2012 is here whoppy e do

[westcad]

Being on subscription I am currently downloading AutoCAD Architecture 2012 and I must say I am less than impressed with the download procedure. I am on my 2nd attempt to download and install after 2 hours. The installation screen is the most boring 3d image I have ever seen....no screens of the latest and greatest features of 2012. I am waiting in anticipation to finally get to use the latest and greatest software with all the wonderful new features. From the press release I think there is a total of 2 new features...Autodesk Exchange...whatever that is and AutoCAD WS, which as a subscriber I used in 2011 and without 3d support what use is it. I may have to review my budget and review my subscription next time round.

[mashton]

You are braver than me, I don't use the new version for at least 3 months after it is released because they never tell you what they broke to make it "new and Improved" or even rarer explain the point of some of the improvements like "rectifying layers".

[Brian Myers]

The largest benefits I'm seeing include:

1. Corner Windows. As a Revit User this is actually a feature I'm jealous of, it works well.
2. An AutoCAD enhancement: Productivity Enhancements.... including a Nudge tools and enhanced Grips.
3. 3D Tools. Here might be the hidden gem. Creating MVParts and Multiview Blocks should be improved by the AutoCAD enhanced 3D tools.

The actual "architecture" enhancements are fairly minimal from what I can see, but it's not an awful release either. That being stated, with this product now being packaged with many of the "Suites" Autodesk has and with Icons/Functionality becoming more Revit like with each release... the question will be asked how much longer before development halts (or is that just being pessimistic)? It's on a lot of shelves and is the backbone for AutoCAD MEP, so it seems that age, platform, and companies using it for easy walls/doors/windows are what it has left keeping it in the market.

(always open to other opinions!)

Here is a link to some of the new features:
http://usa.autodesk.com/autocad-arch...What%27s%20New

[neje]

I'm looking up at the new features guide issued with ADT2005, about an inch thick!
I'm using 9 in production but tried 11 with a couple of projects. Last job the file is now corrrupted and would not do 3D anymore. 11 was a dog IMHO. However in 12 it works fine. 12 seems a quicker to respond and just feels more stable though I've only used it a little. I'm glad they've concentrated on making a stable product this time tho I hope I'm not speaking too soon. There is so much that needs tweaking or overall. Namely.
Roof object - more tweaking and unlocking
Slabs - easier editing like spaces.
Railings
etc
Corner window is a great improvement and is going to be quite useful. It has drawback like it can only be 1 style for both sides but I have worked out easy workarounds for options. The fact it takes out a corner is very welcome.
But at this rate of change it's getting old though I find even 9 a quite usable and efficient program. Where to in the future? Perhaps ACA will gain a more residential focus as revit is likely to gain the majority of large projects.
Backbone of MEP! Yes interesting point. Makes it harder to ignore.

[dhallett]

Corner windows? A whole year of development and all they did was add a corner window tool? What percentage of architectural work has a corner window? One in a hundred buildings? One in a thousand? (I suppose there will now be a whole spate of new designs with corner windows).

No offense to the ACA development team, but it’s pretty apparent to me that Adesk doesn’t give much priority to improving ACA. If it weren’t for the Autocad enhancements (polylines come to mind) there wouldn’t be any reason to upgrade ACA since about 2008 (well OK, the wall cleanup improvements were nice). Roofs, slabs, and railings were mentioned which all need an upgrade (why can you only attach railings to stairs? How many railings only start and stop at the stair? They should follow any 3 dimensional path so we can extend them along attached landings and balconies). But look at mass elements - remember when they were described as “solids on steroids”? Well they look pretty puny next to those newly pumped up solids! Some other objects that come to mind (a couple of my pet peeves): DWA’s with sidelites that stop above the floor level – ever since ADT3 I’ve been expecting they would make these parametric. I can’t think of any reason it couldn’t be done. Same with the tops of walls - you can constrain a component to the top of the wall, but if the wall steps or slopes, it only appears at the highest point. When I think of how many of my projects have sloped walls with copings that I have to do as separate mass elements or structural members (maybe 80%) compared to how many have a corner window (I think maybe approximately none), I think “what are they doing over there?”

I won’t begrudge the corner window to those of you that have been waiting for this capability all along, but it’s useless to me. I guess I just expected a little more bang for my buck.

[neje]

We use corner windows a lot and I know it's been a request for quite some time. I'm in Perth Australia, where are you that you don't use them for Arch work? Must be a local thing.

I don't use Column grids in resi work either but it looks like a good improvement.

Stairs, - I find difficult to get a railing to attach to a stair made from linework let alone the landing railing.
I've gone back to solids for lots of things for the reasons you say however I was pleased to find a round column ME in an aecsection didn't produce all the tessellations anymore (but not fully investigated - we rarely use round columns anymore!). Often it's easier to create as a solid and convert back to ME if necessary but it's good that you can convert back and forth.
Yes top of walls-good idea and should be easy to implement. I asked for this in the wish list years ago.

I think we are going to be putting up with 'Dribble Development' and I don't think we should stop letting them hear about it. ACA is a great platform and should continue to be developed robustly.

[westcad]

I have been in drafting since 1965 (on a board) and started using AutoCAD in 1984, bought license in 1987. Back in those days it was cutting edge technology, running on dos (no windows overhead or internet) and was extremely customisable (lisp and script files etc.) and exiciting software. I have subscribed since subscription was mandatory to keep licence valid and invested heaps of cash. I have a client who we outsource to and they are running ACA2008..its faster, no hang ups and he has over $6000 in his pocket. We have great difficulty "dumbing down our latest and greatest version" so as he can modify our documents. I have been using ACA2012 for a while now and I am less than impressed. Corner windows...the next time I use one will be the first. My parents have a corner window in the kitchen..the house was built in the sixties. I run clean up software and every time I do, AutoCAD Architecture takes an hour to get up and running, ACA2012 hangs on verifying license for ages. We are a small home based drafting service in Australia and the margins do not seem to be there for maintaining subscription to a stagnated software at $1200 a year. We also purchased a licence for Revit MEP which we no longer have on subscription, as being of AutoCAD background found the learning curve too great.

[jdmc]

It's obvious Adesk have lost interest in ACA.

The subscription money I've paid for the last few years has given me almost nothing beyond the base acad improvements. Not sure why I keep bothering really. Normally when I want to purchase something I get to have a look at the product first and it comes with a warranty. With subscription it's the other way around. We pay upfront for software 'improvements' we have no knowledge of and when we get nothing we have no recourse. Not sure how that works under the fair trading act.

[mashton]

I went to a "Boot Camp" in Seattle, last April and was severly disappointed. According to the reps it was the largest attended "Boot Camp" at the time for last year. It was mostly about REVIT but interest in REVIT was so low that the REVIT class had to be moved to a smaller room for the AutoCAD. It reminded me more of an "Amway meeting" ... very enthusiastic, High spirited rah, rah, rah, but no content other than the 100 trick and tips for AutoCAD. I know, AutoDesk doesn't run the Boot Camp. Its put on by the resellors, could be the problem!
It seems Adesk is more interested in video games and animation than Architecture.

mike

[westcad]

I have bitten the bullet and cross graded to Building Design Suite, which seemed like a good deal.
This offer includes
AutoCAD®
AutoCAD® Architecture
AutoCAD® MEP
AutoCAD® Structural Detailing
Autodesk® Showcase®
Autodesk® SketchBook® Designer
Autodesk® Revit® Architecture
Autodesk® Revit® MEP
Autodesk® Revit® Structure
Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design
The software is approx. 18g to download, so I am awating delivery by courier with anticipation.
This could be the last time (rolling stones) I subscribe