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ProjectManager v1


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I?d like to showcase the ProjectManager I?m currently using in vectorworks, a custom menucommand that does a lot of what vectorworks should do imo.

If enough interest I might make a public full version, else I?ll just be happy using it myself.

Plug-in is created in VW 2013 (MAC support added, not verified though)

Feel free to hand out comments, a wishlist or bugs.

All the available fields are the ones I need, feel free to suggest others. I did my best to translate them into english.

The ProjectManager includes:

  • Easy sharing of project data between drawings, titleblock records, a database and excel
  • A custom revisionmanager

About the project manager

In our company we have one external file containing all the basic info for each project we work on. Being able to use this in vectorworks makes life easier without rewriting it time after time, in titleblocks for example ?

  • XML databasefile accessible by an external EXCELL file, editable in 2 directions.
  • Ability to create/import uniquely numbered projects with lots of additional data.
  • Drawing-relevant info can be changed trough the ProjectManager, more can be changed through excell.
  • One field contains the path to the project folder. When accessed in excel one click on it will open the path, no need for desktop shortcuts anymore.
  • The ability to update each titleblock with the current selected project data.
    • It?s possible to assign these fields to a custom record with a settings file.

    [*]The projectmanager has a parametric record that also saves the loaded project info just so other scripts can profit from it too. Its easy to create an export script that uses your project dir as a default path for example..

About the Revisionmanager:

I made this custom list because vectorworks didn?t give the option to list all the current revisions in a proper way. Since I don?t need a layerbased revision its only projectbased but it does have a summary.

  • Allows 2 types of revision from A-Z. (predesign and design)
  • Add/edit/remove options
  • Revision is project based, not designlayer based.
  • Data saved to an xml file (separate file for each project)
  • EXCELL can read the xml file (not included atm)
  • Plug-in to include the revisionlist on a designlayer ( not included atm )
  • The option to link a report file (only saves the path as a link)
  • Large description can be added upto 10 000 chars.
  • Titleblocks can be updated with the latest revision

Full package and installation instructions can be found in the zip file. ( rename .txt to .zip )

This script comes without warranty, use it at your own risk.

edit:

- Mac support added

- bug fixed in revision list not loading

Edited by hippothamus
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  • 4 weeks later...

It all sounds very interesting - can't think why no one else has commented,

Pity it's for 2013 only as it'll be a long time before I update - are there are real barriers preventing this?

Is the vw worksheet able to read data from the xml/xls? If so it sounds a lot more straightforward the (fruitless) ODBC path.

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It all sounds very interesting - can't think why no one else has commented,

Pity it's for 2013 only as it'll be a long time before I update - are there are real barriers preventing this?

Is the vw worksheet able to read data from the xml/xls? If so it sounds a lot more straightforward the (fruitless) ODBC path.

It might work in other versions, unless I used functions that were new in vw 2013 only. What version are you using ?

Yes it can read data from XML. The only downside lies in excel where XML mappings are static. I can't just "add" a new field without a lot of work.

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I wonder what the size of the user base is, especially the part of it that uses this forum, surely that's part of the equation, another thing is version compatibility and updating; there are many old plugins here that don't work even with the next version.

I'm currently 2012 and probably won't update for years - as it is it's just sufficient and stable, and as a business I can't afford a month of printing problems. I imagine many users are like this.

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