1. What the hell is Teamwork.
Teamwork is rather elegant feature which enables more than one person to work on a project.
This is merely its primary benefit. We also use it because, as a side effect of the sharing process, it creates copies and automatic backups.
Everyone is accoustomed to the .PLN file format. With teamwork, there are two additional formats: .PLP and .PLC.
The .PLP resides on the server and is the 'Master' document. Think of P for Parent.
The .PLC resides on your local disk and this is where you actually do the work. Think of C for Child. To the user, a .PLC looks exactly like a .PLN. PLCs are also known as Drafts.
As you work and save locally on the .PLC, the .PLP does not change. The .PLP only gets updated when you 'Send And Receive Changes'. This the good part: In a dire emergency (e.g. hard disk failure), you can recover the .PLP which is safe and sound across the office. The other good part is that every time Changes are Sent, a backup copy is made of the previous state of the .PLP. We keep the FIVE most recent editions.
So, combined with the local .BPN, we're talking a lot of copies. Copies are a Good Thing.
2. How do I set up Teamwork just for myself?
First the project has to be shared.
The project file should reside on the Hotel. (1 Projects : [ProjectName]) Open it.
On the Teamwork Menu, pick 'Share This Project...'
In the dialog box, click 'Set Key Passwords...' For Administrator Name, put 'admin'. Click 'Set Administrator Password.' Type 'admin' (no quotes) and click OK, then do it again. Click 'Set Team Leader Password.' Type 'lead' (no quotes) and click OK, then do it again. Click OK to Close the 'Set Key Passwords' dialog Box.
Back in the Sharing Setup dialog box, make sure 'Open Access' is selected. Click 'Add New Member'. Type your initials, then OK.
Click 'Share'. You are prompted for the admin password, which is 'admin'.
You are given a Save Dialog. Note the filename now ends in .PLP. Save the .PLP in the Teamwork folder of your project. (1 Projects : [ProjectName] : Design : Teamwork). The project is now shared.
But there's more! You have to sign in. In the Sign In dialog, select 'Team Leader'. Enter the Team Leader Password, which is 'lead'. Make sure you put in the second field. Check the Exclusive Access box. Click 'Sign In'.
Now you are working on the copy. In order to establish the .PLC, you must Save. You get a Save as dialog. Save the file at he top of the Project folder, just like you would a .PLN.
Now you have a .PLC. Instead of opening a .PLN to work, you open the .PLC. Note: in Open and Save dialogs, .PLNs are called 'Solo Projects' while .PLCs are called 'Drafts'. If you don't see what you're looking for, check the 'Files of Type' setting. Of course, you can always drag the .PLC to ArchiCAD on the dock.
At the end of the day, you should Send Changes. To do this, go to Teamwork|Send and Receive Changes. Click 'Send and Receive'.
That's pretty much it.
3. How do I set up Teamwork to actually share work with someone else?
Follow the sharing procedure above. Everything is the same until you get to the Sign In box.
We'll look at an example where someone else will work on the Structure and you'll keep everything else.
We will assume that the person setting up sharing will be the Team Leader. Select Team Leader from the list, but DO NOT check the Exclusive Access box. Enter the Team Leader password. Click Next.
This the Workspace Definition part. It has several steps.
For stories, check the All box. For layers, uncheck the All box. If all the layers aren't selected, check All, then uncheck it. Command-click on the layers you want to give away, in this case, the structure layers. Don't forget the Notes! Click Next.
Check the All box for Sections/Elevations. The Animations/VR-s section doesn't concern us. Click Next.
In AC8, you will get the Details section. Check the All box, probably. Click Next.
The workspace will be summarized. Look it over, and go back to fix problems by clicking Previous. When everything is right, click Sign In. Save the PLC as described above.
4. What about the other person?
Go to the Teamwork menu and Sign In.
Select Teammate. Click Sign In. If you get a warning about your name not being registered, click Yes.
In Layers, uncheck the All box. Command-click on the layers you need. Layers with a triangle are not available. In Stories, check the All box. Click Next.
In the next panels, click Next without selecting anything.
Review the summary, then click Sign In. If the Sign In button is grayed out, it means you have selected a resource which is unavailable. Go back and fix it. Save the PLC as described above.
5. How do my Teammate & I stay up to date?
Send & Receive Changes at least daily as described above, more often as necessary. To review, nothing you do will be visible to your co-worker until you send changes AND s/he receives changes. Keep in touch.
6. I have some questions.
Q: So I'm signed in. When do I sign out?
A: Working alone, hardly ever. If you go on vacation. If the project ends. If someone else needs to work on it. Otherwise just open,work,save,send changes,close,sleep,open,work,save...
Working with others, you will need to sign out and re-sign in if you ever need to change your workspace. It is not possible to simply hand over layers or windows between users. You must both sign out and sign in with the properly defined workspace.
When you sign out, you will be prompted to Send & Receive. Do it! If you don't, the PLP will not be up to date
Q: I opened the .PLC and got a warning about validating the draft, the team project isn't accessible, some BS like that.
A: Most likely the '1 Projects' disk isn't mounted. If it can't see the .PLP, the .PLC gets very anxious. The dialog you get after this warning gives you the opportunity to point out the location of the .PLP.
Leave the box open and go to the Finder. Mount the needed disk using the method of your choice (Chooser, Recent Servers, an alias...). Return to ArchiCAD and navigate to the location of the .PLP and pick it.
This can also happen when you attempt to send changes. Same deal.
Sometimes ArchiCAD forgets for no apparent reason. Such is life.
Q: In the event of an actual disaster, how do I use the .PLP to save my butt?
A: First off, try the .BPN if you can. I will almost always be more current. Assuming that's not an option:
In ArchiCAD, go to Teamwork|Sign In. Navigate to the .PLP on 1 Projects. When you select it, you will be warned that someone (probably you) is signed in with exclusive access. OK this box. In the Sign In box that follows, Select administrator. For name, put admin, for password, admin. (sound familiar?) This gets you to the Floor Plan window. (Curiously, the administrator can't do any actual work. This because the entire project is in the workspace of someone (probably you).) All you can really do is Save As a Solo Project (PLN). Do this, on 1 Projects.
This PLN will reflect the state of the project when the last changes were sent. Hopefully this was yesterday. As the times since the last Send/Receive increases, your butt becomes progressively less saved.
At this point you will need to share the project again.
Q: I don't have any other questions. I hear and obey.
A: Excellent.
JAM
22 Jul 2003
Updated 23 Jan 2004