CADD File Naming Strategies During a Project 2

[kmacsys]

I work with a number of firms that have a bad habit of renaming files or creating new folders as the design proceeds. This creates issues with ref files. I always used CADD with the standard that "file names remain the same" thruout the life of the project. This especially applies to xref's. I tend to archive previous versions of designs but keep the original file name the same always. I welcome comments on this issue and look forward to your input.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

I usually make new copies adding a R1, R2, etc to file name. Everything still works and when R10 doesn't work - you still have R8 to fall back on?? Get my drift??

 

[iken]

I always name the drawings by the drawing number followed by rev number.

It pains me to see some names being derived from someone's take of the drawing (words). If you have 100 drawings to go through and you need a certain drawing (you will always no the number from a hard copy) it is so much easier to find.

Once a drawing is named/numbered this should never change (with excpetion or rev number as MiketheEngineer also pointed out)

 

[ATSE]

An alternate is to keep file names that match sheet names exactly, and create new folders for each set revision. Requires a little more hard space, but that's pretty inexpensive these days.
If you're using relative referencing for the Xrefs, no problem.
This way, S401 is always S401. At milestones, you purge previous folders.

 

[francesca]

Version numbers should be assigned to archives, not to the current version. There is no substitute for a document outlining the standard and circulated among all team members. If you can include in your contract that you won't accept work outside of the standard, you can reject their files with bad names and let them sort out the mess.

 

[IFRs]

I agree with Francesca. Archive drawings with a Rev number but keep the current file the same. Oh ya - use sheet sets to manage drawings - it's a great tool.

 

[kmacsys]

I completely agree with Francesca and IFRs. Keep file names the same ALWAYS and archive/save backwards.

 

[nrostrander]

I agree. Never change filenames.

Example:
Say the filename is 12311M0100.dwg and the current rev is 1
If I rev that drawing I fist copy the file and name the copy 12311M100_Rev-1
Now I open the original file and edit it as required and save it.

By doing it this way, you can revert back to an older rev easily but all xrefs will still work perfectly as the filename never changed.

We also put each part, dash number, as its own drawing such as follows:
Dwg filename: 12311M0100.dwg
Part filename: 12311M0100-101.dwg
We then xref part drawings into the actual drawing for dimensioning or into assembly drawings to use as componets. This way if you update the part file, the assembly file will reflect it properly.

Just the way we do it.


V/R
Nathan
CAD Technician/ISO Director
Compass Systems, Inc. (

http://www.compass-sys-inc.com/

)

 

[brandonbw]

I always etransmit the entire project into an archived dated folder with a small description. It's always easy to go back to any revision by doing that. Changing file names on an ongoing project can create problems depending on how big and how many people are on that project.

B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil and Structural Engineering

http://bwengr.com