Data Shortcut Source File Cleanup Question

[£nn5]

I'm working with a file that originally had all the features in a single drawing. I am tasked with breaking this drawing down into its individual components so they can be data shortcut into a single drawing. 

My question is, how important is it to keep the source file for data shortcuts small and clean? In the drawing that contains my OG surface, for example, is it worth deleting all other design surface, deleting pipe networks and corridors, and purging unused layers so there is nothing left but the survey points and surface? Or, if I just create a data shortcut for the OG surface, does having everything else in the drawing not really matter?

I know keeping drawings clean is always ideal, but because this was originally a single drawing with everything, I'm wondering if it is worth the time cleaning up these files so they only contain the item being used as a data shortcut.

Thanks in advance!

[cneely]

In your situation I wouldnt delete the un-needed objects. The un-needed objects wont negatively affect any shortcuts you create and then reference in other dwgs.

[Neilw_05]

The answer to this question depends on a few factors:

1. How large is the project? A simple residential or commercial lot typically doesn't require breaking the project into pieces as far as performance goes. You save a lot of data management overhead when you keep everything in one file.

2. How many users need to access the data? If you need to share your data with other users (i.e. hydrology engineers, structural engineers, etc.) then you will want to sort your C3D data into separate files and use shortcuts. In those cases those users may need to reference the 2D linework plus surface models, alignments, pipe networks, etc. to do their analyses. A general rule is to maintain a 2D version of the plan graphics in a base file that can be XREF'd into plan sheets and worksheets and keep your C3D objects in separate files, using shortcuts to share them. If you do everything in one file and create shortcuts, they will have redundant references when they XREF the dwg plus the shortcuts. The XREF will have the C3D objects plus the shortcuts will create duplicates of those objects. This will create performance problems when edits are made to the base file. Any edits will trigger an XREF reload PLUS trigger a shortcut resync.

So you want to store C3D objects in separate files and DREF (shortcut) them into your plan sheets and worksheets, while the 2D plan graphics are stored in a dumb 2D ACAD file that get's XREF'd into your plans and worksheets to show the plan view graphics.

Is this an inefficient workflow? Absolutely! But that is the nature of this software. If you are VERY careful about CAD standards, users could know which layers to freeze in an XREF with C3D objects to keep them out of the way when the same objects are brought in via shortcuts. The big challenge here is there is no way to know what layers are being used in a style of an object that is brought in via XREF. If an XREF has Pipe Network objects, what layers are the pipes, structures, labels on? Only way to know is to open the source file and do inquiries into the styles, a cumbersome and tedious process (a savvy C3D user may have a more efficient way, but you may not have the budget to hire such users as staff).

[Neilw_05]

PS, in context of my previous comments, you could create ALL C3D objects in a single file and use DREF's to share them. The workflow would be:

1. Create a 2D base file with plan view graphics to use as a background in your plans and worksheets.

2. Create a C3D file with C3D objects and use shortcuts to share them. This can work in simple projects where there is no need for multiple users to work on the C3D objects simultaneously.