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ProjectWise Design Integration Forum Can Document Sets help with Linked Office Documents in Project Wise?
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    Can Document Sets help with Linked Office Documents in Project Wise?

    caddcop
    Offline caddcop over 6 years ago

    The reason for this question is that after a recent discussion at the local DOT about issues with Linked Spreadsheets in Project Wise, someone shared a manual from Colorado DOT that seems to suggest the Document Sets would solve this issue.

    I searched their information but found no in depth discussion on the Working Folder settings in their workspace. Even their information on the local document organize was not helpful as any time the column that listed the working folder was shown, it was too narrow to reveal any definitive data.

    While I'm asking, is there a good explanation of Document Sets and why they are useful?

    TIA

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    • Vickie Ramsey
      0 Offline Vickie Ramsey Mon, Apr 24 2017 10:24 AM

      Yes document sets can help with linking office documents. 

      The first issue with linking a spreadsheet into a DGN is hat ProjectWise cannot manage the dependency. When you open the DGN the excel file doesn't automatically get copied out.

      The second issue is that any link to an office document will use an OLE link. (Microsoft has been saying they will improve OLE for years)  OLE links store the full path so a document linked from "C:\PW_WorkDir\VHewitt\DMSxxxxxx\" will work for me, but not for anyone else.

      The document set controls the relationship, resolving the copy/check out issue. To satisfy the OLE link full path requirement you will need to have all of your users use the same working folder name; for example "C:\PW_WorkDir\"

      To create and use the document set create the document set in the same folder as the master file and name it the same name as the master file adding the word "set" to the end.

      Step by Step to create a document set:

      • Select the document 
      • Right-Click and select Set -> New
      • Name the document set by the same name as the master file followed by set; for example BOM Set 
      • Select OK

      The file you selected will automatically be added to the set. Drag and drop in the Excel and any other files that are needed.

      To use the Document set before opening the mater file right click on the set and either copy out or check out the set.

      Open the master.

      The second part of the solution is a bit controversial, best practice is not to have all your users share the same working directory name. This is because when users share working directories they may receive error messages about not being able to copy out or check out a file if it already exists in the working folder.

      In the ProjectWise datasource there is a setting that tells ProjectWise that it is OK to overwrite a copy out with a new copy of the same file.

      This avoids the error message by overwriting the existing copied out file. It is assumed that this will not lead to a loss of data because the file is only copied out not checked out.

      Checked out files will not be overwritten and the user will get a warning.

      To allow shared working folders:

      • Open the ProjectWise Administrator.
      • Open the datasource properties dialog.
      • Select the Settings tab.
      • Then under the “Documents” category check ON the "Allow several users to fetch documents to the same location" setting.

      Now if you have any users that need to share a computer they can.

      As for the explanation, a Document Set is a container that allows you to create a manual relationship between documents. It is useful when you want to group documents and manipulate them as a group or as above for links.  

      Answer Verified By: caddcop 

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    • caddcop
      0 Offline caddcop Mon, Apr 24 2017 11:04 AM in reply to Vickie Ramsey

      Let me make sure I understand this portion:

      Unknown said:

      The second issue is that any link to an office document will use an OLE link. (Microsoft has been saying they will improve OLE for years)  OLE links store the full path so a document linked from "C:\PW_WorkDir\VHewitt\DMSxxxxxx\" will work for me, but not for anyone else.

      The document set controls the relationship, resolving the copy/check out issue. To satisfy the OLE link full path requirement you will need to have all of your users use the same working folder name; for example "C:\PW_WorkDir\"

      What you are saying, is the shadow folder used must not contain any user specific folder names, correct?

      This makes the OLE path user independent.

      As far as the document set portion of your reply, without quoting you, you are saying that without the document set, the linked file may not get copied out.

      So the purpose of document sets is to allow one list to checkout or copyout all related documents, even if Projectwise does not have all of them in its database as necessary documents.


      Charles (Chuck) Rheault
      CADD Manager

      MDOT State Highway Administration

      • MicroStation user since IGDS, InRoads user since TDP.
      • AutoCAD, Land Desktop and Civil 3D, off and on since 1996
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    • Vickie Ramsey
      0 Offline Vickie Ramsey Mon, Apr 24 2017 1:37 PM in reply to caddcop

      Unknown said:
      What you are saying, is the shadow folder used must not contain any user specific folder names, correct?

      Yes, but more specifically the shadow folder path must be the same for every user that will work with the linked pair.

      Unknown said:

      As far as the document set portion of your reply, without quoting you, you are saying that without the document set, the linked file may not get copied out.

      So the purpose of document sets is to allow one list to checkout or copyout all related documents, even if Projectwise does not have all of them in its database as necessary documents.

      Yes 

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    • Vickie Ramsey
      0 Offline Vickie Ramsey Mon, Apr 24 2017 1:37 PM in reply to caddcop

      Unknown said:
      What you are saying, is the shadow folder used must not contain any user specific folder names, correct?

      Yes, but more specifically the shadow folder path must be the same for every user that will work with the linked pair.

      Unknown said:

      As far as the document set portion of your reply, without quoting you, you are saying that without the document set, the linked file may not get copied out.

      So the purpose of document sets is to allow one list to checkout or copyout all related documents, even if Projectwise does not have all of them in its database as necessary documents.

      Yes 

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