Opening Job Files

The Open command opens previously saved AGi32 job files (*.AGI). The Open command will find AGi32 files anywhere on your computer network. Three Tabs are available for convenient file selection.

 

AGi32 Backward and Forward File Compatibility

 

Existing Tab

• The Existing Tab presents file and folder information allowing the user to simply navigate to the appropriate folder. The default file type is AGi32 Job Files (*.AGI).
• You can also manually type in the path and filename into the File Name selection box.
• Files may be managed in this tab (copied, renamed, deleted) by right clicking on them and choosing the desired option from the secondary menu. Each column may be sorted in ascending or descending order by clicking in the column header.
• The initial (default) folder location is determined by Job Files location specified in the System Settings-File System tab. If the folder location has changed, the selected folder will become the default location for the current AGi32 session (i.e. the selected folder will be shown the next time you enter this dialog). The default folder location will be used once AGi32 is closed and restarted.

Recent Tab

• The Recent Tab displays files opened and saved in AGi32, regardless of saved path. File information such as file size, version and user notes are displayed for AGI files, as well as the last saved Model and Render views. You may also search for files by filename, description or file information using the Search For text box in this tab.
• The Recent tab does not display the first time AGi32 is opened after installation, it only appears after files have been saved the first time.
• Recent files are stored in a user database defined by the users Windows log-in user name. Each user that logs into the computer will have unique list of recent files.
• Each column may be sorted in ascending or descending order by clicking in the column header.
• In addition to sorting, you can also search through Recent files list for a specific text string. Enter the desired term in the Search For text box and click the Find button (or press the Enter key). The program will search all Recent files and display any files that have the specified text in their filename, description, and/or information (e.g. entering ‘Football’ as your search string will search for the word ‘football’ somewhere in the filename, description and/or information). All search strings are automatically saved and available from the Search For pull-down menu. You can delete a search string by simply selecting the string and clicking the Delete button.

Templates Tab

• The Templates Tab allows you to open AGi32 job files that have been previously saved as file templates for consistent initialization of projects using predefined data.
• Similar to Recent files, all job file templates are tracked and displayed in the Templates tab.
• Selecting the template ‘<Blank AGi32 Job File >’ has the same affect as the command File-New.
• By default, Template Files are sorted by date with the most recent listed first. You can sort by any column by simply clicking on the column heading. Clicking the same column heading will toggle between ascending and descending sort order.
• In addition to sorting, you can also search through Template Files list for a specific text string. Enter the desired term in the Search For text box and click the Find button (or press the Enter key). The program will search all Template Files and display any files that have the specified text in their filename, description, and/or information (e.g. entering ‘Football’ as your search string will search for the word ‘football’ somewhere in the filename, description and/or information). All search strings are automatically saved and available from the Search String pull-down menu. You can delete a search string by simply selecting the string and clicking the Delete button.
• Once a Template File is selected, a copy of the template file will be loaded and opened with no filename specified. By default, when saving, the file will saved as a normal job file (you will be asked for a filename), unless you save the file as a template (File-Save As Template).

Opening AGi32 (*.AGI) files

When opening a previously saved AGi32 file, AGi32 creates a working copy of that file. The working file is subsequently named using the job file name and a timer setting used by AGi32. AGi32 then accesses and updates the working file rather than your original as you work. The original job file is changed when you execute the Save command.

This system provides a useful recovery scheme as your work is always current to the last command as well as to the last save in addition to a backup file. See the System Crash Job File Procedure for more information.

Before AGi32 opens the selected file, it verifies that all luminaire symbol files, luminaire arrangement files, photometric files and luminaire image files (from the Instabase) are available as defined. Luminaire symbol files and luminaire arrangement files that are unique to the selected job file, will be copied to your associated AGi32 folders locally.

If the photometric data in the luminaire definitions do not exist in the specified paths, or are not found in the Instabase, AGi32 will copy the photometric files located within the job file database to the PhotometricData_FilesFromJobFiles subfolder specified in the System Settings-File System folder location. All photometric files that are not found are automatically placed in the same folder. Existing photometric data found in this location will be overwritten with matching photometric data.

Photometric Data

When opening an existing job file, if the photometric data specified in the luminaire definitions does not exist in the specified paths, or is not found in the Instabase, AGi32 will copy the photometric files located within the job file database to the PhotometricData_FilesFromJobFile folder specified in the Tools-System Settings-File System command. All photometric files that are not found are automatically placed in this folder. Existing photometric data with identical names found in this location will be overwritten with matching photometric data.

Opening files already in use

Each time an AGi32 file is opened through the Existing or Recent Tabs, the file is ‘tagged’ to prevent another user from accidentally opening the same file at the same time and overwriting one anothers modifications. If you attempt to open a file that is already open, you will be presented with a dialog showing three options:

• Create a copy of the file and open – Creates a copy of the file (naming convention is <filename>-Copy-<Time>.agi) and opens the copy.
• Select a different file – Returns you to the Open File dialog where you can select a different file.
• Open file – Opens selected file regardless if the file is already opened. Take care to use this option with caution! Changes made to a file that is already opened by another user may not be retained when the file is saved (your changes to the file may be overwritten by another user or vice versa). There may be times when this option can be used without issue: (1) If you already have the file open and decided to open a fresh copy of the file without saving any changes. (2)The file was not properly closed (e.g. AGi32 closed abnormally). This leaves the file ‘tagged’ as being already open when in fact it is not.