Dynamic Workgroup Referencing?

[AnaisR]

I have currently set up a library database that I reference to target files through Workgroup Referencing.

I have set up a template which opens new documents with this workgroup referencing directly set up which is very pratical.

This library database is situated on a network, and although I am the only one to edit it at the moment, this job might be transferred to someone else, and the library databse might have to change location.

At the moment, the location of the library through Workgroup Referencing is found under 'Workgroup Referencing->Edit->Reselect Document' and this location is an absolute one (ie if the libary file is moved the workgroup referencing will no longer work).

Is it possible to set up a workgroup reference, where the location is dynamic? Ie, any new (template) document is opened with a workgroup reference to "file/subfile/library.mcd" where 'file' and 'subfile' would be variables?

This would be very practical since the library I will be transferring (along with the target files) will no longer be my responsibility (and the library file will no longer be situated on my computer), but will still need to be updated by future users. Anyone changing the location of the library database could inform a centralised template instead of needing to retroactively change all the workgroup references of past documents.

Any suggestions welcome!

cheers, anaisr.

Windows NT

Vectorworks, Mechanical (10.5)

[Guest]

If you open a doc with a workgroup reference in it and the workgrouped file cannot be found, a dialog box will appear asking you to locate the file. The workgroup can then be saved with the new location.

100% Dynamic referencing isn't available in VW, but at least you can be alerted and specify the file location.

[AnaisR]

Hi katie! This is another question regarding workgroup references.

I have set up a library database that I reference to target files through Workgroup Referencing. The library contains a custom title block (on one layer) and my own textures (on another). I have only referenced these layers of the library.

Now I have a whole set of documents that are referenced to the library. Each document contains a component of a mechanical system from which I would like to build first sub-assemblies, and then assemblies.

Each component is built as a series of solid substractions (on layer 1, say), then copy it as a Generic Solid (on layer 2), and finally create a symbol out of it, a symbol whose texture comes from the referenced library(on layer 3). ( I am not sure this is very important, but nothing is working, so I thought i'd go through each step).

I had in mind to open a new document for a sub-assembly, which would reference a series of "component" documents.

I need the symbols and the textures to be imported, and wasn't sure if that meant I needed only to import the "component" file which would automatically import its library links with it, or if i needed to make two implicit workgroup references to both the library and the component file.

I have tried both, and none has permitted me to import the symbol into my new target document! If I try and copy and paste the symbol, I obtain something that vw calls a "non-selection", somehting that is assigned a class but not something physical.

I have checked that I could reference something from a document that is not already referenced and this works fine, so I conclude that vw does not permit multiple references! Surely this cannot be?

'eek' i say!

please get back if you find anything i say unclear.

anaisr

[AnaisR]

Hi katie,

I have been trying all (european) morning to sort this out as we have an upcoming deadline that was not prepared for this problem!

I have found that I don't have this problem if I make the symbols directly from the 'solid substraction' instead of first transforming it to a Generic Solid and then into a symbol.

Then I can link already-linked documents.

But now our symbols are big again! Do you have any information about the limitations of Generic Solids? There is absolutely no information in the Help files.

thanks for everything. anaisr.

[Guest]

Are you applying the texture to the generic solid by selecting it as a symbol and going to the texture tab to apply the texture or in the edit symbol screen and applying the texture there?

Generic Solid information is not in the manual as it was introduced in VW 10.5. It should however be in the help files in the 10.5. folder.

[Guest]

On another topic - I think you might want to work with document templates rather than workgroup referencing.

If you aren't making changes to the file you are referencing in to the "new" document, then just make a template out of that file.

When you go to start a new project, go to File New and select Document Template. Then select your template file with the textures and titleblock.

Workgroup referencing can be cumbersome if you aren't constantly making changes to the original document.

[AnaisR]

Hi katie, thanks for responding so quickly. This is a very urgent matter for us!

1)With respect to your first post I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean.

I have a solid substraction with a texture. I copy/paste it onto another layer, then model->convert to generic solid. I then copy/paste the gs onto a third layer and then organise->create symbol. When I am creating the symbol I use the 'options' button to have the symbol's class set.

I'm not sure this is the quickest way to go, but I want to keep track of my construction tree which is why i always keep a copy of my solid substraction.

2)I also looked at the 10.5 help file for vectorworks, mechanical and renderworkds and I couldn't find any info on generic solids. Could it be on the web?

3)We haven't set up our textures etc as a template, because we want the option to change them later on. If i set up a template and then later change its contents, am i right to think that this is not retroactive?

What I have done to save time, is to set up the workgroup referencing in the template.

4)Finally, is it *theoretically* possible to use the workgroup referencing in the way that I was discussing earlier? I find it hard to understand the limitations of vw just from the manual sometimes.

Cheers for all the info!

anaisr.

[Guest]

When you want to change the textures in the Template file, you just create a new document using the template file and save the file with the same template file name, to overwrite the previous version. These changes are not made to drawings already drawn using the template file.

If you want the textures to be updated in all the files created, then wkgp ref IS the way to go.

Getting back to the problem - are you applying the texture to the CLASS the symbol belongs to or to the symbol by going to texture tab, or are you applying the texture to the GS by going to the texture tab in the OIP and THEN creating it as a symbol ?

[ 02-04-2004, 09:54 AM: Message edited by: Katie ]

[AnaisR]

Yes we need the change to apply to all documents, so we'll keep the workgroup referencing.

Back to prb:

I apply the texture to solid substraction before converting it to a generic solid. i then obtain a generic solid who already has a texture applied. the same when i convert this GS to a symbol.

So the texture is applied before the symbol is created.

does that answer the question?

[AnaisR]

Hi katie, I have set up a mini version of our 'library'-'component'-'sub-assembly' problem trio, all with wrk group references, relevant classes etc...

I can send it to you to have a look, that might be easier for you to understand what's going on.

anaisr.

[Guest]

Sure

Katie@nemetschek.net.

I will try to take a look at it within the hour.

[AnaisR]

Hi katie!

I just send it off to you.

cheers. anaisr.