Converting normal documents into hybrid documents

A common type of hybrid document is an hybrid drawing. The drawing’s vector file contains references to one or more separate raster images. The images are shown in the drawing but do not reside in the drawing. Together, the files comprise one drawing.

A hybrid drawing often begins as an image file and then later is inserted as a reference into a new vector file with an application like AutoCAD. If the image file resides in Meridian and the new vector file is created in Meridian, the files will remain separate by default. They will not be managed as a single hybrid document. Each document will have its own properties, revision history, and so on.

In order to create a proper Meridian hybrid document, the following steps should occur:

• The vector document created as the main part of a hybrid document type
• The properties of the raster document transferred to the hybrid document (to maintain the revision history, and so on)
• The raster document made a part of the main hybrid document
• The raster document inserted as a reference in the main part

You can perform all these steps manually, but Meridian Enterprise provides a command that does all but the last step for you. The command is available in PowerUser and in the Meridian Web Client. The command can be run on individual documents or on a selection of multiple documents.

Before you begin

The following are prerequisites for conversion to succeed:

• The starting document must be under change by you.
• The starting document must be of a hybrid document type
• The hybrid document type must have at least one template configured
• The starting document file extension must be listed as a hybrid part (not the main part) in the import settings of the document type
• You must have the Convert to Hybrid privilege

To convert a normal document into a hybrid document:

1. Select the starting documents.
2. On the Document menu, click Convert to Hybrid. If more than one template is assigned to the document type, the Select Document Template dialog box lists the available templates.
   1. Select the template from which you want the new main file of the hybrid document to be made and click OK.
3. The view refreshes to show that new main hybrid file with the starting document attached as a part. The properties of the starting document (including its name) are transferred to the main file and apply to the parts as well. Text specified in the document type is added to the end of the starting document names to make them unique.

You may now open the main file and insert the part files as references and save the document.