2011 RAC Families Guide

[tcatana]

Is there any word as to when we will see the new guide. And I hope it will not be an online guide like the (Lackof) help guide that is there for 2011.

[jeffh]

Is there any word as to when we will see the new guide. And I hope it will not be an online guide like the (Lackof) help guide that is there for 2011.

The Families Guide will not be produced for 2011.

[ron.sanpedro]

The Families Guide will not be produced for 2011.

??? With totally new families functionality Autodesk cheaps out on updating a simple document? This seems insanely short sighted. And sadly, no surprise at all.

Gordon

Edit: And lets all be clear, this ain't Jeff's decision, he is just stuck delivering the message. So thanks for the heads up Jeff.

[Alfredo Medina]

Jeff

Now that you are here talking about help documents, I would like to ask you this question: In what aspects is this new HTML help format better than the previous traditional help documents format? In my opinion, now it is harder to find what one is looking for. Some issues that require illustrations don't have any, and some explanations are too brief.

[eric.piotrowicz]

2011 RAC Families Guide
Step 1 - try out new features
Step 2 - wow thats really cool, wait what the??? :banghead:
Step 3 - :beer::beer::beer:
Step 4 - remind yourself that the customer is always right, just not always heard :lol:
Step 5 - Go to AUGI and search for answers

2011 RAC Families Guide, update 1
Step 1 - Go to AUGI and search for answers

[jeffh]

Jeff

Now that you are here talking about help documents, I would like to ask you this question: In what aspects is this new HTML help format better than the previous traditional help documents format? In my opinion, now it is harder to find what one is looking for. Some issues that require illustrations don't have any, and some explanations are too brief.

This is the first iteration of HTML help (ok we did have it Q3 last year but that was a direct port from the CHM based help). The in the longer term HTML based help will give us better options as far as search tools over traditional CHM. The HTML Help files can be updated more easily than a CHM file (which was basically impossible to update outside of the software release schedule). With a HTML format we can much better analyze where/how the help files are being used in order to better plan how best to use our resources.

In the switch to HTML there are also some formatting and organizational changes being made which migh have created some problems, (missing illustrations, brief explinations). Feel free to contact me directly with examples of where you think the new help file is lacking and I can make sure this gets passed along to the greater team.

[Alfredo Medina]

Feel free to contact me directly with examples of where you think the new help file is lacking and I can make sure this gets passed along to the greater team.

I will. Thank you very much, Jeff.

[Joef]

The 2011 Revit Help document still thinks there is a Family Guide!

"To access the Revit Architecture Families Guide, click http://docs.autodesk.com/REVIT/2011/ENU/images/AEC/Revit/2011/UsersGuide/PNG/Help_16x16_True_Color_Alpha.png (Help) drop-downhttp://docs.autodesk.com/REVIT/2011/ENU/images/ac.menuaro.gifDocuments on the Web."

The Tutorials, Skill Builders, and Express Workshops are also missing. These should either by copied over from the 2010 page or a note placed explaining where they are. These are useful resources that would help out a new user who might not think to look in the 2010 section.

[Alan aka cadalot]

Jeff

I really don't understand why Autodesk can't just update these documents as they are not part of the AOTG with ASCENT and Wiley. Is it just they sacked too many technical writers recently?

[jeffh]

The 2011 Revit Help document still thinks there is a Family Guide!

"To access the Revit Architecture Families Guide, click http://docs.autodesk.com/REVIT/2011/ENU/images/AEC/Revit/2011/UsersGuide/PNG/Help_16x16_True_Color_Alpha.png (Help) drop-downhttp://docs.autodesk.com/REVIT/2011/ENU/images/ac.menuaro.gifDocuments on the Web."

The Tutorials, Skill Builders, and Express Workshops are also missing. These should either by copied over from the 2010 page or a note placed explaining where they are. These are useful resources that would help out a new user who might not think to look in the 2010 section.

The Skill Builders and the Experss Workshops are no longer being produced (Express Workshops were really just a few lessons pulled directly out of the tutorials and formatted slightly different.)

The tutorials have been moved to a video format instead of the written format we produced in the past.

The comment about the Families Gudie being referred to in the help and in Infocenter but not actually being there is well timed. I brought this to the attention of the help team just this week and we decided we needed a pointer from the 2011 documentation page back to the 2010 Families Guide.

Update: A pointer has now been added back to the 2010 Families guide and a note added to the documentation page explaining the Families Guide was not updated for 2011.