Copy Design 2015 - R2

[clastrilla]

I can see that Copy Design R2 has several great features, but can't seem to find a way to conveiently set a target folder for the copied designs.

In the old Copy Design, you nominate a target folder - then all the sub folders from the source folder will get copied to the target folder.

In Copy Design R2, it seems this has to be done manually through the Folders pane? Which is pain staking if you've got plenty of sub folders (including Design Accelerator generated ones).

Surely there's a better way to do it so that the target folder contains exactly the same sub-folder structure as the original?

[olearya]

Hey there, 

Thanks for the post, as you mention we did remove the root folder capabilities, but you *should* be able to, using the drag drop capabilities of the folder tree view carry out the same task in the same time or less.  

By selecting an existing folder with its structure in the tree view you should be able to drag this structure to a new location and rename.  Note that this is not an actual folder copy as such, and the entire content of the folder will be copied, so you would have to set any files you do not want copied to "re-use" as part of the exercise.

We are evaluating whether or not the legacy workflow modifying a physical path is still required by users and would welcome your feedback if this alternate method is not acceptable.

[clastrilla]

Thanks Allan! I'll give it a go.

I think that being able to conveniently copy folder structures would be a good thing. From the perspective of say for example, a Windows Explorer user - if you've organized your files on a per-customer or per-project basis, then the easiest way to copy all your files to create a new project, would be to copy the top level folder - and expect everything in it to follow suit.

The CopyDesign R2 is great with the numbering schemes, action rules (would be nice to be able to assign copied files to a new category, instead of just reseting it), and the general UI structure (though can't seem to find the search function to add files to CopyDesign). It's just a big departure to what we're used to in the traditional CopyDesign, and I need to get my head around the new approaach. Reminds me of the first time I used Windows 8 🙂

Though it should all be about the metadata, still a lot of people out there with the folder-centric approach to organizing files in the Vault.

[olearya]

Let me know how you go, as I mention this method should provide the same capability.

In terms of assigning categories to new files we did consider this and there is a way to achieve it.  When you execute copy design, you can set up property behaviors to map values - by setting a perhaps unused field (like cost center, manager, keyword or category) to map to say the iLogic rule or file name we can set up a category rules that assign a different category to files with that value.   

Its not perhaps transparent, but should only need to be set up once.

[clastrilla]

Thanks Allan. I gave it a shot, but it's not behaving exactly as how I would expect it.

Drag and drop doesnt seem to work. Pressing Ctrl on the keyboard while dragging wont make a new folder either.

https://screencast.autodesk.com/main/details/fcec2c6e-24f3-4cb9-9012-d58aefa65248

I tried doing Copy To, but then the folder structure went 1 level deeper than I hoped (i.e. copied folder went under the folder I created). Obviously this can be remedied by a move command later in the client, but is there a quicker way?

I get what you're saying about using a combi of rules+action rules to assign copied files files to the a different Category. Looks good! Would even be a good way to tag which files have been Copy Designed, as well as indicate the source assembly.

[clastrilla]

Hi Allan - I was hoping 2016 would bring some changes in this area, but it seems not. Any suggestions on what the most efficient way I can go about doing a folder-based Copy Design, such as in the example above? At the moment, what I am doing is:

http://autode.sk/1FjNYc4

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[olearya · Accepted solution]

Hey there, 

The approach you are taking in the sample video provided is correct (though once the folder is created you should not have to "Copy To" again - you can just drag and drop all files and folders).

By and large as suggested this is faster than the find / replace capabilities from the original copy design but we recognise that there are use cases where find replace simplifies the interaction, it is being considered for future releases