[tip]How to figure out which views are linked to which PLN

[Anonymous]

Our template LBK file has views linked to different PLNs/PLPs. One is a template PLN and another is a PLN that contains commonly used/rarely changed details. These details generally show up in every job we do. We usually leave the views linked to the detail files. But every time we start a new project we have to relink the views from that template PLN to our project PLN/PLP. It's important to know which files are linked to which PLN/PLP because when we need to relink all of the files to a completely separate file we don't want to have to relink the files one by one. We have dozens of views already set up beautifully in the template PLN and they are already linked to the template LBK. Why place them all over again when all you have to do is relink?

You might have noticed that sometimes if you pick more than one view in "Drawing Usage" the "Link to" button changes to "Read From". When you click it you are only allowed to choose a folder, not a PLN/PLP. Useful for PMKs, not for PLNs/PLPs. You may not know but if you select several files linked to the same PLN/PLP the "Link To" button doesn't change and you can pick a new PLN/PLP. Views that exist in the new file become linked to the new PLN/PLP and views that don't exist in the new PLN/PLP remain linked to the old PLN/PLP. Unfortunately Graphisoft didn't include a column in "Drawing Usage" to tell us what file the view is linked to, but with a bit of ingenuity (and a seemingly useless feature) we can figure it out. This will make relinking a snap. This is particularly useful when sharing a solo PLN or converting a teamwork project back to a solo project.

The key is the Status column, but more importantly the button at the bottom that lets you change the status. You might wonder about the usefulness of this button. Why not reload? Well let's be honest, most of the time, these drawings don't need to be reloaded. They are usually okay as they are. Plotmaker looks at the PLN/PLP not the view to tell you if the view changed. Easy on GS, hard on us. If you do reload all of the "modified" views it will take 100 times as long as it needs to take, maybe up to 10 minutes. But this peculiarity (that many of us have all complained about) will actually help us. The modified/ok button is useful to keep us from spending 5-10 minutes reloading dozens upon dozens of views that don't need to be updated. You can even hit "Refresh Status" and the "OK" will remain. But save the PLN again, "Refresh Status" and the "OK" will revert back to "modified".

Now, how is this relevant to the topic at hand? Switch all views status' to "OK" then save only one of the files and only those views which are linked to that file will read "modified". Select those views and press the "Link To" button and pick your new file.

Sorry about the size of the image. It's about as small as I could make it while keeping it readable.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Alex wrote:
Switch all views status' to "OK" then save only one of the files and only those views which are linked to that file will read "modified".

What an image! Great tip, Alex, as usual ... only you could figure this out (and present it this way)!

I've been using the modified field to some extent as you suggest ... but didn't see that we could force the views to be OK, which is the trick to making your tip work.

Great tip!

Karl