Officially Autodesk released AutoCAD 2013 (Release 19, for those keeping track) on March 27, 2012, and almost immediately the forum boards lit up with complaints and bug reports. This is expected and happens every year. But despite the extensive beta testing that gets done over the months preceding every release this version really is a train wreck according to those who installed it. Some of the most serious reports concern xref issues with files that worked in older versions and now become “Unresolved” and don't load in the new version. Another issue included what one person described as unexplained corruption of, “... all my blocks with proxy CRAPhics! “, whether he loaded and modified them or not. The bug and deficiencies list continues to expand as of this writing.
Even though I thought I might wait, when my copy arrived curiosity got the best of me, and since there really was nothing to lose by testing it on my laptop I installed anyway and hoped for the best. It didn't take long before it became clear that the postings were right – the new program just isn't stable enough for real work yet. The fatal blow fell when my previously rock solid 2012 program called in sick.
No!... not OK! That lovely little gem above is what happens whenever 2012 (and, as now reported, every prior version) is shut down after installing 2013. It takes two clicks of the OK button to get rid of it. While it may be a mystery what got hammered exactly there is no doubt that the 2013 installation did it, along with many other nasties. Even a complete un-installation of the new program and a Repair of 2012 didn't make the error dialog go away. The 2012 installation had to be completely reinstalled!
So... AutoCAD 2013 is completely off my machine and won't be back until at least hotfix and service pack updates are released and the cloud community turns their collective frowns upside down. Until then we can be sure many lights will be burning late in programming offices all over San Francisco. They have their hands full. The natives are clearly restless.
Postscript: 14-Sep-2012
For whatever reason, this is consistently one of the most actively hit pages on this blog. If you're looking for more information on AutoCAD 2013 you can find additional information in these more recent postings:
Post-Postscript: 02-Aug-2013
Your mileage might vary but AutoCAD 2014 is a *much* more stable version to install and use. I have never had any issues with it that were serious enough to unload it. So if you're on subscription or if you're considering buying a seat at the AutoCAD table, go ahead and skip the 2013 flavor and all the hassles that will come with it. There's a better version available now. If you're still looking for more information on AutoCAD 2013 you can find much more in in these more recent postings:
CRAPhics... love it! You have to wonder why those problems never happened at the engineers desk, just the customers! I hate to buy new products, even cars in their first model year, things that are pretty just don't always work! Good idea to try it out on a separate computer, that's why your "The Man" Dave!
ReplyDeleteAutoCrap 2013 been out for a while and as more and more bugs are discovered. Why has'nt Autodesk released an update to its junk ware. Why does not AutoDesk stop with this yearly update. Why are we allowing Autodesk to make us paying beta users. They should change the name to Autochair. As in dentist chair where you suffer the pain of using their garbage.
ReplyDeleteI honestly have to agree with the Anonymous poster above. Autodesk still has not issued a Hotfix or Service Pack for the 2013 release, and the result is that there are many users like myself who will not install it until we have one. 2013 as released is simply too messed up. As the poster notes, discontent with the annual subscription cycle is growing, and we may still have a month or two more before any corrective software is released. And even then there is no guarantee everything will be fixed. It seems it never really is.
ReplyDeleteAt this point the entire episode is bound to be embarrassing for Autodesk at AU this November. Very few hands will go in the air confessing to be on the latest version. The subject is important, and it's proven to me when I look at the statistics for this site. This particular post is far and away the most read issue of all my blog entries to date.
As of 08/09/12, Autodesk has yet to release an update for Autocad 2013 and ACA 2013. While other products such as 3ds Max 2013 are on their 4th patch. What does it tell us when a one product gets so many updates yet Autocad has yet to have one. Moreover, what does it say about a product that requires so many updates. With future releases be more about fixing broken features instead of new ones. Is that how Autodesk intends on pitching its new versions. I can just see it now.
ReplyDeleteNew Feature: Autocad 2014 dynamic block visibility state works. Expect to see in future versions the SAVE AS VERSION feature to maintain the state you select.
I couldn't agree more with the "Unknown" comment. In fact, when I saw it I started doing the research on Autodesk's history with respect to pushing out release updates. Look for that here shortly.
ReplyDeleteI guess I keep harping on the same issue cause I just cannot get my head around the fact that in this Economy where everyone is trying to just survive a company as big and powerful as Autodesk would release such over priced buggy software. It is in this time where one has to prove themselves by actually increasing quality and decreasing profit. And to top it off, Autodesk actually released a patch that made things worse. That whole department should take a vacation and the managers whose hair brained scheme of annual releases should be on the unemployment line. But that would mean they are now robing from everyone instead of the idiots (Like Me) who handed over our money. I guess it is just like windows fiasco. Does not matter if it is a good product or bad, just stuck using in cause everyone else is.
ReplyDeleteI have the latest service pack but I still get that big exlamation mark that you show above when I close out of older versions of AutoCAD Architecture. Anyone hear of any solutions other than a total reinstall of the older versions?
ReplyDeleteSomething makes be think that 2013 may never play well with older versions of AutoCAD, including any of the verticals. If you do run something like Architecture the "best" solution may be to upgrade it to the 2013 version. For myself I still have not reinstalled 2013, and at this point may simply wait until the 2014 release comes out.
ReplyDeleteHello I am learning how to work on solid works and I need some help. I currently have a cylinder and I need it to have a groove on the face of the cylinder that would be for something like an o-ring. This needs to be a few cm's bellow the top of the cylinder. Can you guys help me out?.
ReplyDeleteSolidworks Price
I'm not a Solidworks guy, so there's no way I could help with this question. But I couldn't help noticing some great resources right on that Solidworks Price link included in your message. I'd suggest going there and either looking around a little more or asking some of the folks there for help. No question they would have you going in two shakes.
ReplyDelete