Renaming library Parts

[Anonymous]

Hi all

In my infinite wisdom when I wrote my library parts I put V8 behind them, now that I am updating them to V9 I want to get rid of the version number. Now renaming the objects is working fine, no problems, however the doors and windows are giving me nightmares. When I open a V8 plan in V8 with the newly renamed library I get nice big dots for all my doors & windows. The internal id numbers are identical and if I change the name back it works.

Has anyone got any ideas. I need to get rid of the version number for constancy between objects and scheduling.

I am on Windows XP using the Australian version of 8.1.

Julia Skinner

[Anonymous]

I think that the windows and doors need absolutely identical ID and names.

[Anonymous]

That is a bit of a bummer if that is correct. Why bring a great new system out and only apply it to somethings and not others.

Julia

[Anonymous]

Hi Julia

How to explain this?... When you take the v8 of the end of your library part you are in effect creating a new library. The dots are appearing because the project is looking for the library parts ending in V8, because you have taken this of, its getting confused. Check you are loading in the correct library in the library manager. If it still does not work open up the project in v9 open the objects rename and save.

[__archiben]

Julia wrote:
When I open a V8 plan in V8 . . .

what gemma said. also, does using a v9 library actually work with v8 anyway? even if you do change all your "windowV8" library parts that are placed in the model to simply "window" (v9) parts i don't believe v8 will recognise them if you open it with that anyway . . . i could be wrong?

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

~/archiben wrote:
does using a v9 library actually work with v8 anyway? even if you do change all your "windowV8" library parts that are placed in the model to simply "window" (v9) parts i don't believe v8 will recognise them if you open it with that anyway . . . i could be wrong?

Interesting question, I created a wall in 8.1 and put one window from the Widows Classic 81 folder and one from Windows 81. Saved the file and opened it in 9.0 with the 9.0 library and the windows came in fine (with no 8.1 library parts loaded). From 9.0 saved a similar drawing as 8.1; opened it with 8.1 and the parts came in fine.

However the parts did have the same name.

Now for the real question... Why did you make your own windows anyway? If it was just to save settings (e.g., width=a, width=b, etc.) using favorites make a lot more sense; it's easier and is LOTS faster. If it's to add features, that's a different story.

Woody

[Anonymous]

Have a look at the window schedule pdf at www.parametricprojections.com.au it is on the library/window page and you know why I made my own window.

Anyway, the point is you can change the name of an object and archicad will find it but when you do the same thing to a door or window it doesn't.

Version 9 objects will not work in version 8, things are never backwards compatable, what I am trying to do is remove the suffix so people don't look at the object and think it is not updated to 9 just because it has V8 behind it. The reason I need it to change smoothly is there are about 200 licenses using this library along with a database taking quatities.

[__archiben]

Julia wrote:
The reason I need it to change smoothly is there are about 200 licenses using this library along with a database taking quatities.

julia - if this is the case then quite honestly i would leave it alone and chalk it up to experience . . .

you will see graphisoft themselves have only just got out of the habit of naming each library part with a version suffix so that they are now forward compatible. i'm sure many people followed their convention to do just this and have found themselves in the same situation as you at some time or another (i know i have!).

i think as long as your users can only access your set libraries they will use it no matter what version of archiCAD you're using. or you could begin running two company libraries in parallel - one for "*v8" parts and one where you will gradually phase in forward compatible, updated parts for 9 onwards . . . although this brings obvious policing problems.

tricky one! good luck!
~/archiben

ps - where are you based in australia?

[Anonymous]

Julia wrote:
Have a look at the window schedule pdf at www.parametricprojections.com.au it is on the library/window page and you know why I made my own window.

You are right; the doors are unique and require separate objects. (BTW, very nice) That being said, see Ben's first comment below.

~/archiben wrote:
you will see graphisoft themselves have only just got out of the habit of naming each library part with a version suffix so that they are now forward compatible...

i think as long as your users can only access your set libraries they will use it no matter what version of archiCAD you're using. or you could begin running two company libraries in parallel - one for "*v8" parts and one where you will gradually phase in forward compatible, updated parts for 9 onwards . . . although this brings obvious policing problems.

Julia wrote:

The reason I need it to change smoothly is there are about 200 licenses using this library along with a database taking quatities.

Here is another example of why I like favorites. When your users are accessing things through the Favorites pallet an administrator can control to which objects or libraries the favorites refer. Actually as a wish, I would like to have the option of password protecting the content of various Favorites pallets. In your case, the name of the Favorite and the name of the library part need not be the same. For suggestions on using Favorites see http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=30182#30182

One other thing, the problem of migration from one version to the next is always made more difficult by library management. You may have noticed that Graphisoft has been (since version 8 ) creating PLAs with a 6.5 and 7.0 library for use with 8.0. They have weeded out all duplicate library parts (at least in the US). Now they have an 8.0 PLA for use with 9.0. For legacy projects this could help you manage the ArchiCAD libraries and Favorites could help to manage your company library.

Woody

[Anonymous]

julia - if this is the case then quite honestly i would leave it alone and chalk it up to experience . . .

Yeh, just a bit annoying it works for objects but not windows and doors.

ps - where are you based in australia?

Perth.

Julia