NEXEL - Restore dataview blocks from NEXEL file

Paul Wyatt

Rebuild / Load NEXEL-Files

IDEA

I would like to suggest that the BOARD NEXEL structure be expanded to allow for developers to recreate the dataview layout on which the NEXEL structure was built.  functionality for NEXEL would be expanded to include:

 

1. Visual indicator to see that a NEXEL structure is part of an object layout.
2. Recreate a dataview layout from the hbmp stored NEXEL.nxl file.

 

BACKGROUND

NEXEL uses formulation and structure that we all understand and have been using for absolutely years - Excel - which allows for very powerful modelling before new users have even learnt the advanced features of BOARD. Viewed in this way, NEXEL actually helps with early BOARD adoption within a company and so making it a very strong selling point.

 

More impressive is the modelling possibilities when NEXEL is used with BOARD advanced features; I've created a wirkaround for Radius Around a Point On a Map (RAPOM) functionality.

 

The issue comes when a single change is made to dataview layout with an embedded NEXEL config which causes the structure to be deleted.  From this point, the developer has no choice but to re-create the NEXEL structure from scratch.  However, that's only if the developer was the author.  If the model has been handed over and the new owner is unaware of NEXEL or that there is a NEXEL structure in place, the complete model could be rendered unworkable.

 

I think that the Nexel process should save two structures; Nexel formulation and that of the dataview/object blocks.  This should be easy to implement as we have been able to copy./paste layouts for some time.

 

CREDIT

This idea came out of a question asked by dirk magerkord about rebuilding the nexel table after deleting a NEXEL embedded dataview which can be read here