What are shared views and why should I care about them?
Included in the Autodesk 2019 product releases is a new way to collaborate project information without the need for providing files and is supported in Autodesk Civil 3D as well as Autodesk Infraworks, and Autodesk Vault. Shared Views provides an online visual representation of the view of your model or design. Using this new feature allows you to publish both views and information from your Autodesk product into the cloud where it can be viewed in a browser and comments made. Shared views remain available for 30 days and will expire by default, however, you do have the option to extend it.
A shareable link is generated and provides access to your shared view for anyone with a browser. Using the Autodesk Viewer, the recipient can review your design, create markups, and make comments which are all shareable with you and the collaborator does not need an Autodesk product to make it happen.
Publish a Shared View
For blog brevity I will focus on the process in Autodesk Civil 3D, however, the workflow is similar enough in the other Autodesk products.
Kicking off the process, the Shared Views tool can be launched from either the Collaborate tab on the ribbon or from the Application Menu. On the Collaborate tab, Shared Views is located beside the awesome new DWG Compare feature. The Shared Views tool from the ribbon will launch the Shared View Palette and New Shared Views can be created by selecting the button for it.
The Share View window opens to let you control the views you are about to share and give it a name, simple and clean.
Processing takes place in the background and gives you the ability to keep working. When complete you will be notified in the bottom right hand corner of your application.
Selecting the View in Browser link in the notification bubble, will launch your default browser and the Autodesk Viewer to display your shared view.
The Autodesk Viewer provides a way to not only view the shared view but also create markups and make comments. You can share the temporary link with others that will launch Autodesk Viewer in their browser and take them directly to your shared view where they can add comments and markups as well.
The Shared Views palette tracks comments and markups and provides that information within the Autodesk product. You can also respond to comments received.
I can appreciate the usefulness and intent of this collaborative feature. The ability to share information with both internal and external stakeholders can be invaluable when you are knee deep into a project and need to just get it done but information from a key stakeholder is needed.
If you have a few extra minutes, try it out and I think you will find it be simple yet effective.
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