Auto-update of master drawings is not reliable

[James Murray]

I am getting erratic results concerning the automatic update of drawings in master layouts. I wonder if I'm the only one.

In our setup, the title block is an object. The issue date is a text within this object. The object is placed in a worksheet, we have a view from that worksheet, drawings of that view are placed in several masters, which are used for many layouts. The drawing is set to Auto Update.

(I realize that's a longer chain of custody than most people use, but I have my reasons.)

If I change that date parameter in our title block object, it's not guaranteed that the object change will get transmitted to all the layouts upon publication.

If I open the master, the drawing updates and everything is OK.

If I open a layout, the master's drawing updates and everything is OK.

If I just publish without opening layouts or masters to check them, the results are erratic.

Example: I changed the date and then published a PDF. The dates on the resulting PDF sheets are not changed. I immediately published again, without making any changes anywhere in the project. Now the date is right.

This kind of thing needs to be unbreakable.

cc: GSHQ, and somewhat snarky commentary here.

[Thomas Holm]

James wrote:
Example: I changed the date and then published a PDF. The dates on the resulting PDF sheets are not changed.

Did the drawings show as OK in the Drawing Manager after you changed the date but before the first publishing?

[Anonymous]

I'm experiencing it too... Not only with dates, but with linked images from the loaded library.
It's very annoying...
Paste the project preview image in each and every layout...
What's the use of the master layout if I can't update data in real time?...

[James Murray]

Thomas wrote:
Did the drawings show as OK in the Drawing Manager after you changed the date but before the first publishing?

Hey, good idea!

I'm testing a sample of four layouts, each hooked to one of four masters.

This time I changed the object and then published with the Drawing Manager open, watching the master drawings. As each sheet is opened and updated, the title block drawing of its master updates and then reads OK. After the date change but before the publication, three out of four drawings were 'modified' while one was 'OK'. In other words, it looks busy and it looks like it's doing what it should.

But, result: Of the four PDF sheets, two are right and two are wrong. One of the wrong ones is the guy who said he was OK to begin with.

Then I tried a bunch more boring stuff.

One thing: The drawings flip to 'To Be Checked' when you either close the window, or leave AC and come back. I was hoping that closing the window had gotten its attention for real, but that failed.

Another: I thought maybe placing lines in the window would get a different result than merely editing a placed object, but I don't think so. It seems nonchalant about all edits, creation, and deletion equally.

Finally, In my iterations I clearly observed this: I drew lines in the window. I published and no lines were there; no update. I deleted the lines and published again. Then the lines (which I just deleted) were there. Yes, it seems to have been one update behind.

It knows it's modified, it knows it needs checking, it does the check, it appears to do the update, but the update doesn't get through.

[Thomas Holm]

James wrote:
It knows it's modified, it knows it needs checking, it does the check, it appears to do the update, but the update doesn't get through.

OK then it's a bug. That was what I was aiming at. Please report it 😉
I guess a workaround is to always force an Update All with the Drawing Manager before publishing. Not funny, but at least working - or???

[James Murray]

Already done.

[Karl Ottenstein]

James,

Your method seems smart to me. I was just about to change my template to use something similar. The update issue has to be a bug, perhaps of the "we didn't think of that possibility, so didn't test it" variety.

Thanks for the warning, before more of us encounter this.

Karl

[James Murray]

Having one title block is nice, and having multiple masters is nice (grids &c), and I think the only way to do both is to have the title block as a drawing rather than elements directly in the masters.

[Erika Epstein]

James wrote:
Having one title block is nice, and having multiple masters is nice (grids &c), and I think the only way to do both is to have the title block as a drawing rather than elements directly in the masters.

James, you are always right.

[Link]

James,

I wonder if the drawing is referenced internally or externally? And do you think it would make a difference?

Cheers,
Link.