Autodesk's external pr firm sent me a copy of Inventor 2008, and -- like Roopinder Tara of CAD Insider last year with SolidWorks -- I finally took it off the shelf to install it.
The software came in a large black box with a bonus wireless mouse (stopped working the second day) and USB hub. Perhaps, I mused, these were part of the tutorials.
The box contained Getting Started, a paperback book. This, I knew instinctively, was where I would learn how to install Inventor. I knew the software had some pretty steep hardware demands, what with approved and mildly-disapproved graphics boards, and who knows what else.
Paging through the booklet, I found "Introducing Autodesk Inventor," and "Creating Sketches," and-- But nothing on installing it. Hmm. On my own then. I opened the CD case to find two DVDs. There was familiar-sounding software listed by name on the discs:
1. AutoCAD Mechanical 2008
2. Autodesk Mechanical Desktop 2008
3. Autodesk Vault 2008
Oh, yes, also Autodesk Inventor. Later, during installation, lots more software gets installed, I found. Why, that much software is easily worth five or six thousand dollars.
In with the DVDs was another booklet: Plan Your Install. That's more like it. I paged through it. "License Types and Usage," "Content Center," "Autodesk Productstream and Autodesk Vault." Oh, here we are: page 19: "Installation Process."
And a few pages later, "System Requirements":
For each product you plan to install, review the system requirements. If your systems do not meet the requirements, problems can occur during installation.
That's all? What are the system requirements?
I tried the install anyhow, not knowing if my six-year-old desktop computer was up to the task. I inserted DVD 1 and ran setup. A lot of waiting, but otherwise everything went fine until the license page. I click I agree, but the installer complains, "Cannot find license," and then quits.
Well, try again another day.
Ralph, touch base and or read Elise Moss's eZine relating to the installation of Inventor; Elise's comment, "One month of serious hand holding by Autodesk", should be a good warning that you best leave more than "another day" for your second attempt.
Posted by: R.Paul Waddington. | Jul 06, 2007 at 12:19 AM
I get your point, it's poor documentation, but a couple of seconds with on the net would have found that info.
http://south-apac.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=1157326&id=8819123
It's also likely that most don't get a box sent to them on the chance they'll try it and would be aware of the sys. req. by the time they wrote $5000-6000 cheque and got hold of the box :-)
Is it really viable testing/reviewing CAD software on such an old machine, esp something as "heavy" as Inventor? I run an older box at home but know how much better the experience is on newer hardware. You'd be more likely to be reviewing the machines limitations than the softwares.
Posted by: RobiNZ | Jul 06, 2007 at 01:14 AM
Hello,
I too got the Autodesk Review kit from a (PR), I did not find any issues related to the way one needs to install. Perhaps, I feel as the world is growing, everyone should be able to review and install any software. Further the version of AIP 2008, is very easy to install and NO trouble caused.
Posted by: Sunith Babu | Jul 09, 2007 at 05:59 PM
"one month of serious hand holding?"... and these are the people who are writing Inventor BOOKS? Of course consider the source...
I'll admit that Inventor (like SWX and ProE) have more complex installers than say a simple browser or virus scan software but come on people. It's really not that hard.
And I agree with Robin. While you might not see issues right away, that 6 year old machine is not going to do any serious work.
Posted by: Sean Dotson | Jul 17, 2007 at 02:17 PM