A Shameful Help

[BeKirra]

User: Must we get help on line? :?:
Autodesk: We push you logon line all the time.
User: What if the internet connection is not available? :roll:
Autodesk: You can download offline help. :twisted:
User: Fine, download the offline help package and install it.
User: What? Where are the Help Index, ie. User Guide, Command Reference and Customization Guide?
Can not find them in the offline help. :confused:

Ridiculous, yes, ridiculous!
Think about the users before designing the new version. :banghead:

[cdatechguy]

Haven't used a Users Guide since R14....don't know what the fuss is that its not printed anymore....

[Ed Jobe]

Wish it was fixed? Check out this thread (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?143971-Help-for-help&p=1202750#post1202750).

[BlackBox]

Haven't used a Users Guide since R14....don't know what the fuss is that its not printed anymore....

The fuss is not that it (the documentation: User Guide, Developer Documentation, etc.) is online, per-se... It's that there's only one way to find what you're after, and that's to plug in a search string.

A search string that generally yields very few results at best, and usually does not include the one you were after, especially for those who are familiar with where this information resides within the associated document (when it was offline).

They (Autodesk) seemingly 'broke' the help system by relegating all users to this method of accessing the help, is the complaint at it's crux, as I understand it.

My $0.02.


Wish it was fixed? Check out this thread (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?143971-Help-for-help&p=1202750#post1202750).

Thanks for the link, Ed... I'll be sure to vote. :beer:

[cadtag]

Actually, a big part of my objection to the new un-help system is that by default, it's remote, rather than locally installed, or LAN installable. That means that by default, all Help functionality is at the far end of a tenuous internet connection, subject to numerous failure points outside of my control or autodesk's control. A backhoe operator in the next county can tear up a fiber optic line, and cripple help functionality. Not to mention that many of us do not have robust, speedy, and reliable internet connections to begin with. Add in the ISP's concept of 'data caps', and the utility of a remote help system, even one that actually worked!, is severly degraded.

[BlackBox]

I think you know me well enough to know that I agree with your sentiment(s). :beer:

As I understand it, even once one has gone through the albeit unnecessary hoops to downloaded offline un-help, it's just as un-usable as the online version, which to me is priority #1... Let's get it (the un-help) working, then the downloadable version (that should be included with the install in the first place) will dually be corrected (at least, that's my line of thought).

[cadtag]

Sadly, the minor improvements that _have_ been made to the remote help, have_NOT_ been incorporated to the downloadable locally installable help...:(

<terminology rant=on>I'm incredibly aggravated by Autodesk referring to remote help as 'on-line', and locally installed help as 'off-line'. It's dishonest, and deliberately deceitful. An off-line help system would be not istalled anywhere accessible by computer, eg paper!!!!. One could even consider a DVD that holds the help system as 'off-line', though truthfully it would be properly called a near-line help system since it can be made online with a modicum of physical effort to plug in the DVD.

Both remote and local help are on-line help systems, accessible from the computer screen, without having to open a book, thumb through a stack of paper, dump a pdf to printer, or what have you. Autodesk is trying to re-define language in favor of their plans. I reject that, and will never claim that a locally installed .chm file is 'off-line'. and cloudy cuft is on-line -- properly put, they are local and remote.

</end terminology rant>

[dgorsman]

Change in technology, change in terminology. Happens all the time. Look at email, messaging, and document management programs which can work "offline" - they aren't connected to the internet/network but certainly won't work with the computer turned off. Those programs and their terminology were established well ahead of AutoCAD online help.

[BlackBox]

At present, On-line == AvailableViaAlGore'sInterwebs

:p

[cadtag]

dgorsman -- good point, and one I hadn't thought of.

. I would note that those examples all require a server on the back end to actually do the work, so 'off-line' in that context would mean 'disconnected from the server'. Especially as it could be that either the back-end is down, or the client application is unplugged.

Help as such should not require a 'server' to function. If it does - that's a horribly poor design, and at the least potentially cripples everyone who does not have cheap, high-speed, redundant, unlimited and unthrottled internet access.

So in the context of remote vs local help, I'll stick with my soapbox and rant on against deceptive terminology :)

[BeKirra]

Wish it was fixed? Check out this thread (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?143971-Help-for-help&p=1202750#post1202750).
No, sorry, I've downloaded it again, the file has not been updated.
I will do the same as jaberwok said - keep a copy of v2011 help file.

[Ed Jobe]

No, sorry, I've downloaded it again, the file has not been updated.
I will do the same as jaberwok said - keep a copy of v2011 help file.That was meant to drum up support for the wish. Let's get it fixed.

[dgorsman]

That was meant to drum up support for the wish. Let's get it fixed.

I'm having trouble *finding* wishes... hard to support a ghost.

[Ed Jobe]

I'm having trouble *finding* wishes... hard to support a ghost.
We're working on those.

[Ed Jobe]

The wls should be fixed now.

[BeKirra]

I am going to install v2014 at the end of April.
I just found this link (http://autocadinsider.autodesk.com/files/autocad2014previewguide.pdf) on the autodesk website.
The v2014 help looks no difference to v2013's and it is an UN-help package to me, again.
It seems that autodesk doesn't listen to their users' feedback.

Does anyone think that the v2014 help works to you?
Do you mind to share your tips about using the (on-line and off-line) v2013 or v2014 help?
Thanks.