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Data Shortcuts

11 REPLIES 11
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Message 1 of 12
jabei
2801 Views, 11 Replies

Data Shortcuts

I set my working folder and Data Shortcuts folder as in the attached pic but when I go to Create Data Shortcuts I get a message in the second attached pic.

 

WTF?

11 REPLIES 11
Message 2 of 12
gjrcmb
in reply to: jabei

Your Data Shortcuts Project Folder should be set to the Hidden Springs folder, not the _Shortcuts folder.  So if that is not the case do as the message says and redesignate the Data Shortcuts Project Folder.  Then as the message says, use the Associate Project to Current Drawing command.  You should now see the Project Name in [] Brackets next to the drawing name at the top of Civil 3D.  After saving the drawing you should be abe to create data references.

Message 3 of 12
jabei
in reply to: gjrcmb

OK Gavin, first of all thanks for responding. So I have attached a pic of our project folder structure. In that structure our cad drawings are in the folder '10.10 Civil'. So now what do I set my working folder as and where does my New Data Shortcut folder go and does it matter what I name it?

 

Jason

Message 4 of 12
mathewkol
in reply to: jabei

The way you have it set up these should be your settings...

 

Working Fodler = Data Shortcuts

DS Project Folder = Hidden Springs

 

When you create a "New" DS project folder, a new folder gets created within your working folder.  If that folder already exists, then Yes, it's very important that, when prompted in C3D, you type the name EXACTLY as it shows in Explorer.

 

Also, if that DWG is associated with another project, you need to do what it says in the error; reassociate the DWG to a different project.

Matt Kolberg
SolidCAD Professional Services
http://www.solidcad.ca /
Message 5 of 12
jabei
in reply to: jabei

Okay, but where in my folder structure do those go?

Message 6 of 12
mathewkol
in reply to: jabei

I'm looking at your original image.  You've already created the DS project folder under:

10 Eng Dwgs\10.10 Civil\Data Shortcuts

 

It's called "Hidden Springs".

 

Maybe I'm not sure what you're asking at this point.  You can place them anywhere you want.

Matt Kolberg
SolidCAD Professional Services
http://www.solidcad.ca /
Message 7 of 12
gjrcmb
in reply to: mathewkol

Hi jabei and Matt,

Hopefully, Matt's contributions were able to pick up where I left off.

I was trying to find some sort of Best Practice for setting up project folders and the C3D Data Shortcut folder structure.  However, I am only finding the basics of how to setup a Working Folder and Data`Shortcuts Project Folders:
http://docs.autodesk.com/CIV3D/2012/ENU/filesCUG/GUID-C2A248B4-AA23-4DD3-AA6E-610B0780E6A-191.htm
Unforetunately, the terminology is a bit confusing and guidance on how to best set things up seems to be limited.

Here is my understanding regarding the C3D Data Shortcut folder structure, that I believe is consistent with what Matt indicated:

  • A Working Folder contains one or more Data`Shortcuts Project Folder(s) as direct subfolders.
  • Each Data`Shortcuts Project Folder contains its own "_Shortcuts" folder for storing data shortcuts.
  • Drawings can be associated with any Data`Shortcuts Project Folders within a given Working Folder, regardless of the drawing's folder location.

Here are the things that I think are potentially confusing and/or inefficient:

  • The terminology and structure of the Data Shortcuts Project Folder.  When you look at the examples provided by Autodesk, the Data Shortcuts Project Folder contains other project production folders not just a "_Shortcuts" folder, so in that case the terminology is confusing.  Regardless of that observation, I believe they are suggesting by example a similar structure for your projects, although apparently that is not a requirement.
  • You can have multiple Working Folders that each contain their own of Data Shortcuts Project Folder(s).  But I don't necessarily think that having multiple Working Folders is the most efficient way to go.
  • If you have the Working Folder further down in your overall project folder structure, then you find yourself needing to Set the Working Folder in addition to setting the Data Shortcuts Project Folder as you switch from project to project creating new drawings.

I think that jabei may be running into some of these issues when I look at his folder structure, and I believe this might be the root of his latest question?  We are only seeing part of his folder structure.  If I look at his 1st folder structure image, I see two top level folders of "10-RD-0031 BF 78621 Northern Sunrise" and "10-RD-0031 Hidden Springs". There are probably others at this same level that I can't see.  Chances are each one of these folders at that level is going to have C3D work.  So I think that perhaps these folders should be your Data Shortcuts Project Folders and whatever folder is their parent is your Working Folder.  This way you only have one Working Folder instead of one for every project.  In that case, the _Shortcuts folder for each project would need to be moved so that it was directly under its new Data Shortcuts Project Folder (so the "10-RD-0031 Hidden Springs" folder would have _Shortcuts directly under it).  Not sure if that violates your folder structure rules, but if my understanding as outlined above is correct that makes the most sense to me.

Matt what is your experience with this topic from a Best Practice standpoint?

Message 8 of 12
mathewkol
in reply to: jabei

Given this folder structure:
S:\Projects
\Proj1
\Proj2

The working folder would be:
S:\Projects

You would create DS project folders that are named exactly the same as the project folders.
Proj1
Proj2

You'd end up with this sub-folder:
S:\Projects\Proj1\_Shortcuts

This way you'd never need to change the working folder.

The way the OP has it, each time he wants to work on a different project he would need to do 2 things:
Set the working folder
Set the DS project
Not bad, but an extra thing to do.

My way would require setting only the DS project. If you choose to associate the DWG to a project, neither of those tasks would need to be done...but only for that user. Other users who open tha same DWG would need to set the 2 folders manually. This association between DWG and project is stored on each users' hard disk.
Matt Kolberg
SolidCAD Professional Services
http://www.solidcad.ca /
Message 9 of 12
jabei
in reply to: mathewkol

Ok, let me clarify my folder structure a little...the following is the folder structure right from drive to drawings:

 

R:\2010\10-RD-0032 Hidden Springs\10 EngDwgs\10.10 Civil\10RD0032-ROADS.dwg

 

In this structure the '10-RD-0032 Hidden Springs' is the project. The '10.10 Civil' is the folder all the drawings are in.

 

Now given this structure and folders, what would my procedure be to create data shortcuts to reference?

Message 10 of 12
gjrcmb
in reply to: jabei

I believe that Matt and I have given you all the details and potential choices, and therefore it is up to you to determine your ultimate folder configuration.  If you need help actually setting the working folder, data shortcut projects folder and associating drawings, see the link I referenced previously.  

It really comes down to where you want the "_Shortcuts" folder to be located in your folder structure.  The location of the _Shortcuts folder will in turn determine what folders need to be set as your Data`Shortcuts Project Folder and Working Folder.  The Drawings can go anywhere, they just have to be associated with the correct Working Folder and Data`Shortcuts Project Folder.

As already covered, in your original Folders.jpg image you would do the following:
* Set the folder "Data Shortcuts" as your Working Folder
* Set the folder "Hidden Springs" as your Data`Shortcuts Project Folder

You could potentially change the location of the "_Shortcuts" folder from what you showed in the Folders.jpg image to any location.  For instance, the "_Shortcuts" folder could be directly under the "10.10 Civil" folder with the "10.10 Civil" folder being the Data`Shortcuts Project Folder and "10 EngDwgs" being the Working Folder.  Or you could have the "_Shortcuts" folder directly under the "Data Shortcuts" folder with the "Data Shortcuts" folder being the Data`Shortcuts Project Folder and "10.10 Civil" being the Working Folder, and get rid of the "Hidden Springs" folder.

Message 11 of 12
jabei
in reply to: gjrcmb

So if it doesnt make any difference where these folders are located, then why was I getting the error message in the first place? Why didn't it just work?

Message 12 of 12
gjrcmb
in reply to: jabei

It does not matter where they are located, but you do have to have a given drawing pointing to the correct Working Folder and Data Shortcuts Project Folder, and associated with the Project.  I am assuming that you did not have the drawing pointing to the correct folders before, or the drawing was not associated with the project.

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