Swapping UPF files based on WorkSpace change

Is it advisable to swap the UPF (and the User settings files) file based on the WorkSpace? For instance you can define  the following variables in the WorkSpace.cfg file and have them change based on a  WorkSpace change. 

_USTN_PREFNAMEBASE                      = $(_USTN_HOMEPREFS)$(_USTN_WORKSPACENAME)

MS_DOCKINGPREF                          = $(_USTN_PREFNAMEBASE).docking.xml
MS_GROUPPANELPREF                       = $(_USTN_PREFNAMEBASE).GroupPanels.xml
MS_SAVEMENU                             = $(_USTN_PREFNAMEBASE).Attached.men
MS_USERPREF                             = $(_USTN_PREFNAMEBASE).upf

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. What is Bentley's stance on this practice?

(I guess you could set it up on the WorkSet change too, but...)
_USTN_PREFNAMEBASE = $(_USTN_HOMEPREFS)$(_USTN_WORKSPACENAME)-$(_USTN_WORKSETNAME)

  • These variables are setting the path and name of the various preferences files.

    _USTN_HOMEPREFS defines the path to the user's prefs folder, anything after that is specifying the name of the files.

    You could for instance redefine _USTN_PREFNAMEBASE = $(_USTN_HOMEPREFS)$(_USTN_WORKSPACENAME)-$(_USTN_WORKSETNAME)

    resulting in files named <WorkSpace>-<WorkSet>.docking.xml, <WorkSpace>-<WorkSet>.pcf,  etc

    This would give each user a set of preferences for each WorkSet.

    Would that be helpful or just irritating for users who would have different prefs for every WorkSet. Potentially useful if toolboxes and dialogs are used in particular ways for each WorkSpace or WorkSet.

    It would result in a lot of individual preference files, that might have a performance impact.

    Separate prefs per WorkSpace looks more useful, particularly if the WorkSpaces contain custom tools or discipline specific resources?

    The MS_USERPREFSEED, MS_DOCKINGPREFSEED and MS_GROUPPANELPREFSEED variables can be used to give users a consistent start point for their prefs.

    I don't think we have a particular position on this, the functionality is there to be used, but as you, doesn't mean you should! :-) 

    Marc

  • This would give each user a set of preferences for each WorkSet.

    Yep gotcha understood, thus what I am asking.

    Potentially useful if toolboxes and dialogs are used in particular ways for each WorkSpace or WorkSet.

    Aren't these stored in the WorkSpace or WorkSet GUI dgnlib? Not really things that I would think are stored in the User preferences

    Separate prefs per WorkSpace looks more useful, particularly if the WorkSpaces contain custom tools or discipline specific resources

    Just thinking this through. What would a Discipline specific resource be that's need on the user level? I would think custom tools are stored in a WorkSpace.dgnlib but am open to the idea

    The MS_USERPREFSEED, MS_DOCKINGPREFSEED and MS_GROUPPANELPREFSEED variables can be used to give users a consistent start point for their prefs.

    Yeah I get the idea behind those variables. I just came across them being swapped out on a workspace change recently. Personally I always thought of them all as very user specific and giving the users a starting point at the user level would be good but swapping them out for a different client/Discipline/WorkSpace would just be confusing. The data stored in _USTN_HOMEPREFS wouldn't effect the design of a project. Why would we want to require the users tools or highlight color to start a way different based on WorkSpace.

    Does everything get swapped out when changing this way? Are you able to ask development if this is ok to do?

    ~HTH

    John.

    yep

  • I am thinking that since the UPF is created when the application is launched that it probably isn't a good idea to swap to a new one based on switching the WorkSpace or WorkSet. Just a hunch on my part but would like for Bentley to confirm.

    ~HTH

    John.

    yep