PlotMaker drawing issue 'Snapshots'

[Anonymous]

I wonder if users could give advice on the best way to take a 'snapshot' of a set of drawings, so as to keep a record of a particular drawing issue i.e. planning application.

Ideally this would still be editable if needed at a later date (so not an EPS or other 'print' type file), but not automatically change if the ArchiCAD file is amended.

Perhaps I should duplicate the AC file and maintain an unchanged version of this, but this could lead to multiple copies of fairly large files.

I would be interested to learn other users techniques in this regard, since I am largely self tought and my practice has yet to implement standard conventions of archiving using the ArchiCAD suite.

Many thanks,


Kevin Brady

[Anonymous]

Most people I know keep record sets in PLT (hpgl) or PDF or both (my preference). For editable files we make a CD (or CDs or a DVD) of the whole project at each major milestone such as Bid Set, Permit Set, Construction Docs, etc.

Honestly, I don't recall ever needing the old ArchiCAD or PlotMaker files but it seems like a sensible practice. I don't worry about (nor recommend) saving these copies on-line (except the PDF &/or PLT record sets) since they will take up a lot of space when multiplied over all your projects.

My view is that the ArchiCAD and PlotMaker files are simply the machinery that produce the various drawings and presentations and it is the finished products and not the various states of the machine that are important to save.

The important ArchiCAD files to save are design alternates. I have seen old design ideas revisited and it has been handy to be able to copy/paste or otherwise merge them into the latest version of the project.

[Anonymous]

Matthew

That sounds like good advice, and it's pretty much the way I've been working up to now (taking backup copies at milestones), but I wanted to make sure I wasn't ignoring a new ArchiCAD trick! (I believe that Microstation can make a record at particular 'save' points).

Thanks
Kevin