SI Explorer Setup Menu - Working Directories

This command can be executed from the SI Explorer's Setup menu.

 

Opens the Working DirectoriesA designated location on your systems hard drive or network drive where the Jobs, Masters, and Templates are stored window to setup and manage your Working Directories by adding, removing, and selecting the default.  Working Directories are one of the essential components of SpecsIntact since this is where the Jobs and Masters are stored.  Here you can setup a single Working Directory or define multiple Working Directories. Each Working Directory has its own structure to include Jobs, Masters, Templates,A Template is an outline that provides examples of how text should be entered in SpecsIntact format when creating a new Section and a folder for Downloads.

 

When installing SpecsIntact for the first time, SpecsIntact will provide the option to use the default Working Directory path on your local drive

(C:\ Users\YourUserID\Documents\SpecsIntactWD), or you can choose to connect a Working Directory on your network drive instead.

 

For new installations or to learn more about setting up one or more Working Directories, refer to the Installation Guide on the SpecsIntact Website's Support & Help Center page. 

 

The checked Working Directories show the Jobs and Masters in the SI Explorer.  Removing a check will prevent the contents of the Working Directory from being displayed, but will be available for future use.

 

For optimal organization, create a dedicated Working Directory specifically for Masters. This centralized location prevents you from having multiple copies of the same Master in other project-related folders. 

Add

Use this feature to browse your system or network to select existing folders or create new ones to use as additional Working Directories. 

 

Avoid connecting or setting up a Working Directory in OneDrive. Microsoft OneDrive does not provide data integrity for remotely sharing SpecsIntact projects and has been known to cause issues connecting and accessing Masters and in more severe cases result in corrupt Sections.

Remove

This function allows you to remove a selected Working Directory from the list. Removing a Working Directory here only removes it from this list. Once you are absolutely certain you no longer need a particular Working Directory you can manually delete it using Windows File ExplorerThe Windows Explorer is Microsoft Windows file manager application that is included in the operating system. It provides a graphical interface and allows users to manage files, folders, and network connections, as well as search for files and related components.

Set As Default

Allows you to select which Working Directory you want to use as your default for any new Jobs or Local MasterA Master that is specific to a District, Region, or AE Firm that contains unique Sections that cannot be found in the Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS) Master you create.  a default folder must be selected, but you can specify a different Working Directory when creating a new Job or Local Master.  Any Working Directories that have a check beside them in this window are connected and will be available on the General tab of a New Job or New Master dialog boxes.

Rules

• Avoid creating Working Directories in the same location where SpecsIntact is installed or directly on the Root Drive, for instance, C:\ or S:\.  This will not only cause problems with your Working Directories but with the Masters as well.
• Avoid placing Working Directories within OneDrvie. Depending on your OneDrive configuration, issues can occur with connecting and accessing Masters and in more severe cases result in corrupt Sections.
• Avoid using special characters, other than a hyphen or underscore in the path name, as this will cause unexpected results.
• Keep the Working Directories simple to avoid long and confusing paths. Aim for no more than four levels deep and a total path length under 200 characters.
• Do not use Universal Naming Convention (UNC) Paths, SpecsIntact does not fully support UNC paths since they can result in intermittent issues while performing various tasks.
• Do not use Jobs or Masters in the path name, since these are folder names that are already in use by the software.

Using this Feature

How to Setup a Working Directory:

1. In the SpecsIntact Explorer, select the Setup menu and choose Working Directories
2. In the Working Directories window, select the Add button
3. In the Select Folder window, browse to the destination folder
4. With the folder highlighted, select the Select Folder button
5. If you have multiple Working Directories setup, make sure to select Set as default
6. Select OK

Additional Learning Tools

Watch the Connect Working Directory and UFGS Master eLearning module within Chapter 1 - Getting Started.

 

Technical Support Information

Users are encouraged to visit the SpecsIntact Website's Support & Help Center for access to all of our User Tools, including eLearning (video tutorials), printable Guides, a Knowledge Base containing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), Technical Notes and Release Notes, and Web-Based Help.

CONTACT US:
		256.895.5505
		SpecsIntact@usace.army.mil
		SpecsIntact.wbdg.org