Use the Autodesk Download Manager to Download Project Spark

With power often comes size.

Project Spark is our technology preview of a simplified 3D building information modeling (BIM) solution. Using Project Spark, building professionals can create designs efficiently with real-world building objects, produce more reliable documentation faster, and share files with consultants using Revit or AutoCAD-based products.

Project Spark on Autodesk Labs

The Project Spark download is 2.93 GB - not for the faint of heart. It is hardly light by any measure - power nor size. To assist users with a download of this size, the Autodesk Labs site takes advantage of the Autodesk Download Manager. This does mean that users have to install a small utility but the up side is that a download can be resumed if it is interrupted.

To download Project Spark, the process is:

1. Click on Download Now on the Autodesk Labs page.
   

2. Sign into Autodesk Labs using your Autodesk Single Sign-on, i.e. same User ID and password for Subscription, Student Community, Manufacturing Community, etc. If you do not have one, registration is free and does not require the purchase of an Autodesk product or service.
   

3. The download page pops up and reminds you that the technology preview has a limited distribution as well as some of the legalease.
   

4. The Download Manager dialog pops up. You only need to install this once. Then it will be available for other large downloads from the Autodesk Labs site.
   

5. Select a location to store the download. The Downloads location is the default on Windows 7.
   

6. The Download Manager then manages the download for you. You can watch its progress. It offers to execute the installer after the download completes.
   

If you do not wish to use the Download Manager, you can opt for a traditional download if you quickly select it when the dialog comes up.

Wrestling with bandwidth is alive in the lab.