Note: Plot Manager functionality is only available with the Full Version of the mineCAD software.
The Plot Manager is used to ensure the integrity of project plots is maintained when multiple users are accessing a project - it employs a Check-In / Check-Out system to ensure that two users cannot work on the same project file at one time. This prevents the loss of data when users copy modified project files back to the central file server.
To open the Plot Manager, the user must first select the Plot Manager vertical tab on the left of the design window. The Treeview area of the design window will then show the following:
The user can also connect to the Plot Manager with the menu pathway of File | Connect to Plot Manager.
The first time that the Plot Manager is opened, right-clicking in this treeview area will open the Browse for Folder dialog. The user may then specify a file folder for mineCAD Plots on a network server, providing easy access for all mineCAD users.
NOTE: It is not currently possible to re-define the plot folder location - care should be exercised during the folder selection.
Once a folder location has been nominated the user should click OK.
The Mine2-4D Logon window will be opened and the correct password must be provided. To use the mineCAD Plot Manager, the user who is currently logged into mineCAD must also be logged into Mine2-4D.
The first time the Plot Manager is used the system will question whether the tree structure from the Mine2-4D Design Manager should be copied into the mineCAD Plot Manager.
If the user is unsure of the tree structure in the Design Manager, it is recommended that the No button be selected - for the reason that it is simpler to create a tree structure manually than to edit an incorrect or outdated one.
The tree view is constructed manually using the following pop-up menu options. Note: The Plot Manager tree view operates on a similar basis to that of the Layer Control system. Right-clicking on entries in the tree will open a pop-up menu.
Project Folders can be added using the Add Folder option. The user is prompted to enter a name for the new folder. As multiple users are likely to be accessing the Plot Manager, this name should be recognizable as being related to a particular Project Name.
Plots can then be added to a selected folder in the treeview with the Add Plot option.
The user is required to specify whether the new plot should be created from the current project file.
Once plots exist within the Plot Manager tree, it is possible for the user to elect to display only the plots that are checked out under the logged on user name. Right-clicking on the Plot Manager header in the tree will open the pop-up menu containing this option.
Once this option has been toggled on, the Plot Manager that is shown above will be reduced to the following:
If a user is having trouble locating a plot in the tree structure, the user should always check that this option is not active and that they are actually viewing the entire contents of the tree. When toggled on, this option appears in the pop-up menu as shown:
Once a plot object has been created in the tree, right-clicking on it will produce the following pop-up menu. This is the menu that is used to perform plot management. It is the location of the Check-Out, Check-In and their related functions, and allows the user to View, Archive or Delete a plot. The history of a plot - i.e. who checked the plot out, and the time and date it was checked out etc - can also be displayed with the Show History option.
Once a plot has been Checked Out by a user, the plot will be displayed as follows in the Plot Manager tree - in this example the user name is ADMIN.
This system allows all users to easily see the users who have plots checked out, and which plots they are.
When a plot has been Checked Out by a user, the Check In, Undo Check Out and Retrieve options of the menu will become available for selection.
When the necessary work has been completed on a Checked Out plot, it must then be Checked In. Checking In a plot will save any changes made to the plot file back to the central server. It will also allow other users access to the plot file.
The user will be prompted to confirm they wish to 'Check In selected plot?'. Selecting Yes will open a Comments window - a comment on the work performed on the plot file MUST be entered in this dialog to allow the file to be Checked In.
If it is not desired that changes be saved to the server, the Undo Check Out function can be used. All changes made will be lost with the use of this function - the file is effectively Checked In without modification.
If unwanted changes have been made to the local copy of the plot file, it is possible to retrieve the server copy of the plot (the copy that was originally checked out) with the Retrieve function. The user must confirm that they wish to 'Retrieve plot and lose local changes?' before the local copy will be replaced.
If the user has elected to copy the Plot Manager tree structure from the Design Manager, and at some time wishes to revise this decision, it is necessary to go to the users database and delete the records contained in the PlotManager_TreeStructure file.
The location of the users database (Mine2-4D User List) is defined in the Tools | Options menu - Opening / Saving tab. (Note: This tab also contains a toggle option to Automatically connect to Plot Manager on startup.)
The user is required to visit this file location, and open the M4DUserList.m1d using Microsoft Access. The entries in the PlotManager_TreeStructure must be deleted to reset the Plot Manager tree view. The next time the Plot Manager is connected, the user will once again be asked if they wish to copy the structure from the design manager.