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Script needed - file to file updating


pkhlsnewton

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My firm is using 2012. We are all Mac users. All our hardware is Mac hardware. We have two servers in two separate offices operating a VPN. Here's what we'd like to do:

We have a few files on the server that housing information such as symbol libraries, title blocks and other drawing standards, database files and libraries. We'd like to have these files stored on one server as "master files." Alternatively, we'd like each individual workstation to have these same files so they can be referenced/drawn from for individual projects. If the workstation is disconnected from the server for any reason (power outage, server maintenance, etc.) the workstation will still be able to produce. If the VectorWorks IT editor changes something in the master file, how can the individual files get updated automatically?

We like a script that tells the workstation files, on daily shutdown, to ask the server files if they're still up to date. If not, then the workstation file should download and update any changes from the server files before completing the shutdown. This is different from Workgroup Referencing.

Has anyone written code for something like this?

pkhlsnewton

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Dropbox is our answer. I recently set up all my office work stations to have their libraries sync to Dropbox. Now any cad station can be taken off site and take the entire library with it whether connected to the internet or not. But as soon as you connect to the internet the files will be sync'd. One person adds a new symbol to a library and as soon as dropbox sync's its available to all other stations connected to the internet...even those off site.

Here are some quick steps to take:

1) Buy a Dropbox account. ($100/year - 50GB size) Free 2GB account is too small.

2) Follow Dropbox instructions to download dropbox to each station and link to the same account.

3) From one station create a folder in Dropbox and copy your entire VW 'Library' to it. It will get copied through Dropbox to every station connected to the account so make sure you have the hard drive space on each computer. You can delete or just rename your original library so VW can't see it anymore.

4) You would think you could just then create a alias in your VW folders titled 'Library' that connected to the dropbox library location but DO NOT DO THIS! The Favorites folder inside the library cannot be part of the dropbox files because the paths set here need to be unique for each station. Instead, create a new 'Library' folder and from inside of it create an alias for each sub-folder of your library skipping Favorites. Do this on each station.

5) If you use Favorites, create a folder inside the 'Library' and create a unique alias to each file in the library you want to access as a Favorite. Do this on each station.

6) Any change to any file in dropbox gets copied to every other station as soon as it is saved.

7) Use the EXPORT resource feature to send new symbols or other resources directly to the dropbox library without even leaving your active document or opening the library file.

8) This is great way to standardize your Default content. Now when I export a new custom wall style to the library it instantly shows up as an option within the the wall tool on every other station.

Years ago Jonathan Pickup illustrated how a project file located in dropbox could be Design Layer View Port referenced to a local VW file. Even if two cad stations are half a world apart... updates made in one place were seen at the other in a matter of minutes just by updating your DLVP reference within VW.

Good Luck.

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