Device Builder Database Sharing

[Jeff.Sullivan]

Has anyone had success sharing the database across a user base? (20 users ish)

We will start with a fresh database and build up our own. The problem I see is that I don't have any way to automate the sharing process. I know that this can be scripted and that this could be moved through DropBox, but I was wondering if anyone is currently doing this.

 

I have heard that the history of the file was that it was a shared system with all users, and I can see how that could go wrong. I would love to have a closed system that my organization, with our standards and practices, can mold and share (maybe over the Vectorworks cloud?)

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

[Jeff.Sullivan]

@Pat Stanford Hey Pat I didn't want to take that topic off in another direction so I have started this one.

 

 

I think that I am missing something here. How would multiple users use the same user file structure through work groups? Maybe I wasn't clear.

 

Here is what the end result needs to be. One of my 13 users opens a new ConnectCAD template, goes into device builder and the dropdown is populated with the same information that all 13 users see. More to that, this user makes a new device, I would like it to show up on the other 12 users computers next time they are in Device Builder.

 

This would somehow be sharing the "ConnectCAD DevicesDB.txt" amongst all the users, checking for updates, and hopefully clearing out duplicates. Without writing a script to run on all 13 computers myself. Can this be done using Work groups?

 

 

 

 

 

"The terminology you are looking for is Workgroup Folder.

 

This is a folder that is located in a "shared" location. This could be on a local server if everyone is in the same office, or on DropBox (or something similar) as a shared folder.

 

Workgroup folders are configured from the User Folders pane of Vectorworks Preferences.

 

VW has three primary locations for "custom content", the User Folder, the Workgroup Folder(s) [you can have more than one], and the Application Folder. When you are looking for a resource it searches them in that order.

 

You do have to make sure you get the correct folder structure and put the files in the correct location in the User or Workgroup folder, but those folder structures are generated automatically when you create the folders from the VW Preferences.

 

HTH"

[Pat Stanford]

@Jeff.Sullivan I am going to ask the ConnectCAD gurus to comment on this.

 

For most VW objects that are stored as VWX files instead of txt files, you put the VWX file with the resource in the correct location in the workgroup file and everyone who has access to the workgroup can see those resources.

 

If everyone is in the same office a location on the local server works well. If everyone is remote then a syncing connection like Dropbox can be used. To store items into those files you can use the Export option from the Resource Manager. But Workgroup folders are really intended to be more of a Read Only type of item with only a few people updating them to avoid file collisions.

 

I don't know enough about CC or exactly how the DeviceDB works to know how it will function in a Workgroup scenario.

 

@Nikolay Zhelyazkov@Conrad Preen  Can you clarify please.

[Conrad Preen]

@Jeff.Sullivan @Pat Stanford

 

7 hours ago, Pat Stanford said:

But Workgroup folders are really intended to be more of a Read Only type of item with only a few people updating them to avoid file collisions.

 

That is exactly the case. In a workgroup scenario you would have a CAD manager updating the shared database. The CAD manager's user folder database becomes the model for the workgroup database. He or she adds any new devices by selecting them on a drawing and clicking the Save to Database OIP button. Then the manager can copy the database to the workgroup folder location overwriting the old one.

 

But for freely sharing devices among a design team symbols are the way to go. As Pat describes above. If you create a device using the Device Builder it is automatically saved as a symbol in your current document and you can export it to a shared location using the Resource Manager. This keeps administration to a minimum. If you update the device on the drawing you can click the Save as Symbol button in the Device OIP and update the symbol definition or add a variant with a different name.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Conrad

 

[Jeff.Sullivan]

Thanks @Conrad Preen and @Pat Stanford for the help.

 

My team is hopeful for a more automated solution, something like the shared database that is in WireCAD. With 13 users, we are looking for a way to automate the process. Everyone will be adding their own devices from time to time, as projects get added and as manufacturers update products. We can hope and explain to everyone that they need to add there shapes to a central file unfortunately I fear that will fall off fast. We need a way that we can capture those man hours and not add time for clean up.

 

@Conrad Preen is there any way that you could see to add this to the software? Please.

[Conrad Preen]

Thanks for the input @Jeff.Sullivan . We'll certainly consider this as an idea. I don't see WireCAD as an example to follow frankly. Originally the device database was a community-sourced online system much like theirs but we found that it needed a lot of curation to be in any way useful. We'll give it some thought. Bear in mind that we also have to serve those people who want a more centrally administered system.

 

Conrad