ADT on a network
Steven J. Hovland
way to share custom Softdesk data over the network (except for project and
prototype files). Now that ADT is here, can the symbols added to the symbol
manager and the custom materials added to AEC Tools be easily stored on the
network and accessed by everyone?
Can AEC Tools even be installed on the network? It was previously highly
recommended against, and there's not even mention of its existence in the
Installation Guide.
We currently have AutoCAD installed locally using ADLM for managing access.
Softdesk S* Architecural is also installed locally. I'd like to keep the
program installations local, but move the custom data to the network.
My guess is that this is yet another item I will be disappointed in the
answer to, but I figured I'd better ask. You never know.
Thanks,
Steve
Richard Binning
the dark ages of R13 with softdesk...It is the same in R14 & in ADT...check
the S8 NG for your answer...it involves editing the sdsk.dfm file and
adding any custom "keys" you've created previously.
--
Richard Binning
rlbi...@thehaskellco.com
Steven J. Hovland <shov...@nospam.dnai.com> wrote in article
<71nai5$76...@adesknews2.autodesk.com>...
Rob
running from network. I beleive is was in the .dfm file. Just as long as
you have the files in the search path you shouldn't have a problem. Or
maybe for the first time something that wasn't supposed to work actualy did.
Wow i feel special if that is so.
Rob
Danny Scott
Steven J. Hovland wrote in message <71nai5$76...@adesknews2.autodesk.com>...
>Way back in the dark ....Now that ADT is here, can the symbols added to the
symbol
manager and the custom materials added to AEC Tools be easily stored on the
network and accessed by everyone?
We currently have an entire standard details library that is accessed via
the network and through symbols manager and details manager (your choice w/
aec tools). Works great! If a detail gets revised you change the network
file and next time a user wants it he gets the updated version. I do
reccommend that the administrator or CAD manager ONLY have edit or delete
rights. I have heard talk of a routine where in symbols manager you can
"gray out" the edit, delete or manage symbols keys.
Steve and Susy Hovland
wasn't so much that you couldn't do it, but that it was HIGHLY recommended
against because of various issues such as file locking. I understand that
you can manually edit the .dfm files to point to network locations, but if
this is supposed to be a networkable product, the same protection mechanism
used for normal drawing files must be used for the library files.
I want all users to have read/write access, but want the files to get the
appropriate network flags that lock them to other users when they are being
edited. Similar to the method used by AutoCAD.
The way it is now, if two people attempt to access the file, they can
actually each overwrite the saved version. Obviously that's not a good
thing.
Danny Scott wrote in message <71nuj9$88...@adesknews2.autodesk.com>...
Danny
Steve and Susy Hovland wrote:
Perhaps I wasn't too clear. My understanding of the previous versions
wasn't so much that you couldn't do it, but that it was HIGHLY recommended
against because of various issues such as file locking. I understand that
you can manually edit the .dfm files to point to network locations, but if
this is supposed to be a networkable product, the same protection mechanism
used for normal drawing files must be used for the library files.I want all users to have read/write access, but want the files to get the
appropriate network flags that lock them to other users when they are being
edited. Similar to the method used by AutoCAD.The way it is now, if two people attempt to access the file, they can
actually each overwrite the saved version. Obviously that's not a good
thing.
I have asked an Adesk rep (in person) about this issue as we. Even getting to the point where you can view who has the drawing checked out. Supposedly they are working on the issue but have some problems tying down NT compatibility for what they propose. Is there anyone out there who has written some script or batch file to accommodate?
Viktor Stipsic
works GREAT. (I learned long ago not to trust everything tech reps say) I have
about 55 users NT network and 2 servers.
I excluded all "dangerous" things from menus (like Edit Matrix). I also grayed
out dangerous options in dialog boxes (like Project Settings / Layers and
Project settings / Text Styles). Then I supplied all these options in the
separate Manager menu on diskette given only to project managers (together with
Manager macro to load / unload that menu).
This way nobody can overwrite each others files, since there is no more than one
person per project (managing .ly, .dat, .pm, etc files), and only me editing
main SDSK.DFM file.
Viktor Stipsic
Steven J. Hovland wrote:
> Way back in the dark ages of plain old r14 and earlier, there was no easy
> way to share custom Softdesk data over the network (except for project and
> prototype files). Now that ADT is here, can the symbols added to the symbol
> manager and the custom materials added to AEC Tools be easily stored on the
> network and accessed by everyone?
>
Drew Burgasser
just like AutoCAD
AEC Tools, as far as I know, is a different story. AEC Tools seems to be no
different from S8. You must install it locally.
But even at S8, we were able to store all AEC Tools data on the network with
little or no concern with regard to file locking. This includes all symbol
manager files, drawing setup files, borders, details, detail materials, and
all prot and proj information.
Drew Burgasser
Cad Masters, Inc.
www.cadmasters.com
Steven J. Hovland wrote in message <71nai5$76...@adesknews2.autodesk.com>...
Steve and Susy Hovland
contents of the programs tree to the network, or just specific folders? If
just specific folders, which ones? Ideally, I would only move the data
folders, not the program folders.
The only modifications to sdsk.dfm that I should need to make are the root
directory locations, correct? Those seem to be the ones with a hard coded
path.
Julian Gonzalez
network location. Then in AEC Tools go to the SoftDesk Prefrences and see
if you can change the paths.
I do it during the install. Specify network paths for the project and
protoype folders, then any changes to the symbol manager and/or custom
symbols will be accesible to everyone using the same project or prototype.
I hope this helps
Julian Gonzalez
Production Manager
Arthur Rutenberg Homes... www.arhomes.com
ARHJ...@aol.com
Steve and Susy Hovland wrote in message
<71r9qm$ob...@adesknews2.autodesk.com>...
Julian Gonzalez
locally, it's the layers and styles that will be shared thru the project.
Julian
Viktor Stipsic
libraries off the network drive. Here's an explanation of how to set this up.
--------------------------------------------
1) Make directory structure on the network drive. Under a root directory
(U:\BRASYM) there is one directory per each new Symbol Set (SUNRISE, SCHOOL &
CONSTEL). Each of these directories has 2 subdirectories: DWG for blocks and
slides and LNG for Symbol Set Database (*.DBF, *.CDX).
U:\BRASYM
SUNRISE
DWG
LNG
SCHOOL
DWG
LNG
CONSTEL
DWG
LNG
2) Copy a *.DBF file from any existing Symbol Set directory to each of your new
LNG directories. For example, take X:\ Program Files \ AutoCAD Architectural \
programs \ za \ lng \ ZASYM.DBF and copy it to each of your new LNG directories.
Then rename each copy of ZASYM.DBF to SUNSYM.DBF, SCHLSYM.DBF and CONSTSYM.DBF
respectivelly.
3) Add following lines to corresponding sections of SDSK.DFM file (it's at X:\
Program Files \ AutoCAD Architectural \ programs \ SDSK.DFM).
Under [SystemPaths] section add:
bra=(u:\brasym\,BRA Stuff)
sunrise=(%bra%sunrise,Sunrise Stuff)
school=(%bra%school,School Stuff)
constel=(%bra%constel,Constellation Stuff)
SUNRISE2D=(%sunrise%dwg2d,Sunrise Symbols 2d)
SCHOOL2D=(%school%dwg2d,School Symbols 2d)
CONSTEL2D=(%constel%dwg2d,Constellation Symbols 2d)
Under [SymbolFiles] section add:
SUNSYM=(%sunrise%sunsym.dbf,Sunrise Symbols)
SCHLSYM=(%school%schlsym.dbf,School Symbols)
CONSTSYM=(%constel%constsym.dbf,Constellation Symbols)
4) After you restart AutoCAD you will have 3 new symbol sets: Sunrise Symbols,
School Symbols and Constallation Symbols. However, you won't see any slides in
Symbol Manager. That's because your DWG directories are empty. Each new *.DBF
file still point to slides from original ZASYM.DBF that no longer exist.
Copy your blocks into DWG directory and import them into Symbol Set using Symbol
Manager MANAGE button. Then erase old "empty slides".
-------------------------------------
Viktor Stipsic
www.vs.cnchost.com