More options for folders in the resource manager

[livespace josha]

Can we have some more options for folders in the resource manager? Currently we're limited to only having "things" of a certain "type" in a folder. This limitation seems arbitrary and limiting for no reason*. There are situations where this is super useful and I don't see a need to change, but expanding on this would be nice.

 

My use case that prompted this request:

I have symbols for revisions (version 1, 2, 3, etc..). This has a record attached noting details and what trade is effected. I have worksheets for each version that populate with page number and the fields from the record.

My resource manager is a mess because I either have:

- all these objects in the root level of my resource manager 

- 3 different folders (symbols, records, worksheets)

I'd love to have a folder named "Revision items" and everything (symbols, record formats and worksheets) in one place. 

 

*if I'm wrong about this, I'm interested in know what happens under the hood! 

[zoomer]

Hmmh, while we are at it ......

 

I also get annoyed by cluttering of my File Resource Home ...

E.g. when adding library furniture or building materials.

 

Already by my File Template I have a Resource Folder Setup according

to my office standard and naming.

 

So beside just have the option to create "universal" Folders,

I would also like to have an option to checkbox from the list what is

allowed to come in or not.

 

And to get further,

I would be really happy if I could setup/force VW to put all incoming

E.g. "VW Textures" from Library downloads or by file imports in

my office standard Folder "RENDER MATERIAL" instead.

(just like with anything in VW that uses default stuff, like default Classes)

Could be a simple XML file listing all VW auto defaults, with an option

to add a "should be" replacement. VW reads the XML and when edited

follows user's standards naming.

(Just the way how localized versions of VW can use their own naming)

Edited January 31 by zoomer

[livespace josha]

....and:

There are some items (Chamsys MQ500 lighting console comes to mind) have symbols within that symbol. ...and gradients ...and textures ...and record formats

 

I'd love to have a "Lighting Control Chamsys MQ500" folder in my resource manager holding everything related to that imported resource. 

 

Maybe a "Nest all imported object into single folder" option when importing that resource? 

[EAlexander]

+1 I don't always want to sort by object or attribute type.  Sometimes I want to organize by department, or designer, or revision number, or..... 

 

I want more control and the ability to mix and match object types within a folder.

[Amanda McDermott]

On this line - when saving plants and landscape areas to a shared workgroup, we are finding that we end up with two instances of a plant object in the workgroup, if we have individually placed a plant and also used it in a landscape area. The saving of the landscape area automatically creates a nested folder of plants and saves the plants within the area there. Which is sort of helpful, but we'd like to be able to tell it to save them into the 'plants' folder, so that we don't end up with duplicates, and not knowing which is most up to date / having to remember to replace both if we make a change we want to save.

[Peter W Flint]

In my very limited understanding, the reason the folders are "typed" by "things" is because each "thing" involves a different data type. So line types involve one type of data, textures another, and records another. Higher level objects call these different data types into their geometry/settings as specified, which is part of what allows for their customizability. Hence all the "zNested" folders.

 

I agree with the spirit of posts that VW has not quite dialed this in for industry use cases. The design of the RM is really more of a file browser, so "general folders" would actually be drawings stored somewhere in user defaults. I find that even with understanding this philosophically, my resource management is a hot mess. 

 

One solution to the "mix and match" request is tags. I am able to add tags to individual resources, however I don't seem to be able to filter by tags. I am unsure what the logic is here in terms of interface design. 

 

PWF

[Pat Stanford]

I have a slightly different take on why there are different types of symbol folders. Perhaps if we offer enough theories, someone from VW will stop in and tell us which is closest to the truth 😉

 

A long long time ago (I can still remember when), VW had a concept they called "Default Content". That name has been basically dropped, but the idea still exists in the program.  When you use the Wall Tool (or many other tools), you can pick the Wall Style that you want to use from the mode bar. In order to not have to look at every resource in every file, I believe that VW only looks at items in the appropriate folder type in open files to provide the selectable styles.

 

I know that for items in the Application, Workgroup, and User folder you have to store the VWX file containing those resources in the correct folder path. I believe that Resource Manger folders are kind of an extension of that file finding requirement.

 

Let's see if we get any response to our theories.

[bcd]

On 2/6/2024 at 12:18 PM, Pat Stanford said:

I have a slightly different take on why there are different types of symbol folders. Perhaps if we offer enough theories, someone from VW will stop in and tell us which is closest to the truth 😉

 

Just yesterday I was praising the fluidity of the Resource Manager & how quickly and comprehensively the search is. (Although including misspellings in the search would be a welcome improvement even now)

I remember when you may as well gone to make a cup of tea anytime you wanted to search the old Resource Browser. I suspect the Folder structure was set up then as a way to try and optimize the horribly slow search.