Office library

[Sandramuller]

Is there a good guidance  on how to set up an office library which isn't 10 years old? 

E.g. separate  file where you can just pick what you want or a proper library file you have to bring in like any other library

E.g. naming tips of objects complex profiles etc

E.g where to put them? Like just in complex profiles or using it in the model for people to see and how do i sort this to make people find things

Our template is getting too large and we seem to waste a lot of time in redoing things.

We are using version 25.

[Barry Kelly]

A library only contains objects, not complex profiles or any other attributes.

You will have the default Archicad library that you can find in the program folder - you should already have this loaded.

You will also have the Embedded Library, that is contained in the project file (and of course your template file).

This will contain all objects you have created or loaded as individual files.

You can export them out to an office library and delete them from your embedded library to reduce the file size.

An office library is simply a folder in which you place the GDL objects.

You load this folder in your Library manager and all objects in it will be available.

If it is saved on your local hard drive, only you will have access to it.

If it is saved on a shared network drive, then anyone with access can load it.

So long as the share path to the folder is the same on every machine, it will load automatically when you open the file.

Having objects in an office library, will reduce the size of your file as you don't need the objects in the embedded library.

Another advantage to having an office library on a network drive is if you add, delete or make changes to an object and save it there, all file loading that library will get those changes.

The embedded library may contain the same objects as another file, but they are unique to that file only and changing anything in one file will not change anything in any other.

Complex profile are attributes and are contained within the project file.

They are unique to every file but you can use the Attribute Manager to import them between files.

It is important to keep all attributes (complex profiles, composites, layers, pens, etc.) in your template up to date.

You can then import those attributes into any other file.

If you need to create an attribute in any file and you think you will need it for other projects, then it is important to add it to your template.

Your template should be the 'master' source for all attributes.

Barry.