Set Base Project

[sinc]

I'd like the ability to set a base project.

We have an area where we're doing a lot of work on several seperate though adjacent job sites. We currently have a project that contains all the base linework for all jobs in the area, as well as projects for each individual job. All files XREF in the base linework from the drawing in our base project.

We'd like to be able to set points, create alignments and parcels, etc., in the base drawing (i.e., the base drawing's project), and have those items automatically accessible by the other ("child") projects. That way we can keep basic, common information such as site control points in a common location.

We don't want this access to work both ways - i.e., items defined in child projects should only be accessible by those child projects. Therefore, we would be able to do things like have a different point 1000 in each of our child projects, create surfaces only in child projects, etc.

[mjfarrell]

sounds like a great idea....
I think you could approximate this through using
MAP and LandXML

As map would be used to query based on the project location
within the master project.
And XML would export the point data for the sub sites into the
the proper folder of the child project.

It could be used as either one way, or bi-directional

[MHultgren]

The problem with that approach is, you would still have duplicate point numbers from the Master coming into to the Child project and when you run Check Points, you would have to replace or renumber them. We do multi-phased projects quite a bit (similar to what Richard was talking about). We set up the overall project and then under that folder create the parcel projects as a child of the master. Then with each phase, we create a point numbering sequence ( i.e. points 1-100 are controls for the master, 10000 - 10100 are control for phase two, 20000-20100 are control for phase three and so on) Each phase starts with point numbers comparable to the phase number and at least 10000 apart. We have not run into any problems with using up 9999 points in any one phase (yet?!?). This also makes it easy to tell what part of the project the points pertain to. For example, all of our sewer shots begin with 800 so a manhole in phase two would have a number something like 20805, storm drain begin with 900, street centerlines are 200 and so on.
If you feel you will have more than 100 points then change the numbering to 28005 for the Phase 2 manholes.

[sinc]

I haven't found a need for numbering phases differently, the way you say. That doesn't seem to be something we'd care about.

The main issue is that we don't want to have the entire site in one project. We tried that - one project contains three adjacent jobs - and that project is getting rather chaotic. (It doesn't help that, for various reasons, this job has come to require an unusually-large number of surfaces and volume calculations.) We also have one project that got corrupted, and have had various Autocad commands start churning when drawings/projects start getting really big, so we get nervous about having too much stuff in one project. We also want to be able to archive phases of the project seperately as they are no longer needed.

So now we're putting seperate jobs in seperate projects, and all drawings link to a drawing in its own project that contains all the base linework. (Constantly changing the association of this drawing to that of the current child project is something I want to avoid doing, but many commands require a project, so the base drawing has its own, dedicated project.) We've discovered that it's useful/easier to do certain work (like create parcels) in this base file, but that data is stuck in the base drawing's project, not in the child project, where we want it. I've also found myself recreating the same alignment in multiple projects. It would be nice to be able to avoid this.

We also have one set of control for the entire area, which we share among all the jobs. We've discovered that the best place to keep our control is in this base project; that way, we don't have to worry about some jobs missing control, or having out-of-date control... Since all our control points are numbered less than 300, we've declared those point numbers off-limits in our various projects. We don't care if other point numbers are reused in child projects. But now, were deciding there are other points besides control points that we want to do this with. We're rapidly discovering that we want one project to be able to "inherit" design elements from another project.

[mjfarrell]

Richards,

I'm suprised to hear that you are recreating alignments
and not using the ExportXML function to do this.
The same goes for Parcels, XML works wonderfully for this
as well. You will find the XML will allow you to bequeath
many of those elements you wish that those phases, or
sub-projects could inherit.

I'm guessing that when you suggest the control points are
'off limits' that you are in fact locking that point group.

[sinc]

No, the control points simply don't exist in the child projects. I started off keeping control points in all projects, but then there are issues keeping them synchronized if control is added or adjusted. So now I put all the control in the base project. I then informally declare these point numbers "off-limits" in the child projects, because the field data collectors get confused by multiple points with the same point number, and most of the data collectors we have don't support names for points.

It hadn't occurred to me to use XML to get data between projects - thanks for the tip. I was wondering why Autocad didn't seem to have any ability to do that. In retrospect, using XML for the transfer seems relatively obvious, but it didn't occur to me to search for XML support (I tend to think of XML in terms of transfering data to/from external programs, not for moving data around within a program). I tried searching the help, I think for exporting profiles, and only found a whole bunch of stuff about exporting and importing profiles from the database to a drawing profile, so I erroneously assumed I couldn't do it.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to blame this on the terrible search capabilities of Autocad Help. I just tried the search again, and embedded a ways down in the search results was a listing for "Exporting LandXML Data". It was probably in the search results all along, I just "looked over" it because I didn't think it was what I wanted... Oops.

[mjfarrell]

This moment of discovery of some 'new' feature
or method to employ the Land and MAP tools
is why I enjoy teaching this stuff.
This is the biggest reason I practically insist that
all users attend the class, and that we use
their data therein. It gives a chance to discuss
the typical data and project challenges and
then structure lessons around those constraints
to leverage the investment in a class.
Another benefit to the students, is that when I am
not teaching Land and MAP, I am employing the tools
it contains to perform contract services of the
same nature as the students must perform in their day to jobs.
Although my schedules and constraints are such that
opposed to just getting the job out the door, I have the luxury
of playing 'what if' games with combining the tools in different
ways to achieve the same end-state.
Combine that with researching and testing various issues
for the members of AUGI, and what you get is a blend of
theory and real world application not found in any manual
that I have found as yet.

Although I couldn't agree more about the obtuse nature of the
help file.