Date Shortcut dates - Help me understand

[deltacoolguy]

Date Shortcut dates - Help me understand this.

I have a project that was started by someone else in  another office.  The dates for the data shortcuts in the file manager are driving me crazy.  Example...

1) Date modified: 3/4/2014 (date other person started project)

2) Date created: 4/25/2014 (date I took over project, I presume the date it was put on my office's server)

3) Date last saved: 3/4/2014

I made changes to alignments today (6/16/2014).  Go into the file manager, and there's no indication that the data shortcuts changed or were updated, BUT YET when I go into a plan file where the alignments are D-ref'd, the changes are there just fine.  So, obviously everything is working fine, but the data shortcut files aren't updating???

I know this isn't the most pressing issue because everything is working, but it's driving me crazy trying to wrap my head around the date thing.  A brief lay explanation would be most appreciated.

[ccoles · Accepted solution]

The data shortcut file is a simple file pointer. It does not contain any of the geometric data of the alignment. By using the data shortcut, it simply tells C3D which path and file the alignment is in and what name it is under. Unless any of this changed, the data shortcut file doesn't get updated. Under Civil 3D, once referenced in the drawing, it will go to that design file and pull the geometric information directly from the design file.

[deltacoolguy]

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@ccoles wrote:

The data shortcut file is a simple file pointer. It does not contain any of the geometric data of the alignment. By using the data shortcut, it simply tells C3D which path and file the alignment is in and what name it is under. Unless any of this changed, the data shortcut file doesn't get updated. Under Civil 3D, once referenced in the drawing, it will go to that design file and pull the geometric information directly from the design file.

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Makes absolute perfect sense.  Thank you.