DBUG> symbol paths

[Stephen Blatt Architects <sbarch@gwi.net>]

With all of the discussion about "lost" symbols and the "correct" syntax
for lines in a .tpl file, I thought I would throw in my two cents worth:

On our Win95 network, drawings, symbols and templates are stored on a file
server in the following structure:

D:
     DataCAD
           Sym
           Tpl
     Drawings

On the file server, the D: drive is shared, D:\DataCAD\Tpl is shared, and
D:\Drawings is shared.

On the individual work stations, D:\Drawings is mapped as R:, D:\DataCAD is
mapped as S:, and D:\DataCAD\Tpl is mapped as T:.  In DataCAD config on
each station, paths are set to R:, S:, and T: for Drawings, Symbols, and
Templates.

Templates are all relative, i.e. a typical line looks like this:

sym\elec\keys\01

not like this:

s:\elec\keys\01

The template is able to find the correct symbol path because the "root"
directory for templates is (locally on the server) D:\DataCAD\Tpl, not D:
or D:\DataCAD and because work stations cannot search "lower" than their
mapped S: drive (D:\DataCAD\Sym on the file server) for a symbol.

The advantage here is in the transportability of symbol and template files
between home and work and all of the other positive aspects of the
"relative" path name strategy.

The disadvantage is in having to rewrite template files as symbols when new
symbols are created.  But I would argue that you have to do this anyway
(and check with Explorer or whatever to make sure that a new symbol has
been saved to the correct location) because of DataCAD's "anamolous"
template/symbol behavior.

This system has worked consistently well for us since we networked.

Philip Hart
Stephen Blatt Architects
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