Drawing Code- Filenames- Revision Codes

[nocturne00]

We're having issues right now on how to properly code our drawings. I mean our meetings never end, everybody in our office is a genius when brainstorming about this topic.

Currently im using the Uniform CAD Standards manual by McGraw-Hill to guide my team in coding their drawings, simple and concise.

but recently they complain that they dont understand the system of coding, questions like, should we tie the drwing code to the filename? I cant undrstand how the revision code is placed, is it in the filename or code. Why is the revision code a code, it should be the date .

and so on and so forth.

 

I would gladly read your inputs on this so I could knock some sense into them.

 

Thanks

[skipsophrenic]

At the moment where I work we save the drawing as its number and then put the revision at the end -

 

Eg. (XXXX-XXX-XX-XXX-XXXXX-REV)

 

That way then when we got to work on them all we do is copy the last version into todays backup file and hey presto - constantly working on latest revision - hope this helps m8

[dbroada]

we are fighting to resit adding revision codes. If you XREF or link to an excel table everytime your revision code changes, all your links get broken.

 

If revision code must be applied I would prefer the active file to not have it but add it to the file when it is archived.

[nocturne00]

Yea, I read the thread you posted concerning the your revision code issue on active and archiving files.

We're still trying to resolve how we actually code it, some suggest date of revision, some with the date the bill of quantities were revised. me I just want to stick with R001 or REV001 explaining that the dates are stamped on the drawings anyway.

 

File naming is also becoming an issue, since everyting to be plotted is first output as a pdf file. CAD files and PDF file naming relating to Drawing Coding is now getting mixed up.

Ive been googling for half a day now downloading coding guidelines to stick it to their faces and say "...this is how it should be done (PERIOD)":D

[dbroada]

I guess it comes down to how you view the file. We view it as a tool for creating a paper (or PDF) master and as such there is no need to include revision codes or date codes - they all belong on the master. If you consider that the file itself is the master then it needs differentiating from all its siblings.

 

I have a number of objections to continually changing file name as you work re-issue it. None are big in themselves, its just I have a way of working that doesn't cause problems - why change it to suit the lack of discipline elsewhere.

 

As I have already indicated, any file linking becomes a headache. Vault may be able to handle this - I don't know as our system works already. I don't use XREFs (very often) so I don't know how that would work but I can see problems if you change the file name of a drawing XREFed elsewhere. When you open up that file it will look for the old revision. Surely this is what XREFs are supposed to eliminate.

 

I find it is so easy to open up the wrong file. In a hurry you don't always notice that your folder is sorted in size not name, you see Rev03 and open it not noticing that Rev04 is already there. Its not till you try to save it that you realise the wrong file was opened. Even worse if somebody accidentally missed out Rev04 so your 04 superceds his 05 but wasn't done from the correct base.

 

And on a purely personal note. Our files are numbered in a sequential way. I can just type "NEXT" and the next file will open. Our numbering system allow this and a short LISP routine looks for the next sheet in this set or the first sheet in the next group of drawings.

 

There are downsides too. If you start modifying a drawing that doesn't get issued you really need to return it to its original status. I think that has happened to me about 3 times in 15 years. And a restore from the IT back-up sorts that out pretty quickly.

[nocturne00]

Thanks for that insight, really, It takes a load off my shoulders.

 

We work with a lot of xrefs, where production of drawings are chained. it commonly starts with the location of the dam, w/c is xrefd to align the pipe, w/c is xrefd to align the roads along the pipes, and so on.problems first occured when they started adding revision extensions to the file names.. same as you mentioned, it was either the output drawings did not use the updated xref or revision of files that should go from A to B to C had gone from A to C to D, and revision D had to be scrapped coz they had to go back to revision B. that was such a pityful moment.

 

Right now, We never change the name of the Active files we xref and just leave them as the Master file, if we revise anything we make a copy of the the original, place an extension revision code and archive it somewhere else as a read only file. this in turn leaves the master file's name unchanged. This has worked for all of us. but now Project Bidding has come

 

My team is having a hell of a time coz they now want to tie the codes of their Bill of Quantites(spreadsheet) to the codes of the CAD files w/c in turn will be the code for the PDF files. I try to explain they may be linked but only up to a certain extent but they'll only give me an answer of "try to find a way"

[Dipali]

Thanks for that insight, really, It takes a load off my shoulders.

 

Right now, We never change the name of the Active files we xref and just leave them as the Master file, if we revise anything we make a copy of the the original, place an extension revision code and archive it somewhere else as a read only file. this in turn leaves the master file's name unchanged. This has worked for all of us. but now Project Bidding has come

 

 

I do exactly same thing.