New Local File Creator Tool

[pkirill]

For anyone interested, I built a little local file creation tool in vb.net and put it on our local user group website here: http://www.ramlug.org/?page_id=187. It works in both 32 and 64bit environments.

I allows you to configure your default local folder and some standard "central file renaming" (ie. replace 'central' with 'local', add your initials, the date). It will also allow you to automatically create local subfolders. It also keeps track of the central files you access in a list. There's a help file included to walk you through the initial configuration and use.

Basically it replaces "close local file, navigate to the central file, right click copy, navigate to local folder, delete existing local, right click paste, rename, open, get back to work" with "close local file, open the app, pick central file from a list, click the button to Create Local, get back to work". Just a little something to make life easier.

Please forgive the "branding" - it was the compromise I made to be allowed to make it public...

If you do try it, please leave a comment on the website or here. Hope you find it helpful.

(I've attached the HELP file to give an idea of what it does and how it works.)

[dbaldacchino]

Hi Paul, thanks for posting. Is the attached zip only for 32 bit OS? I have just a chm file (running Vista 64). I'll check your LUG link too.

[pkirill]

OOPS! I forgot to mention that I just posted the chm here to give folks an idea of what it does - the installer is at the LUG website. I wanted to keep it in one place in case I need to update it... We've tested the program here on XP Pro 32 and Vista 64 and it should work in both environments. Let me know it goes!

[dbaldacchino]

I did and installed successfully. Looks great, lots of options. I have to digest all of them :)

[pkirill]

I did and installed successfully. Looks great, lots of options. I have to digest all of them :)

Since you were the "pioneer" feel free to drop me a note with any questions or suggestions! I already have one to add a "don't show me this again" at the prompt to open the local file after creation. And another (more difficult) to prompt for which version of Revit to open it with...

[pkirill]

To those who've downloaded it, I updated the program to v1.9.0. Fixed a bug where if you chose to append the local file with the date, the date wouldn't update from day to day. Now it does!

[joelkarr]

Thanks for the tool. We were using a ahk version and just updated to the new patch for Revit MEP 2009. Now the file detaches when it opens. I tried to manually set it to no detach in the journal file but it seems the name of the open file dialog or the checkbox has changed names.

So my question is....

Does your VB.NET program use any journal? I am thinking about trying to replicate it for our purposes in C#

[pkirill]

So my question is....
Does your VB.NET program use any journal? I am thinking about trying to replicate it for our purposes in C#

No journal. It runs independant of Revit. At it's most basic, it's a glorified file copier.

Out of curiosity, why would you replicate it in C#?

[joelkarr]

I want to replicate it in C# just because I don't have your source code haha. We would like to give our users a few less options and just hardcode a few things based on our office setup.

If you are willing to share your source, I would be more than happy to give back any migrated to C# version I make.

[joelkarr]

Actually, I was also trying to add the ability to specify worksets on open which is why I thought you might be using a journal file. But I just reran your tool (which is great by the way) and it seems that you don't have the option to specify worksets yet.

I'm guessing you just open the new local file with revit and that is the end?

[joelkarr]

I was able to find a work around with the problem with the update 3 and being able to specifiy worksets. Instead of specying worksets on open, I open all worksets non editable and then prompt the user with the workset dialog after the local file is opened.

You can test this by changing $LOCALFILENAME% to your local file path and name and then draging and droppng the text file onto you Revit.exe or shortcut to Revit.exe

[pkirill]

I want to replicate it in C# just because I don't have your source code haha. We would like to give our users a few less options and just hardcode a few things based on our office setup.

If you are willing to share your source, I would be more than happy to give back any migrated to C# version I make.

I'd love to share the source, but... :) If you're looking to set the options for users - they are all in the user.config file so you should be able to set it up how you like in on one machine and copy the user.config all around. (maybe with a .bat file?) I purposely avoided using the registry for any settings. Maybe that helps?

[pkirill]

Actually, I was also trying to add the ability to specify worksets on open which is why I thought you might be using a journal file. But I just reran your tool (which is great by the way) and it seems that you don't have the option to specify worksets yet.

I'm guessing you just open the new local file with revit and that is the end?

Yup. we discussed the desireability of specifying worksets on open and decided there were too many ways it could be problematic. So the program doesn't actually touch the internal workings of the Central or Local files.Opening the local file is as close as it gets...