Hotlink manager- pln or mod? Is there a difference?

[Anonymous]

We are about to start a fairly large project with multipule occurences of rooms/spaces. I was wondering if there is a difference in creating these occurences as mod files or pln files. Since you have the ability to hotlink to both (with multipule occurences), is there a difference in linking to either one? File size, flexibility, startup speed, updating, modifying, etc.? Any advantages/disadvantages to either? Thanks,
Michael

[TomWaltz]

The .MOD is a limited file type, which is dramatically smaller than a PLN with the same geometric content.

The problem is that Module files also do no allow much in the way of project attribute editing. It does not allow you to create/edit viewsets or materials.

The PLN is much more robust, but is much larger and can be slower loading/updating than the MOD files

[Djordje]

mkopecky wrote:
We are about to start a fairly large project with multipule occurences of rooms/spaces. I was wondering if there is a difference in creating these occurences as mod files or pln files. Since you have the ability to hotlink to both (with multipule occurences), is there a difference in linking to either one? File size, flexibility, startup speed, updating, modifying, etc.? Any advantages/disadvantages to either? Thanks,
Michael

If they are rooms (e.g. hotel rooms of various types) and spaces, you are better off with a module. If they are, let's say, chalets of a tourist resort, you are better off with the PLNs as each of them needs separate set of documents. You will anyway start off with a PLN - whether the compelte project, that you will save the modules from for further refinement, or starting from the modules and putting them together, that is for you to decide.

Watch out for the materials, fills, line types, special objects created, library usage. It should all be identical in all the parts of the whole. Use Attribute Manager for the attribute transfer.

Any way, line out the strategy IN ADVANCE - and keep to it. Don't change in the middle, that will create all kinds of trouble. If it is a very big project, having one person in charge of file and version management only will not be wasted.

As Matthew said, PLNs are more powerful, albeit somewhat slower. MODs are lean and mean, and both take some time to update - depends on the file sizes, and the hardware setup (network speed, machine speed). The whole process is a chain - as strong as the weakest link. So see what is the weakest linkin advance and keep a good eye on it!

HTH,

[Anonymous]

Djordje wrote:
As Matthew said, PLNs are more powerful, albeit somewhat slower. MODs are lean and mean, and both take some time to update - depends on the file sizes, and the hardware setup (network speed, machine speed).

Thanks for the attribution Djordje, but it's Tom you are quoting.

[Djordje]

Matthew wrote:
Thanks for the attribution Djordje, but it's Tom you are quoting.

OOOPS! Sorry, Tom!

[TomWaltz]

Thanks for the mixup! I wish I knew as much as he does!

[Anonymous]

Any advantages/disadvantages to either? Thanks,
Michael

Micheal

A principle advantage of the module format is that a module will only contain the layers it is saved with where as the PLN format will have them all. This means you can save out only the layers from a project that you want to show in the host file if you save via a module (Tip: Use publisher!)

regards

[Anonymous]

Djordje wrote:
Watch out for the materials, fills, line types, special objects created, library usage. It should all be identical in all the parts of the whole. Use Attribute Manager for the attribute transfer.

Wouldn't it be great if all these attributes were stored in external files that could be loaded and unloaded as the other library parts ?

So you would create attributes libraries that would be common in other projects loading the same libraries...

I'm often working on several different projects in a week and I wish I could use the attribute I've created in one file directly in all other files...

This would also greatly simplifies the problem of specific attributes used in some objects : an attribute file would be loaded at the same time with the object and they would be not problem with missing linetypes, etc, etc...