I hate the file naming system that allen-bradley uses for their documentation.does anyone know of a spreadsheet or something else that would allow easier determination of what the file is. I find myself looking at 4-5 files each day seeing what they are.

If there is not one, maybe we can start one on here or on WIKI and everyone in the community can help maintain it. I know it would be a great help to me.

Moltra

Remember the old system ? 1.x was Installation Instructions, 5.x was a User Manual. Remember good old 1794-6.2.1 ? or 1770-4.11 ?

The new system at least gets you in the neighborhood;

User Manual = UMxxx
Installation Instructions = INxxx
Selection Guide = SGxxx
Technical Data = TDxxx
Brochure = BRxxx
Release Notets = RNxxx

When the author gets things right, the title of the Publication is included in the PDF file, so when you hover your cursor above the filename in the Windows Explorer a window will pop up showing you the title.

Sometimes, of course, the author doesn't get the metadata right and window just pops up with the filename and file type.

Realtime example from my POINT I/O folder:

1734-IN010_EN-P.pdf pops up a window showing "Title: 1734IN010BENP.fm "
1734-IN011_EN-P.pdf pops up a window showing "Title: 1734-IN011D-EN-E, POINT I/O RTD and Isolated Thermocouple Input Modules Installation Instructions"

The problem I find is that Windows Explorer only does this the first time you open a folder. Once you've clicked on a file in the folder it stops doing that. Maybe Vista is more consistent or verbose, or there's an OS setting to improve that function.

I agree that its imperfect. Would it be better to make the filename the whole Publication Title ?

I admit I've renamed some of my most commonly used files, like the 20-COMM-x User Manuals, adding "DNet, CNet, ENet" to the end.

I have no problem with my Windows XP system. Every time it pops up the title.