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How to edit the Category of plants in my Res Brows


dhbrown

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I have created 168 specific plants, they are in my Resource Browser and they are working out great. I have also just figured out how to create my Plant Lists to read in sections such as Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, all on one worksheet and on one plant list on my dwg. Great. But this means I now must modify all of my new plants' "Category" field since that is what I set my criteria on (trees, shrubs, perennials) and I haven't been filling those in as I went along. I'm finding that there is no easy way to do this. I don't want my new plants to go into the plant database because then I won't have the ID's to query off (you'll notice that in the Plant Ref Database, there are no ID fields, just a CODE field which you can't fill in in the New Plant dialog box of Set Default Plant Tool Option because there isn't one there). The only way I can see to edit my Category fields is to open my template dwg (where all of my plants 'live'), place each plant individually onto the dwg so that I can access the "Plant Category" over in the Obj Info palette, (under the Data tab), change the Category to read tree, shrub, perennial, etc. Then after doing this with ALL 168 plants, how can I get the system to save this change? I've tried saving the dwg as a template with the plants (I tried with just one) on it so that the new info would be saved, then opened a new blank dwg, deleted this plant, then placed a new one of the same plant back onto the dwg to see if the new info would stay with that plant but it didn't, of course, because the Obj Info is only linked to the plant that is on the. Is there a way??? In a nutshell, I just want to edit my Category field for all of my plants in my Resource Browser!!

I'm using VW 12.5.2; Mac OS X ver.10.4.10.

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Petri-I don't understand your first statement. Could you please elaborate a bit? Also, I just don't like to use the Plant Database because I waste WAY too much time trying to use it for what I need it for. I guess for my template dwg, I'll just have to recreate my already-created plants as I go. A couple of dozen at a time during lunch won't be so bad...but it's a shame that no software engineer at NNA can't add a line of code for this to work for us.

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You have to make the change in the Plant Definition. What you are doing will only apply to that instance of the plant. In your 'Library' file, using the resource browser right click on the Plant definition and choose edit. In the resulting dialog select 'Definition' and in the definition dialog choose the 'Plant Data' tab. Select the Category and click on the edit button. Type in the new Category and ok your way out of the dialogs.

The category will now be set for the plant.

Alternatively, If you discover a placed plant with the wrong category, right click on the placed plan and choose Edit, then follow the instruction above. The setting change will be saved with the plant definition IN THAT FILE, and will apply to all instances of that plant. In the resource browser you can then right click on the definition and export to your plant library.

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dspearman-since I haven't been using the Plant Ref Database to create new plants, and I know that that is where the Category is, and I know that when you place a plant on the dwg, that that is an instance with data attached to it, I'm trying to edit that data for the plants in the Res Brow, not the database.

And yes, I understand that I can change each symbol's Category in the Plant Data tab and that it affects only that instance on the dwg. That's my problem...I don't just want to change the instance, but I want to change all of the symbols' Categories in the Symbols/Plug-in Objects folder.

You mentioned "in your library file"...how to I get to that? How can I export them to the "plant library"? Thanks

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The library file is simply the file (can be any file) where you choose to collect your plant definitions. You can do this by exporting the configured definitions from the current file to your library. This can be done using the resource browser and right clicking on the plant definition to select the 'export' command. or by opening the library file and importing the definitions - (after you have changed the category settings) again using the resource browser.

Even if you aren't using the plant reference database you can change this when editing the plant definition. Follow my instructions above starting with 'In your library file..."

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Petri-I don't understand your first statement. Could you please elaborate a bit?

Default values: edit the plant data records of the symbol definitions. This won't change existing, inserted instances, only new ones.

Default classes: define the class into which an inserted symbol will be placed.

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Petri-I don't understand your first statement. Could you please elaborate a bit?

Default values: edit the plant data records of the symbol definitions. This won't change existing, inserted instances, only new ones.

Not true, if you edit the values in the plant definitions it will change the value of the already placed plants in that file only. This is to ensure that the data attached to a given plant is consistent.

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Problem is Petri, that dhbrown is asking how to do this with plant objects not symbols. So, it isn't a question of superior or inferior - be it symbol or plant object; it is a question of how the plant object works. Perhaps if you reread the original question you might understand what is being asked?

In this case the user was assuming that these records were simple records attached to simple symbols. This isn't the case and they don't behave in the same way. That is what led to his/her question.

Beyond that, for most users feature has strong advantages when it comes to doing planting design - which is what the tool is designed for. You obviously, don't need help to stay consistent, nor to benefit from these advantages, but many do...

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Yes, that is a problem - using the Plant Tool.

I made it very clear that I'm talking about symbols, but you opined that what I'm saying is not true. Let's keep the goalposts where they are. Dhbrown did not mention symbols, so I don't think he/she was assuming what you claim he/she was. I may be wrong, but there is nothing in the original question to suggest that.

Beyond that, for most users feature has strong advantages when it comes to doing planting design - which is what the tool is designed for. You obviously, don't need help to stay consistent, nor to benefit from these advantages, but many do...

No, I don't think that there is any point in repeating identical data in each instance of a plant. If data cannot be edited by instance, the entire database is pretty much useless.

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As a database, it obviously is. At least I need to specify things that are particular to a specific plant - starting with unique ID-numbers that can later be used in maintenance etc. Carrying heaps of identical (& mainly species-related) data in a drawing serves no useful purpose.

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dspearman-when I go to the Res Brow and I right-click on the plant symbol, I do not get the option for 'export'. In fact, I don't get the export command on anything in my Res Brow. Are we in the same place? I do want to put all of my plants that I've created in the Res Brow into a library of some kind so am trying to do that now. Thanks.

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Do you see an option to import? This would mean that the File that you are browsing in the resource browser is not the active file. If it is the active file you should have an export option.

In VW 2008, clicking on the 'house' icon in the resource browser will make the active file the file being browsed in the resource browser.

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Woops, Export is a VW 2008 feature.

In 12.5 you can right click on the plant in the resource browser, edit the 2d component, select the symbol there, and edit the attached record. The changes you make will only affect plants you place after that point. (although you could select the plants and replace with same...)

To get these into a library file you must make the Library file the active file, browse the 'source' file in the resource browser, right click on the plant object and import.

The part of the workflow you are looking at is dramatically improved in 2008. Looks like I should have been more careful reading your original post...

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dspearman, re. post#90176. Thanks so much for the clear, step by step instructions on getting my plants into a library! I've created my own default library for our plants, and am in the process getting them into it. I've read and re-read the how-to's but always seem to miss something in translation, making the job harder than it really is. Plus, I'm not all that computer savvy, nor do I want to be so this is a big help! Thanks!

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