ProjectWise Explorer Version: Introduced in ProjectWise V8i (SELECTseries 4)

AutoCAD and Civil 3D: All currently supported versions
                                     This article applies to ProjectWise-integrated Autodesk applications that use the (embedded) Sheet Set Manager

Configuration Notes: 

SSMAUTOOPEN = 0  (Default = 1)
SSLOCATE = 0  (Default = 1)

DMSSET > SHAREDSHEETSET = 1  (Default = 0)
DMSSET > SHEETSETUNLOCKTIME = 10  (Default = 10
DMSSET > SHEETCHECKUPDATETIME = 120  (Default = 120)

Problem Statements:

1.  Only one user is able to work on the Sheet Set (.dst) at any given time
2.  The Sheet Set (.dst) is checked out unnecessarily when one of its associated drawings is opened
3.  The Sheet Set (.dst) must be manually checked back in
4.  Opening a file that is part of a sheet set takes too long to open
5.  Publishing the sheet set results in some out-of-date drawings or references

 

By default, when a drawing that is a part of a sheet set is opened, AutoCAD and Civil 3D will attempt to locate the applicable sheet set and open the Sheet Set Manager within the application. The native system variables for controlling those behaviors are SSLOCATE and SSMAUTOOPEN, respectively. When these applications are integrated with ProjectWise, these default behaviors can result in excessively long File-Open times because all of the sheets associated with the sheet set must be copied out or updated locally. Turning off both settings (changing their values from 1 to 0) will eliminate this behavior and speed up File-Open times.

The ProjectWise Integration includes a dedicated system variable that is unique to the integration (SHAREDSHEETSET) that allows for the sheet set to be Checked Out in the background, automatically, only when it is needed. By enabling this setting (changing its value from 0 to 1) the .dst that is associated with the open sheet drawing is only Checked Out when the user performs an activity that will result in an edit being made to the sheet set. It will remain Checked Out for the number of seconds determined by another ProjectWise-integrated system variable (SHEETSETUNLOCKTIME) before it is automatically Checked In to ProjectWise. This results in a .dst file being Checked Out when it is necessary, and then being automatically Checked In after the editing task is complete and 10 seconds (default setting) have passed without additional editing. This ensures that the sheet set is available for another user who might also be editing the same sheet set, or one of its subsets. 

The ProjectWise-integrated system variable called SHEETCHECKUPDATETIME is what determines how much time (measured in seconds) will elapse before the user's session of AutoCAD or Civil 3D will poll ProjectWise for updates that have been made to the .dst. Users working with drawings that make up the sheet sets, but who do not actually create or maintain the set itself, may turn this setting up (say to 600) to improve their in-application performance. Users directly involved with building or maintaining the sheet set, particularly in a setting where other users may also be also modifying the same .dst may find it necessary to poll the ProjectWise datasource more frequently to see updates. When multiple users are working with the sheet set, it still may only be Checked Out to one user at a time. At the time of Check Out, if it has been updated by another user prior to it automatically being updated in conjunction with the SHEETCHECKUPDATETIME system variable, it will be updated at the time that the Check Out is made. As is the case with any ProjectWise document. 

The following uses SHAREDSHEETSET as an example for how to set any of the ProjectWise-integrated system variables.
To set the ProjectWise-integrated system variable, SHAREDSHEETSET = 1, type the following into the AutoCAD or Civil 3D command line: 

DMSSETVAR  <enter>      SHAREDSHEETSET <enter>     1 <enter>

 

Best Practices:

1. Prior to working with a sheet set, and especially prior to publishing it, it is recommended that, at a minimum, the .dst file is copied out of ProjectWise so that all of its associated sheet files are up to date in the user's local working directory.
2. It is generally recommended that all of the documents included in the .dst file's Logical Set are copied out prior to publishing.
        This helps to optimize performance during the local batch process of rendering each drawing.
        To do this, expose the Logical Set by selecting SET > SHOW REFERENCES from the .dst document's right-click context menu.
3. Prior to publishing a sheet set, the best practice is for the user who is publishing the sheet set to completely purge their local working directory and delete all residual files and folders from it prior to copying out the sheet set, the associated sheet drawings, and any necessary reference file dependencies.
        This will not only ensure the best performance, but it will also prevent any residual files from inadvertently being printed or referenced. 
4. For Civil 3D datasets, also copy out the .CivilDSProj file(s) and all of the documents listed in its logical set.

Tips & Tricks:

• Publishing the sheet set can be performed on a secondary PC or VM.
• The ProjectWise Reference File Scanner can be run on the .dst to ensure that all of its associated sheet drawings are listed in its Logical Set and that they are all being sourced from the correct ProjectWise Directory. 
• Assuming that all of the best practices (listed above) are being followed - especially #3 - the person publishing the sheet set will see noticeably better performance by enabling the "Use up to date local copy..." settings found under the Documents node of their ProjectWise User account. (See the following image)
       In most cases, the ProjectWise Administrator will be required to make that change.
       These settings should be returned to disabled status when the publishing job is complete.