Sending layouts and other files using Allplan Exchange

As part of online layout distribution using Allplan Exchange, you can export layouts in different data formats from Allplan and upload them to the Allplan Exchange web platform, where the project partners authorized by you can then download these layouts.

While the data is uploaded, the contacts specified get a note including a link to the download area and a list of the layouts and files that are available.

Important!
To do this, you need to register at Allplan Exchange. Users that are not registered cannot access the Allplan Exchange Web web platform. Consequently, they cannot use this tool. In this case, the data can only be saved locally.

Selecting layouts for distribution

You can select the layouts for distribution using the layout structure, which is familiar to you from other modules (see "Specifying layouts and files for the current package"). If you have created a project-specific layout structure for the project, the layouts can also be displayed in this structure.

First the selected layouts are added to the distribution lists of all the contacts specified in the current contact list. You can then define custom layout filters to control the scope of the individual packages for each contact (see "Setting a layout filter for contacts").

Local file storage

A separate package is saved locally for each export operation. You can specify the path and folder for the local file storage. In addition, you can define data formats and layout filters as you would for any other contact.

Defining contacts, saving and loading the contact list

Select the contacts who are to receive a package in the contact list, which you can maintain using the Allplan Exchange Web web platform (see "Specifying the contacts to whom the current package is to be sent"). There you can add new contacts, update existing ones and assign contacts to specific projects thus creating project partners.

You can save a contact list defined in Allplan as a favorite file. All the settings you have selected for the individual contacts are also saved in the favorite file. You can then retrieve the list whenever required. The settings for the individual contacts are retained. In other words, when you retrieve the contact list from the favorite file, the program restores the settings that were current at the time of saving.

Specifying data formats for contacts

You can export and send layouts in a variety of data formats: In addition to the regular Allplan format (project data compressed to a zip file), you can also use the PDF, NID, DGN, DWG and DXF formats as well as a number of bitmap formats. You can specify several data formats for each contact within a package.

The first time you add a contact to a contact list, the data formats you defined in the default settings are selected automatically (see "Defining the default setting for data formats to be used for new contacts"). However, when it comes to sending the current package, you can adjust the data formats separately for each contact.

This setting is saved in a project-specific and user-specific manner for each contact added to the contact list of a project. In other words, when a user removes a contact from the contact list and then adds this contact again, the contact is automatically given the same setting that the user had initially selected for this contact.

Here, too, you can save the individual combinations of data formats in favorite files. This way, you do not need to define the formats for each contact or package from scratch each time.

Setting a layout filter for contacts

Initially, the layouts selected in the layout structure are assigned to all contacts. You can then define custom layout filters to control the scope of the individual packages for each contact (see "Setting a layout filter for contacts").

Here, too, you can save time by predefining a number of filter conditions and saving them in favorite files.

Distribution note

A distribution note in the form of an email is sent with each package (except local file storage). This note informs the persons who receive the package of the new layouts and files.

In addition to the head, salutation, main text, contact-specific message and complimentary close, the distribution note provides the following information: file name, file date and file size of each file sent.

When it comes to sending the package, you can define the contents of the distribution note using the template in the Settings dialog box (see "Defining the template for the distribution note"). The distribution note sent with a package is the same for all contacts, which means that each note contains the same salutation, main text and complimentary close. Immediately prior to sending, however, you can adjust the messages defined in the template individually for each contact.

So that you can use different distribution notes for the individual packages and projects without having to define the corresponding templates from scratch each time, you can also save the templates for distribution notes in favorite files and retrieve them later when needed.

Messages in distribution notes

The template currently defined in the Settings dialog box is always used for the distribution note that is sent together with a package. You can only adjust the messages for the individual contacts in the contact list.

Tip: You have to use the Settings dialog box if you want to change the actual contents of the distribution note (see "Distribution note").

Adding custom files to distribution lists(n) of one or all contacts

In addition to Allplan layouts, you can add custom files, such as Word documents and schedules, to the packages.

A file can be assigned to an individual contact or to all the contacts of the current contact list (see "Adding custom files").

Checking data prior to sending or uploading

Before sending or uploading the data, you can check the packages for the individual contacts: By means of an option, you can specify whether the data is to be sent immediately after the export files have been set up or at a later time. If you select the latter, you can check each layout after setup to see whether the name of the export file is correct or whether it is sent to the appropriate contacts.

Sending or uploading a package

The template currently defined in the Settings dialog box is always used for the distribution note that is sent together with a package.

For documentation, each file of a package gets a time stamp giving the date and time the file was added to the package.

Note: The necessary steps for sending layouts using Allplan Exchange are described in "Sending layouts and other files using Allplan Exchange (how to)".