The use of illegal characters in default content

[shorter]

Would it be possible to stop using illegal characters in files and folders in the Vectorworks Libraries?

 

Illegal characters are those that cause problems for Mac or PC operating systems and the softwares that run on them.  Similarly some NAS devices do not work with illegal characters.

 

It has been quite well-established, probably for as long as I have been using CAD software (since 1990) that you do not use any character other than

 

A to Z

0 to 9

and the Hyphen -, and where permitted the underscore _.

 

You certainly do not use spaces, slashes, brackets, and full stops in file names (other then in front of the file extension).

 

Current 2023 default content uses illegal characters

 

e.g.

 

Data Tag (styles)
Detail Callout (styles)
Drawing Label (styles)
Elevation Benchmark (styles)
Graphic Legend (styles)
Grid Line (styles)
Interior Elevation (styles)
Reference Marker (styles)
Section-Elevation Line (styles)
Title Block Border (styles)

 

and simply from a professional standpoint, and not mentioning any international BIM standards etc, we would just look better if Vectorworks folders and files in Default Content adopted 'internationally recognised' conventions such as illegal characters.

 

Of course, it would be even better if all files and content were named correctly in international standards, but this I feel is too much to ask, particularly since no-one can agree what those international standards should be...

 

[Jeff Prince]

totally agree.  I've seen more than a few company's backup systems corrupted by silly things like this.

The other one that can cause problems are paths exceeding 256 characters.

You wouldn't think such things would be with us still, but they are...

[shorter]

Someone not involved in CAD or BIM day to day, i.e. someone not at the coalface would not care or even consider what implications this has.

 

We have been trialling a project folder system based on Uniclass 2015 Table PM...

 

Exceeding 256 Characters is going to be easy when the folder path is

 

/PM_70-TestingCommissioningCompletionInformation/PM_70_15-ComplianceCertificationDocuments/PM_70_15_80-SmokeFireAlarmFireSuppressionSystemTelephoneLinesTestResults/

 

and that's without the server name, or project name, or file name in the path, which in itself will be at least 20 characters long.

 

Someone with too much time on their hands perhaps?

 

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by shorter