Anyone deployed Autodesk Fusion 360?

[KCJeff]

We've just had to whitelist Autodesk.com , autodesk360.com , mcmaster.com and protolabs.com and it's working fine. Not had to touch AWS

 

I'll get the network team to try that, as I've had another request for Fusion 360. Do you know if these exceptions also work with the Autodesk360 quick access buttons on the AutoCAD toolbar?

[DalekSec]

Good Morning DalekSec.. any chance you're still willing to share that SCCM guide with mortals?

 

I was going to PM you the guide but i don't seem to have the option on your account!

 

Hopefully this will work instead, I've quickly edited it for general usage but some bits can be changed for personal preference,

 

Fusion 360 Install Guide.docx

Fusion 360 Update Guide.docx

[newmoon1981]

hello DalekSec,

 

Thank you so much for attempting to send this file to me, i have had a few problems getting back into my account and have only just been able to (have been trying to use the mobile app).. and thank you for attaching the file here, you're a very kind Dalek indeed

[Sephiroth]

Another option for those that don't use SCCM (like us) is to repackage the EXE into an MSI. I do this using MSIWrapper, present it with the silent install/uninstall commands and then push the MSI out with group policy. Works a treat!

 

Better than relying on a script to run on the local machines and much better than manually updating the ~100 PCs where this is installed (which our lackey was doing previously )

[tdk1069]

Hiya,

I am now being asked for this in our DT dept, I have it set up to installed/update ok, but only Administrators can run the program (don't hate me) it's an RM network. Security is an issue. I've tried running Process Monitor but can't see anything obvious failing to access, monitored smoothwall for any internet calls being blocked, none.

 

Any one know of a work around for getting this working on limited access accounts ? RM thus far have come back with 'This isn't a piece of software we've tested or validated on CC4' and AutoDesk's standard answer appears to be 'Run as Admin/Disable AntiVirus'

 

Edit: Just saw my stats Joined Jan 2013, Post count... 1 (this one) Talk about Lurker!

[tdk1069]

As is always the case... As soon as I post it I see what is going on.

 

In case anyone else has similar - I was filtering ProcMon by Fusion*, but it launches another thread with the process name of adexmtsv, which was being denied access to C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Common. Granted permission to this and all is good to rumble.

[TomTCC]

@Sephiroth

 

Any chance you could let me know the process? I have been running into a bit of a wall on this one. I've managed to get it to install, but each time the computer powers on, it tries to install Fusion again. I have also not been able to get it to uninstall when GP is removed.

 

Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.

[Sephiroth]

@Sephiroth

 

Any chance you could let me know the process? I have been running into a bit of a wall on this one. I've managed to get it to install, but each time the computer powers on, it tries to install Fusion again. I have also not been able to get it to uninstall when GP is removed.

 

Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.

 

To be honest with you, we are starting to have issues with this where GP thinks it's not installed, so tries to install it every time a machine starts. At the moment our 1st line tech is trying to get the script posted by @robyholmes to work for us, or (hopefully) to port it to Powershell, as that looks like it might at least be easier to debug when it goes wrong.

 

If you want to test to see if my wrapping method works for you, this is the process that I follow:

 

• Use MSI Wrapper to create the MSI, using the standard install/uninstall silent commands (you'll see what I mean if you try it)
  
• (Optional) edit the MSI with something like orca to alter the name as it puts a load of rubbish at the end of the string
  
• Deploy with GP. If it's an update, you will need to manually tell it to supersede the previous version by adding the old versions into the 'Updates' section. GP should the uninstall all versions that it knows about and then install the new version.
  
• Test!
  

 

As I said, we are having issues with GP's recognition of whether or not it is actually installed, possibly due to it not appearing as an installed application to the OS, which makes things all the more interesting!

 

Best of luck though.

[robyholmes]

I can't say I've seen any issues with it here. Are you all using the Admin Installer not general public one?

[TomTCC]

Success! I have finally managed to write a Powershell script that will install or update Fusion 360, regardless on whether or not it has been deployed previously. Many thanks @robyholmes for posting the vbs script, this was an invaluable starting point

 

Feel free to use the following:

#Fusion 360 Powershell Script
#
#This script will install or update Fusion 360, whether it has been installed previously or not.
#There is a naming convention that needs to be applied to make sure this script works. Please use the following example as a guide on how to name your Fusion installer executables:
#The latest Version of Fusion as of 27/11/19 is 2.0.6613, therfore the file name would be "Fusion_360_2_0_6613.exe".
#The reason the naming convention is so important, is to do with the Registry Key it writes to enable version checking of the software.

#Sets variables for installed application path and it's name.

$LauncherBasePath = "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\webdeploy\Production\"
$LauncherName = "FusionLauncher.exe"

#Sets variable for installer file path location.

$InstallerPath = ""

#Sets variable to retrieve the latest file (this assumes that historic versions of the application are stored in the same location).

$Executable = Get-ChildItem -Path $InstallerPath -Filter "*.exe" | Sort-Object LastWriteTime | Select -Last 1

#Sets variable as the name of the installer executable.

$ExeName = $Executable.Name

#Due to file naming convention, this removes the underscores and file extention from the file name.

$LatestVersion = ($ExeName).Replace("Fusion_360_","").Replace(".exe","").Replace("_",".")

#Sets variables for the Reg Key path and it's name.

$Keypath = "Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\Fusion 360 CAM"
$KeyValue = "Version"

#Outputs a true/false result if Reg Key exists.

$TestKeyValuePath = Get-ItemProperty -path "$KeyPath" -Name "$KeyValue" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

#Test for a positive result that the application and Reg Key are present.

If (($TestKeyValuePath) -and ([bool](GCi $LauncherBasePath -Filter $LauncherName -Recurse -File -Depth 1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Fullname)) {

#Sets variable to output the Reg Key's value in a form that can be compared to the file version value.

   $CurrentVersion = (Get-ItemProperty -path "$KeyPath" -Name $KeyValue).$KeyValue

#Checks file version against version in Reg Key for a lower value.

   If ([Version]$CurrentVersion -lt [Version]$LatestVersion) {

#If the Reg Key value is lower than the installer's version value, it will update the Reg Key and the application.

       Set-ItemProperty -Path $KeyPath -Name $KeyValue -Value $LatestVersion
              
       Start-Process -FilePath ($Executable.FullName) -ArgumentList " --process update --quiet" -NoNewWindow -Wait
   }
}

#If the above the conditions are not met, the following occurs.

Else {

#Tests for a positive result that the application is present and the Reg Key is not. If true, the application will uninstall, the script will then continue to the next If statement.

   If (([bool](GCi $LauncherBasePath -Filter $LauncherName -Recurse -File -Depth 1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Fullname) -and (!($TestKeyValuePath))) {
       Start-Process -FilePath ($Executable.FullName) -ArgumentList " --process uninstall --quiet" -NoNewWindow -Wait
   }

#Tests for a positive result that the application is not present, and the Reg Key is. If true, the Reg Key will be removed, the script will then continue to the next If statement.

   If ((!([bool](GCi $LauncherBasePath -Filter $LauncherName -Recurse -File -Depth 1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Fullname)) -and ($TestKeyValuePath)) {
       Remove-ItemProperty -Path $KeyPath -Name $KeyValue
   }

#Tests for a positive result that both the application and Reg Key are not present. If true, the application will be installed and a Reg key created.

   If ((!([bool](GCi $LauncherBasePath -Filter $LauncherName -Recurse -File -Depth 1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Fullname)) -and (!($TestKeyValuePath))) {
       New-Item -Path $KeyPath -Force
       New-ItemProperty -Path $KeyPath -Name $KeyValue -Value $LatestVersion

       Start-Process -FilePath ($Executable.FullName) -ArgumentList " --quiet" -NoNewWindow -Wait
   }
}

Edited November 27, 2019 by TomTCC

[kjadams]

Success! I have finally managed to write a Powershell script that will install or update Fusion 360, regardless on whether or not it has been deployed previously. Many thanks @robyholmes for posting the vbs script, this was an invaluable starting point

 

Feel free to use the following:

#Fusion 360 Powershell Script
#
#This script will install or update Fusion 360, whether it has been installed previously or not.
#There is a naming convention that needs to be applied to make sure this script works. Please use the following example as a guide on how to name your Fusion installer executables:
#The latest Version of Fusion as of 27/11/19 is 2.0.6613, therfore the file name would be "Fusion_360_2_0_6613.exe".
#The reason the naming convention is so important, is to do with the Registry Key it writes to enable version checking of the software.

#Sets variables for installed application path and it's name.

$LauncherBasePath = "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\webdeploy\Production\"
$LauncherName = "FusionLauncher.exe"

#Sets variable for installer file path location.

$InstallerPath = ""

#Sets variable to retrieve the latest file (this assumes that historic versions of the application are stored in the same location).

$Executable = Get-ChildItem -Path $InstallerPath -Filter "*.exe" | Sort-Object LastWriteTime | Select -Last 1

#Sets variable as the name of the installer executable.

$ExeName = $Executable.Name

#Due to file naming convention, this removes the underscores and file extention from the file name.

$LatestVersion = ($ExeName).Replace("Fusion_360_","").Replace(".exe","").Replace("_",".")

#Sets variables for the Reg Key path and it's name.

$Keypath = "Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\Fusion 360 CAM"
$KeyValue = "Version"

#Outputs a true/false result if Reg Key exists.

$TestKeyValuePath = Get-ItemProperty -path "$KeyPath" -Name "$KeyValue" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

#Test for a positive result that the application and Reg Key are present.

If (($TestKeyValuePath) -and ([bool](GCi $LauncherBasePath -Filter $LauncherName -Recurse -File -Depth 1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Fullname)) {

#Sets variable to output the Reg Key's value in a form that can be compared to the file version value.

   $CurrentVersion = (Get-ItemProperty -path "$KeyPath" -Name $KeyValue).$KeyValue

#Checks file version against version in Reg Key for a lower value.

   If ([Version]$CurrentVersion -lt [Version]$LatestVersion) {

#If the Reg Key value is lower than the installer's version value, it will update the Reg Key and the application.

       Set-ItemProperty -Path $KeyPath -Name $KeyValue -Value $LatestVersion
              
       Start-Process -FilePath ($Executable.FullName) -ArgumentList " --process update --quiet" -NoNewWindow -Wait
   }
}

#If the above the conditions are not met, the following occurs.

Else {

#Tests for a positive result that the application is present and the Reg Key is not. If true, the application will uninstall, the script will then continue to the next If statement.

   If (([bool](GCi $LauncherBasePath -Filter $LauncherName -Recurse -File -Depth 1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Fullname) -and (!($TestKeyValuePath))) {
       Start-Process -FilePath ($Executable.FullName) -ArgumentList " --process uninstall --quiet" -NoNewWindow -Wait
   }

#Tests for a positive result that the application is not present, and the Reg Key is. If true, the Reg Key will be removed, the script will then continue to the next If statement.

   If ((!([bool](GCi $LauncherBasePath -Filter $LauncherName -Recurse -File -Depth 1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Fullname)) -and ($TestKeyValuePath)) {
       Remove-ItemProperty -Path $KeyPath -Name $KeyValue
   }

#Tests for a positive result that both the application and Reg Key are not present. If true, the application will be installed and a Reg key created.

   If ((!([bool](GCi $LauncherBasePath -Filter $LauncherName -Recurse -File -Depth 1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Fullname)) -and (!($TestKeyValuePath))) {
       New-Item -Path $KeyPath -Force
       New-ItemProperty -Path $KeyPath -Name $KeyValue -Value $LatestVersion

       Start-Process -FilePath ($Executable.FullName) -ArgumentList " --quiet" -NoNewWindow -Wait
   }
}

 

Thanks Tom, I’ll give this a go.

[DalekSec]

Just found out today that Fusion 360 as an auto update feature for lab installations, more info here: https://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/autodesk/docs/pdfs/Advanced_Fusion360_Lab_Installation_Instructions_en-GB.pdf?

 

Not looked into it myself yet but will hopefully save me a lot of stress over the school year!

[KK20]

For our lab, we had a task scheduled batch file run on the local machine. It checked a flag on the server vs version installed, if there was a mismatch then it would run --process update --quiet

this has worked for quite some time for us.

[robyholmes]

Is anyone else finding it creating multiple copies in the webdeploy>production folder. You can manually delete them all apart from the first and last but no matter what update method I use it seems to do this. Filling up our SSD drives over time.

[Spence_101]

Am I missing something here? Once the Fusion 360 software is installed, it asks for a Autodesk login. If the student creates their own with their school email address, it then says that they are an expired or inactive subscription in the software.

 

I'm registered as an educator on Autodesk, but where do I add students? Their website is a maze and I find myself going in circles when navigating it.

[KK20]

If the students create a login from the fusion 360 program, this used to create a "personal" edition logon, that was not the same as an education one - I mostly got licensing errors from those students. The students that manually went to https://www.autodesk.com/education and created an account had a 50/50 chance of either A) creating their account without any hiccup or B) needing to supply proof that they were a student AND over the age of 13 (which got fun for the year 8's). I never found a way to "bulk create" student accounts for the year group. This is not apple, google or microsoft where you can SSO to your MIS, Azure, Google Classroom or Apple School manager, you have to get each student to sign up for an account individually. I think they have now stopped multiple logons from one account so no creating [email protected] and laminating the password on the wall.

 

If a student had a "personal" verison with their school email, you need to contact support. Ignore the first response as they wont understand what you mean, demand the issue is escalated. Second line usually sort this out quickly and usually set the student as a student account. This gets fun with 90 students signing up at the start of their first DT lesson.

 

Autodesk are a nightmare of a company.

Edited November 5, 2020 by KK20

[robyholmes]

If the students create a login from the fusion 360 program, this used to create a "personal" edition logon, that was not the same as an education one - I mostly got licensing errors from those students. The students that manually went to https://www.autodesk.com/education and created an account had a 50/50 chance of either A) creating their account without any hiccup or B) needing to supply proof that they were a student AND over the age of 13 (which got fun for the year 8's). I never found a way to "bulk create" student accounts for the year group. This is not apple, google or microsoft where you can SSO to your MIS, Azure, Google Classroom or Apple School manager, you have to get each student to sign up for an account individually. I think they have now stopped multiple logons from one account so no creating [email protected] and laminating the password on the wall.

 

If a student had a "personal" verison with their school email, you need to contact support. Ignore the first response as they wont understand what you mean, demand the issue is escalated. Second line usually sort this out quickly and usually set the student as a student account. This gets fun with 90 students signing up at the start of their first DT lesson.

 

Autodesk are a nightmare of a company.

 

Our DT teachers found the same issue and has pretty much given up now as Autodesk Support just won't change or confirm then as educational accounts.

[chazzy2501]

when it says $InstallerPath = "" what installer am i looking for? the fusion 360 client downloader or the fusion admin 360install?

[chazzy2501]

omg, the url links in the lab install don't work for windows (mac is ok) they're just pictures of the links not actual links... I'm so utterly peed off with autodesk recently....

[fiza]

With all the issues with installing and updating has anyone tried the online version? https://fusion.online.autodesk.com/

I havent as I am still waiting for Education verification.

[KK20]

Luckily after I had the teachers sort out the licensing, the teachers soon saw how bad a company autodesk were and how much of a faff before moving off to use something else. I cant say what as its an online "something" that needs no input from me. Thus we could throw 360 into the bin. where it belongs.

 

The software is good, the way the company go about making it available to install and set up for schools is terrible.

[ITGuyNW]

With all the issues with installing and updating has anyone tried the online version? https://fusion.online.autodesk.com/

I havent as I am still waiting for Education verification.

 

I have an education account and it keeps running me in circles saying I haven't got one.

[chazzy2501]

With all the issues with installing and updating has anyone tried the online version? https://fusion.online.autodesk.com/

I havent as I am still waiting for Education verification.

 

Yes, I'm afraid it is just running a remote desktop version in a webpage, it has exceptionally bad performance (tested using a 1gbp internet hardwired and ryzen 5000, last week)

 

its rather laggy with poor resolution with a choppy 5fps refresh. it is beyond trash. only get worse on laptops and lower hardware. It must be awful on a chrome book.

[PotNoodleTech]

Further to my previous somnewhat frustrated post DT dept now got used to using Onshape and that just works easy in a browser no issues.

 

I guess if you only do the 3d cad and none of the other PCB etc stuff in Fusion it's a much easier option to run across the school!

[chazzy2501]

Can anyone give me an outline of what I'm supposed to do to deploy / install and maintain fusion 360? I can't decode the lab install nor do I understand the ps script provided above.

 

cheers!