Moving Civil 3D projects to the cloud is only part of the equation. The bigger opportunity is creating a consistent project environment where teams can start with the right folder structures, permissions, support files and CAD standards already in place.
In our recent webcast, Beyond Migration: Extending Civil 3D Workflows with Autodesk Forma, IMAGINiT Infrastructure Specialist Leo Lavayen explored how Autodesk Forma can help Civil 3D and AutoCAD teams extend their workflows beyond basic file sharing and collaboration.
Here are some key takeaways from the session.
Start Projects with a Consistent Foundation
Rather than rebuilding the same project structure each time, teams can create project templates in Autodesk Forma that establish a repeatable starting point.
Templates can include predefined folder structures, project members and role-based permissions. Organizations can also create different templates for specific project types or disciplines and publish them for others within the hub to use.
This provides a more standardized way to launch projects without recreating the same structure and permissions each time.
Bring AutoCAD Support Files into the Cloud Workflow
Teams can now incorporate AutoCAD support files and support file search paths into a Forma project, including:
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Drawing templates
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Fonts
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Hatch patterns and linetypes
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Plot styles and sheet sets
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AutoLISP files
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Custom user interface files and palettes
Once configured, Forma creates an Autodesk support folder within the project, allowing drawings to become project aware and connect with the support files and configuration associated with that project.
For organizations moving more of their Civil 3D workflows to the cloud, this provides another way to carry established CAD standards into the project environment.
Understand Project-Aware Drawings in AutoCAD
When users open a project-aware drawing, additional project settings become available within AutoCAD. These project-level settings take precedence over local user settings and traditional AutoCAD support paths.
If the same support file exists in multiple locations, AutoCAD will use the project-level version first. This can help teams maintain consistency, while making it important to keep project support files current and properly managed.
By establishing these configurations at the Forma project template level, organizations can carry them into new projects and provide users with a consistent starting environment.
Keep Desktop Connector and Software Versions Aligned
Cloud collaboration still depends on the connection between Forma and the desktop environment.
During the session, Leo emphasized keeping teams aligned on their AutoCAD and Autodesk Desktop Connector versions. Desktop Connector provides the synchronization between cloud-hosted project information and the files users access through their desktop applications.
While files can be manually uploaded and viewed in Forma, Desktop Connector remains an important part of the workflow for teams actively working with those files.
Know the Limitations Before You Standardize
Before moving corporate CAD standards or large collections of support files into Forma project templates, teams should understand considerations around file counts, file-name lengths, version limits and supported file types.
Another important consideration is that project awareness can travel with a drawing. If a drawing is copied from one project to another, it may retain support paths from the original project, requiring those directories to be manually removed or repathed.
Leo recommended testing the workflow before rolling it out broadly to determine which corporate standards and resources make the most sense to manage at the project level.
Moving Beyond Cloud File Storage
Autodesk Forma gives Civil 3D and AutoCAD teams an opportunity to think beyond simply moving project files to the cloud.
With project templates, role-based permissions, support files and project-aware AutoCAD configuration, organizations can create more standardized cloud-based project environments from the start.
Want to see the workflow in action? Watch the on-demand webcast, Beyond Migration: Extending Civil 3D Workflows with Autodesk Forma, to see Leo walk through project templates, support files and project-aware AutoCAD configuration.
