Copy Design that Actually Works

[lkrenzler]

As it is now, copy design is one of the most badly implemented features I've ever seen.  We upgraded from 2014 to 2016 in hopes of improvement but it's no better.  I think this feature has the highest score for creating the most cursing in our office by far.

Can we please make an interface that uses some semblance of standard file management.  For example, one of the most critical elements of any copy design action is WHERE IS THIS STUFF GOING?  Currently, it is well hidden!  Why?  New users especially always send it off into some unknown place making a mess.

The worst part is that after spending time setting up a copy, the stupid thing will start, copy a bunch of files and then stop, telling us that something is wrong and it can't continue.  CAN THIS THING PLEASE TELL US THIS BEFORE IT STARTS!  Now there's stray files I have to go clean up and try again only to have it fail again etc. etc.  This is responsible for a lot of hair loss here.

As it sits now, copy design must be someone's idea of a joke and shouldn't even be listed as an actual working feature.

[Anonymous]

Fully agree !

We had to publish long and boring explainations on Youtube to explain that unintuitive tool : 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnPxXCMUy4kE8Xu3IFKCsG3VsdIN1uN5A

For me too, the worst part is the copy of only some files, but not all.

[lkrenzler]

Thanks for the link, it's well done. Indeed how hard can it be to copy all the files as instructed. They are new files being created after all, not modifications. At the very least tell us at the start if it can't.

[catot]

In my opinion, the Copy Design in 2016 is by far the best one I've ever used, and I have performed Copy Design on every major release since 2010 (haven't tried 2017 yet). I reccomend  to take the time to setup views, experiment with various settings, and doing controlled testing among a few users, before pushing those settings to all users, and showing them how they should use the tool. The Copy Design in 2016 is very powerful and easy to use, when you know how to use it.

[lkrenzler]

Catot, why should we have to take so much time on such a simple function? How about one that just works in a common sense sort of way. Take the design, tell me where it's going. Copy it. Simple!!! And don't stop in the middle with some stupid excuse as to why it can't finish. Oh, and another thing, it dumps all of our iProperties. Just great. How stupid is that? Now we can spend time entering all that again. Worst feature in the entire Inventor/Vault system.

[DanSingleton]

Disable it and use the old copy design. That's what we did. The new Copy Design is horribly implemented.

[lkrenzler]

The problem is, so is the old one. I don't think it's just me, I get the same comments from our entire department. It's the most hated feature here and has been since day one.

[JamieVJohnson2]

The copy design program that was created with Vault 2015 R2 and has been perpetuated since (now 2018) has many design flaws, many processing flaws, and is a very poor example of process flow. While the older copy design program (still embedded and usable) is not 'perfect' in comparison its flawless. I agree with the first statement a new copy design program should be created from scratch that does not 1. fail to copy files without modifying orginals. 2. Allows you to add/remove items. 3. doesn't get lost in its own details such as not understanding 2 displays of the same file are in fact the same file, and shouldn't be treated as 2 files. 4. Doesn't strip out ilogic and expression formulas (that's one of the main reasons for copying files). 5. Is EASY to use with the LEAST number of clicks to see and understand its processes in advance. I'm sorry for the crew that invented this program, but it needs to be scrapped and start over.

[lkrenzler]

So glad to see this is accepted.

[JamieVJohnson2]

Me too.

[lkrenzler]

If anyone is actually working on this I found a wonderful video that points out all the flaws to perfection.  Also very funny (and helpful). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXMJGrRGnYw

Autodesk devs., please watch.  It will all be clear what needs to be done.

BTW, it's 2019 now.  Are we going to see changes in our lifetime?

[lkrenzler]

Just ran into another crazy one.  The drawing files shown in the screenshot are not even in the list of files to be copied!  Holy sh....  unbelievable.  Again, no option to continue without those files, fix the error or anything else.  Just close.  Seriously?!

[lkrenzler]

OK, I finally found the 'link drawings and model' setting.  I'm not even going to ask why the drawing files are not shown if they're going to be copied.  But now this!  These files are NOT in the list of files to be copied!  Can't be found anywhere in any list in copy design.  Worst software ever.

[ihayesjr]

Changes were made to Copy Design in Vault 2022 to address this idea.