Synthesis Week 3-4 Blog 2019
The second two weeks of the Synthesis internship have put developers and non-developers to work. The team enjoyed a little break for the 4th of July… however, at the end of the fourth week, the dev team needed to finish their second code sprint. We are excited to showcase our work so far at our beta events, called “Autodesk Days.” Here’s what each team accomplished since our last check-in:
Engine
One of the ongoing updates within the engine is continually making the software easier to use. Part of this includes how users can work through different features. These past weeks, the engine made some user-interface (UI) changes to share with our beta group, and gain feedback on these new changes. Some of the bigger changes make it quicker for users to start using Synthesis right away; a new change removes our Main Menu and launches new users directly into the simulator. Other UI changes, such as providing loading indications, provide more clarity to users and reduce loading lag.
Emulator
The emulation team is looking to provide an updated version to beta testers in the next few weeks. They have been finishing up the gRPC stack and continuing with fixes to Java support.
Exporter
The exporter team has been working on implementing a new Fusion 360 UI, as well as adding functionality for the new UI on the backend. The team has also been improving the Inventor workflows and providing more guidance for users through visual aids like a robot export guide and color-coded schema. The team is looking to further upgrade both Fusion and Inventor exporters; we plan to uniform both UIs with a left-right workflow, and use consistent icons, aligning Synthesis with the current Autodesk suite’s “look and feel.”
Non-dev
Non-dev has been busy planning Autodesk Days. We are having three in-person events in Portland, OR, Novi, MI, and Montreal, QC. We also have two webinars that will be happening the same week, likely on Thursday. We are starting to send out swag packages to users on our forum that take time to help other users. The team has also been working on a sticker sheet to put into the FRC Kit of Parts for 2020 Kickoff! Check out our interns on our Instagram story highlights: https://www.instagram.com/synthesis.adsk/
Autodesk Days
This year is our first year holding Autodesk Days! This will be an event run by the Synthesis interns for individuals that are interested in testing out the current beta build. We are holding events at the Portland, Novi, and Montreal offices. We will also be holding two webinars for those that aren’t near an Autodesk office. Students will spend an afternoon experiencing the newly updated Synthesis, which will be officially launched in late August. Students will hear from Autodesk employees about career paths, a tour of the office, and some small goodies. At the end of the event, visitors will be expected to complete a survey about their experience with the developing software, and the event itself. This will give us feedback that we can take to improve Synthesis and future events!
Would you like to be part of our beta testing group, or join us at an in-person event? Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/FC5hut39Jy2dJkSD7
How to get a Swag Package
This summer we are sending Autodesk swag to teams that attend Autodesk Days (in-person and online). Another likely way to get swag is by being helpful on our forums. That is, if you are helping solve other users’ issues, you are likely to receive a swag package! The package can include t-shirts, notebooks, lanyards, socks, bandanas, stickers, etc.
Fun Fact!
Do you know what the internal code-name for Synthesis was when the project first started? It was Aardvark!