels of document changes, as all revision levels are explicitly displayed.

Why Vault Needs Semantic Versioning

1. Improved Transparency:
   Vault currently hides secondary and tertiary revisions unless they are incremented, which can make the revision history ambiguous. Semantic versioning ensures that all revision levels are always visible (e.g., starting at 0.0.0), eliminating guesswork.
2. Enhanced Control for Engineering Workflows:
   Engineering documents often undergo multiple types of changes:
• Major revisions for released products.
• Minor updates for iterative improvements.
• Patch-level fixes for quick corrections.

A semantic versioning option would allow teams to better categorize and communicate these changes.

1. Standardization Across Industries:
   Many industries are adopting semantic versioning principles to ensure consistency and interoperability across platforms. Implementing this scheme in Vault would align Autodesk with modern best practices.

Proposed Implementation in Vault

• Optional Revision Scheme:
  Add a semantic versioning scheme as an option alongside the existing revision schemes. Users could choose between traditional revisions (e.g., 0, 1, 2) and semantic versioning (e.g., 0.0.0, 0.0.1).
• Automatic Increment Rules:
  Link revision increments to lifecycle transitions:
• Major: Released → WIP
• Minor: Awaiting Approval → WIP
• Patch: Quick Change (of Drawings)
• Customizable Display Settings:
  Allow users to display each revision level individually as the customer does not necessarily need to know about quick changes for example.

Example Workflow in Vault Using Semantic Versioning

1. Initial Release:
• Revision starts at 0.0.0 upon file creation.
2. Major Change:
• A new release with breaking changes transitions from 0.1.1 → 1.0.0
3. Minor Improvements:
• A small design update transitions from 0.0.0 → 0.1.0
4. Quick Fix:
• A spelling mistake correction transitions from 0.1.0 → 0.1.1.

Benefits for Vault Users

• Increased clarity in revision histories.
• Enhanced alignment with modern document and software management standards.
• Greater flexibility for categorizing and communicating changes.

I believe implementing semantic versioning as an optional revision scheme would be a game-changer for Vault Professional. It would simplify workflows, improve transparency, and provide a modern approach to revision control.

If you support this idea, please upvote and share your thoughts in the comments. Together, we can make Vault even better!

@ihayesjr 

[jan.wagnerRB67Z]

To show the in my opinion confusion of the current behaviour TLDR

Numbering Scheme
Initial Values
Primary = 0
Secondary = 0
Tertiary = 0

Vault Behavior
Init = 0 → Awaiting Approval
Approval is rejected → WIP
0.0

Numbering Scheme
Initial Values
Primary = 0
Secondary = 1
Tertiary = 1

Vault Behavior
Init = 0 → Awaiting Approval
Approval is rejected → WIP
WIP = 0.1, now Released
Released = 0.1

Quick Change
Quick Change = 0.1.1

Numbering Scheme
Initial Values
Primary = 0
Secondary = 1
Tertiary = 1

Init = 0 → Awaiting Approval
Approval is granted → Released
Released = 0
Quick Change
Quick Change = 0.1.1

People ask: "where does the secondary revision come from I did not do a minor change".