Anyone deployed Autodesk Fusion 360?

[pete]

We're also looking into this (new teacher who prefers Autodesk to Solidworks) and you lot have saved me some work, cheers.

[PBrawn]

I just download the new version into the same content folder then tell SCCM to detect the main exe by a date greater than the previous version (and update deployment type content of course).

 

I also use this script to detect if it's needs a fresh install or not:

 

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\webdeploy\production\6a0c9611291d45bb9226980209917c3d\Fusionlauncher.exe" "%~dp0\Fusion 360 Admin Install.exe" --process update --quiet

 

IF NOT EXIST "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\webdeploy\production\6a0c9611291d45bb9226980209917c3d\Fusionlauncher.exe" "%~dp0\Fusion 360 Admin Install.exe" --quiet

Works well for me, but still a pain to have to do this every 6-8 weeks!

Edited October 12, 2017 by PBrawn

[robyholmes]

Hi All,

 

I'm still not able to deploy this as I can't use SCCM (Just not got the resources to set it up). I'd like to App-V it as we're using that for a lot of our software on our Windows 10 image but it errors as soon as you try and run the App-V'd package. Anyone managed it? Or does anyone have another method to try? Looking like I'm going to have to dedicate an afternoon to updating the damn thing everything they release a new version.

[free780]

Have you allowed all the domains that Auto desk recommend that need to be allowed unauthenticated? Try the file method of configuring the proxy. You need to install it and run it on a PC with direct 80,443 outbound then configure the proxy setting and copy out the settings file. It's in the thread higher up.

[DalekSec]

We just contacted our proxy supplier and was like 'oi get this working through the proxy yeah?' and they did so yeah...

 

Whos your supplier?

[smarties11]

Apologies for bumping an old thread, but I was just wondering if there was any further information or advice surrounding the deployment Fusion 360? And in particular, management of the 6-weekly updates?

 

We use SCCM here so anything SCCM specific would be appreciated!

 

Thanks

[robyholmes]

We're using a script which installed the admin installer Autodesk provide. The script looks for a date in the registry and checks it against one in the script itself. This means we simply download the new version (Which your alerted to by Autodesks emails if you sign up). Replace the existing installer and change the date in the script. It installs on any machines which run the script (Controlled by the GPO) and installs where the date is different.

 

I can put up the script if anyone wants it. Its a pretty dirty method of installing it but it seems to work here.

[smarties11]

Thanks @robyholmes

 

Yes, I'd definitely be interested in seeing that script please!

[glen_j]

Deployment from sccm is no problem, we have a base installer package with the following command "Fusion 360 Admin Install.exe" --quiet and then deploy updates as a separate package using the command "Fusion 360 Admin Install.exe" --process update --quiet both are deployed as we found the update wouldn't install if it wasn't on the pc already and the standard install wouldn't upgrade. Hope this helps.

[robyholmes]

Please don't laugh at my VBS skills, it works for me!

'Autodesk Fusion 360 Installation Script

'Script Properties
LatestVersion = "DATE OF LATEST INSTALLER"
InstallerPath = "PATH TO INSTALLER FOLDER"
Installer = "Fusion360AdminInstall.exe"

'Run script
Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
Dim objShell
Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" )
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
strComputer = "."
Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
strKeyPathAutoDesk = "HKLM\Software\AutoDesk"
strKeyPath = "\Software\AutoDesk\Fusion360"
strValueName = "Version"
strFullValuePath = "HKLM" & strKeyPath & "\" & strValueName

'Check vbs is running as admin
If WScript.Arguments.Named.Exists("elevated") = False Then
 CreateObject("Shell.Application").ShellExecute "wscript.exe", """" & WScript.ScriptFullName & """ /elevated", "", "runas", 1
 WScript.Quit
End If

'Get version reg value
objRegistry.GetStringValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,strKeyPath,strValueName,strValue

If strValue = LatestVersion Then
'Latest version installed, do nothing

ElseIf IsNull(strValue) Then
'Not installed, run full installer
WshShell.Run(InstallerPath & Installer & " --quiet")
Set objShell = Nothing
'Write version to registry
WshShell.RegWrite strFullValuePath, ""
WshShell.RegWrite strFullValuePath,LatestVersion,"REG_SZ"
Else
'Older version installed, run update
objShell.Run(InstallerPath & Installer & "--process update --quiet")
Set objShell = Nothing
'Write version to registry
WshShell.RegWrite strFullValuePath,LatestVersion,"REG_SZ"
End If

[smarties11]

Thanks Roby! That looks good.

 

Did anyone have trouble downloading Fusion 360 in the first place? I've logged in under my existing Autodesk account (which I use to download other free-for-education Autodesk software e.g. Inventor) and I get the message "We're sorry. This product is for students and educators only. It is not available for educational institutions to install on multiple computers and/or network servers." WTF?!

[robyholmes]

This might help:

https://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/autodesk/www/industries/education/docs/Fusion_Lab_Download_Instructions.pdf

 

It sounds like your account isn't down as an education one.

[smarties11]

Ah, thanks Roby. It's because I went via the student page. Following the instructions you linked works a treat.

[DalekSec]

I have a guide on how to deploy and update Fusion 360 in SCCM. Shared it with few others that have found it useful (Its not got pictures or anything im afraid). PM me if you want it

[KCJeff]

I managed to get the SCCM installer working ok, but Fusion 360 would not connect to the data servers, so was constantly offline.

 

I did get the network team to look at list of firewall exceptions, but instead of one entry point into AWS, there are multiple entry points, which makes it very difficult to control access. As Autodesk do not use a single entry point into AWS, you are pretty much having to grant full access to everything that is hosted on AWS in order to get it working, which has a number of issues from a safeguarding point of view. As we are a large FE college with a duty of care to under 18s and vulnerable adults, we decided that it was too much of a risk to take, so decided not to deploy Fusion 360 in the end.

 

The staff were obviously disappointed with this decision, but understood the reasons.

[DalekSec]

I managed to get the SCCM installer working ok, but Fusion 360 would not connect to the data servers, so was constantly offline.

 

I did get the network team to look at list of firewall exceptions, but instead of one entry point into AWS, there are multiple entry points, which makes it very difficult to control access. As Autodesk do not use a single entry point into AWS, you are pretty much having to grant full access to everything that is hosted on AWS in order to get it working, which has a number of issues from a safeguarding point of view. As we are a large FE college with a duty of care to under 18s and vulnerable adults, we decided that it was too much of a risk to take, so decided not to deploy Fusion 360 in the end.

 

The staff were obviously disappointed with this decision, but understood the reasons.

 

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

[Spybot01]

We been running Fusion 360 for the last couple of years, unfortunately there is no quick fix then downloading the file (Fusion 360 Admin Install) manually from the link provided in the second post on this third. Someone mentioned that when they run the batch file after 100% extraction it disappears. It does disappear but it is still working in the background you just need to be patient and let it finish. It is incredibly slow to install. We use CMS (AB Tutor) and run the update batch file through command feature.

[Spybot01]

*Thread not third....

[DalekSec]

We been running Fusion 360 for the last couple of years, unfortunately there is no quick fix then downloading the file (Fusion 360 Admin Install) manually from the link provided in the second post on this third. Someone mentioned that when they run the batch file after 100% extraction it disappears. It does disappear but it is still working in the background you just need to be patient and let it finish. It is incredibly slow to install. We use CMS (AB Tutor) and run the update batch file through command feature.

 

Really? The updates install in under 30mins for us. I setup the SCCM deployment push it out and within the hour the suite is fully updated.

 

Can't remember the original install time!

[Spybot01]

Really? The updates install in under 30mins for us. I setup the SCCM deployment push it out and within the hour the suite is fully updated.

 

Can't remember the original install time!

 

Yes, we have 33 PCs and it does take around half an hour via the batch file. I find it rather tedious doing it every 6 weeks or so.

[smarties11]

I had the same issue with install speed. My machine is a relatively decent spec 6th gen i5 with 8GB RAM and an SSD and took around 30-40 minutes. It seems to still stream some installer content from Autodesk, as whilst the installer is ~650mb, the folder in Program Files is ~4GB, so I guess a lot of this time is spent downloading data.

 

This is a concern for us as our Technology department use mainly laptops. Our lesson times are 1 hour, I can see SCCM running in to issues installing it in this timeframe and us ending up with lots of failed installations. I guess the update installer is faster. It seems crazy that they don't include all the data in the initial install rather than streaming it. It would mean having to have the laptops out of use and updates forced through by ourselves. Our Head of Tech is happy to use either Inventor or F360 so perhaps Inventor would make more sense for us, as the big updates are annual rather than 6 weekly.

[free780]

I ended up doing it overnight with a scheduled task waking up PCs. I may have put the exe in the antivirus exceptions to improve speed.

[robyholmes]

Not found any slow installs using the script I posted. Are you using the - update when updating and not installing for the first time?

[Spybot01]

Make sure after initial install you use update script given in the instructions for any updates.

[newmoon1981]

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