Search method of Background ArchiCAD for Library Parts during PlotMaker Update of drawings

Written by László Nagy

Sometimes when placed drawings are updated in PlotMaker 3/3.1, the following alert appears:

This means that PlotMaker started the background ArchiCAD application, which updated placed drawings. However, the Background ArchiCAD application could not find all Library Parts because they were not in the locations specified in the ArchiCAD Project File. Here is how Background ArchiCAD searches for Libraries:

First it checks whether all Library paths specified in the Project File are valid (meaning the named Library can be found at the path given). If at least one of them is, then it will load Libraries with valid paths. Library Parts in these Libraries will be updated and will be correctly displayed in PlotMaker after the update process is finished. All other Library Parts in not found Libraries will be missing in PlotMaker after the update. If there are no valid paths in the Projects File (which would result all Library Parts missing from the PlotMaker Layout), background ArchiCAD tries to find all these Libraries in other places and goes to step 2.
In this step Background ArchiCAD checks if it can find all specified Libraries in the same folder where the Project File from which to update the placed drawing is located. If ALL referenced Libraries are found here, then all Library Parts within them will be found and generated during the update. If at least ONE Library is not found in this same folder, Background ArchiCAD goes to the last step to try to locate the Libraries.
In this last step Background ArchiCAD checks if it can find all specified Libraries in the same folder where the ArchiCAD program file is located. If ALL referenced Libraries are found there, then all Library Parts within them will be found and generated during the update and will be seen in PlotMaker. If at least ONE Library is not found in that same folder, no Library Parts will be there in PlotMaker after the update, and the message above will appear.

Of course, if a Library Part is not found in a Library, although the Library itself is found, the Library Part won't be able to be updated and so will not appear on the placed drawing on the PlotMaker Layout.

Example: The ArchiCAD Project has three libraries loaded: These are:
'C:\1.LIB'; 'C:\2.LIB' and 'C:\3.LIB'.

Case 1: The first two libraries are found by Background ArchiCAD, the last one is not. Library Parts in the first two libraries are updated, those in the last will not be generated, and the error message is displayed.
Case 2: None of the 3 libraries are found at the above locations, but they are all found in the same folder where the Project File is located. Result: all Library Parts in all libraries are regenerated and updated in PlotMaker.
Case 3: None of the 3 libraries are found at the above locations. One of them is found in the same folder where the Project File is located, the other two are not. Result: no Library Parts will be seen in PlotMaker after the update, and the error message is displayed.
Case 4: None of the 3 libraries are found at the above locations, neither are they found in the same folder where the Project File is located. However, they are all found in the same folder where the ArchiCAD program file is located. Result: all Library Parts in all libraries are regenerated and updated in PlotMaker.
Case 5: None of the 3 libraries are found at the above locations, neither are they found in the same folder where the Project File is located. Two of them are found in the same folder where the ArchiCAD program file is located, but one is not. Result: no Library Parts will be seen in PlotMaker after the update, and the error message is displayed.

Page last updated: Thursday, June 10, 2004