If you ever read anything more boring than this, I'd be very curious to hear about it.
1. Folder and File Name formats
Be clear, brief, and consistent. Use conventional abbreviations. Do what you've done in the past, unless it sucks.
The Project folder structure can be seen in the zTemplate folder on the Hotel, so I won't reproduce it here.
In AC8, it is no longer necessary to put project codes in section & detail window names, since no files are directly created from them. In order for PLT files to get the code, the layout name must have it. see below.
Date Formats: MMYY: 0104= January 2004.
YYYY-MM-DD: 2004-01-26= January 26, 2004.
Section Windows:
[Approx. Sheet#] [Content]
The sheet number is only there to order the list.
Elevation names shall contain the compass direction. Add 'Front' & 'Rear' to the front and rear elevations.
Examples: A2-1 West Front, A2-1 South.
Section names shall contain the orientation (long or cross) and the location (front, rear, center, a room name, or compass direction).
Examples: A2-3 Long Front, A2-5 Cross North.
Detail names: [A3-n(approximate)] [WS if wall section] [Content]. Wall sections should contain the location. Details should contain the type. It is not necessary to say "detail" or "det"; the A3 tells us that.
Examples: A3-1 WS LivRm PROJ, A3-2 Eave Shed.
Interior Elevations: [A5-n(approximate)] [RoomName] [Direction].
Direction is U,D,R, or L (Up, Down, Right, Left). Abbreviate room names consistently: LivRm, FamRm, Kit, Gar, MudRm, Lib, MBed, MBath, Bath1, Bed1, etc. It is not necessary to say "IE" or "IntElev" or such; the A5 tells us that. An option I think helps: ID the section makers with the story. A5-0 means a basement room, A5-1 a first floor room, etc.
In AC8, the names you see in PM are the names of views. They may be completely different from the window names. Keep your windows named sensibly for your own convenience.
Notes & Other windows: Place an x before the name.
Example: xTitleBlock E
Project Files:
New Home PLN: Project.PLN
Addition PLN: Project.PLN
Existing PLN: Existing Project.PLN
Teamwork Project: Project.PLP
Local Draft of TW Project: Project.PLC
Layouts (Within layout books):
[Sheet#] [Content] PROJ. This information MUST be accurate because it creates the filename of the plot file.
Plotting Output Files:
PMK Drawing: [Content] PROJ.PMK
Layout Book: Project [E, D, C].LBK
Documents:
Window/Ext Door Schedule: WinSched PROJ.XLS
Int Door Schedule: DoorSched PROJ.XLS
Other Schedule: StuffSched PROJ.XLS
Proposal: Proposal MMYY PROJ.DOC
Quicktime:
VR Object: VRO YYYY-MM-DD PROJ.MOV
VR Scene: VRS YYYY-MM-DD PROJ.MOV
For any filename type, if there are alternates, put the alternate description before the project code. Example: VRO YYYY-MM-DD Slate PROJ.MOV, VRO YYYY-MM-DD Shingle PROJ.MOV. For Project files, place it before the extension.
2. Case & Spaces
Capitalize Words.
Use spaces; without them, thingsareveryhardtoread.
If you must take the spaces out, UseCapsLikeThis
OS X and Windows have no practical limit on the length of filenames. OS 9 has a limit of 31 characters, including any extension. Many apps, including Archicad and MS Office, use the 31 limit regardless of OS.
ALL CAPS LOOKS LIKE YELLING
3. Windows.
Most peolple use Windows, the Official Operating System of the United States. If there's any chance a folder/file will ever be opened on Windows, by anyone, including in Virtual PC, observe the following:
Use filename extensions. Especially in Office Applications. Windows, because it's stupid, can't find the proper application without the extension. Archicad appends extensions to all files automatically.
Don't use characters that are forbidden in Windows. These are
/ \ * ? " | < >
(Trivia: Only the colon is forbidden on the Mac. Some apps forbid the slash.)
Avoid using the dot (.) except with extensions.
4. Dates
DO NOT USE dots, slashes, or backslashes (. / \) as separators. See Windows stuff above.
Use dashes, spaces, or nothing.
Bad:
01/09/03
01.09.03
Good:
01-09-03
01 09 03
010903 (but a little hard to read)
2003-01-09
For Plot Archive folders, put the year first as above. This will keep the alphabetized folder in chronological order.
5. Project Codes.
For ANY (any) Project-related file, use the project code at the end of the name, just before the extension.
To refresh, the project code is the first 4 letters of the client name, unless: 1)it's already taken, 2)it makes a bad word, 3)the same client has multiple projects, in which case use the first 3 letters and a number.
6. Multiple Projects
When naming the project folder, use arabic numerals.
Good: Kernan2
Bad: Kernan II
These rules aren't set in stone, but if we all stay near the rules we all stay near each other. Like all standards, they work MOST of the time. If a situation is addressed by the standards, save your creativity for the projects.