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Vectorworks to/from Database


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Hi,

Someone asked me today for a solution to the following problem and I wanted to hear about the possible solutions.

We have given Vectorworks for making all needed drawings.

We have a database program where we have all data about furniture.

The thing now is how can we transfer data from Vectorworks to the Database in an easy and automatic way?

These are the things that must be taken in consideration:

* All people who work on the drawings must be able to use all symbols from the library simultaniously. (This works fine with Vectorworks!)

* When people have their drawing finished, all data must go to the database with as few steps as possible. The perfect situation would be that when closing the drawing or vectorworks, all data is exported.

I think the big problem here is the format to which export to for an easy import in the Database program. No chose is made for a database program yet, so suggestions are always welcome.

Thx in advance,

Dieter

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If it needs to be really easy, the people in question should use Macintoshes & FileMaker Pro: the latter can run VectorScripts by way of AppleEvents, so with a proper database structure, FMP can even open the files, pull in the data, do housekeeping and close the files with a single menu command.

For best results the data export should be scripted in VectorWorks instead of just using ?Export Database? -function.

What a perfect excuse to get decent computers...

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If it needs to be really easy, the people in question should use Macintoshes & FileMaker Pro: the latter can run VectorScripts by way of AppleEvents, so with a proper database structure, FMP can even open the files, pull in the data, do housekeeping and close the files with a single menu command.

So what you are saying is that FileMaker Pro can open Vectorworks documents and get all the data it needs?

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Yes. Managementwise that is the clever thing to do.

In fact, FMP can also, under certain conditions, ?populate? the spaces with the designated furniture. In my Space object I have certain functionality to make this happen. One has to arrange the stuff, of course, but at least it is there, all neatly stacked in the space.

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I don't think I can describe the entire implementation (as there are alternative approaches) here. You will need someone with expertise both in VectorScripting and in FileMaker Pro.

Anyway, FMP has a script step ?Send Apple Event?. That is used to run a VectorScript residing in the FMP database. What that script does (and how it is generated) is then up to the developer of the system.

I don't know of links related to the subject.

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