Configure Shared Workspaces
Some document authoring applications feature multi-user project or data files. Examples are AutoCAD Civil 3D and AutoCAD Plant 3D. The application itself manages the multi-user access. Since Meridian enforces strict single-user file access, using such applications with Meridian can be more complicated and problematic. Meridian supports these kind of applications with shared workspaces.
A shared workspace is a custom type of folder in a vault that Meridian manages in special ways:
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Instead of downloading to the local workspace folders on each user's computer for exclusive viewing and editing, the documents download to a shared network location for shared viewing and editing.
Note:The vault must be configured to use local workspaces as described in the Accruent Meridian Enterprise Administrator's Guide. The Accruent Filesystem Service (AMFS) is not compatible with shared workspaces. However, file filters that are defined in the AMFS configuration are also applied to shared workspace synchronization.
Important!If a document is locked in the shared folder but changed using PowerWeb (in a local workspace), the version in the shared folder is considered as the correct version and can overwrite the changes made using PowerWeb. For this reason, users should not attempt to circumvent the system and should use workflows to make all document changes to ensure proper synchronization.
- The shared workspace can be synchronized with the vault in the following ways:
- Manually with the Lock Documents and Sync Workspace and Sync Workspace commands in PowerUser.
- Automatically by the Meridian application links
- Periodically by a scheduled task that runs BCSharedFolderSync.exe described below.
You must have the Edit shared workspace settings privilege of the shared workspace folder type in order to configure shared workspaces.
To configure a folder to be a shared workspace:
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Create or edit the custom folder type as described in Create And Edit Folder Types, enable the Can be used as a shared workspace option, and save your changes.
Note:Shared workspace folder types can also be used with project definitions as described in Create a Project Definition.
- Create a folder in the vault using the modified folder type as described in the Accruent Meridian Enterprise User's Guide.
- Edit the options on the Folder tab of the new folder using the descriptions in the following table.
- Click OK to save your changes.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
|
Workspace location |
Click the folder browser button Note:
|
|
Synchronize automatically |
The contents of the shared workspace location can be manually synchronized with the associated vault folder by users with the Lock Documents and Sync Workspace (to folder) command and the Sync Workspace (to vault) command. This option allows the Meridian application links to automatically synchronize the contents of the shared workspace location with the associated vault folder:
To periodically force synchronization to occur, create a task in the Task Scheduler Control Panel applet to run BCSharedFolderSync.exe. The program is installed in the Meridian Program folder. The syntax of the executable is as follows. BCSharedFolderSync /Amfs="M-<MachineName>, D-<DatastoreName>" The account under which the task is run must have access to both the destination shared folder and the source vault folder. By default, the program creates a log file of all synchronization activity named BCSharedFolderSync.log. The file is located in the same folder as the executable. The location and other options of the log can be configured with registry settings described in the Accruent Meridian Enterprise Administrator's Guide. The settings must only be configured by the user account under which the program is run. |
|
Delete documents from workspace when released from workflow |
After documents are released from workflows and synchronized with the vault, the shared workspace copies are automatically deleted to prevent further changes to them outside of the vault. Deletion occurs:
Note:
Documents can be recopied to the shared folder when they are viewed by users or are referenced by other documents that are opened for editing. |
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Default document type for new documents |
Document type to assign to all new documents created in the vault as the result of shared workspace synchronization regardless of the default type assigned to the file extension in the vault configuration. |
and select an existing shared network folder to associate with the vault folder. Create a new folder, if necessary. All users that will work in the vault folder require access to the workspace location; read-only for viewing or read-write for editing.