Teamwork and Profiles, 3rd Party Add-Ons...

[andyro]

I am having a dog of a time managing a small teamwork file, because we are using many profiles that AFAIK can only be modified in exclusive access mode. Why?? A rhetorical statement/comment/question I guess - not to mention all of the other attributes that occasionally need to be modified on the fly. (can profiles be modified as team leader?? checking this now...)

Also, Cadimage's DWB will not allow users to see the setout tab, even though the library and add-on is loaded correctly, where the setout tab (on the same project even) when opened in SOLO/pln mode. Hmm. Kindof a problem when nobody can modify windows. Anyone else having this problem? I wonder if it has anything to do with the plugin being both mac/pc in the common teamwork environment??

Teamwork is supposed to accelerate development of the project as we can just throw more bodies into the file, but these kinds of speedbumps need to be addressed at some point....

[Rod Jurich]

andyro wrote:
/............
Also, Cadimage's DWB will not allow users to see the setout tab, even though the library and add-on is loaded correctly, where the setout tab (on the same project even) when opened in SOLO/pln mode. Hmm. Kindof a problem when nobody can modify windows. Anyone else having this problem? I wonder if it has anything to do with the plugin being both mac/pc in the common teamwork environment??/.......

Andy, they are on holiday 'til the 8th. Mailed Tony Krepler ( tony at cadimage dot co dot nz ) with similar problem. Cannot comment on your TW difficulty.
His reply in part 26.12.06 was

It looks like you have got all the right libraries loaded, so the problem should be one of the following:
Missing Add-ons – please make sure the following Add-ons are loaded:
Cadimage Update All
Cadimage Image GDX
Cadimage File Dialog
Missing image files. These should have been installed in the Macros folder: ArchiCAD Library 10\Cadimage Libraries\Macros\Mac Imagesü please check if you have folders named Navigator Images and Zoom Images in this folder and they are not empty.
Please make sure Read/Write permissions are enabled on the ArchiCAD Data Folder
Please make sure Read/Write permissions are enabled on all of the folders in the library

Further to that 27.12.06

Thanks a lot for sending all the details. Please understand our office is closed until 8th January. I need the developers to take a deeper look into the product inside. We will try our best to et back to you with a solution or workaround in the first days of the week of the 8th. I highly appreciate your patience until then.

The strange part is that all is in the right place and the 2nd time opening the problem file all is working ok.

[andyro]

Rod, is this TW or SOLO where you don't see the setout data?? We had this issue but fixed it by telling the registry entry where to find our office/server located library, where we load 90% ofr our project libraries from....

It was a non issue on the mac, until we started the teamwork file...

[TomWaltz]

andyro wrote:
I am having a dog of a time managing a small teamwork file, because we are using many profiles that AFAIK can only be modified in exclusive access mode. Why?? A rhetorical statement/comment/question I guess - not to mention all of the other attributes that occasionally need to be modified on the fly. (can profiles be modified as team leader?? checking this now...)

You can only edit profiles with Exclusive Access, which I think is one of the dumbest ideas. I can see Team Leader, but not Exclusive Access.

[andyro]

TomWaltz wrote:
You can only edit profiles with Exclusive Access

A pretty un-team-like requirement - "OK, everybody, get out of the file, I need to change the zinc flashings to copper..." That's just what I had to do...

[TomWaltz]

That's usually one of those "after hours" changes, where after everyone else signs out and goes home, I have a list of things that need to be done.

[andyro]

We don't always have that luxury! Client is in this afternoon, renderings need to be done..........but I know the drill, attributes, layer, view/layout/ profiles, all needing to be done when nobody else is around.... DWB is my biggest gripe right now because it doesn't work AT ALL! Another item to add to that list

[TomWaltz]

How DARE a client be so demanding as to expect work to be done! 😉

I was never a DWB fan to begin with. I've have a long laundry list of complaints about it, so I'm not overly shocked to hear about your troubles.

[andyro]

What DWB CAN do more than makes up for its foibles, but it is increadibly frustrating nonetheless...

[Anonymous]

andyro wrote:
What DWB CAN do more than makes up for its foibles, but it is increadibly frustrating nonetheless...

Andy, do you think it would be decipherable to someone who doesn't really understand window construction yet? I have a hard time with a lot of AC's window objects, but sometimes still find I just can't make them do what I want, especially different shapes. I generally just want fairly basic, schematic-looking things at this point in my career, and want to be able to apply colors and textures to the visible parts and moldings, and to apply different profile moldings, but otherwise, I don't really care about every detail of every measurement.

Wendy

[andyro]

Where DWB shines is in creating automatic, scaled door and window legends - as in drawings - complete with dimensions. A major timesaver on commercial scale projects.

Also, commercial glazing assemblies that have all kinds of built-in doors, awning windows, etc. DWB lets you define entire walls of glazing assemblies, complete with doors, windows, spandrel, vents, etc. and awning and casement and other panel openings that all feature operable elements, which is great for renderings - some open, some closed, etc. As well as camera-proximity behaviors, for flythroughs....though I don't think this works in Studio.

Of course, the windows can be as simple as you need them to be. The interface is unlike anything you will find in AC10, which can be frustrating at first. The biggest problem is in an office where you have 10+ users on Macs and PCs, where you need to be very smart about managing the libraries, add-ons (yes, there are several just for the DWB components), etc. This is the real headache, and now with TW it gets even more complicated... still, I prefer it to AC10 windows for the reasons cited above. Archiglazing and custom components don't hold a candle to it....

[Rod Jurich]

andyro wrote:
Rod, is this TW or SOLO where you don't see the setout data?? ............

Andy, I'm a sole practice. And it would happen when wanting to go back and edit. As I said before, for what ever reason it is working at the moment.

There are other items that Cadimage are addressing presently. And hopfully will have answers maybe later next week.

But I concur with Tom W comments. I haven't commited to a serious project yet.

I am trying for the umpteenth time to find good reason to use it. Schedules is one. But that's about all.
I can use my own w/ds for almost all my commercial/residential work.

My biggest beef is hidden scripts. They are trying to be all things for everybody and local conditions vary.
If they were not hidden I am certain, I and a few other local users would take advantage of me tweeking their parts.

Finally it really irritates me to have a 3rd party interfere with my layers.

[andyro]

Rod wrote:
Finally it really irritates me to have a 3rd party interfere with my layers.

Absolutely, not to mention fills, linetypes and whatever else. It should be 'illegal' - GS needs to take a stand on this... also, there is questionable activity in the ArchiCad Data folder that does not get purged/cleared.

[Rod Jurich]

andyro wrote:
/.......
Absolutely, not to mention fills, linetypes and whatever else. It should be 'illegal' - GS needs to take a stand on this... ...........

As it happens with this short break, I thought I'd revisit Cadimage Cabinet Builder for 10. I could not believe that after loading that library

all my composite wall contour lines took on the properties of their imported lines

In this case all solid lines were changed to their line named Contour Line which oddly is a short hatched line. Go figure!!

Waiting for their response You know where that library went

I am utterly convinced that these programers are very clever, but have little day to day knowledge/appreciation of how time consuming/difficult their products are to use.
I still have my running battle with one of our local people, but at least I have access to scripts to enable me to improve functionality.

Sorry Andy, turned into a bit of a rant

[andyro]

Rod wrote:
Sorry Andy, turned into a bit of a rant

Such rants need be public, otherwise other poor suckers will stumble onto these problems unawares. It is vital information that hopefully will result in swift remedies. Yes, I am the eternal optimist.