Where Are My Layout Files?


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I am GETTING SO TIRED OF THIS!!!!!

Countless hours of production time lost because I have to keep going back to fix things I thought were fixed AND SAVED. Finished the plans last Thurs-Fri at home. DID a complete save/backed up plan uploaded to drop-box. Client down loaded sent to printer said everthing was fine and all sheets printed out great! VERY complimentary of my work.

Didn't work on it here in the office yesterday waiting on client/contractor comments. Just started getting them email so, I am now at my OFFICE work station. Opened my drop box account, downloaded the saved complete back up file to my work station files; opened the plan, so far so good? NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Went to open layout files the error message came up again could not find the associated file. That happened at home Friday and I followed the help instructions, found and opened the layout files, they were all there. The rest of the day at home Friday open/close program-plan saved files no problem reopened plan, opened layout files no problem.

When you do a complete back up of the plan doesn't it include ALL associated files (.layout) also? THEN WHERE ARE THEY!

I know CA or someone is going to say send us the plan and the steps you took that caused this.....how do you do that when all you did was save a complete back up uploaded it to drop-box, then get to your office work-station and down load it here and open it you no longer have layout files?

DON'T TELL ME I NOW HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO ALL THAT WORK OVER AGAIN? Somebody PLEASE PUT ME OUT OF MY MISORY! Or at least KILL the CA X6 grimlins that are constantly sabotaging my work! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!!!!

Const doc Set 2.26.2015 updated 3.2.2015.zip

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First, stop what ever you are doing.  Take a deep breath.  I know it's probably still early where you are, but seriously, you should consider having a glass of wine or maybe something even stronger.  :)

 

OK, I know this is going to be hard to hear but Chief did not do anything with your plan files.  You did.  No one here on this forum knows what you did either.  No one knows if you lost them or just misplaced them.

 

So here is what I think you need to do.  Keep all of your associated layout files and plan files in the same folder.  Name your folder something related to the project so that it is clear what is in that folder.

 

If you are going to use any other files, such as imported cad files, pdfs or images, then put them all in the same folder.  If you keep everything in the same folder, you won't lose anything.

 

If you need to send the project to someone else or transfer it to another computer, zip up the whole folder and send the zip file.  You don't need to use the backup entire plan unless you need to send it to someone that does not have Chief installed (or just has the viewer).  If you need to use backup entire plan, do it on the layout file, not the plan file.

 

If you need to create any revisions of the project, then just make a copy of the whole folder with a new name.  You don't even need to rename the layout or plan files but it might be less confusing if you do.  If you rename the plan files, then be sure and relink your layout to them. If you do any renaming, then always close and restart the program to make sure everything is linked up correctly

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There certainly are no layouts in the attached zip file. Only 1 plan file and no texture or image files.

 

Backup of a plan doesn't include layout files it only includes referenced documents, texture files, imported PDFs and pictures, etc. The plan doesn't know about the layout so it cannot back it up.

 

The layout does know about the plans it is linked to so can back them up.

 

I don't know why you don't have the associated images etc. unless you chose the "Backup Plan Files Only" option. Or maybe instead of zipping the folder you zipped only the plan file? It doesn't look like the zip file is corupt so it looks like only the 1 file is there.

 

I can't rule out that there is a bug in Chief or some other software that is causing a problem.

 

Was it the zip file that you put into your drop box or did you copy the whole backup folder to your drop box? Did your client have write access to your drop box?

 

It sound's like at one point the files were in your drop box. If they aren't there now then something outside the control of Chief is occuring.

 

I would suggest going back to the original files on your home computer.

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..........Backup of a plan doesn't include layout files it only includes referenced documents, texture files, imported PDFs and pictures, etc. The plan doesn't know about the layout so it cannot back it up.

 

The layout does know about the plans it is linked to so can back them up........

 

Whoa whoa whoa,  you know more than me,  but I am confused and somebody else may be.  

 

What I typically do is have a layout open  (with all the plan files,  pdf's etc. that are a part of the plan),  and then I do a FILE<BACKUP ENTIRE PLAN check the BACKUP PLAN FILES AND ALL REFERENCED FILES.....  hit OKAY,  and then I go through the machinations of creating a brand new folder to put this stuff in.  When CA is done doing it's magic,  in that newly created folder there is a LAYOUT FILE.

 

So when Doug says the plan does not include layout files,  I believe that statement may be a bit confusing.

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First, stop what ever you are doing.  Take a deep breath.  I know it's probably still early where you are, but seriously, you should consider having a glass of wine or maybe something even stronger.  :)

 

OK, I know this is going to be hard to hear but Chief did not do anything with your plan files.  You did.  No one here on this forum knows what you did either.  No one knows if you lost them or just misplaced them.

 

So here is what I think you need to do.  Keep all of your associated layout files and plan files in the same folder.  Name your folder something related to the project so that it is clear what is in that folder.

 

If you are going to use any other files, such as imported cad files, pdfs or images, then put them all in the same folder.  If you keep everything in the same folder, you won't lose anything.

 

If you need to send the project to someone else or transfer it to another computer, zip up the whole folder and send the zip file.  You don't need to use the backup entire plan unless you need to send it to someone that does not have Chief installed (or just has the viewer).  If you need to use backup entire plan, do it on the layout file, not the plan file.

 

If you need to create any revisions of the project, then just make a copy of the whole folder with a new name.  You don't even need to rename the layout or plan files but it might be less confusing if you do.  If you rename the plan files, then be sure and relink your layout to them. If you do any renaming, then always close and restart the program to make sure everything is linked up correctly

"If you are going to use any other files, such as imported cad files, pdfs or images, then put them all in the same folder.  If you keep everything in the same folder, you won't lose anything.

 

If you need to send the project to someone else or transfer it to another computer, zip up the whole folder and send the zip file."

 

I can assure you that if you do it this way, there will be no problems! The only other thing I can add is that be sure the folder with everything is in the dropbox and or if you want to give the plan, layout, etc. to someone else, another option is to place the folder on a jump drive for them. I do this all the time with people and have no problems. I also work with drop box daily. 

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Sorrry to confuse.

 

If you are in a plan and choose backup entire plan, no layouts that you sent the plan to will be backed up because the plan doesn't know about them.

 

If you are in a layout and do the same thing it should work because the layout knows about all the plan files it references.

 

Does that make things more clear?

 

The use of the word plan in the menu while in a layout is a poor choice. The menu should probably be changed to something like "Backup Entire Layout and Plans" to make it more clear when you are in a layout.

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Sorrry to confuse.

 

If you are in a plan and choose backup entire plan, no layouts that you sent the plan to will be backed up because the plan doesn't know about them.

 

If you are in a layout and do the same thing it should work because the layout knows about all the plan files it references.

 

Does that make things more clear?

 

The use of the word plan in the menu while in a layout is a poor choice. The menu should probably be changed to something like "Backup Entire Layout and Plans" to make it more clear when you are in a layout.

I had both the plan and layout files open. I was in layout when I did the complete back up and saved it to the file I was using to save all the files in and had to create a sub-folder within that folder in order to save the project back up.

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MY BRAIN IS TIRED! and I've LOST an entire day of production. Hopefully (since I did save the plan on my home workstation) everything I need will be there.........but at this point I AM NOT holding my breath!

I am new to using drop box for file sharing, however; I did use it at least three separate times over the past weekend to share the project with the client, once for prelim, once for early comments/update, and finally for the final CD's to go out to him and his contractor and subs. I had to save the files to my desk top in order to upload it to DB, and I can only ASSUME the layout files are there?!?

 

Update: I did go to back up (archived) files and opened the latest I was working from here and although there are some things I had added/updated there, but of course the only good it would do is if I am unable to open the latest plan/layout files from my home work station.

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Even though both were open Bob if you had the Plan as Chief's focus window not the Layout , it would not have backed up the Layouts if I understand Doug's comment correctly since the Plan is not aware of the Layout File.

 

It would not mean the layouts still aren't there they just aren't on Dropbox...

 

M

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If it was all there, Dropbox just didn't it all get synced. I have noticed files uploading long after I have saved them to the hard drive. It's possible either the plan file or layout file completed and the other didn't.

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