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plant database update


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Hi,

I imported a xls plantlist to the plant database. I can see the plants there. But if I want to place the plants with the option get plant data there are only some listed in the categories. I don't know why only some plants from the Plant database are listed with the place plant tool inside the document.

Regards

Uli

VW 2008 Landmark SP3

XP Pro SP3

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Uli - probably this should have been in the Landmark area

You have to search for them by Broad Category and save them back into VW

In the Plant Database get into a view where you are looking at a single plant - here - Aus Data - Not a list of plants - here Aus List

Under Find - top left hand side - second icon to the right - like a little magnifying glass - select in Broad Category the types of Plants you wish to search for - say Trees and then click on Find - left hand side again - that creates a list of all of the Trees or whatever Broad Category you have searched for

Then - File/Create Vectorworks Plant List sends that list of Trees into VW so when in Get Plant Data in that Category your plants should be there

Complicated huh but once you understand it - works a treat

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Hi,

thanks to everybody. After viewing two movies of the knowledgebase I realised that I have to update my Plant database. I find the process a little uncomfortable. Maybe that will be more simple in VW 2010. What I realised, it is nearly impossible to work with one big database, thats right Ian.

Thank you for the hint to make some lean Plantlist, Ozzie.

Regards

Uli

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Uli,

One thing you should do as you use the plant database more and more is learn how to creatively search. The better your searching criteria, the better your plant list will be.

A plant list is generated from all plants in the current search result. One of the recommended practices is to build a plant list for specific projects, not just based on category. This will allow you find the plants you need in Vectorworks faster.

There are several fields available that you can use for tagging you plants for specific projects and needs, so make use of them.

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I use one plant in the database for one plant in my library with individual customised symbols for each

Takes time and discipline but works for me

I also mostly add a column to my plant schedules to categoris my plants into groups like Trees, Screening Shrubs, Shrubs, Grasses and Tufts, Ground Covers, etc

I then sort my Category column in descending order and the Trees are at the top - just a fluke

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Hi,

thanks again. Up to now, for me it is difficult to understand what VW is doing with databases and plant lists and where it is saving and what it is saving. I.e. I saved a new Plant List in a directory and than Chose VW Plants and lead VW to that directory but what I get is the old list. Up to now I do not understand the systematics of VW data handling of Plant database and Plant list. I read the manual, knowledgebase but it is only a sort of trial and error for me.

Regards

Uli

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I think you should seriously consider what Ozzie said: he's on the ball.

Unless you are a landscape architect working globally, pare down (a copy of) the FileMaker Pro database to only contain the likely species, then generate the text files VW uses.

By this I mean that you should delete species you are not going to use. How? Well, you can query the FMP file and then mass-extinct species that you don't need.

You will, for the time being, need to regenerate the said text files when you add or delete species. Unfortunately it seems that these files are all over the place.

(I don't really use the system, because I know my plant material and do not need assistance from a software company, thank you very much. The Place Plant tool is next to useless and the functionality of the system is, in my opinion, somewhat questionable altogether, but let's hope that it will be improved.)

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Uli - you need to understand where your User Library Folders live compared to where the Installation Library Folders live on your hard drive

User Folders as I understand it are there so that if you upgrade or reinstall VW you do not lose your libraries, preferences and the like

I do not know what operating system your are using - perhaps post a signiature - My Stuff above

Back up first and then remove the text files within the Plant Database folder in your VW installation dirctory

Then checkout the ones in the Plant Database folder in your User Folders - Back them up and remove them if you do not want them - then set up a new one as in my first post and see if that helps

In both instances of the above I put the Text Files in a folder called PlantsTextOld and leave them in the Plant Database folders then I have them if I want them in the future

Of course if you do not understand how the User Folders really work - find out first or post again here

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Hi,

what I understand up to now, is that VW creates a new Plant database and new Plant Lists inside the User Folder, so I better leave the VW Installation Folder with the defaults alone.

Can someone show me a simple way to select different databases which I have made from plant data i.E. Uli.USR out of a VW drawing file, or do I always have to rename the datatbase to VW Plants.USR, before I can use it. I just want to open different Plant databases out of the drawing document and make Plantlists from selected features, because I do not want one big Plant database.

Regards

Uli

Maybe I understand the process sometime.

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