How to rename extractions in ProjectWise

Hi Ian,
You're really testing my memory with the inner workings of Drawing Extractions... ;)

If I recall correctly, the link between the extraction definition and the resulting extraction ouput file is stored within the source model (where the extraction is calculated) with all of the other DEM settings, but also in the output file itself where a link back to that source model is stored. So when renaming the output file it's link would still be to the original definition name, and when renaming the definition itself it recognizes the existence of a DGN file of the same name but which has never been linked as such. If that makes sense.

So with all that said... What exactly happens when you attempt to rename the definition - does that message prevent you from doing so?

Hi Ian,
You're really testing my memory with the inner workings of Drawing Extractions... ;)

If I recall correctly, the link between the extraction definition and the resulting extraction ouput file is stored within the source model (where the extraction is calculated) with all of the other DEM settings, but also in the output file itself where a link back to that source model is stored. So when renaming the output file it's link would still be to the original definition name, and when renaming the definition itself it recognizes the existence of a DGN file of the same name but which has never been linked as such. If that makes sense.

So with all that said... What exactly happens when you attempt to rename the definition - does that message prevent you from doing so?

Steve,

thanks for getting back to me.

I can rename the definition so for example, I had file "A" with a definition in it called "OUT-A", and extraction output called "OUT-A". I renamed def to "OUT-B" and the file on PW from "OUT-A" to "OUT-B" and the error I get when re-processing the extraction is "file already exists" :(

Hi Ian,

OK, I was able to reproduce the same scenario outside of PW so this would be core DEM.    When I first rename the DEM definition I receive this alert message:

I'm assuming you see the same?   In my case I chose not to delete the existing file, of course, so that I can rename it as step 2.  

After renaming the original output file to match my renamed definition, when I attempt to calculate the drawing I get the "file already exists" message.   I believe what's happening is that after renaming the definition there still is no link in the source model pointing to an external file using that new name.  So when attempting to calculate the drawing it recognizes a file of the same name, in the same output folder, but does not know that it's intended to be the extraction output  (the renamed file's internal link still points back to the source model using the original definition name) so prevents that "independent" file from being overwritten.   As a safety net of sorts.  

So with all that said, I haven't found a way to force that rename between the definition and output file.  The only thing I can suggest is deleting that output file so that the internal links between the source and destination files are written with the updated names.