1. Home
  2. Tekla Structures
  3. Share models and files
  4. Working collaboratively within a Tekla Structures model
  5. Multi-user mode
  6. Drawings in multi-user mode
  7. Delete unnecessary drawing files in multi-user mode

Delete unnecessary drawing files in multi-user mode

Tekla Structures
Modified: 10 Mar 2023
2024
Tekla Structures

Delete unnecessary drawing files in multi-user mode

Every time you update a drawing, Tekla Structures creates a new drawing (.dg) file in the drawings sub-folder of the model. After that, the previous drawing file is not used and might become unnecessary. To delete the unnecessary drawing files in multi-user mode, see the following instructions.

Note:

The drawing files that are not used are not always unnecessary. If you close the model without saving, or if Tekla Structures crashes and you cannot save the model, the drawing files that are not used can become necessary again. In these situations, you need the drawing files that were valid when you last saved the model and the drawing files that were valid when the last autosave was performed.

Having different versions of drawings allows you to revert to the previous versions of drawings. This is especially useful if two users have edited the same drawing.

Delete drawing files automatically in a multi-user model

In multi-user models, you can use the XS_DELETE_UNNECESSARY_DG_FILES and XS_DELETE_UNNECESSARY_DG_FILES_SAFETY_PERIOD advanced options to keep the number of drawing files reasonable.

The XS_DELETE_UNNECESSARY_DG_FILES advanced option defines if the unnecessary drawing files (.dg files) are automatically deleted or not. To automatically delete the drawing files that are no longer used, ensure that XS_DELETE_UNNECESSARY_DG_FILES is set to TRUE. The drawing files are deleted when the last user exits the model and saves the model.

The XS_DELETE_UNNECESSARY_DG_FILES_SAFETY_PERIOD advanced option defines how long the drawing files are kept before they are deleted. The default safety period is 7 days. This means that after 7 days, the drawing files that are not used are deleted when the XS_DELETE_UNNECESSARY_DG_FILES advanced option is set to TRUE. You can define a different safety period according to your needs.

The XS_DELETE_UNNECESSARY_DG_FILES and XS_DELETE_UNNECESSARY_DG_FILES_SAFETY_PERIOD advanced options work also in the models that are shared with Tekla Model Sharing.

Delete unnecessary drawing files manually in a multi-user model

The Remove unnecessary drawing files command deletes all drawing files that do not have a corresponding drawing in the current version of the model, regardless of the safety period. Note that also the drawing files that have a corresponding version in the last saved or autosaved version of the model are deleted, if there is no corresponding drawing in the current version of the model.

We recommend that you use the Remove unnecessary drawing files command when you want to archive the model or give the model to another user.

Note:

To avoid deleting drawing files that are still needed, we recommend that you only use the Remove unnecessary drawing files command if you are an experienced Tekla Structures user.

Before you use the Remove unnecessary drawing files command, ensure that:

  • You are the only user that has the multi-user model open.

  • You have full privileges in the multi-user model. If you do not have full privileges in the model, you cannot delete the unnecessary drawing files manually.

To delete the unnecessary drawing files manually:

  1. Save the model.

    Saving the model ensures that any drawings that are still needed are not accidentally deleted.

  2. Convert the model to a single-user model.

  3. Search for the Remove unnecessary drawing files command in Quick Launch.

  4. When Tekla Structures finds the command, select it and press Enter.

    Tekla Structures deletes all drawings that do not have a corresponding drawing in the current version of the model.

  5. Convert the model back to a multi-user model.

Was this helpful?
Previous
Next