topic Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ??? in Teamwork & BIMcloud

PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

rob2218 — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:02:10 GMT

Well, we have a teamwork file.
we are on Archicad 14 with the BIM server.
we are presenting on Monday (yes, this monday coming up) to the local Board of approvals.

What would be the best way to "copy" the teamwork model (it contains various other TW hotlinked modules, views etc... linked into it in our office) so that one of our users can take the copy and use it on a laptop and present?

We are in the process of setting up a BIM server remote connection (I need major help with that) so if anyone here locally in DC is able to assist I'd greatly appreciate it.
Please send me a private message with regards to your assistance in this matter.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

rob2218 — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:45:50 GMT

Let me clarify with more details what we have:
1. 1 local (in the office) TW file called "NEW BLDG".
2. 1 local (in the office) TW file called "EXST BLDG".
3. 1 local (in the office) TW file called "EXST SITE".

The "NEW BLDG" TW file has both the "EXST BLDG" and the "EXST SITE" TW files hotlinked into it. Into the NEW TW file that is as hotlinkes.

We are setting a presentation on a laptop (i7 MACBOOK PRO) with all the bells and whistles.

Now, here's my question(s):
1. How do I get ALL the parts and pieces (NEW BLDG, EXST BLDG, and EXST SITE) in the same file so I can take them with me?
2. I dont need to be connected to any remote BIM server (at least not yet due to time constraints) so if the "COPY" file with all 3 parts gets manipulated and changed, so be it.
3. Keep in mind that all 3 files are TW files not PLN's. How do I save the NEW BLDG database TW file to contain both the EXST SITE as a file as well as the EXST BLDG as a file?
4. will I have to save also the existing site file AND existing bldg file as separate PLN's and relink them to the the COPY file on the laptop?
5. Will the PLN be intelligent enough to saveout the EXST BLDG and the EXST SITE as a part of the NEW or not?

Help.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

Link — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 23:01:45 GMT

Have you tried just saving a PLA of the master (new bldg)? As long as you don't need to update the hotlinks it should all appear normally.

I haven't tested it though, so let us know how it works out.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

rob2218 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:26:30 GMT

I certainly will try this today.
I'm hoping a PLA will grab all of the hotlinks and embed them into the NEW BLDG file which it creates.

If it doesn't I don't know what else to try.

I did save a PLN last night and it still is saying that the EXST SITE and EXST BLDG are still linked hotlinks......though i did see a button on the HotLInk Manager that said "relocate" which I'm wondering what that button does?

Perhaps if I save out separately the EXST BLDG as another PLN and the EXST SITE as another PLN, place them in the laptop's hard drive and then 'relocate' thru hotlink manager in the NEW BLDG file those two hotlinks so that I can redirect them to the files in the laptops hard drive instead of the server??? I don't know.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

Link — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:45:12 GMT

It won't embed the hotlinks, it will just leave them linked to the original source. But it doesn't matter, they will still appear as normal in the model, you just won't be able to update them because the hotlinks will be listed as missing. You could break the links from their sources (effectively embedding them), but it won't make any difference.

If it's just a temporary file for presentation, you're overthinking it!

Cheers,
Link.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:08:42 GMT

Remember to Send and Receive all changes before saving as PLA.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

rob2218 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:42:25 GMT

OK..just so's I get straight then.
save the TW database as a PLA.
this will bring with it all the hotlinks...they'll be there...they just wont be obviously linked to the server.
The hotlinks will be....ummm??? what, simply embedded into the PLA?
But they will be there, right?

So, if that's the case, that's simple, just do a saveas PLA and hotlinks come with the file???? wow...that was painless.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:02:01 GMT

The content of hotlinked modules is always part of the Project File. Only if the source of the hotlinked module is not available you cannot update it in the host file. But the data is there nevertheless.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

rob2218 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:18:24 GMT

GREAT!
then all's I have to is a "SAVEAS" PLA file and that's it.
We can take the TW database as a file onto the laptop along with all the other hotlinked TW databases knowing that it wont be connected to any server.

Eventually, soon actually, next week, we hope to have the BIM Server remote connections setup.

At that point then, if all the stars are aligned right.....we can theoretically connect to the BIM Server, log in, sign into a project from anywhere in the world......that is what that webinar a few ago said.....RIGHT?

At least that's what I saw happening during that demonstration.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:26:07 GMT

When you create a PLA file, that file is not a TW database anymore. The PLN/PLA files and the TW database have totally different formats.
But if you save it as PLA, all your data will be there.

The remote connection should also work from anywhere in the world, just as the webinar showed.
The ArchiCADWiki contains a lot of info about TW2, including remote connections.

http://www.archicadwiki.com/Teamwork

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

rob2218 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:10:16 GMT

thanks Laszlo.
We are having our MacMedics tech guy come in and make sure our modem, router and server settings are correct to allow for the PORT FORWARDING to occur. I just wanna make sure it's right.

it's a bit more (ahem) involved than what I'm able to do myself.
I've already contact GS here in the US and they've offered to help us make sure the numbers, parameters, router settings etc...are correct on the BIM server program but I need to fully understand how our own office's setup is and right now I'm a bit unclear as to where and how information is coming into our office via the cable modem, static IP, external IP address, internal IP address, router settings, etc.....

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

Link — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:26:30 GMT

rob2218 wrote:
GREAT!
then all's I have to is a "SAVEAS" PLA file and that's it.
We can take the TW database as a file onto the laptop along with all the other hotlinked TW databases knowing that it wont be connected to any server.

Along with all the other hotlinked TW databases? If you mean taking EXST BLDG & EXST SITE, then no. You only need the NEW BLDG pla and that's it.

Instead of having your tech guy punch holes in your firewall for TW Access, you may want to consider using VPN software. You fire that up on your remote client to establish a completely secure connection to your BIM Server, then fire up ArchiCAD which uses that tunnel to access the TW projects.

This is an option mentioned in the wiki, and one we use very successfully. On some of our small projects we have even used a wireless broadband connection to join and send & receive.

For the most part, it does exactly what you would have seen in he webinar. It just takes good (IT) setup, and disaster revovery/backup management.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

rob2218 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:24:47 GMT

thanks Link.
well, we'd like to have a VPN network. thing is that we really don't have a 'full-time' i.t.' tech guy inhouse so there really isn't anyone here (in-house) to do this stuff full time.

We need to do it ourselves and well, I'm it for now. So...if punching holes in a firewall with "port forwarding" is what it'll take...then so be it.

Yes, VPN is what we'd ultimately like.....but I have no idea what's involved in getting it setup.

I'm just getting used to the whole modem, router, external i.p. address, internal i.p. address myself......so you can see my dilemma.

Re: PLA file, PLN file or Teamwork TravelPack or ???

Link — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:39:10 GMT

Well sometimes you just gotta do whatever you can with the resources you've got. Even big firms can't escape that!

Who knows, perhaps on mac, your less susceptible to attack? Good luck.

Cheers,
Link.