Sharing a Project FileSharing a Project FileAny user can convert an existing Vectorworks file into a shared project file. When you set up a shared project, you are automatically added as a user with the Administrative permission level.
There are four sequential pages in the sharing setup; click the Finish button at any time to accept the default settings and finish the setup.
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To share a project file:
Save a copy of the Vectorworks file to be shared in a network location where other users can access it, and then open the file. Cloud storage, such as Dropbox™, is not supported.
Select File > Project Sharing.
The Project Sharing Setup dialog box opens.
On the Share Document pane, select whether to automatically open a working file after the setup is complete. Click Next to continue.
On the Administer Users pane, your user name (the name you use to log into your computer) automatically displays as the file administrator. Click Add or Import to add users to the project, as described in Users Tab. See Permission Level Descriptions for details about permissions. Click Next to continue.
Alternatively, simply set the Default permission for new users and do not enter any users at this time. Any user who creates a working file from the project file is automatically added to the user list with the default permission.
On the Classify Layers pane, click the Master Layer (
) column for layers that should only be modified by users with the Administrative or Project permission level. Click Next to continue.
On the Set Backup Policy pane, specify how to back up the file, as described in Backup Tab. Click Finish to convert the .vwx file into a .vwxp, or project file.
If you selected the option to open a working file, the New Working Document dialog box opens. Select the layers to check out for this working file, as described in Creating and Editing a Working File.
The Vectorworks file is converted into a project file with the same name, but with the .vwxp extension. Once created, the project file cannot be edited directly. Anyone who opens the .vwxp file is automatically prompted to create a working file. From a working file, any user with Administrative permission can edit the project settings; see The Project Sharing Dialog Box.
If you want to experiment with a different variation of a project file, save a copy of it. This creates a project with all of the same settings, but the history database is cleared.
To create a copy of a shared project, open a working file. Select File > Save A Copy As, and then select the Vectorworks Project Files (.vwxp) file type. It is not recommended to copy project files using Windows Explorer or Macintosh Finder.
When work on a shared project file is complete, the project manager can prevent further changes by changing the permission level of all users to Read Only, and also setting the default permission for new users to Read Only.
To create a regular (non-shared) Vectorworks file from a shared project, open a working file. Select File > Save A Copy As, and then select the Vectorworks Drawings (.vwx) file type.
