How to setup a MasterShip project

Setting up a MasterShip project is the starting point of any new project. It must be created and and configured before any hull design work can begin. It is the very first step, and it precedes all subsequent process steps, such as the import of the shape model. 

In MasterShip, a project is a dedicated project folder stored in a working directory on your computer. Once the project has been created, this folder holds the project-specific files, such as the configuration file, the project settings file and the starting drawing, together with sub-folders for data, initialization and templates. You are now ready to start working on this project. 

Before a new MasterShip project can be set up, it requires a working directory to be prepared: you should create a new folder on your computer as the working directory for the new project, preferably keep all projects in the same environment. The video below demonstrates how to set it all up.

 Next to starting a new project, it is also possible to import an existing MasterShip project. 

How to setup a project in MasterShip

And next to this video, taking you through the steps, we've also pointed it out below.

1. Launching the Organiser. The SHIPLAUNCHORGANISER command opens the MasterShip Organiser window, which provides access to the entire project management environment. You can also open the Organiser by doing  a search in Windows.

2. Ensuring the location of the main database. In the Organiser, choose Tools > Options... and set the location of the main database on your computer, for example E:\OrganiserMain.mdb. This tells MasterShip where all the projects are stored (see figure 1). Usually, you set the location of the main database once for all projects. Typically done when you start MasterShip for the first time.

   

   Figure 1: The options dialog, where the location of the main database is set.

    

3. Creating a new project. Select File > New Project... in the Organiser (see Figure 2).

   

   Figure 2: The File menu of the MasterShip Organiser, showing the New Project... option.

    

4. Filling in the project information. In the MasterShip Project dialog, fill in the information in the blank fields, such as the code, description, type and folder of the project as well as its technical data, and confirm the action. Only the 'Code' and the 'Folder' are obligated. The other fields are optional. A new project is then created on your computer (see Figure 4).

   

   Figure 3: The MasterShip Project dialog for entering general and technical project data.

    

5. Resulting project folder. After the project has been created, a project folder containing the project-specific files is generated in the working directory (see Figure 4, below).

Figure 4: The resulting project folder with the project-specific files.

How can it be used?

Setting up a MasterShip project is used to enable the next step(s) in the process diagram. For this reason, the project set-up has to be completed before any further deliverable can be produced. 

Trying to run MasterShip-commands on a drawing that is not inside a MasterShip project-folder structure will lead to the following message (image below). 

Figure 5: information window, drawing not part of project folder structure