Normally reference data sets are not updated. This means that as a method gets more accurate, the geometries in reference data set files become less accurate than if the new method was used. To allow the geometries to be re-optimized using a new method, NEW_REF=<text> is provided. When a job is run using this keyword, new reference data sets are written to the location defined by <text>. Although in principle <text> can be the location of the current reference data set, that folder should not be used, because the current reference data sets will be over-written, and if a mistake is made it might be difficult to go back.
If NEW_REF=<text> is used, only one REF folder should be defined. If more than one folder is specified, all the optimized files will still be written to the same folder, that is, the various sets would be combined.
NEW_REF=<text> is particularly useful when a method is finalized. The resulting files are optimized using that method, and would therefore run much faster in surveys.
If the folder name or the path contains spaces, then <text> should be delimited by quotation marks, as in: NEW_REF="M:\Data\Improved normal data"