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Organizational tools


Andrew Mac

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I was recently asked this question-

I keep thinking there are organizational things I could devote time to that might save time in the future but I continue to follow my old ways. For instance, I have never developed any libraries of details I use/modify frequently and always have to remember where I used them and then hunt for them. Some are things I’ve done by hand as a sketch because it’s still quicker for me. Is this cataloging of details something people do (not sure how it would be stored or searched)? Any other suggestions?

Edited by Mac B Designs
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The Export function from the Resouce Browser (pre 2017) or Resource Manager (2017) makes it relatively easy to create a library.

Create a new VW file to be your Library file (multiple files if you want for different kinds of object).

When you create a new object that would be reusable, select it and make a symbol out of it.

Select the symbol in the Resource Manager/Resource Browser and right click on it. Select Export. Select the appropriate library file so you can find it again.

If you make the library file(s) favorites, it will be easy to find them and select the objects you want to reuse.

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Guest Wes Gardner

And the new Resource Manager makes it super easy to just drag-and-drop resources from one file to another as well as the ability to create folders (and thus, organization of your details)...very cool!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 9 months later...

one more thing,  some have stated that working in 3d is too time consuming etc. and they are mostly correct if taken from stand point of someone just starting out in 3d.

 

but as the above library shows, i am getting to the point where much of my time is just assembling 3d objects vs making things from scratch

 

library is all 3d, not one single symbol is hybrid, but that's another topic (rant)

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i basically  use the none class as...

lines...even if i draw a box

 

if something needs to have a fill then i will have a special class for that. 

example: a 2d polygon. if it is a floor then i have a floor class that has a special fill 

 

also, if i see an object in 3d that has no fill then it tells me that i forgot to place it in the correct class

like Stainless Steel, HDPE Pipe, Concrete Slab

 

and i use the rectangle tool to measure stuff and don't want any fill

 

 

 

 

Edited by digitalcarbon
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Yes I see how that ties into how you set up your files. I'm interested as I have been doing a similar thing i.e. using the none class as a temporary "drafting lines" class. However my office colleagues use the default solid fill setting for the none class so it can get tricky when we are working on each others files. For example I now have to be careful any none class objects in symbols I create don't have fill attributes set to "by class" as otherwise they can look quite different when imported into their files.

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Only thing to add here is....

Set up Naming rules early and not often.

 

We use 3 (0xx) digit prefix so that similar symbol group together even if not in folders. Mostly as our job numbers are 3 digits so project specific symbols have job code as a prefix. To keep library file smaller and fast we break up libraries by first 2 digits. 

 

However the important thing is to have a naming system, but it only needs to be as complex suits your workflow. If you don't then people don't feel like they can find what they need and will keep just going back to last time.

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On 28/07/2017 at 0:37 PM, digitalcarbon said:

also i have someone who, for about 4-8hrs per week does library house keeping   

 

Are they generally reviewing additions/revisions that you've made?

 

Why is it "WGR" Library Checklist? Are these library files referenced into project files?

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the master library posted above is about 3 years old and some files that are current are nice and clean and others were thrown together because i needed to get something out the door.

also i have gotten better at knowing what i want in a library

 

so while i still work on the library and set the standard as to how i want things to work/look...i have a general "cleaner" who goes through every file and brings up to current standards

 

 this library is used for all my projects and all my clients

 

each client brings something new to the library

 

the "Librarian's" time per week goes up or down depending on how large the project/s are

 

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