Teamwork question...another one

[Tom Krowka]

I've made a draft copy of the .plp file. Now it appears the only member who can acess the plp file is the administrator until the draft copy send changes back to the plp copy. Only one person was signed into the plp file, as team leader, who is the same person who made the draft copy.

I'd like to be able to send two draft copies home with the staff, but continue working on some parts of the plp file while they are out. Then incoporate both draft copies into the plp file. It does not seem this is going to work.

Hopefully I'm doing something wrong here and this idea will work.

[Aaron Bourgoin]

When working with Drafts, NEVER, EVER, EVER sign out of the project. This is counterintuitive, but after you've created the draft file you need to end your ArchiCAD session without signing out of the project. If you do, you've orphaned your draft and can't send it back to the PLP.

[Tom Krowka]

If I create two draft files, then send them home with two different staff over the weekend, does that mean I have to leave the .plp file open all that time? That can't be right. Surely I must be able to close (save) the plp file somehow, then reopen it on Monday, then receive changes from the draft copies.

If I do work on the .plp file at the office during the weekend, how do I save that information and update the existing .plp file?

[Anonymous]

Tom wrote:
If I create two draft files, then send them home with two different staff over the weekend, does that mean I have to leave the .plp file open all that time? That can't be right. Surely I must be able to close (save) the plp file somehow, then reopen it on Monday, then receive changes from the draft copies.

If I do work on the .plp file at the office during the weekend, how do I save that information and update the existing .plp file?

You can create two draft files, but they must have different areas, layers, sections or details in each draft. You actually cannot open an PLP file, you can only sign in.

[TomWaltz]

Tom wrote:
If I create two draft files, then send them home with two different staff over the weekend, does that mean I have to leave the .plp file open all that time? That can't be right. Surely I must be able to close (save) the plp file somehow, then reopen it on Monday, then receive changes from the draft copies.

If I do work on the .plp file at the office during the weekend, how do I save that information and update the existing .plp file?

When a person signs in to a PLP, they take a part of it for themselves. If that person saves, they save a draft PLC, not a PLP. The PLP is never really open. If you have not saved, you are technically working in "untitlled.plc". Only the "Send & Recieve" command actually affects the PLP file.

As many people as you want can have PLCs open, each with a different part of the building. They can stay open over night. They can be removed from the office on lap tops.

Until a person "Sends and Receives," no one else can see what they have done. Until a person "Signs out", no one else can claim the layers, sections, or details that person has claimed.

[Tom Krowka]

I think I'm starting to get the picture. One more question, if you please. If the plp is never really open, why am I able to do work on it? I'm signed in as the team leader, and am making changes to the plp. How do I incorporate those changes? By executing the send and recieve changes command? Do I then sign out, which closes the plp file?

I think I'm close to understanding the big picture. I've got a project due on Monday, and the teamwork thing is the only way I'm going to be able to get it done. Unless I screw something up with teamwork, which can and probably will happen (based on my previous experience with computers in general)

[Anonymous]

Do I then sign out, which closes the plp file?

Stop thinking about opening and closing the plp file. To make your changes stick, send and receive, as you said. Following that, by signing out you are giving up your privileges and workspace defined when you signed in...another person is free to sign in and work in that area now.

When you sign in you are establishing a scope for your work, area and privileges. Its the .plp's job to keep track of that until you sign out. The sign-in effort ensures a) your ongoing work can be 'returned' to the .plp with a send-and-receive operation, and b) that noone else can edit things you think you are working on.

[TomWaltz]

Tom wrote:
I think I'm starting to get the picture. One more question, if you please. If the plp is never really open, why am I able to do work on it? I'm signed in as the team leader, and am making changes to the plp. How do I incorporate those changes? By executing the send and recieve changes command? Do I then sign out, which closes the plp file?

I think I'm close to understanding the big picture. I've got a project due on Monday, and the teamwork thing is the only way I'm going to be able to get it done. Unless I screw something up with teamwork, which can and probably will happen (based on my previous experience with computers in general)

The only time a PLP file is actually changed is when you Send & Receive.

When you Sign In, you claim elements of your project to work on, and no one else can edit those elements. When you Sign Out, the elements you have claimed for your work space are released for other people to work on. Again, the PLP is not actually "open" or "closed", just different elements are available for someone to work on.

The PLP itself is kind of the "master project." Archicad only ever "opens" or "closes" the file when someone has the Sign-in window open, or is in the middle of a Send & Receive. That is why only one person at a time can be doing any kind of Teamwork-related task.

The thing that confuses a lot of people is that even though you can only EDIT certain elements, you can VIEW the entire project. As a result, it looks like you have the whole project when you actually can only edit the parts you claimed in your Sign In window.

When you sign in, Archicad assigns a "sign in ID" number to you. This number is attached to any PLC files you create. It is important to realize that when you sign out, any PLC files you have floating around that have the sign in ID can no longer be used to "Send & Recieve." They are just outdated backup files.

[Tom Krowka]

Getting closer and closer. Hypothetical question..... I have two draft copies, and they both have the same reservations made. Two different people work on them. Now I have to send and recieve to the PLP to update the project.
Draft copy A sends his changes and the plp updates.

Draft B send his changes and the plp udates.

What if both A and B made changes to the same thing, which they could do because their reservations are the same. Would the PLP show the last changes, which would from Draft B? Would that receive overwrite the changes from Draft B?

Now that I write it all down it seems so. Am I right in the above assumption. It looks like I found my opportunity for the screw up here.

[Anonymous]

Tom wrote:
Getting closer and closer. Hypothetical question..... I have two draft copies, and they both have the same reservations made. Two different people work on them. Now I have to send and recieve to the PLP to update the project.
Draft copy A sends his changes and the plp updates.

Draft B send his changes and the plp udates.

What if both A and B made changes to the same thing, which they could do because their reservations are the same. Would the PLP show the last changes, which would from Draft B? Would that receive overwrite the changes from Draft B?

Now that I write it all down it seems so. Am I right in the above assumption. It looks like I found my opportunity for the screw up here.

You would not be able to have two drafts that have the same workspace unless you did a save as.. from your draft file to make a copy. In any event the first send from and receive from Draft A would change that draft's ID number and Draft B would then be invaild and would not be able to send and receive changes. As you said there are opportunities to screw up, but at least they are limited. As long as you keep up with where you save the drafts, and overwrite the old draft (so you do not keep multiples) you will be fine.