Project Browser
The project browser organizes the project using a tree structure similar to what Windows uses in explorer. Nodes with an arrowhead in front of the name can be expanded to reveal additional nodes.
The project browser consists of one main node which is the project name. This node is made up of six nodes which are: Model, Drawings, Element marks, Project Files, Settings, and Components. Each of the six nodes contains more subnodes.
This article will go through all of them starting from the main nodes and going all the way to the subnodes.
Main node
The main node has the project name in it.
Right-clicking on the node shows three options:
- Export - This will take the user directly to the export project found backstage.
- Project Properties - This will open the project properties window. Here the user can change many parameters and customize the project. It also shows what has been chosen, and which settings have been set. 12 main tabs are present today. The Project Properties can be accessed from the side menu located to the left in Project Manager (Backstage).
- Open Folder -This will open the project folder in the file explorer. What folder should be opened is chosen when the project is created.
When the project above was created, nothing was changed and therefore the standard path was chosen.
Model
Right-clicking on the node shows four options:
- Buildings & Floors - The command Building & Floors will let you set up and manage the project's buildings and floors. Several buildings, floors, levels, and crane time can be added. The description of the different levels is shown to the right as well as a picture.
- Phases - Divide the project into several stages to have control over it easier. If a project got 15 buildings then each phase can have 3 buildings for example to have a better overview of the project. Each phase can have a name, description, start - and end date.
With the Import button, phases can be imported from a .skv file. This file is a semicolon-separated values file. The format should be ";project name;phase name;description;start date;end date".
- Export Planning - Exports the planning of all elements in the project. The export can be saved as a bin, json, or XML file. This can later be imported. This includes the following:
If the export is successful the message below will be shown.
- Export as Linked - Exports all the elements in the project. The export can be saved as a bin, json, or XML file. This can later be imported. This includes the following:
If the export is successful the message below will be shown.
Drawings
Right-clicking on the node shows four options:
- Open Folder - Will open the drawings folder where the dwgs and pdfs can be found for each category.
- Synchronize Files - Click here to learn more about this.
- Download Latest - Click here to learn more about this.
- File Sync - File Check - Checks the status of files so everything is OK and similar between the user computer and the server where the files are synced.
Element Marks
Right-clicking on the node shows five main options and two sub-options:
- New Linked Element Mark - Creates a new element mark for either a linked or a prestressed linked. In the picture below a linked element has been created and it is searched afterwards.
- Linked
- Prestressed Linked
- Import Linked Element Mark
- Export as Linked
- Synchronize Files - Click here to learn more about this.
- Download Latest - Click here to learn more about this.
Project Files
Right-clicking on the node shows one main option:
- Open Folder - Will open the design folder where some folders can be found, in my case, drawings, IFC, reports & Revit.
Settings
Right-clicking on the node shows three main options:
The Model node structures the model in buildings, floors per building, and finally element types per floor. By double-clicking any of these nodes, the program filters out the associated elements in the model viewer and in the element id grid.
Right-clicking on the nodes opens the context menu where it is possible to configure floor plans and phases of the project, export planning, and export elements as linked, copy elements with or without their element marks to other floors, and also open the elements in "Calculation View".
Drawings
The Drawings node structures all drawings in the project. There are 6 subnodes representing different categories of drawings. Most of them are self-explanatory but the category 3D and Other are not obvious. The 3D category can be used to store large three-dimensional drawings of the model, for example, intended for export to the IFC format. The other category can be used for reference drawings.
Element Marks
Element marks node lists all the element marks in the project. They are categorized by element type. The context menu covers some options and actions related to linked elements. New linked element marks can be created and existing once imported. It's also possible to export any element mark as linked.
Settings
Lists project settings.
Components
Lists project components.
Figure 2: Project browser in Project Manager