tracking changes

[Andrew Mac]

Is there any way to track changes if you want to see what’s changed since you worked on a file?

[PVA - Admin]

Project Sharing has this ability, but regular VWX files do not.

http://www.vectorworks.net/training/2016/getting-started-guides/architect/Gsg-2016-a13-project-sharing-part-1-introduction-to-project-sharing

[Tom Klaber]

1 hour ago, JimW said:

Project Sharing has this ability, but regular VWX files do not.

http://www.vectorworks.net/training/2016/getting-started-guides/architect/Gsg-2016-a13-project-sharing-part-1-introduction-to-project-sharing

 

Well...you can see what layers/objects users checked out - and you can see their comments - but does really show you the exact changes that were made.  It's not really true versioning.   I assume versioning like you see in Google Docs or something is too heavey to really implent.  

What would be cool would be a compare feature between 2 files.  If you have an archived file - and a new file - it could tell what is new, what has been deleted, and what has moved.  Autobubbling???

[Art V]

18 hours ago, Tom Klaber said:

Well...you can see what layers/objects users checked out - and you can see their comments - but does really show you the exact changes that were made.  It's not really true versioning.   I assume versioning like you see in Google Docs or something is too heavey to really implent.  

What would be cool would be a compare feature between 2 files.  If you have an archived file - and a new file - it could tell what is new, what has been deleted, and what has moved.  Autobubbling???

That would indeed be nice to have. Some PDF software can compare two PDF files and mark the differences. This will be helpful to track those (relatively) small but possibly important changes that are not easily to see when looking at a file. (or that can easily be overlooked)

 

[Tom Klaber]

2 hours ago, Art V said:

That would indeed be nice to have. Some PDF software can compare two PDF files and mark the differences. This will be helpful to track those (relatively) small but possibly important changes that are not easily to see when looking at a file. (or that can easily be overlooked)

 

 

Yeah - I know that Bluebeam, Asite.  With Asite - you can compare DWGs and PDFs.  It would be really helpful to have 'in-program' to aid in the release of revisions.  So you have your official release - along with your archived VW file of that release.  Then you can simply go on your merry way - making changes as need be.  When it is time to release a R1 - you run a compare - and then add your bubbles or notes / or VW runs a bubble wizard and takes you from change to change and asks if you want to bubble and label this change or that.  

[Art V]

6 hours ago, Tom Klaber said:

Yeah - I know that Bluebeam, Asite.  With Asite - you can compare DWGs and PDFs.  It would be really helpful to have 'in-program' to aid in the release of revisions.  So you have your official release - along with your archived VW file of that release.  Then you can simply go on your merry way - making changes as need be.  When it is time to release a R1 - you run a compare - and then add your bubbles or notes / or VW runs a bubble wizard and takes you from change to change and asks if you want to bubble and label this change or that.  

Yes, have Bluebeam myself and the compare is really useful to have. I do make lots of revisions and sometimes go back to an earlier version for a new design for alternative options etc. so a compare would be useful in that case too to highlight differences between the alternative designs in a relatively easy way. It is something that can be used for multiple purposes. Your bubble wizard would be a nice addition to have if there is going to be a compare tool.

[Neil Barman]

I have Bluebeam Revu and I'm quite fine have the overlay (compare) and notation features in it, rather than in Vectorworks itself.

Having those features in Revu means that far more people in my spheres can and will use them compared to the smaller number who use Vectorworks. This makes it so I encourage colleagues towards better and more efficient workflows without them thinking I'm trying to make them switch to my 2D/3D/BIM software. (That will come later... mwah haw haw.)

Also, having Revu as a separate application that handles a fairly universal file format (PDF) means I can use it more quickly for documents created by other applications.

-Neil

[Art V]

23 hours ago, NeilB said:

I have Bluebeam Revu and I'm quite fine have the overlay (compare) and notation features in it, rather than in Vectorworks itself.

Having those features in Revu means that far more people in my spheres can and will use them compared to the smaller number who use Vectorworks. This makes it so I encourage colleagues towards better and more efficient workflows without them thinking I'm trying to make them switch to my 2D/3D/BIM software. (That will come later... mwah haw haw.)

Also, having Revu as a separate application that handles a fairly universal file format (PDF) means I can use it more quickly for documents created by other applications.

-Neil

I agree with you when it comes to communication on output files.

However, having it within Vectorworks can be useful too as it would compare the two documents for all changes and not just the ones that happen to be in the output viewports for e.g. PDF files. Comparing output files may not reveal all changes in the Vectorworks document unless you review all output files which in the long run may be more work, assuming that the output files combined cover all objects.

For example, I may have some layers/classes with information that may not be shown in my output PDFs but they can be important for the project and then it would be nice if Vectorworks could indicate if there are any changes in those layers/classes as that could mean I may have to make changes to the rest of the drawing.