Archiving Procedure

Upon completion of a built project, the University's CAD drawing database must be updated. This serves two purposes:

1. Helps reach Goal of 100% Digitization of Campus
2. Subsequent projects can utilize updated, accurate floor plans.

1. From the project file, the X-PLAN shall become the new archived, updated floor plan used by the Space Management department.
2. The XA-PLAN will exist only in the Completed Jobs folder, and become a Binded/Bound drawing
3. The XM-PLAN, XP-PLAN and XE-PLAN will be preserved as Binded/Bound drawings in the completed jobs folder, and as "stand alone" drawings within the SU space management archived drawings folder.

The Completed Project folder (Snapshot-in-time)

Space Management folder (SU Archived Plans)

Also stored in this folder will be the XM-, XP- and XE-Plans from each of the most recently completed projects. These drawings will be stand alone, with any remaining xrefs detached. Only information SPECIFIC to the particular trade appears on these drawings, and in Model Space only. Consequently, upon opening one of these drawing files, information in it may be unclear until the associated base plan has been Xref'd to it.

These trade-specific drawings could xref the X-Plan, but there is no need until a project arises.

PROCEDURE FOR CREATING A COMPLETED JOB ("SNAPSHOT IN TIME") FOLDER

1. In Windows Explorer, Copy the job folder for the respective project into the Completed Jobs folder.
2. Open each of the plotted sheet drawing files and perform the Xref-Bind operation from within the Xref Manager dialogue box.
3. Once completed, Delete ALL of the Xref drawing files (drawings with an 'X' in the prefix).

PROCEDURE FOR CLEANING UP ARCHIVAL DRAWINGS

1. In Windows Explorer, Copy the job folder* from the Active Jobs directory for the respective project into the Space Management folder.
2. Delete all plotted sheet drawing files.
3. Open "X-[bldg no.]-[floor no.].dwg"
4. Isolate each of the following layers, deleting all items on the layer(s), and follow with deletion of the layer itself: A-DEMO, A-HATCH, A-KEY_HATCH
5. Isolate all remaining "A"-prefixed layers and change all elements on the layer(s) to the corresponding non-"A"-prefixed layers.
6. Change door swing color to RED.
7. Change window sills color to RED.
8. Open each of the Trade-specific drawings (prefixed XM-, XP-, or XE, etc.) and DETATCH all xrefs from the respective drawings.
   *IMPORTANT: Be sure to copy the folder from the ACTIVE JOBS folder, not the Completed Jobs folder.

   An updated floor plan has now been archived.

   Binding an Xref

   "Binding an xref to a drawing makes the xref a permanent part of the drawing rather than an externally referenced file. The externally referenced information becomes a block. When the externally drawing is updated, the bound xref is not updated. Use XREF bind to bind the entire drawing's database, including all of its nongraphical object information. Use XREF bind if you want to pick and choose nongraphical information to bind. For example, you may want to bind xref layers, but not linetypes or text styles.

   Binding xrefs to drawings is useful if you're archiving drawings and want to ensure that the xrefs do not change. It's also an easy way to send drawings to reviewers. Rather than send a master drawing plus each of the drawings it references, you can use the bind option to convert those xrefs to blocks in the current drawing."

   "When final drawings that have xrefs are ready for archiving, either archive the xref drawing along with the master drawing or bind the xrefs to the master drawing. These procedures prevent unintentional updating of archived drawings by xrefs that are later changed." - excerpt from Autocad2000 User's Guide, p.469

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