File extensions for networking

[smithandcostudio]

We're set up here on a small 5 computer network, with 3 of us on new imacs using vectorworks 11. We're using the most powerful machine as a server for file storage, and our problem is that the files are only showing as Unix exe. files, and sometimes won't even open properly with the "open with" function. Any thoughts as to why these files aren't recognized over the network?

thanks!

[smithandcostudio]

quote:

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Originally posted by jfmarch:

is the server a mac?

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yup....my computer is basically becoming the "server"...using the term loosely, cause it's really just the common file storage place for jobs. Not going to be running the files off of it, but even copying what are VW11 on my computer through the shared folder ("server") they are copied to the other computers as the Unix .exe files and unopenable...even though they ARE VW files....somewhat frustrating having a network set up and having to burn files to disc or e-mail them to the person sitting next to me!

[Travis]

Somethings not set up correctly, it seems. (an understatement?) We have our office set up almost exactly like you describe.

When you link to the "server" file from another computer, are you doing it via the Network button on a Finder folder? This should bring up the available connections on your network. Double-click on the appropriate resource, enter user name and password (if applicable, can be Keychained for future use without typing). The server resource file should now reside on the desktop of the linking computer. Transferring files from/to the server should be transparent.

We partitioned the hard drive on one computer and called the partition CAD Server. That computer is used daily and the rest of us connect to the partition seamlessly. It's not uncommon for files to be worked on directly from the "server" while the user on that computer is working on something else. The only tricky part has been to keep Permissions correctly set.

(If the "local" user creates a file and stores it to the CAD Server partition, she has to reset permissions so others can read/write. If the file is created remotely and stored, everything's fine.)

It seems, somehow, you're working too deep into the Unix kernal for network services that are provided by the Mac OS interface.

Good luck,

[smithandcostudio]

all you said is working and set up appropriately...and all other files (word documents, PDF's, jpegs, everything, is there, visible, usuable etc..) but on the other computers, the Vectorworks files show up as a black box icon, and have no extension. if I open the folder on this computer it shows fine as a vectorowrks drawing file, and is usable and can be opened, but on the other two computers it doesn't, and it;s the only file type showing that way.....

[Travis]

Are all the computers Macs?

[jfmarch]

is the server a mac?

[matto]

On the server machine in the network Preference, Check if Windows file sharing is switched on. If so, try turning it off and reconnecting to the server to see if this fixes your problem.

If you need windows file sharing then check if the extension ".mcd" is on the vectorworks files. Even on Mac Os X it's a good idea to have the extension in the file name. (you can use Finder Preference's Advanced to show or hide file extensions).

[smithandcostudio]

yup...as of right now, only three of the computers are networked together. All are iMac's, and all three have vectorworks 11 installed and working properly. One is used as the server (basically file storage), and when the other two open the shared folder containing the drawings they only read as Unix exe files..and if they are dragged and dropped from the shared folder to another desktop, they show as the same Unix file again. However from the machine the files are stored on, they show as a VW11 file, and open as such no problem. All "show file extensions" buttons are on...and all other files both show up properly, and are opened properly, it is ONLY a VW11 file problem, not a connection, server, or anything else...

[smithandcostudio]

nothing? there is no reason for this and no one has ever experienced it?

odd.

[Travis]

Sorry, friend, but we're set up exactly like you describe your setup and everything works seamlessly. I'd probably try to get a Mac tech specialist to come to your office for an hour or two. It sounds like whatever it is must be related to the OS File Manager (catalog tree?)/VW interface. As you probably know, OSX is written on "top" of Unix. If you're seeing Unix, you've somehow "pierced the veil" to the underlying code. . .not something I've ever had to deal with. (Except once when we had a problem with print drivers NOT going away. GIMP is Unix code, and somehow it bubbled to the top and wouldn't go away when trying to upgrade some print drivers. Drove me nuts for about 3 days!)

The only other thing that occurs to me would be to try using one of the other computers as the "server" and see if the same anomaly recurs. Otherwise, you're out of my league.

Good luck,

[smithandcostudio]

cool..thanks..We have a Mac tech coming in tomorrow, to set up two more computers to our system, and link em with printers/shared folders etc....I'll see if he knows!

cheers!

[matto]

We don't see the problem of VW files not showing as VW across the network. We do see the same problem when we go back to Archive Disks which where burnt on the older os9 system, although all the files on these disked show up as unix exec. (with the exception of DWG files which are generally tagged with the right extension).

If we manually add the .mcd to vectorworks files taken from the cd's the computer will then display the file correctly.

For some reason even the updated VW still doesn't tag the files on the MAC with the extension as well as the old style type data. It seem this can cause problems when the data travels.