As you can see, multiple file types and programs are supported.  More will be added as needed.  If you are a potential customer and would like support for an additional program and file type, please email [email protected].

Each folder that you add to the upload list, must contain at least one file type that will be uploaded.  The folder can contain multiple file types if necessary.  All subfolders will be included in the upload unless the folder is named "oldversions."  If you select a file type for the folder and the appropriate program cannot be found on the same computer (or an appropriate license isn't available) then those files will be skipped during the upload.

AutoCAD files contain an additional step.  If you are familiar with AutoCAD you will understand that you can print different layouts and/or model space.  Therefore, the uploader application will ask you to specify what you would like to use to create the uploaded item.  This can be separately configured for each folder such that if the settings are different for different files then simply separate the files into different folders.

Once the folders are configured, you must select when the uploads should occur.  There are three options:

1.  Watch the folders and anytime a change occurs to the files, automatically upload the change.  This is not recommended if you are using a computer that is also being used to perform other tasks.

2.  Uploads should occur on a regular schedule.  For example every hour or every 4 hours.

3.  Manually tell the application when uploads should occur.  Once the application is running, you simple navigate to the menu and select "Start" anytime you want an upload to occur.

So what does the uploader do exactly?

First, it looks at all of the files in your configured upload folders and determines which have changed since the last upload.  If the file has changed, it creates a temporary PDF using the appropriate program for that file type and uploads the PDF along with file to Flatter Files.  It also looks for any property data associated with the file and uploads it as well.  If the CAD package is a 3D modeling package (Inventor, SolidWorks) then it also uploads the associated assembly data and appropriate model files.

The result of the uploader application is that thousands of drawing and documents can be uploaded automatically and they can be kept completely up to date with nearly zero effort once properly configured.

What does the uploader not do?

The uploader does not modify your drawings or documents on your computer in any way.  This means that if you delete an item from Flatter Files using the web application, the uploader does NOT also delete it from your computer.

Flatter Files now supports documents.  Documents can be specifications, procedures, reports, manuals, presentations or any other type of document that you would like to store on Flatter Files.

Once a document has been uploaded, it can be attached to a drawing or a drawing can be attached to a document.  Documents function in exactly the same manner as a drawing.  Just like with a drawing, documents are checked in and out, revisions are saved, and documents can be placed into Assemblies.

As you can see in the image below.  A new category called Documents has been added to the Library.  The document library is searchable in the same manner as the drawing library.

Documents can be uploaded both manually or automatically.  Either way, you simply select to upload documents instead of drawings.  As with drawings, if you manually upload documents then only PDF files can be uploaded.  If using the Flatter Files Uploader then both Word and PowerPoint documents can be uploaded along with any of the drawing file formats currently supported by the Uploader.

Each drawing or document can contain attachments.  A drawing can have documents attached to it and documents can have drawings attached to it.  Attachments have been added to the right click menu.  The current attachments are listed along with the ability to add or delete the attachments.  The new right click menu is shown in the image below.

When viewing a drawing or document a new option for attachments now exists in the menu bar.  If you click the attachment button a view will appear that displays the corresponding attachments for the item being viewed.  If you click on an attachment item, it will then be displayed in the viewer.

With this update, Flatter Files is now even more capable of providing a comprehensive document control solution for companies.  All of your documents everywhere you go, easily searchable, always up to date, and externally sharable via link.