Project Sharing - bugs

[Jeremiah Russell]

Currently running 2017 Architect with Renderworks. My office server is in the cloud via Dropbox. I work directly from Dropbox and have no issues when working in every day files. I am a one man shop and have recently started farming out some work to contractors. To do this I've started using the Project Sharing function. The two files that I have tried this with have been difficult. While working from my working file VW is slow. It also crashes A LOT. If I'm inactive in the file for too long, VW automatically shuts down. If I work too long in a file I have to save and commit then close and release the file, close down VW and then reopen otherwise most of my on screen icons vanish and I'm no longer able to work in the file. Is there something specific about working from a cloud drive that is driving VW nuts? These issues are adding serious time to my production schedule and is not allowing me to work efficiently with a team. Please help.

 

Thanks. 

[PVA - Admin]

You have the working file stored in dropbox? Or just the project file and the working file is local?

You configured the dropbox integration settings, or just have the project and/or working files in a dropbox folder?

[Jeremiah Russell]

Everything is in Dropbox. 

[PVA - Admin]

That will usually cause a problem, make sure to configure everything as described here:

http://www.vectorworks.net/inspiration/industry-webinars/introduction-to-project-sharing-the-multiuser-environment-in-vectorworks

 

The video is quite long but the configuration recommendations are near the beginning. You should also be able to find them here: 

 

http://app-help.vectorworks.net/2017/eng/VW2017_Guide/ProjectSharing/Project_Sharing.htm

[Jeremiah Russell]

I'm not seeing anything in the video or the guide link that is helpful in changing any settings.

[Rick Berge]

Hey Jeremiah. I'm going to try to restate what I hear you describe, and you can correct me where I go wrong.  Sounds like you've been using regular VWX files in dropbox, and you've recently started using Project Sharing files (perhaps by converting one of those VWX files) in dropbox. I don't know if you have tried using PS files via server or desktop to be able to compare the performance with and without dropbox.

 

Many actions you take in the Working File will trigger an update to the Project File. Not just commits (and their periodic project file backups), but also changing the 'status' of items, like checkout/release. Each one of those changes is going to trigger dropbox to sync the Project File to the cloud. Combine that with your Working File saves, autosaves, commits, and refreshes, and those will trigger the Working File syncs between your local dropbox folder and the cloud.  Some significant portion of the slowdown you see might be dropbox itself eating into your cpu cycles and into your network traffic.  You don't mention mac vs windows, but you could pop up the windows Task Manager or the mac Activity Monitor to get an idea of whether this is an issue or not.  You can look at both cpu and network activity there. (I personally prefer to keep my Working File local instead of in dropbox, so it doesn't count against my dropbox quota or use any of this extra network bandwidth.)

 

Next, I'd like to take a look at any crash files you have (.crash on mac, .dmp on windows).  You can upload them, or if your Vectorworks Preferences for 'Error Reporting' are set to upload crashes then you can just tell us the last 6 characters of your serial number and we can find them.

 

Hope this helps