This is a guest post by Edwin Prakoso of CAD Notes.

Do you update your Autodesk software with service packs (SP)? If you don’t, you should consider to do it. Autodesk releases a service pack to fix and enhance their products. There are defects and problems that are discovered after the products have been released.

I experienced this problem when I started my Autodesk Showcase 2013. Every time I started the program, I get this error message. After I clicked OK twice, the program run as expected. However, it’s still annoying.

After I installed Showcase 2013 SP3, the problem goes away. Now I don’t have that annoying message anymore.

It’s just a sample that I had. Autodesk software relies on many Microsoft things. So it is also possible that you get problem after you installed a Microsoft hotfix or other updates.

What is service pack?

Snipped from Wikipedia:

A service pack (in short SP) is a collection of updates, fixes or enhancements to a software program delivered in the form of a single installable package.

Where I can download service pack?

You can download service pack from Autodesk website. Go to the Autodesk Support page, in Service Packs and Downloads section.

The direct link is: http://usa.autodesk.com/support/downloads/

If you don’t see your product there, go to drop down list at the bottom of that page for complete list of Autodesk products.

Within product notification

The thing with downloading service pack from Autodesk support page is, you must regularly check if there are updates available. Autodesk products don’t have automatic updates like Windows has.

The good thing is, Autodesk products have notifications to let you know if there is update available for your product.

If you use AutoCAD 2013, you will see the red download symbol at get connected icon. If you click the symbol, it will notify you that there is an update available.

If you click that menu, it will open Internet Explorer and open the download page. You can just click update button and download the update.

This notification is not on the same location between products. For example, in 3ds Max, there is no red symbol that notifies you. However, if you click info center icon, you will see the same notification.

For Showcase, you can see the info center button on the bottom left of the application window. Hover your mouse above the icon then you will see whether your product is up to date or not.

If there is update available, you will see yellow star on that icon.

Plan your update installation

While it is important to update your product, it is recommended that we don’t immediately install the update. I have seen Microsoft updates cause some problems and they immediately release another update to fix previous update. Autodesk also has the same problem this year with AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor service pack.

It is wise to install updates when you don’t have tight deadline. So you have time to fix it if there is something goes wrong. Or at least wait for a couple of weeks to see if there is no problem with the update.

If you have AutoCAD 2013, go install the

AutoCAD 2013 Service Pack 1.1

Thank you Edwin.

-Shaan

If you would like to submit a guest post please Email Me for details.

Go to the original post...