So far we were installing the free Bentley View 08.11.09.459 (vw081109459en SS3) I'm trying to create a new corporate PC image, with the new View 08.11.09.829 (vw081109829en SS4). The new version has a limited 'free use' (only 7 days) and demands a registration via the login of the Connection Client.
This is a tool for blue-collar workers, or administrative people from all over the company, to be able to see our CAD files . They don't need cloud-connection or co-operation or file sharing. Some don't even have an internet connection.It should just be a viewer of .DGN-files, and nothing more.
How can I configure Bentley View (with or without the Connection Client) to be able to run for more than 7 days, without having to supply or create a login for every separate user? I need a silent login by default, or no login at all.
As a sideline: I have always been an advocate of using Bentley software all over the company, but if they insist on feeding us functionality we don't need - we will never go into a cloud-based environment - without the possibility of turning it off, I'm afraid that my management is going to turn away from Bentley because it's too much trouble.
So if there is a disaster and no internet connectivity, the viewer won't work? Having to connect to a company's server to use "FREE" software isn't really free, you are getting something from me, not money but data. And there have been a lot of bad ideas that have become corporate policy. Maybe you should make a free viewer that is free and usable anywhere without monitoring the users, like BIG BROTHER. Why do you need to track who looks at design files? That would be like Adobe tracking everyone that opens a PDF.
And I've tried to stop it from starting up on reboot and it still starts every-time and it won't even save my password, it should at least do that so I can click on through, and I rarely use Microstation nowadays so it's a hassle, and a negative towards Bentley.
I agree. The older versions of the viewer were installed company-wide. I can't do that with the Connection Client, because any user would have to enter their e-mail and password every time. And I would not be able to distinguish between CAD users and CAD viewers in the user management.And the mood is turning ugly, against Bentley, here too. Departments are looking for alternatives. Because they'd rather switch than be concerned about all the file conversion problems. If, on top of that, every single user that's just LOOKING at a CAD-file has to register, that's just more hassle. Plus, in privacy-conscious Europe, that is a major point.
This has been a major thorn in our side too. I have had to personally create hundreds of accounts for our users, for people that may rarely need to look at old CAD files. And to make it worse, you cant even set the Connection Client to ONLY open when you NEED it. "Bentley" has become a four letter word in our company. I cant understand how ANYONE thought this would be a good idea, especially for a "free viewer". It makes you think some Bentley manager thought "what stupid idea can I come up with that will drive customers away". We are trying our best to move away from all Bentley products, but we will always have very old CAD files that still need to be accessed.
Not convinced that any of the other software manufacturers are any better at any of this. Big Tech is in the drivers seat right now and they know it.