ProjectWise 101 Chapter 5 – Reference Files

1. ProjectWise 101Chapter 5 – Reference Files Gary Cochrane – Technical Director Geospatial Sales – North America

2. Reference files (and xRefs) • Possibly the single most productive feature in either CAD application • However quite challenging to manage on a network • What happens if you move a file that is referenced by another? • What happens if you rename a file that is referenced by another? • How do you know if a file is referenced by another?

3. Reference Files> Lab 1a • Preparation: Log in to PWExplorer as User1 • Browse to> Documents/User1 • Open Windows Explorer: • Browse to> C:\PW-101 Class Files • Drag/drop folder named Plant Model into ProjectWise • As a subfolder under User1 folder • Accept defaults and press OK to import the folder and the files contained therein (there are no subfolders)

4. Lab 1b • Press F5 to refresh the hierarchy • The new folder should appear under User1 • Select the Plant Model folder • Note three documents were imported • Open the Properties dialog and add descriptions as follows: • E1.DGN> Equipment model • P1.DGN> Piping model • S1.DGN> Structural model • Close Properties when done

5. PW Explorer showing plant model

6. Lab 1c • Double-click P1.DGN • The file is checked out, and MicroStation opens • Within MicroStation, we need to attach the other 2 files as references • Choose File> Reference • From the Reference files dialog, • Choose Tools> Attach • Browse to folder> User1/Plant Model

7. Lab 1d • After browsing to User1/Plant Model folder • Choose E1.DGN, select> Add • Choose S1.DGN, select> Add • Note “read-only” icon by added files, indicating files will be copied out for reference purposes, not checked out • Press OK to close the Attach Reference dialog

8. Attach Reference dialog

9. Lab 1e • Adding logical names • The attachment properties dialog appears for the first file • Enter an appropriate logical name, and press OK • Example: equipment • Repeat the process for the second file • Close the reference file dialog when done • Note: Those familiar with MicroStation could have accessed the Attach Reference command via other methods • When done, Fit the view

10. Model with references attached

11. Lab 1f • When done, exit MicroStation • Choose> Check in • Note icon for P1.DGN has changed

12. Lab 1g • Re-open (double-click) P1.DGN • Note: Progress bar shows 3 files being transferred • Progress bar may not always appear, depending on how long the transfer will take • Exit MicroStation, choose> Free • User Settings relative to reference files • From PW Explorer, open User Settings • Tools> Options • Expand User Interface Category • Enable> Show Selective Set Open dialog • Press OK to close User Settings

13. Lab 1h • Re-open (double-click) P1.DGN • Note: Selective Set Open Dialog • Press OK to accept default (copy out) for reference files • When done, exit MicroStation, choose> Free

14. Lab 2a • Moving References • From PW Explorer, make a new folder under User1 • Name the folder> Structural • Move (Drag/Drop) the S1.DGN file from the old location to the new Structural folder • Note: Default behavior is to copy the file (“+” symbol on cursor) • Hold <Shift> key to move

15. Lab 2b • Surveying the damage • Re-open (double-click) P1.DGN • When SSO dialog appears, press> OK • When MicroStation opens, note the Information dialog

16. Lab 2c • Open MicroStation Reference dialog • Double-click attachment S1.DGN • Note path to reference file

17. Analysis • PW_WORKDIR is a variable • points to your local working directory (or mine) • PW_WORKDIR = C:\pw_wrkdir\pwdemo\user1 • ProjectWise has instructed MicroStation to re-write the reference path: • From> PW_WORKDIR:dms00064 • To> PW_WORKDIR:dms00065 • (your numbers may vary)

18. Lab 2d • Press Cancel to close the Reference Attachment settings dialog • When done, exit MicroStation, choose> Check-in • We need to check-in the file to save the modified reference path

19. Lab 3a • Deleting References • How to know you are making a mistake… • Select E1.DGN • Right-click> Choose Delete • First Message is standard: Do you want to delete the document(s). • Respond> Yes • Second message: Document E1.DGN is a set member, Are you sure you want to delete it? • Answer> No • This is your warning that the file has been referenced by someone else, and should not be deleted

20. Lab 4a • How to find out who referenced your file… • Right-click on E1.DGN, then choose: • Set> Referenced By • (or choose Referenced By icon from our custom toolbar) • How to find out what files are referenced by your file… • Right-click on P1.DGN, then choose • Set> Show References • (or choose Show References from our custom toolbar)

21. Lab 5a • Renaming reference files • ProjectWise maintains both a filename and document name field • Typically these are the same, but it isn’t mandatory • Open Properties dialog for E1.DGN • Change the Document Name to E100.DGN • To change the filename, press the Advanced button • Choose the Rename option • Enter E100.DGN for the filename • Press OK, then Save and Close the Properties dialog

22. Lab 5b • Surveying the damage • Re-open (double-click) P1.DGN • When SSO dialog appears, note that it is going to copy out E100.DGN • press> OK • When MicroStation opens, note the Information dialog

23. Lab 5c • When MicroStation opens, display the Reference files dialog • Note that once again, ProjectWise has re-written the path in the file to reference the new name • Exit MicroStation, and check in the file

24. Lab 6a • References and Versions • What happens when someone creates a new version of a file that you are referencing? • Double-click E100.DGN • Once in MicroStation, change color of large tank to blue (color=1). Hint: Use keyboard navigation (5-1) • Exit MicroStation, and check in the file, ALSO: • Enable option to> Create new version during check in • Leave version number field blank

25. Lab 6b • Remember the piping file references the equipment file • What happens when the piping file is opened again? • Will the tank be Amber (original color), or Blue? • Double-click P1.DGN • Note tank color • From the MicroStation File menu: • Scroll down to the history and open E100.DGN again • When prompted to check in P1.DGN, choose cancel to keep the file checked out

26. Lab 6c • With file E100.DGN active in MicroStation • Change the color of the large tank to Cyan (color=7) • Hint: Using keyboard navigation: 5-1 • Use the Back button to go back to the previous file/model • Green “left arrow” icon at bottom left of MicroStation • When prompted • Select Check In, and enable> Create new version during Check In • Leave version field blank

27. Summary • The latest version of a file is always referenced • This happens automatically • Your file will never point to an old (stale) version of a file unless you manually attach the older version • Now, what if the tank design is to be rolled back to the first version…

28. Lab 6d • Exit MicroStation • Check in all files • From PW Explorer, select E100.DGN • Choose New Version icon from custom toolbar • (or alternately from the right-click menu) • Select Edit button on New Version dialog

29. New Version dialog

30. New Version dialog expanded

31. Lab 6e • Rolling back to an old version • Select the earliest version of E100.DGN • The one that has no version string • Press the Change button • When prompted “Do you want to change this version to become the active document?” • Answer> OK • Then press Close to dismiss the dialog

32. Analysis • You can’t simply delete the two newer versions to get back to the original • You create another new version that is a copy of the original • This provides complete history for the file • If in doubt, open P1.DGN again to confirm that the tank is once again Amber

33. Lab 7a • Local Caching • Each time we check in files, the local working directory is emptied • This means we are re-copying lots of reference files each time we open MicroStation • Double-click P1.DGN • The Selective Set Open (SSO) dialog appears • Note the status column

34. Selective Set Open dialog

35. Lab 7b • Cancel the SSO dialog • MicroStation does not open • Since the local working directory is always cleaned up, the files will always need refreshing • From PW Explorer, open the User Settings dialog • (Tools> Options) • Expand the Document category • Enable> Leave local copy in check in • Enable> Leave local copy on free • Press OK to close User Settings

36. Lab 7c • Testing the cache • Double-click P1.DGN • Working directory is still empty so references need to be refreshed • Press OK to copy out references • Exit MicroStation, check in P1 • Double-click P1.DGN again • Note reference status • This time, the files are already local, and are up to date

37. Lab 7d • Since local files are current, • No network traffic occurs for reference files • If someone else were to modify one of the referenced files, PW would flag the file as> Needs Refresh • Press Cancel to abort the operation • With these settings enabled, it is up to the user to occasionally purge files from the working directory • This is accomplished with the Local Document Organizer within ProjectWise • Do Not delete files via Windows Explorer!

38. Lab 7e • Purging the local working directory • From the PW Explorer icon menu, choose • Local Document Organizer • Organizer initially shows your check outs • To view Copy Outs, select> Copies • (the “open book” icon) • Select all copies (CTRL-A) • Press Purge Copy icon • Close Organizer when done

39. Lab 8a • How to import files with pre-existing references? • Under User1 folder, make a new folder: • Name> Refscan • Leave all other settings at the default • Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to the folder • C:\DI-101 Class Files\All Files • Select all files, and drag/drop into the new PW folder • Choose No Wizard option

40. Lab 8b • From the PW Explorer menu: • Choose Tools> Scan References and Link Sets • Welcome Screen> Select Next • Scan Options> Disable Link Sets, select Next • Select Master Files/Folders screen> Press Choose folder button

41. Lab 8c • Refscan Wizard (continued) • Browse to User1/Refscan folder, press OK • Press Next • Master Folder Settings screen • Optional: Choose an application to filter the list of files to be scanned • Since there are no subfolders, press Next • Reference file Priority Search screen • Press the Browse for folder button • Browse to User1/Refscan folder, and Press OK • No subfolders, so press Next

42. Lab 8d • Refscan Wizard (continued) • Reference file Proximity Search screen • This is an alternate search mechanism • We don’t need Proximity search in this simple example • Press Next • Reference File Search Options screen • Enter Log file name> C:\refscan.log • Press Next • Press Finish

43. Analysis • ProjectWise will now: • Check out the first file • Scan it in the background with MicroStation • Make a list of all the reference attachments • Search the specified folders to see if it can find them • If successful, re-write the reference path to the PW location • Check in the file • Then move on to the next file • When done, press F5 to refresh the screen

44. Lab 8e • Answer No, to not view the log file • Refresh the PW Explorer screen • Choose file> idboa003.dgn • Select Show References from the custom toolbar • Close the reference listing dialog when done • Now view log file (c:\refscan.log) with Notepad • Search for word> error • Close log file when done

45. Review • Topics covered in this Chapter • Reference file attach, move, rename, delete • Reference file lookups • Reference files and versions • Local caching • Local Document Organizer • Reference Scanning