topic Re: Is there a updated List guide? in Collaboration with other software

Is there a updated List guide?

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:33:33 GMT

I have been looking for the last two days for an updated List manual.
The help menu is no help whatsoever, and I need to understand how to format a simple element list.
My need is NOT about components, but rather on how to design a list with more than one line per element, probably through the format wizard.
Thank you.

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

David Maudlin — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:29:26 GMT

Miguel:

I don't know exactly what you need, but you can check this thread:
Editing an existing List Scheme Template - HOW?

HTH

David

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:15:01 GMT

Hi David and thank you for the link.

Rick Thompson's link of the excelent Duane Valencia's PDF, although a bit outdated, is a good basis for exploring the Format Assistant.
http://www.thompsonplans.com/files/TappingCalcMenu.pdf

Still it bothers me that GS does not produce any documentation on this.

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:15:30 GMT

So there's no other documentation on list scedules but that Calculation guide? We've been using plain text lists and Filemaker for ages so I thought it would be about time to try out if AC could do it more effectively - and to get rid of FileMaker.
This is quite disturbing: Yes IS are easy to use and so on, but when it comes to making your own lists with bit complexier grouping and using data from your own gdl-objects it just impossible as I've understood it.
List Schemes with graphic templates seem to be able to do what I want, but the UI of Format Assistant is just beyond words…

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:11:14 GMT

There's also Eric Wilk's book. I have found that the most comprehensive guide.

As I understand it the current quantity functions are unchanged from the major rewrite done back in the mid nineties. I remember being in a room in Oak Park with a bunch of the other top AC users for its introduction. Even after a full morning of explanations by the guys who created it we were still scratching our heads.

I have also heard that those guys are no longer at GS and there may be nobody around who understands the old, arcane stuff. This would explain the lack of improved or updated docs.

This is something long overdue for a major overhaul.

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:43:00 GMT

Right… this is really confusing. Making lists of, say, doors and windows is essential part of my work but for some reason tools for that in AC are terrible.
It's just plain stupid that you need to use other apps like File Maker for making layouts for AC data. Yes, Interactive Schedule is way easier to use, but you can make only really simple groupings with that.

So I'll still try to learn to make my layouts with AC list schemes:
If I start to build my own graphic list scheme and save it by uncheking "include in list scheme" how can I edit it later? I can load the .txt into library but if I try to edit it with "start format wizard" I get only the default lists listed.
Please don't tell me that you have to finish your list setup at once and you cannot edit them later on.

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

David Maudlin — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:48:30 GMT

MudShark wrote:
Please don't tell me that you have to finish your list setup at once and you cannot edit them later on.

It has been a long time since I used List Schemes (and wrote my own), but the basic list schemes (I had one for doors, another for windows, a third for objects) were part of the loaded libraries, then saved and customized (Story, Layer, etc criteria) for each project within the Set Up List Schemes dialog box. The basic list schemes were edited with a text editor, and could be re-edited this way.

David

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Karl Ottenstein — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:44:47 GMT

MudShark wrote:
Right… this is really confusing...

As someone else pointed out - the List Schemes / Database / etc have not been changed at all since the year 2000 (or 1999?) when they were last revised. The only documentation on their use is the Eric Wilk book - so if Lists are essential to what you're doing, purchasing the book is really the only advise I can think of.

Edit: corrected spelling of Eric

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Laura Yanoviak — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 17:14:48 GMT

There is the AC Calculation Guide available from the Help menu. This has been updated somewhat, although all of the screenshots are clearly out-of-date. I've found Duane Valencia's "Tapping the Power of The Calculate Menu" PDF very helpful.

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 15:56:30 GMT

Hi guys, I've been reading through this topic, and since there hasn't been any easier way to create dynamic database and customizable list that can be easily created or tweaked directly inside AC 17 without tinkering with the whole scripting things, can anybody here point me out how to do that with filemaker?

I'm thinking of using filemaker, because although it's outside the AC environment, it looks easier to use because it's more graphical rather than real scripting work.

Thanks in advance

John.

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Karl Ottenstein — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 17:53:57 GMT

There are no direct hooks on the Mac for Filemaker/etc but there is an ODBC interface on Windows. Had to look again to see that you're on Windows... I usually expect Filemaker people to be on Mac (even though it is cross-platform), since Microsoft Access is superior in functionality to FM in my opinion on Windows.

ODBC aside, you can export (publish) schedule data as CSV, Excel, etc files and link those into Filemaker or Access for further processing and cleaner output.

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 02:48:01 GMT

..There are no direct hooks on the Mac for Filemaker/etc but there is an ODBC interface on Windows..

ODBC aside, you can export (publish) schedule data as CSV, Excel, etc files and link those into Filemaker or Access for further processing and cleaner output.

Hi Karl! good to hear from you.

I'm thinking, can i work on the list layout graphically inside filemaker, and then export the layout table as a text document (*.txt) to be used as AC list template file? because otherwise, i have to tweak the *.txt file manually from a text editor, which i don't have the proper knowledge of.

and will it be easier to do that in filemaker, instead of ms. access or editing it via text editor? i'd prefer the one with easier workflow and learning curve, because i can't afford the time to do that on a more complex tools, although it might be superior in functionality.

right now my priority is the AC list custom graphic template, the live connection can wait for a while,but it is next on the line. and i'm using windows, so that's okay i guess, i've seen the ODBC connection on my system

Re: Is there a updated List guide?

Karl Ottenstein — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 18:06:32 GMT

Hi John,

I don't know of a way of creating a graphic layout for the AC graphic list scheme in any other application. Personally, I've never found the graphic list scheme in AC to be particularly flexible or useful.

If the schedules produced by the interactive schedules (Element / Component lists) are not satisfactory in either visual appeal or data content (they cannot display the output of property objects, e.g.) - I recommend pushing the data out via publishing and reformatting in FM itself.