Superseded by this.
When we put a project away we're thinking about two things.
1. Being able to access the project in the future. This means printing the drawings as they were issued, as well as opening the project file and using it. It also means having a neat organization so that the project folder can be understood.
2. Extracting useful work for other projects, specifically details.
Sign out if using Teamwork.
Send and Receive Changes. Save as PLN (Archicad Solo Project). Sign Out. Open the PLN.
Clean up the project.
Get rid of duplicate linework in section windows. If there's a perspective drawing, delete it. Make a module of it if you wish. These moves greatly reduce the file size.
Place wall sections at Modules : Wall Sections : Somebody.
Place details at Modules : Details : [Type].
Place any new assemblies at Modules : Assembly Types.
Save all modules with the project code.
Save the project as an archive.
Save As. Format: Archicad Archive Project. Click 'Options'. All boxes should be checked except 'All parts of loaded libraries'. Save at the top of the project folder.
An archive project (PLA) contains all the library parts used in the project. Optionally, you can include all parts of the loaded libraries, whether they are used in the project or not. But this increases the file size by about 130MB. The sacrifice we make is that some objects do not get included even though they are used. These are macros called as variables. Long story.
For this reason, copy the 'Macros RND' folder from the Rill & Decker LIB to the project folder.
Dispose of the project library.
Strip the useful things from the project library and place them in the appropriate locations in the Rill & Decker LIB. Please consult me when doing this. Very few objects will make the cut. I'm thinking of things like brackets, where even if they're not parametric, they might be useful to toss in a project down the road.
Move the project library folder to 2 Libraries : Other LIBs : Past Projects. Remember that the PLA contains all the library parts.
Organize the project folder.
Think of someone opening the folder in five years. Would they be able to find their way around? It should be obvious where to find:
The PLA file. (Top of project folder.)
The Macros folder. (Top of project folder.)
The most recent set of plots, and the permit set plots, and the construction set plots. (04 Plot Archive. The names and dates should be stupefyingly obvious. Use the date format YYYY-MM-DD.)
The most recent VR Objects and other rendering stuff.
If you've been organized all along, there's no problem. If not, get started. Sort the stuff out now, while you still recognize all the code words.
Stuff to throw away: BPNs. Inconsequential check plots. Ugly VROs. Teamwork backups, except the most recent one. (10 Teamwork Files : Somebody.Backups.) Giant scanned things. Duplicates.
I'm all for saving stuff, but if you save too much you can't tell what's important. Of course, if there's any doubt, save it.
Copy this document.
Select all the text and copy it to a text file. Save the text as 'Archive Notes.txt'. This will help the people in five years.
Move the project folder.
Actually, tell me to move it. It's cleaner, and we can make sure the project is squared away.