Starting with ProjectWise XM, we were prompted to create a storage area during the initial setup of a ProjectWise datasource. Most people just looked at this as a convenience because the first thing anyone does after creating a datasource is to create a storage area. But there is more to this than just a convenience. The datasource setup also creates four folders starting with a top level folder named dmsSystem and three other subfolders components, images and searches. The security is set that these folders are hidden from everyone except for the administrator group that has full access. The documents in these folders will inherit the datasource document security settings.
Now why are they there? The purpose of these folders is for the ODS (Engineering Components) system of ProjectWise which means certain applications will be able to publish their component objects into the Components section of the ProjectWise Explorer tree. Users are then able to search for documents by browsing or searching through this component tree. A number of applications immediately started using these ODS components such as AutoPlant. AutoPlant stores all of the icons and queries needed for searching the plant schema such as what drawings is Pump 101 located on. As other applications become more object oriented, these folders will be used more and more. Then came the release of ProjectWise V8i which included a GeoSpatial module. This module also makes use of these folders as it creates additional folders under the root dmsSystem folder named Spatial and Background Map DPR Files. When a datasource is upgraded from XM to V8i, the first time the administrator launches ProjectWise Administrator, they are prompted to Upgrade Folders. This is when these new folders are created.
Now, what can you do with these folders if they bother you? Really nothing can or should be done. As I've said, future applications and future releases of ProjectWise make use of these folders and the documents that are inside of them and modifying them or even worse, deleting them can and will cause these applications to fail. Also, only the ProjectWise Administrator group has the ability to see these folders so users on a day to day basis will not even see them. Now what about the users who are working on a day to day basis where their regular account is also an admin account, well, that can be part of a future discussion on this philosophy but in the mean time, just make friends with these folders and learn to live with them nearby.
JP