Start Processing

Process Now

Process the drawings immediately

1. Click the OK button.

   A Process Status form is displayed showing the user the current process. This form allows the user to stop the process by pressing the Cancel button.

   Note: If the Cancel button is pressed processing will be interrupted and stop after the current transaction has been completed.

   Once all processes have been completed the Browse form appears highlighting the last drawing created which also appears in the main view of Draft.

2. The user can then view each sheet by clicking on it in the browser list or by using the keyboard up and down arrow keys

   A logfile is created for each process run that gives information about areas and templates used, date and time of the process, and any run time warnings or errors. The location of the logfile is specified in the Defaults form.

Batch Process

3. If you tick the Batch Process check box and then press the OK button, a Write a Batch Macro form appears allowing you to specify the directory for the files to be located.

   

   The default file location for batch processing is %PDMSABABATCH% (as defined in the defaults and is settable using the option Settings>Area Based ADP Defaults).

4. Use the Browse button to navigate to all other directories.

   The form below gives details about the files to be created.

5. To continue with the process click the Write Batch File button.

   

   Once complete, a form informing the user where the logfile has been written will appear. The files created by the batch process are:

   • Name.bat - this file, when run from a DOS shell or by double-clicking in Explorer, starts up a non-graphical session of the base product and performs the drawing creation process. However, in normal circumstances the batch file is scheduled to run at a later time.

   • Name.mac - this macro is used by the above batch file to enter Draft and perform the processing task.

Scheduling Batch Processing

Use any scheduling software package. In Windows the utility is called Scheduled Tasks and can be accessed from the Windows Control Panel.

6. Open your choice of scheduler and locate the batch file to process.

7. Set up the required date and time in your scheduler.