Autodesk Fusion 360 on Linux

linux_fusion360.md

Autodesk Fusion 360 on Linux

In the Web Browser

Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, CentOS, SUSE Linux Enterprise, Debian,... users can finally use Autodesk Fusion 360 in the Linux Browser now.

https://myhub.autodesk360.com

On Chromium 55.0.2843.0 I get NET::ERR_CERTIFICATE_TRANSPARENCY_REQUIRED.

Windows version

Crashes before it even launches with https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Fusion-360-sign-in-failure-due-to-service-outage-unexpected-authentication.html

WINE on Linux

It seems like it is now possible to get it running in WINE, see https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=36468 (not tested yet) - also see the comments below and freel free to add your hints

What is missing is to make a Fusion 360 installation immutable (so that it gets frozen and locked in time) and able to be used without an Internet connection. I would like to burn it to CD-ROM and be able to always have the same version without any changes and without having to go online. Unless Autodesk gives me that ability, I won't be using their software. (Autodesk could introduce an update with features that I don't like any time, or shut down their server stuff.) I need to be able to archive my work and the software that goes along with it, and be able to use it 30 years from now. Everything else is not long-term reliable for me. Who knows whether Autodesk is still around 30 years from now. Or say 300 years. (We can still read paper drawings from 300 years ago no problem.)

Alternatives

Since Autodesk is known for removing Linux support, forcing users to activate software online, renting rather than selling software, and for reducing capabilities in free plans, you may want to consider alternatives to Autodesk software.

• Open Source: FreeCAD
• Browser based and free for personal use: Onshape

Blender's only really good though if you already know the design, it doesn't have a true constraints, sketch, parametric kind of interface you need in mechanical design. (Have used, I mean, it's ok, but less somethings seriously changed)

I generally agree. It's not possible to rely on Blender for all. Best case there are some legitimate steps in a wider process. For when it might help to import into blender, (or others like z-brush, maya). Do some things in there. And then have it as a part of the overall workflow. But then you may export again into other tools. For the rest of the steps.

Perhaps as an example:

People who gets models from other creative industries. Then has to process or repurpose an existing models that was provided by somebody else. For example lets say you are a toy manufacturer. Then you might accept some high resolution 3d model from a movie house. And do some sorts of processing on it. But that needs to be processed. And then some prototypes 3d printed. And then finally then end product might be destined for injection moulding. Or other types of manufacturing, SLA nylon. Or something else.

So in that context, it's great to be able to run blender on linux. And if blender itself can develop to fill special niches in a wider set of 3d tools. Is the best case I can make for it. Of course I agree that inherently, the lack of being parametric and stuff. It's just not expected to be as well suited or effecient / powerful for more general types of 3d cad work. And totally agree with that more mainstream perspective.

From the investigation into this over the last few weeks, the issue looks to be the SSO component that they added to Fusion 360. Unfortunately this looks to be using an encryption that isn't ported to wine.

bcrypt:key_import_pair unsupported key type L"CAPIPRIVATEBLOB"
bcrypt:get_key_property unsupported algorithm 9

Ive yet to find a way to get past that error.
For a short term fix, you can download the last update (17/03/2023) prior to the SSO release on the 4th April from here

Setting the environment variable FUSION_IDSDK to false lets you bypass the new SSO flow.

At this point, I've been digging into FreeCad, and I have to say it's much deeper than I expected. It's fairly comprehensive and I most likely won't spend any more time on Fusion360. I think I was most miffed by their promise of a browser based version that was platform agnostic, only to see that scrapped. I'm using DeskProto for milling / machining and Freecad for everything else.