MattMac2707 wrote:
I did try the export...it appears you open the drawing which you want to import various elements INTO, as opposed to going to a .pln file that you want to export from. Is that correct?
Yes that is fine.
You can also open the file you want to export from and append/overwrite from left to right side.
Then you can export the right side as a .XML file which you can later import into any other file.
This .XML file will have only the attributes that you export into it.
MattMac2707 wrote:
I opened a saved copy of a file (for experimenting) Let's call it file A. Please see screen shot. FILE A shows in left column. On the right is the project from which I wanted to "steal" a Layer Combo - let's call it FILE B - in particular, I wanted to import Layer Combo FP-ELEC (an electrical plan layer combo) into FILE A from FILE B.
I did click (highlight) on that name in RH column - FP-ELEC - and used the append option. I think it worked - I just want to confirm that this is the correct way to do the import - that you highlight the Layer Combo that you want to import, and that it will import only that item? Or does it import ALL of the Layer Combos? I checked and I think it only imports the highlighted item...
Yes that is the correct process - you can open any other file or and exported .XML file.
Some things to watch though.
There is an option to 'include all associated layers' - this is important if the layers do not already exist in the main file.
'Appending' will create a new attribute index number - this may end up being different in every file that you import the layers into.
This can cause problems if you ever need to copy & paste or hotlink from one file to another.
I personally think it is best to overwrite 'By Index' number as this will keep the same index number in all files.
This only becomes a problem if you create new attributes (layers) in many files. You may create different attributes (layers) in each file but they will be assigned the same index number, as Archicad just uses the next highest available number when creating them.
So now when you do the attribute import, you will have different layers but with the same index number.
The overwrite 'By Index' will now cause a problem as the index already exists.
Short story is you always want to keep the index numbers consistent between files as Archicad uses the index numbers and not the names that the user sees.
So if you need to create a new attribute , do it in your template - you should always have a template to start your jobs from.
This keeps your template up to date and you then import the attributes from that template into any other job (originally based on the same template), and by using overwite "By Index' you will maintain exactly the same attributes in every file.
Sorry if that has become a little confusing.
What you are doing is perfectly fine, but you may find you start getting into a little trouble if you start creating new attributes in any file, and try importing them into other files.
Always base your files from a good template, and keep that template up to date, then distribute the attributes from that template to your other files.
If you do this you can actually go to the ALL tab, select everything and overwrite 'By Index' into any file to update all attributes in on go.
As they all have the same index numbers, existing ones will be updated and new ones will be created.
Barry.
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