How to : Create a Workgroup Folder

[Jeremy Best]

On 9/12/2018 at 5:43 PM, Jeremy Best said:

Here it took 5 clicks to access the pertinent resource file stored in the mandatory location in a Workgroup folder.

 

Whoops! I overlooked that one can avoid all subsequent clicks if the Option/Alt key is held down on the first click. But I still think the other benefits make using a single resource file easier and more efficient - unless perhaps you're in a large team with curated content. 

[drelARCH]

Is 'workgroup' folder compatible with icloud drive? In our office projects are stored all in icloud drive and we are about to start to utilise workgroup folder to share standards in office.

I have tried to setup for the first time workgroup folder in my icloud drive folder structure (exact copy of user folder) and empty - delete my user libraries folder but had no luck yet of redirecting application not to save files in user folder but save files (for example stair style) to workgroup libraries folder...?

 

For some reason workgroup folder only show under defaults stair folder(type)...but not other already generated user files...?

 

Any thoughts what might cause it?

[Pat Stanford]

There have been a number of threads recently about setting up Workgroup folders. I think I have commented in most of them, so do a search for posts by me with Workgroup in the text.

 

As far as I know you can use any cloud service for your workgroup folders. The trick is that you need to be careful with files that multiple people might be saving to. Since most of the cloud services are actually mirrors and not a file server, they will each have a "local" copy that they can work with. If they both make changes to the local file, the last one to save will overwrite previously changed changes by the other user.

 

Cloud is great for reference files that you will be reading from but not writing to very often.

 

From your other question, it is going to be difficult to get saves to happen to the Workgroup folder. The best option is probably to let them save to the user folder and then manually copy the file (or the resources to the appropriate file) to the workgroup folder.

 

Alternatively since you are on a Mac, you could use some Unix voodoo and make your User folder a Hard Link to the workgroup folder so that you actually only have a single physical location on your Mac that acts as both the user folder and workgroup folder. I think I posted about that a few weeks ago also. It was about saving DWG import or export settings.

[Boh]

On 12/11/2018 at 10:33 AM, Jeremy Best said:

But I still think the other benefits make using a single resource file easier and more efficient

We have been using a single library “favourite” as our office workgroup however it has now grown into a fairly massive beast. I am wondering if the size of the file might slow down it loading in the RM? Would breaking it down into different resource types create smaller files and be quicker?

[Jeremy Best]

3 hours ago, Boh said:

I am wondering if the size of the file might slow down it loading in the RM? Would breaking it down into different resource types create smaller files and be quicker?

 

• A bigger library file will make opening the Vectorworks program slower as it will have more content to load into memory for the Resource Manager to be able to access quickly. But this shouldn't take longer than multiple Resource Manager files with a combined size that's the same. 
• I would however expect it to take slightly longer to open and browse the content of a big, single library file, but if you have enough RAM to support the demands you're creating then this would probably be imperceptible or negligible. If you find otherwise, you could see if dividing the content up into subfolders improves things (yuck! IMO), or organise your library into multiple library files (instead of subfolders) or upgrade your hardware spec - which will have other benefits. 

[AlanW]

Your workgroup folder should be rather small. You don’t copy all the folders over in the operating system, only the folder heading folders and the single folder and file you need within.

HTH

[Boh]

@Jeremy Best & @Alan Woodwell. Thanks for the tips.

 

I've just trimmed out our workgroup folder of unnecessary stuff. It's now about 0.5 Gb with 0.3 Gb of that the main Library Favorite file. VW takes about 30sec to open on my PC (if not opening a drawing at the same time). How does this compare to you guys?

 

Browsing the Library is a bit hesitant mainly when shifting from viewing one resource type to another. I've already divided the Library content up into folders just to organise it as there is so much stuff. - why don't you like that Jeremy?

[Jeremy Best]

43 minutes ago, Boh said:

How does this compare to you guys?

 

Vectorworks was loaded (ready to respond to my input) at about 22 seconds. (I have nothing in my Resource Manager and no default file loading) and Vectorworks-related CPU activity died right down at about 25 seconds. 

 

43 minutes ago, Boh said:

I've already divided the Library content up into folders just to organise it as there is so much stuff. - why don't you like that Jeremy?

 

I despise activities that needlessly consume time or effort. If they can be eliminated by better/alternative workflows by utilising capabilities on offer, then that's what I do.

• If you know the even part of the name of the resource you seek using just the search function the resource you seek is just a single click-and-type away. This brings everything from 'Everywhere' for you to browse in one place instead of going in and out of multiple folders or files. 
• If you don't know the name and have just one library file (and it's currently selected) using the resource-type menu can be used to show only the type you want to choose from. Add a search term to further narrow the search results. 
• Creating and sticking to naming conventions could also save a lot of time, over time. 

[Pat Stanford]

Another thing I just thought of is to be careful in how you name files in your Workgroup and User folders.

 

If you have files with the same name in the same path (for instance Libraries/Defaults/Door) you will only be able to see the "lowest" version of the file. That means If you have the file in Application, Workgroup, and User, you will only be able to see the content in the User folder. If only in Applications and Workgroup, you will only see the content in the Workgroup. Files that are in the same path but with different names will show all the content.

 

@Alan Woodwell It does not hurt anything to have the entire folder structure in the Workgroup but to have just the folders and no files. It actually makes it easier to put content into the Workgroup later as you will not have to look up as much about where the file needs to go.

[AlanW]

Hi As i understand it the program reads all locations in order of workgroup folder first then user folder then program folder and and are all available to the user at same time so you don't lose any connection.

Agree you can always put the empty folders over to workgroup but we only use a few, we have complete empty folders at office but not really needed.

[shorter]

I would recommend having multiple workgroup folders and if files have the same name the folder promoted to the top of the list in the WGF dialog wins.

 

This way you can split by workflow, or project, or even different offices and disciplines.

[CiaranBurns]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the guide.

 

Pretty sure I have followed this exactly and made my workgroup folder a place in a shared one drive but other people do not seem to have the workgroup library in their resource manager. Am I missing something?

 

Ciaran

[Pat Stanford]

Every person needs to specifically add the Workgroup Folder via Vectorworks Preferences:User Folders. The exact path for them will depend on where on their hard drive they have the One Drive folder synced.

 

And they will have to Sync the folder. Even if it was possible to use the cloud version of the folder, the lag of accessing the data that way would be intolerable.

[shorter]

And take care…

 

DO NOT click the Choose button.

 

Always ADD the workgroup folder clicking Add… in the bottom left.

 

vectorworks now populates the workgroup folder automatically with the right folders. You just need to add the files in the right folders.

[CiaranBurns]

Thank you for your help!