Regarding Revit Structure Suite 2013

Autodesk duped me into doing a crossgrade from AutoCAD 2005 to AutoCAD Revit Structure Suite 2010 back in 2009 since my AutoCAD had fallen into legacy state. At that time I wanted to familiarize myself with Revit Structure to see if it would be something I could use in my particular business niche which is detailing precast concrete cladding. I played with it enough to conclude that it would be more time consuming than it was worth...in my application at least.

My decision to do the crossgrade was based on Autodesk providing 3 software products...AutoCAD 2010, AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2010 and Revit Structure 2010 which was the case in that version. As of 2011 Autodesk decided to combine the install of AutoCAD and AutoCAD Structural Detailing on a single disc. Even though you could open ASD 2011 and work as if it was AutoCAD, even Autodesk didn't recognize it as AutoCAD 2011...what you had was AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2011 (UP MINE!). The same occurred in 2012. I tried to install HDI drivers for AutoCAD from my plotter manufacturer (Canon) that say they are for AutoCAD 2011 and when I start the installation I get a message saying no version of AutoCAD is on my computer (UP MINE AGAIN!!).

So now I have Revit Structure Suite 2013 loaded. Still no separate AutoCAD installation but this time there's no separate launch icon for AutoCAD 2013 (even though it's really a stripped down ASD 2013) like was installed in 2011 and 2012. You have to find the AutoCAD launch icon in a folder buried in the program files and copy/paste it to your desktop (A MILDER ENEMA THIS TIME IN RETROSPECT).

But for the grande finale Autodesk has officially dropped Revit Structure Suite as of about a week ago. I've remained on subscription for all these years, forking over $750/year for the priveledge of NOT getting AutoCAD as they promised me in 2010. Now what??? I call Autodesk and ask what options I have as far as the 2014 version. I'm told they don't currently know what options I'll be offered and probably won't until early 2013. My subscription is up for renewal in September of 2012. If I'm not a subscription customer I won't be eligible for any upgrades to Revit Structure or AutoCAD Structural Detailing. I don't even know if that will be an option at this point (JUST BEND OVER AND SHOVE IT IN ALL THE WAY...I'm used to it, Autodesk!!!).

I did the same upgrade from Autocad LT 2007 to Revit Structure Suite. I have 3 separate programs in 2011, 2012 and 2013; Autocad, Autocad Structural Detailing and Revit Structure. I think you can download a regular version of Autocad separately as part of your license.

I think the Revit Structure Suite is being "changed" somehow because it cost more than one of the new suites that included all of Revit Structure Suite plus several other programs. There was no point in new users buying Revit Structure Suite when they could buy one of the new suites that included all the programs in Revit Structure Suite for less money. I asked Autodesk if I could "downgrade" from Revit Structure Suite to one of the new suites. I would get a refund and more software. No repsonse yet.

I opted for boxed versions and only had 2 discs...one for Revit Structure 2013 and one for ASD 2013. Same was the case in 2011 and 2012. I went into subscription center and saw AutoCAD 2012, AutoCAd Structural Detailing 2012 and Revit Structure 2012 under my 2012 downloads, same for 2011. Strangely though, I don't see autoCAD 2013 under my 2013 products. Are you sure your 2013 subscription had AutoCAd 2013 also?

I'm wondering if they set up the install sim to ACA. You have to pick the custom set up option so you can select to install as ACAD. I'm just wondering if they went to something like that.
Just thinking out loud.

On the boxed version there's just a single disc that says AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2013 and below that AutoCAD 2013. when you insert the disc there's only ASD and Autodesk Design Review as available products for installation and there aren't any custom options for installing vanilla AutoCAD. After the installation there's a single icon for ASD 2013. I was able to find a launch icon for AutoCAD and put it on my desktop but regardless of what you do it opens saying AutoCAD Structural Detailing across the top. I've complained to Autodesk ever since the 2011 version didn't come with a separate disc for AutoCAD but nobody at Autodesk or my reseller ever bothered to tell me you could just go into subscription center and download a true version of AutoCAD. In my 2011 and 2012 download tabs there's a plain version of AutoCAD. For some reason AutoCAD 2013 does not appear in my 2013 downloads...just Revit Structure and ASD.