Our goal at Microvellum is to produce software that runs as efficiently as possible. We are continuously looking for ways to streamline the process and reduce the time it takes to load spec groups and save valuable performance resources. One example of this is our work to streamline the material files.

For example, perhaps you have thousands of drawer slides that exist only to supply a value for pricing or costing purposes. You don’t need to draw them or use machine tokens from them, and if they are synchronized along with all the materials, it increases spec group loading time.

Why Is Synchronization Necessary?

Why is it necessary to sync data, and what is being synced? To answer that question, you must understand a little bit about the relationship between two components of the software.

To benefit from the customization benefits of spreadsheets, and the storage and retrieval power of databases, Microvellum uses a combination of the two when working with library data. Synchronization is necessary for obvious reasons to keep the data consistent between the two sources of data. The data syncs anytime the spec group is accessed.

Synchronizing this type of data between the material file in the database and the working spreadsheet is one area that takes a significant amount of time for large spec groups. Not all of this data requires synchronization. If the data does not change often, unproductive seconds are spent waiting for the program to ‘sync’ that data. Also, some data may improperly overwrite existing data. The program should not ‘sync’ ALL data.

Skip a Material When Syncing the Database and Spreadsheet

Microvellum build 15.6.2201, or greater, contains the ability to set a property that prevents any single material from syncing between the database and the program library spreadsheet. Check the box “Skip Spreadsheet Sync” inside the Edit Material screen to enable this feature.

The ability to prevent synchronization for any specific material is limited to Hardware only. This category of material does not change on a project basis as do other types of materials. Some hardware materials and most other materials involve part thickness and formulas, and if the program skipped those, it could cause issues elsewhere in a project. But for hardware materials that allow it, you may use the property to tell Microvellum to skip that material from syncing into the spreadsheet. This helps reduce the time it takes to load spec groups.

The program does not display the box to skip syncing for any formula-driven hardware materials and any items that have hardware machine tokens assigned to them.

To display the “Skip Spreadsheet Sync” checkbox when adding a new project-level material, save the material, and reopen it. Then if you want to maximize performance, check the box and click OK.

The value for “Skip Spreadsheet Sync” is not stored in the spreadsheet, so you cannot edit that property for multiple materials there. Instead, use the Edit Multiple Materials interface to change that property for multiple materials at once.

After you have set this property for the preferred hardware materials, enjoy the benefits of increased speed when loading spec groups with this option checked ON.