Cloud versus X-Ref paths?

[superdoodle]

Hi Folks

We recently moved to a cloud based sever which is great for remote working and all but it also has thrown up a unique problem. That is each person then has a different path structure go um and as a result of course xrefs go a little doo lally. I know we can put them all in the root which is fine for some of them but when you have multiple clients and tiers you really need to keep them separate. Have any of you come across this issue and have managed to solve it. I would love for some aid in this especially as the more luddite's among us would love to use this a as an excuse to go back to their caves and finger paint the walls.

Cheers

SD

[digitect788893]

At least on Windows, you can map a drive letter to any share point. Hopefully your organization uses a singular hierarchical file system so that everybody's structure is identical to the same resources. Map drive letters to every top level folder (L: Library, O: Office, P: Projects, R: aRchive, S: Standards, T: Temp, U: User-223, etc.) Then P:\Project-2234\design\A-FP01.dwg is the same for everybody.

[superdoodle]

I'm not sure that will work. The issues as far as I can tell happens because each individual access the server is front loaded with their individual logon. So the main site is say projects/jobs etc etc. that is the same for all. the issue is Janet & John will be front loaded with their own name adding to the root. Janet/protects.... John/projects.....

[tedg]

I don't know if this applies (I don't use a cloud) but I assume using relative xref paths would work?

As long as your folder structure is the same below the variable ones the drawings will find the xrefs regardless of the what's above the standard folder structure.

Janet/Projects/.../ABC Project/Drawings/Sheets (and) .../Drawings/Xrefs

John/Projects/.../ABC Project/Drawings/Sheets (and) .../Drawings/Xrefs

[Wanderer]

Hi Folks

We recently moved to a cloud based sever which is great for remote working and all but it also has thrown up a unique problem. That is each person then has a different path structure go um and as a result of course xrefs go a little doo lally. I know we can put them all in the root which is fine for some of them but when you have multiple clients and tiers you really need to keep them separate. Have any of you come across this issue and have managed to solve it. I would love for some aid in this especially as the more luddite's among us would love to use this a as an excuse to go back to their caves and finger paint the walls.

Cheers

SD

LOL Well stated.

We use relative paths on Sharepoint.

[JGA_o1]

We're going through the same process - with the same issues.
Our current workaround using AutoCAD LT & SharePoint is to have the new cloud "drive" folder (titled "Projects") set-up with a similar individual project folder structure (Burgh\Neighbourhood\Street or Building\New Job Folder) as we were working with on the server.
We then select the Projects top level folder and click "Add shortcut to OneDrive". We now have a folder structure on our computer that AutoCAD can see.

For an individual project job folder, we have the option to work with the files offline. This automatically syncs the copy on the laptop back to the Cloud. Once the project is off my desk, I can right-click the job folder & "Free up space" to remove the offline files on my computer to give me back storage for the next project.

The potential hazard is two people accessing the same CAD file at the same time and overwriting each others edits. Good communication helps, especially as we're consigned to home working, or selecting the Check out option for the file. We then have to remember to check the file back in at the end of the day.

[Wanderer]

We're going through the same process - with the same issues.
Our current workaround using AutoCAD LT & SharePoint is to have the new cloud "drive" folder (titled "Projects") set-up with a similar individual project folder structure (Burgh\Neighbourhood\Street or Building\New Job Folder) as we were working with on the server.
We then select the Projects top level folder and click "Add shortcut to OneDrive". We now have a folder structure on our computer that AutoCAD can see.

For an individual project job folder, we have the option to work with the files offline. This automatically syncs the copy on the laptop back to the Cloud. Once the project is off my desk, I can right-click the job folder & "Free up space" to remove the offline files on my computer to give me back storage for the next project.

The potential hazard is two people accessing the same CAD file at the same time and overwriting each others edits. Good communication helps, especially as we're consigned to home working, or selecting the Check out option for the file. We then have to remember to check the file back in at the end of the day.

Both in my current company and my last job, we keep a spreadsheet log of who is editing a current drawing.

Now, my cad manager has a log for each active project and we initial on which files we're in before we open them.
In my last gig, we worked on so many buildings, not for separate projects, we had a spreadsheet with all of our names and put the exact filename into a spreadsheet, and that checked for duplicates that others had input.

[cadtag]

I'm always kinda baffled by people using 'da cloud' for mission critical core business functions. All a 'cloud' is, is someone else's computer. One that you have no control over access, who can view/copy/edit anything that's on it. Not to mention the downtime and lost productivity when some ijit runs a backhoe through the fiver optic line, or the provider being bought out by someone who just decides to shut down that area of business and repurpose the infrastructure for something else. Or go broke and close the doors.

We've seen a lot of all of that in the on-line gaming world

[tedg]

I'm always kinda baffled by people using 'da cloud' for mission critical core business functions. All a 'cloud' is, is someone else's computer. One that you have no control over access, who can view/copy/edit anything that's on it. Not to mention the downtime and lost productivity when some ijit runs a backhoe through the fiver optic line, or the provider being bought out by someone who just decides to shut down that area of business and repurpose the infrastructure for something else. Or go broke and close the doors.

We've seen a lot of all of that in the on-line gaming world

Agreed cadtag, (it seems a bit sketchy .. LOL)
We do however, use BIM360 for our Revit projects (which is a "cloud" I guess) but it allows the team to work from home offices (started due to the pandemic).
We use Dropbox as our link to our server, and found that working on a shared Revit model there didn't work.

We can only hope "autodesk's computer" is kept safe from the backhoe!!
:p

[thomas.stright]

I'm always kinda baffled by people using 'da cloud' for mission critical core business functions.

Everyone in our BIM group (100+) are using workspot for everything. This is all users, Office and Home based.

[JGA_o1]

Both in my current company and my last job, we keep a spreadsheet log of who is editing a current drawing.
Now, my cad manager has a log for each active project...
Wanderer,
A Happy New Year to you & thanks for your comments.
Our section is a bag of cats to organise at the best of times, asking them to fill in a spreadsheet would be a step beyond :-)

As for "da Cloud" - yes, I completely agree, but at the moment it means cost savings due to not having to maintain the servers, including the backup, buildings & staff. We'll see how it works out in the medium term till on-site storage comes back into vogue.