File sharing in a two man environment

[finisher]

I know this has been discussed at some length but I'll ask anyway. How feasible/risky will it be for two designers to work side by side on fairly complex assemblies without benefit of any kind of vaulting or database manager (via sneaker net or a high speed, private LAN)? I just started as the second designer.

Thanks in advance for your input.

finisher SW2007

 

[ctopher]

The risk is writing over the other designer's file and he/she losing all data. Or, having two separate file of the same part and not knowing which is the latest.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 1.1
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you use the Tools > Options > System Options > Collaboration > Enable multi-user environment function and take care, you should be OK.

Some users here have operated with multi-users and without a PDM system for years with few problems.

Creating a Skeleton Layout (using planes and sketches) in the top level assy, and using clearly defined sub-assys which can be worked on separately, will be of tremendous help.

 

[AnnaWood]

Not a problem at all with experience and if you are communicating with each other well.

We do it all the time and we have more then two designers working on the same project. There are companies out there that have many more then two, three or four people working on projects.

Good communication and a consistent way of doing things will solve most of the potential issues.

Cheers,

Anna Wood
SW2008 SP2.0ev, Windows Vista
IBM ThinkPad T61p, T7800, FX570M, 4 gigs of RAM

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/solidmuse

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[AnnaWood]

By the way your files should be on some kind of network share with a good regular, backup plan. Everything on one user's C drive is inviting disaster, even in a one man design team.

There are all kinds of network attached storage devices and good USB backup drives for even a small shop to have a decent network for file storage and good backup.

Cheers,

Anna Wood
SW2008 SP2.0ev, Windows Vista
IBM ThinkPad T61p, T7800, FX570M, 4 gigs of RAM

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/solidmuse

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[TheTick]

Use Windows protection settings and ownership to protect files and folders.

Set your options under "External References" to open referenced files read-only. Use "File-->Reload" to gain write access to files on an as-needed basis.

 

[finisher]

Thanks all for your excellent feedback. It's good to learn that PDMWorks isn't "mandatory".

finisher