Have we done this before?

[trainguy]

All,

I am wondering how the rest of you access and/or re-use your wealth of previous work, whether it be contained in solid models, AutoCAD files, MS Office documents, hard copy prints, etc. I am referring to drawings, calculations, useful spreadsheets, reports,etc.

Do you have an electronic method (like desktop search tools), or do you keep a register of previous work, with keywords, etc.

As I continue to progress through the senior engineering phase(emphasis on SENIOR), I can't recall stuff the way I used to.

Any other ideas are welcome.

tg

 

[MiketheEngineer]

All the time!!

I actually use an Access database to track drawings w/customer names, addresses, dates, description, etc.

I keep folders with titles like:
Memos, Alerts, Safety Issues, Recalls, Typical drawings, etc., etc.

It does lead to some double entries - but I have like 4 gabillion byte hard drives available and backup servers.

 

[IDS]

When I develop something new I post it on my blog, and let the Internet index it for me.

The desktop search programs are quite useful too, but posting my work in public forces me to document it better than I would have otherwise done.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[FrancisL]

Google Desktop generally finds relevant documents and emails given a suitable search term, and it is fast. Tap Ctrl twice and it comes up. I use it all the time.

Francis

http://www.controldraw.co.uk

http://www.s88control.blogspot.com

 

[Denial]

I use Copernic Desktop Search, which I believe is similar to Google Desktop (which I have never tried). Couldn't live without it.

I use the free version at home, but at work I use the paid "Pro" version because it allows the indexing of networked drives.

 

[trainguy]

Thanks for the responses all.

Can any of these tools find text contained in an AutoCAD drawing?

tg

 

[MikeHalloran]

In Windows, I use Agent Ransack, which can be told to look inside files or not.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[FrancisL]

A quick check and yes Google Desktop did find strings in DWG files.

Francis

http://www.controldraw.co.uk

http://www.s88control.blogspot.com