PDMS-Design Reference Manual Part1

PDMS Design
Reference Manual Part 1: General Commands

Version 11.6SP1
pdms1161/Design Reference Manual Part1 Issue 270605
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Revision History
Date March 2003 June 2004 August 2004 June 2005 Version 11.5 11.6 11.6 11.6SP1 Notes Updates for this release. Updates for this release. Minor additions for this release. Corrections for this release.
VANTAGE PDMS Design Reference Manual Part 1: General Commands Version 11.6SP1
Revision History-i
Revision History
Revision History-ii
Contents
1
1.1 1.2 1.3
Introduction....................................................................................................1-1
About the Design Reference Manual........................................................................... 1-1 Organisation of the Design Reference Manual............................................................ 1-1 Organisation of this Manual ......................................................................................... 1-2
2
2.1 2.2 2.3
How to Use the Syntax Graphs.....................................................................2-1

Commands .................................................................................................................. 2-2 Command Arguments.................................................................................................. 2-2 Standard Syntax Graphs ............................................................................................. 2-3 2.3.1 Universal Expression <expr> .................................................................... 2-4 2.3.2 Date/Time <date> ..................................................................................... 2-5 2.3.3 Physical Dimension <uval> ....................................................................... 2-6 2.3.4 Design Element Type <snoun> or <noun> ............................................... 2-7 2.3.5 Design Element Identity <gid> .................................................................. 2-9 2.3.6 3D Design Points <marke> ..................................................................... 2-12 2.3.7 Axial Position <pos> <axes>.................................................................. 2-13 2.3.8 3D Position <bpos>................................................................................ 2-14 2.3.9 3D Axis Direction <dir> .......................................................................... 2-15 2.3.10 3D Direction <bdir> ................................................................................ 2-16 2.3.11 Selection <selatt>.................................................................................... 2-17 Command Input Modes ............................................................................................. 2-19
2.4
3
3.1 3.2
General PDMS Commands ...........................................................................3-1

Entering Design ........................................................................................................... 3-1 Saving.......................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2.1 Saving Design Work.................................................................................. 3-1 3.2.2 Saving and Restoring the Display ............................................................. 3-2 The Alpha Display........................................................................................................ 3-2 3.3.1 Saving the Alpha Log ................................................................................ 3-2 3.3.2 Clearing the Alpha Views .......................................................................... 3-4 Leaving Design ............................................................................................................ 3-4 3.4.1 Changing Modules .................................................................................... 3-4 3.4.2 Exit from Design without Saving Changes ................................................ 3-4 Setting Working Units and Tolerances ........................................................................ 3-5 3.5.1 Setting Working Units................................................................................ 3-5 3.5.2 Setting Output Precision of Distance Units ............................................... 3-6 3.5.3 Switching between Actual and Nominal Bores.......................................... 3-8 Audible Error Trace...................................................................................................... 3-8 Switching Text Output Off............................................................................................ 3-9 Giving Operating System Commands from PDMS...................................................... 3-9 General Querying Facilities ....................................................................................... 3-10 3.9.1 Querying Your Current Module ............................................................... 3-10 3.9.2 Querying Your System ............................................................................ 3-10 3.9.3 Querying Your Current Output Devices .................................................. 3-11 3.9.4 Querying the Command Implementation Mode ...................................... 3-12
Contents-i
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9
Contents
3.9.5 3.9.6
Asking for a Unique Workstation Code ................................................... 3-12 Querying Elements and Attributes in DBs............................................... 3-12
4
4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5
Design Databases and MDBs .......................................................................4-1
MDB Mode................................................................................................................... 4-1 Checking the Current User Status ............................................................................... 4-2 Checking the Current System Status........................................................................... 4-2 Listing Project Information ........................................................................................... 4-3 Sessions ...................................................................................................................... 4-5 4.5.1 Session Comments ................................................................................... 4-5 4.6 Querying MDB Information .......................................................................................... 4-6 4.6.1 Querying Individual Database Information ................................................ 4-6 4.7 Change Management .................................................................................................. 4-7 4.7.1 Querying the Last Modification to an Element or Attribute........................ 4-7 4.7.2 Querying the Session History for an Element or Attribute......................... 4-8 4.7.3 Querying Details of a Specific Session ..................................................... 4-8 4.7.4 Querying Session Number for a Given Time ............................................ 4-9 4.8 The Comparison Date.................................................................................................. 4-9 4.8.1 Setting the Comparison Date .................................................................. 4-10 4.8.2 Querying the Comparison Date............................................................... 4-11 4.8.3 The MODIFIED Function......................................................................... 4-12 4.8.4 The CREATED Function ......................................................................... 4-14 4.8.5 The DELETED Function.......................................................................... 4-14 4.8.6 The GEOM, CATTEXT, and CATMOD Special Attributes ...................... 4-14 4.8.7 Querying Any Attribute at the Comparison Date ..................................... 4-16 4.9 Using Multiwrite Databases ....................................................................................... 4-16 4.9.1 User Claims............................................................................................. 4-17 4.9.2 Notes on Standard Multiwrite DBs .......................................................... 4-18 4.9.3 Extract Databases................................................................................... 4-19 4.9.4 How to Find Out What You Can Claim.................................................... 4-21 4.10 Comparing Database Changes ................................................................................. 4-26 4.10.1 Comparing Database States at Different Times...................................... 4-26 4.11 Creating Database Update Macros ........................................................................... 4-27 4.12 Inter-DB Connection Macros ..................................................................................... 4-28
5
5.1
Display............................................................................................................5-1
Adding Elements to the Display................................................................................... 5-1 5.1.1 Selecting Graphics Colours Automatically ................................................ 5-3 5.1.2 Removing Elements from the Display ....................................................... 5-5 5.1.3 Defining Colours........................................................................................ 5-6 Element Representation .............................................................................................. 5-8 5.2.1 Setting Tube Representation for Piping Components............................... 5-9 5.2.2 Setting Profile Representation for Steelwork ............................................ 5-9 5.2.3 Setting Drawing Level Representation.................................................... 5-10 5.2.4 Setting Obstruction & Insulation Representation for Piping Components5-12 5.2.5 Setting Obstruction Representation for Steelwork .................................. 5-13 5.2.6 Setting P-Point Representation............................................................... 5-14 5.2.7 Setting Structural Node Representation.................................................. 5-15 5.2.8 Setting P-Line Representation ................................................................ 5-16 5.2.9 Setting Holes Representation ................................................................. 5-17 5.2.10 Setting Arc Tolerance Representation .................................................... 5-17 5.2.11 Refreshing the Graphical View................................................................ 5-18
5.2
Contents-ii
Contents
5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7
Specifying Axes ......................................................................................................... 5-18 Graphical Labelling of Design Elements.................................................................... 5-19 Using Design Aids ..................................................................................................... 5-20 Highlighting Components in the Designs................................................................... 5-24 Spatial Maps .............................................................................................................. 5-25 5.7.1 Checking the Spatial Maps ..................................................................... 5-25 5.7.2 Creating or Updating Spatial Maps ......................................................... 5-26
6
6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4
Using Rules to Define Attribute Settings.....................................................6-1

Setting Attribute Rules ................................................................................................. 6-1 Verifying Attribute Rules .............................................................................................. 6-2 Executing Attribute Rules ............................................................................................ 6-3 Deleting Attribute Rules ............................................................................................... 6-3
7
7.1
Interacting with a Graphical View.................................................................7-1

Identifying Displayed Items and Points........................................................................ 7-1 7.1.1 Identifying Displayed Elements using the Cursor...................................... 7-1 7.1.2 Identifying Tube using the Cursor ............................................................. 7-2 7.1.3 Identifying Displayed Points using the Cursor........................................... 7-2 7.1.4 Identifying Items with a 2D Pick ................................................................ 7-3 3D Pins ........................................................................................................................ 7-4 7.2.1 Setting a Pins Position and Direction Explicitly ........................................ 7-5 7.2.2 Making a Pin Visible.................................................................................. 7-5 7.2.3 Locating a Pin by Copying or Connecting ................................................. 7-6 7.2.4 Moving a Pin ............................................................................................. 7-7 7.2.5 General Pin Moves.................................................................................... 7-7 Constructs.................................................................................................................... 7-8 Isodraft Mode............................................................................................................. 7-10
7.2
7.3 7.4
8
8.1
Design Database Elements...........................................................................8-1

Elements...................................................................................................................... 8-1 8.1.1 Creating Elements..................................................................................... 8-1 8.1.2 Creating Elements at a Given Position in the Member List....................... 8-2 8.1.3 Deleting Elements ..................................................................................... 8-3 8.1.4 Reorganising the Hierarchy....................................................................... 8-4 8.1.5 Copying .................................................................................. 8-5 8.1.6 Copying and Renaming............................................................................. 8-6 The Standard Design Element Attributes .................................................................... 8-6 8.2.1 The Type of Element and its Owner.......................................................... 8-7 8.2.2 Naming Design Elements.......................................................................... 8-8 8.2.3 Renaming Elements and their Offspring ................................................... 8-8 8.2.4 Locking Elements Against Alteration and Deletion .................................. 8-9 8.2.5 The Position and Orientation Attributes .................................................... 8-9 Navigation.................................................................................................................. 8-10 8.3.1 Going to the Previously Accessed Element ............................................ 8-11 8.3.2 Going to an Implied Tube or Rod ............................................................ 8-11 8.3.3 Ascending the Design Hierarchy............................................................. 8-12 8.3.4 Other Navigation Commands.................................................................. 8-12 Setting a Synonym for an Element Name.................................................................. 8-13
8.2
8.3
8.4
Contents-iii
Contents
Error Messages..............................................................................................9-1
Index
Contents-iv
Contents
Contents-v
1
1.1
Introduction
About the Design Reference Manual
The VANTAGE PDMS Design Reference Manual describes all the Design commands in detail. It also describes how the Design database is structured, the Design database elements and their attributes. Design is normally used interactively. The Graphical User Interface (GUI) provides discipline-based applications which help you to create, check and report on the model. How to use the applications is described in user guides and on-line help. This manual is written for experienced users of VANTAGE PDMS Design who need to use commands; for example, to write batch macros or to customise the GUI. If you are going to customise the GUI, you will also need to refer to the Plant Design Software Customisation Guide and Plant Design Software Customisation Reference Manual for information about PML, the AVEVA programming language.
1.2
Organisation of the Design Reference Manual

The Design Reference Manual has four parts:
Part 1 (this volume) describes general Design commands, which are used, for example, for setting up the display, and querying and navigating around the Design database. It also describes how to use the command syntax graphs, which are used to show all the options available for each command. Part 2, Creating the Model, describes the commands for creating database elements and setting their attributes. Part 3, Elements and Attributes, contains details of all the elements which can be created in the Design database, their position in the database hierarchy and their attributes. Part 4, Utilities, describes the Design Utilities for data consistency checking and clash detection, and for exporting Design data to programs such as Review.
1-1
Introduction
1.3
Organisation of this Manual

This manual, Part 1, is divided into the following chapters:
Chapter 2 describes How to use the Syntax Graphs, and also shows the standard syntax graphs which are often referenced from other graphs. Chapter 3, General PDMS Commands, describes commands used for saving work, setting units and tolerances, and handling alphanumeric output. These commands are common to several PDMS modules, but are included here for convenience. Chapter 4, Design Databases and MDBs, describes how to handle multiple databases from within Design, database sessions, how to query information about the project, and how to used multiwrite databases. Chapter 5, Display, describes how to control the way the model is displayed in a graphical view. Chapter 6, Using Rules, gives some examples of using rules in Design to control attribute settings. Chapter 7, Interacting with a Graphical View, describes how commands can accept input from picked items in the graphical view, and how to define construction aids and label the design elements. Note that the commands in this chapter have generally been superseded by newer graphical facilities available from the GUI, and are only included as information for users maintaining older code. Chapter 8, Design Database Elements, describes the commands to create Design elements and set the attributes common to all Design elements, and how to navigate about a Design database hierarchy. Chapter 9, Error Messages, explains some of the error messages which may be generated by Design.
1-2
How to Use the Syntax Graphs

The commands described in this chapter are presented in the form of syntax graphs.
Syntax graphs are read from top left to bottom right. The start point is shown by >, and you can follow any path through the graph until the exit point, shown by >, is reached. Points marked with a plus sign (+) are option junctions which allow you to input any one of the commands to the right of the junction. For example:
>----+--- ABC -----. | | |--- PQR -----| | | `-------------+--->
means you can type in ABC or PQR or just press Enter to get the default option. Text in angle brackets <. . . > is the name of another syntax graph. This convention is used for syntax which occurs in many places. The graphs referred to are described at the end of this section. For example:
>----+--- ABC -----. | | |--- PQR -----| | | |--- <dia> ---| | | `-------------+--->
means you can type in ABC or PQR or any command allowed by the syntax given in diagram <dia> or just press Enter to get the default option. Points marked with an asterisk (*) are loop back junctions. Command options following these may be repeated as required. For example:
.-----<-------. / | >---*--- option1 ---| | | |--- option2 ---| | | `--- option3 ---+--->
means that you can enter any combination of option1 and/or option2 and/or option3, where the options can be commands, other syntax diagrams, or command arguments. The simplified format:
VANTAGE PDMS Design Reference Manual Part 1: General Commands Version 11.6SP1 2-1
.----<------. / | >---*--- name ----+--->
means that you may type in a list of PDMS names, separated by at least one space.
2.1
Commands
Commands are shown in a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, where the capital letters indicate the minimum abbreviation. (Note: This convention does not mean that the second part of the command must be typed in lowercase letters; commands may be entered in any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters.) For example, the command
CONStruct
can be input in any of the following forms:

CONS CONST CONSTR CONSTRU CONSTRUC CONSTRUCT
Commands shown in all uppercase letters cannot be abbreviated.
2.2
Command Arguments
Command arguments are shown in lowercase letters. These are just descriptions of what you need to enter. The most commonly used descriptions are as follows:
integer value letter word A positive or negative whole number. For example: 2 5 25 A signed number with or without a decimal point. For example: 2.5 5 3.8 A single alphabetic character A sequence of up to four letters, e.g. GATE WN P (may be longer in some cases, but only the first four characters are significant).
2-2
text
A string of alphanumeric or symbol characters, which may include spaces, enclosed between single closing quotation marks or | characters. This is normally used to add descriptive material to an appropriate attribute. For example DUTY Low Pressure The space bar (not usually specified unless of special significance) A sequence of characters preceded by a slash / and representing a PDMS Element name. For example: /BRANCH7 /305.ABC /P4/NOZ Note: A name should always be followed by a space (unless at the end of a line). An external file name of the form /filename An identifier (for use with the VARIABLE command within macros) of the form !name where name is a text string. For example: !COUNTER, !height The , character, which can be used to concatenate Design commands. For example: NEW FLANGE SELECT WITH STYP WN, CONNECT
space name
filename varid
comma
plus minus star slash These are the + (add), (subtract), * (multiply) and / (divide) operators, which can be used in arithmetic expressions. For example: (1 + 2), (1 2), (1 * 2), (1 / 2) Note that there must be a space before and after each of these operators. Note: PML 1 expressions and variables are explained in the Plant Design Software Customisation Reference Manual.
2.3
Standard Syntax Graphs

If a syntax graph refers to a second syntax graph, the name of the second graph is shown in angle brackets. This convention is usually used for standard syntax graphs which are widely used. These syntax graphs are summarised below, and then shown in detail.
2-3
<expr> <uval> <snoun> or <noun> <gid> <marke> <pos> or <axes> <bpos> <dir> <bdir> <selatt>
Mathematical, textual or logical expressions Physical dimension specification Design element type Design element identity 3D Design points (P-points, pins or P-lines) Axial position 3D position Axial direction 3D direction Selection
2.3.1 Universal Expression <expr>

If a value given in a command needs to be calculated from other known values, you can enter an expression, which is evaluated by Design as it executes the command. You will find details of PML 1 expressions in the Plant Design Software Customisation Reference Guide. On-line help describing expressions syntax is available from within Design applications.
2-4
2.3.2 Date/Time <date>

<date> has the general format Time Day Month Year.
Time has the format hour:mins. If no Time is given, the default is 23:59. Day is a single or two-digit integer. If no Day is given, the default is today. If no Time is given, Day must be specified. Month may be entered as a word, or as a number surrounded by spaced /
characters. If no Month is given, the default is the current month. interpreted within the date window current_year 99 to current_year For example, in the year 2004: 03 04 05 Examples
12:00 22 August 1999 9:30 29 / 8 / 99 10:30 22 / 8 / 1999 22 August Note spaces in numeric date format Assumes current date Assumes time to be 23:59 Assumes current year and time 23:59
Year may be entered as four digits or as two digits. Two-digit years are
means means means
2003 2004 1905
If no year is given, the default is the current year.
2-5
2.3.3 Physical Dimension <uval>

This syntax allows you to override the working (default) units for dimensions .
>--+-- value ----. | | `-- <expr> ---+-- EXponential value --. | | `-----------------------+-- MM ------. | | |-- Metres --| | | |-- INches --| | | |-- FT ------| | | |-- FEet ----| | | |-- text ----| | | `------------+-->
Examples 5 EX3 5.3/4 5 56 56.3/4 5 INCHES 5 M 56.3/4 IN (5 + 2) IN 5 5500 5.75 5 feet 5 feet 6 inches 5 feet 6.75 inches 5 inches 5 metres 5 feet 6.75 inches 7 inches in current working units in current working units in current working units (only use when working units are FINCH) (only use when working units are FINCH) (only use when working units are FINCH) (regardless of current working units) (regardless of current working units) (regardless of current working units) (regardless of current working units)
NOTE: Values are always held within Design as metric units. When output, values are rounded as follows: Millimetres to the nearest millimetre Inches to the nearest 1/32 or 0.1 inch
2-6
2.3.4 Design Element Type <snoun> or <noun>

This syntax graph refers to an Element Type in the Design hierarchy. To save space, the available element types are presented as simple lists rather than as syntax diagrams: Administrative:
WORLds SITes ZONes STRuctures PTRacks SNOuts BOXes CTORuses NOZzles EXTRusions VERTEX NCONes NSLCylinders NRTOruses GPWlds GROups SUBEquipments CYLinders DIShes PYRamids RPLanes POHedrons REVOlutions NBOXes NSNOuts NPYRamids NXTRusions
Equipment and Civils:

EQUipments SUBStructures CONEs SLCylinders RTORuses PVOlumes POGons LOOPs NCYLinders NDISHes NCTOruses NREVolutions
Steelwork:
RPLGroups PNODes SJOInts LOAPoints PAVErtex PFITtings SBFIttings PIPes HANGers BENds REDucers GASkets OLEts VENts COUplings FBLinds VFWays UNIons SCLAmps FRMWorks SNODes SCTNs PANEls STRUctures CMFittings SBFRameworks PJOInts FITTings PLOOps SUBStructures CMPFittings
Piping, Hangers and Supports:

BRAnches INSTruments TEEs FLAnges WELds ATTAchments FTUbes CLOsures CAPs TRAps CROsses PCLAmps RESTraints ELBows VALves FLGS PCOmponents DUCtings SHUs LJSes VTWays FILters HELEments RODs
2-7
HVAC:
HVAC BRAnches
The following are soft-types for use with the HVAC Designer application:
AHU BATT BRCO COWL DAMP FLEX GASK GRIL HACC HFAN HSAD IDAM MESH OFST PLAT PLEN SILE SKIR SPLI STIF STRT TAPE THRE TP TRNS Air handling unit Battery: heater, cooler Branch connector: boot, square, fish, angled, tapered, mitred etc. Roof cowl Damper Flexible tube, flexible bend, material connection Gasket Grille Access panel Centrifugal fan Saddle Internal damper Mesh end Offset: cranked, mitred, radiused Spigot plate Spigot box, plenum Silencer Skirt Splitter: flow splitter, deflectrol, air turning vanes Stiffening flange Straight Taper Threeway: radiused, twin bend, breeches etc. Test point, test holes Transformation: square to round, square to flat oval, oval A to oval B etc. DRAWIngs IPOints TEXts DATums TANpoints
Datums and Constraints:

BOUNdary POInts GRDmodels
2-8
2.3.5 Design Element Identity <gid>

This syntax identifies a Design Element. The main syntax graph is <gid>, shown below. The sub-graphs follow.
.-------------------------------. | | >----+-- <nexid> ------------+-------| | | | |-- <snoun> -+----------| | | | | | | |- <next> -+- OF -- | | | | | ---------. | | | | -- <id> ------------| | | |-- <othid> ----------------------| | | |-- <id> -------------------------| | | `-- <clos> -----------------------+----->
<gid>
Direct identification: from

<id>
by reference to name/reference number <id>, hierarchy <othid>, or to a point selected display <curid>:
>--+-- name ---. | | `-- refno --+--> >--+-| |-| |-| `-CE ---------. | SAMe -------| | ELEMent ----| | <curid> ----+-->
<othid>
<curid>
>-- IDentify --+-- <snoun> ---. | | |-- Tube ------| | | `--------------+-- @ -->
Indirect identification:
by reference to other elements, parts of elements or adjacent members in the database hierarchy
2-9
<nextid> >-+- HEad ----. | | |- TAil ----| | | |- ILeave --| | | |- IArrive -+-- <tubid> ---. | | |-- <next> -- <snoun> -----| | | |-- OWNer -----------------| | | `-- END -------------------+---> <tubid> >-+-- TUBe--. | | `-- ROD --+--> >-+-| |-| |-| |-| | | `-LAst -----. | FIrst ----| | PREvious -| | NEXt -----+-- integer --. | | -------------+-- MEMbers--. | integer -----------------------------+-- OF ->
<next>
Identification by physical position in the design model:

.----<----. / | <clos> >- CLOSest -*- <snoun> -+- WITH <expr> -. | | `---------------+- UP ----. |- DOWN --| |- EAST --| |- WEST --| |- NORTH -| `- SOUTH -+-. .----------------------------<-------------------- `-+- EXTENT <expr> -. | | `-----------------+- AFTER <expr> -. | | `----------------+- FROM <bpos> -. | | `---------------+->
WITH EXTENT AFTER FROM
specifies rule restricting choice of element (default is no restriction); specifies how far to search before giving up (default is 10 metres); specifies that search is to start after given distance in given direction (default is zero); specifies reference position from which search is initiated (default is CE).
2-10
Examples /EQUIP10 SAME OWN GOTO SPRE NEXT 2 4 LAST 3 MEM END SITE ZONE 3 NEXT 2 PIPE PREV BOX FIRST ZONE OF /SITE 5 PIPE OF /VALV101 FIRST MEM OF BRAN3 OF /PIPE10 HEAD OF FIRST BRAN CLOSEST VALV EAST Closest valve to current element in East direction in design model (note that syntax accepts only cardinal directions, which must be entered in full) CLOS VALV NORTH FROM E100 N200 U300 Closest valve in North direction starting from given position (valves found before this position are ignored) Named design Element Previous Element accessed Owner of Current Element
Specification of Current (piping) Element
Second Next Element at same level Fourth Member of Current Element Third Last Member of Current Element Next element up in hierarchy Site above Current Element Third Zone Second Next Pipe
2-11
2.3.6 3D Design Points <marke>

This syntax describes 3D Design Points and their Attributes. A Design Point is
A P-point A temporary Pin A cursor position
Pin:
>-- PIn integer -->
P-point:
>--+-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| `-PArrive ---------. | PLeave ----------| | PHead -----------| | PTail -----------| | HHead -----------| | HTail -----------| | Ppoint integer --+-- OF <gid> --. | | `---------------+-->
Cursor:
>-- IDPpoint @ --> Examples P3 PL OF PREV PH HT OF /HANG5 IDP @ P-point 3 of Current Element Leave P-point of previous element Branch Head P-point Hanger Tail P-point of named Hanger Cursor pick
2-12
2.3.7 Axial Position <pos> <axes>

This syntax specifies a 3D position in space in terms of an axial coordinate system.
>-- <pos> --+-- <axes> --. | | `------------+--> where: <pos> = >--+-- <nsy> --+-- <udz> ----- <ewx> ---. | | | | |-- <ewx> --+-- <udz> ---| | | | | | | `------------| | | | | `------------------------| | | |-- <udz> --+-- <nsy> ----- <ewx> ---| | | | | |-- <ewx> --+-- <nsy> ---| | | | | | | `------------| | | | | ------------------------| | | `-- <ewx> --+-- <udz> ----- <nsy> ---| | | |-- <nsy> --+-- <udz> ---| | | | | `------------| | | `------------------------+-->
and where:
<nsy> = >--+-- North --. | | |-- Y ------| | | -- South --+-- <uval> --> <udz> = >--+-- Up ----. | | |-- Z -----| | | -- Down --+-- <uval> --> <ewz> = >--+-- East --. | | |-- X -----| | | -- West --+-- <uval> --> <axes> = >--+-- WRT --. | | -- IN ---+--
<gid> -->
2-13
Examples E1000 East 1000 Z10 Up 10 E30 D10 S20 East 30 Down 10 South 20 E0 IN SITE East 0 in Site
2.3.8 3D Position <bpos>

This syntax provides a 3D position in terms of a specified coordinate, a known identity or point, or a cursor position.
General axial position: >-- <pos> --+-- <axes> --. | | ------------+-->
(see previous subsection)

3D Design point: <marke> (see above)
General element identity: <gid> (see above) Cursor position: Examples E300 N1000 U2500 Coordinate position PIN6 /VESSEL10 @ Pin position Origin of /VESSEL10 Working grid position closest to the crosshair position and through the Current Element Origin plane
>-- @ -->
NOTE: Cursor positioning (e.g. AXES AT @) can only be carried out in orthogonal views.
2-14
2.3.9 3D Axis Direction <dir>

This syntax provides a 3D direction expressed in terms of a coordinate system.
>-+-<nsy>-+-<exp_val>-+-<ewx>-+-<exp_val>-+-<udz>-+-<exp_val>--. | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------| | | | | ----------------------| | | | --------------------------------| | | | | | | |-<udz>-+-<exp_val>-+-<ewx>-+-<exp_val>---| | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------| | | | | ---------------------| | | | ---------------------------------| | | -----------------------------------------| | ---------------------------------------------------| |-<udz>-+-<exp_val>-+-<nsy>-+-<exp_val>-+-<ewx>-+-<exp_val>--| | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------| | | | | ----------------------| | | | --------------------------------| | | | | | | |-<ewx>-+-<exp_val>-+-<nsy>-+-<exp_val>---| | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------| | | | | ---------------------| | | | ---------------------------------| | | -----------------------------------------| | ---------------------------------------------------| | | -<ewx>-+-<exp_val>-+-<nsy>-+-<exp_val>-+-<udz>-+-<exp_val>--| | | | | | | | | | | --------------| | | | -----------------------| | | ---------------------------------| | | | | |-<udz>-+-<exp_val>-+-<nsy>-+-<exp_val>----| | | | | | | | | | | --------------| | | | ----------------------| | | ----------------------------------| | ------------------------------------------| ----------------------------------------------------+-->
2-15
where:
<nsy> = >--+-- North ---. | | |-- Y ------| | | -- South --+--> <udz> = >--+-- Up -----. | | |-- Z -----| | | -- Down --+--> <ewx> = >--+-- East --. | | |-- X -----| | | -- West --+-->
<exp_val> = >--+-- <expr> --.
| | -- value ---+-->
Examples E E45N W-33D Y

N45E33D N10E10
East East 45 North West 33 Up North North 45 East 33 Down North 45 East
2.3.10 3D Direction <bdir>

This syntax provides a 3D direction by making use of a specified axis direction, a design point, or two 3D positions.
General axial direction >-- <dir> --+-- <axes> ---. | | -------------+-->
(See previous subsections for <dir> and <axes>)

3D Design point direction: <marke> (see above)
3D position direction: >--+-- FRom <bpos> TOwards <bpos> --> | -- TOwards <bpos> -->
(see above for <bpos>)
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Examples N45E
PL TOW E0 WRT SITE FROM PIN6 TO PIN7
Axis direction Design point direction From Current Element Origin to SITE origin From Pin 6 to Pin 7
2.3.11 Selection <selatt>

This syntax lets you describe elements you want to include in, or exclude from, operations. Typically, the following criteria are used to define a selection:
A class of elements or element types to be selected. You can specify whether all members are to be included, or whether only items (the lowest level components in the hierarchy below a given element) should be included. See <selcla> below. A logical expression to be satisfied for all selected elements. These expressions return either True or False, and are usually used to check the values of attributes. See the Plant Design Software Customisation Reference Manual. A physical volume in which all selected elements must lie. This volume is always orthogonal to the World coordinate axes. You can specify this in terms of two diagonally opposite points of an enclosing box, or as a volume around an element (with an optional clearance around the element selected). See <selvol> below. A point in the hierarchy below which all selected elements must lie. You can follow this with an exclusion list to exclude elements from the selection. See <selhie> below. A list (or collection), such as a drawlist, obstruction list or claimlist, of which the selected elements must be members.
All of these criteria are optional, except for class. If all element types are valid, this should be ALL. If you specify more than one criterion, the specifications must be in the above order, as shown by the following graphs:
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<selatt>= >-+- ALL -----------------------. | | | .------<-----. | | | | | - <selcla> -*- <selcla> - | | | ----------------+--. | .-----------------<------------------------ | +- WIth --. | | |- WHere -+- <expr> -. | | --------------------+- <selvol> -. | | ------------+- <selhie> -. | | ------------+- <selfrom> -. | | -------------+-->
where <selcla> gives the class of items to be selected:

<selcla>= >--+-- <noun> ---. | | --- <gid> ---+-- MEMbers --. | | |-- ITEms ----| | | -------------+--->
<selvol> allows you to specify a volume to be selected:

<selvol>= >-+- WITHIN -----------. | | - EXCLusive WITHIN -+-- VOLume - <gid> -+- <expr> -. | | | | --------| | | - <bpos> - TO - <bpos> -------+->
<selhie> gives the point in the hierarchy below which elements are to be selected:
<selhie>= >-- FOR -- <gid> --+-- <gid> ------------. | | -- EXCLude - <gid> --+-->
<selfrom> limits the elements available to those in a specified list or collection:

<selfrom>= >-- FROM --+-| |-| |-| -!VAR -------. | DRAWLIST ---| | OBSTLIST ---| | CLAIMLIST --+-->
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Examples
ALL ALL FRMW ALL BRANCH MEMBERS
Selects all elements Selects all framework elements Selects all piping components Selects all primitives below /VESS1 Selects just /PIPE1 and /PIPE2 Selects all elements where XLEN is greater than 1000mm Selects all elements within the defined volume Selects all piping elements within a volume defined as a box drawn around /PIPE1, with a clearance of 1500mm between the edges of /PIPE1 and the volume box.
ITEMS OF EQUI /VESS1 (/PIPE1 /PIPE2)
ALL WITH (XLEN GT 1000)
ALL WITHIN W8000N17000U1000 TO W1400N13500U1200 ALL PIPE WITHIN VOLUME /PIPE1 1500
You can minimise the time taken for any selection operation by making the selection criteria as specific as possible, so that only relevant parts of the databases are searched for the required elements. Where known, specify the element type (e.g. ALL BOX ...), the database element under which the search is to be restricted (e.g. ALL BOX FOR /ZONE1 ...), the volume in which you are interested (e.g. ALL BOX WITHIN N5000 E5000 U0 TO N10000 E12000 U8000 ...), and so on. If you do not do this, all databases in the current MDB will be searched, whether or not they contain relevant types of element, and performance will be impaired.
2.4
Command Input Modes

Generally, in Design you are able to access the full range of Design command syntax. However there are two modes where the syntax is restricted to commands only relevant to that mode. The modes are:
MDB mode allows you to change or query databases during a Design session. Described in Chapter 4. DESCLASH mode allows you to check the design for clashes. Described in the Design Reference Manual Part 4: Utilities.
To return to normal Design mode, enter the command EXIT.

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3
3.1
General PDMS Commands

Entering Design
Design Enters Design. This command is available throughout PDMS.
Keyword: Description:
3.2
Saving
3.2.1 Saving Design Work

Keyword: Description: SAVEWORK [n] GETWORK [n] SAVEWORK saves the current Design changes without leaving Design. It is good practice to use this command on a regular basis during a long Design session to ensure maximum data security. The optional number n can be used to specify a particular database for the command. The number is the number of the database in the order output by the STATUS command (see Section 4.2). If no number is given, the SAVEWORK applies to the whole MDB. GETWORK refreshes the view of all READ databases to pick up any changes that other users may have made since you first opened them. The optional n works in the same way as for SAVEWORK. You would normally only use GETWORK if you know of specific changes you wish to pick up and use. Please note that GETWORK slows up subsequent database access, as the information has to be re-read from disk. Therefore, you should use this command sparingly.
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3.2.2 Saving and Restoring the Display

Keywords: Description: RECREATE INSTALL These commands let you save and restore the graphical view(s) and the forms as displayed before you exit from Design.
NOTE: Forms resized or moved using the cursor will be INSTALLed to their original size. Examples: RECREATE /DS1 Saves the display definition in file /DS1. RECREATE /DS1 OVER Saves the display status in file /DS1. Any existing file /DS1 is overwritten. RECRE DISPLAY /DS1 Saves modal settings, e.g. working grid, units, representation etc. Read back in using $M/name INSTALL SETUP /DS1 Restores the display definition stored in file /DS1 Command Syntax:
>-- RECReate --+-- DISPlay --. | | -------------+-- name --+-- OVERwrite --. | | ---------------+--> >-- INSTALL SETUP name -->
3.3
3.3.1
Keywords: Description:
The Alpha Display

Saving the Alpha Log
ALPHA LOG ALPHA FILE
Lets you save the alpha display information to a text file. Two types of output are available, depending on the command used. ALPHA LOG enables the contents of either or both of the COMMANDS and REQUESTS alpha regions to be written to a file.
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ALPHA FILE enables the contents of the REQUESTS regions only to be written to file. The ALPHA LOG and ALPHA FILE commands may be used to save data such as the results of a data consistency check, or be used as a general output facility. NOTE: After an ALPHA file has been opened, subsequent output will be directed to both the file and the screen until the file is closed, or until you change to another PDMS module. Examples: ALP LOG /LF1 COMMANDS Log information displayed in the COMMANDS region in file /LF1 /LF1 OVER COMM Log information displayed in the COMMANDS region in file /LF1. Any existing file /LF1 will be overwritten. /LF2 /LF2 Log information displayed in both alpha regions in file /LF2 Log information displayed in REQUESTS region only Finish logging data
ALP LOG
ALP LOG ALP FILE
ALP LOG END ALP FILE END Command Syntax:
>-- ALPha --+-- LOG --+-- name --+- OVERwrite --. | | | | | | |- APPend -----| | | | | | | --------------+-- COMMands -. | | | | | | |-- REQuests -| | | | | | | -------------| | | | | -- END --------------------------------| | | -- FILE --+-- name --+-- OVERwrite --------------| | | | | |-- APPend -----------------| | | | | ---------------------------| | | -- END -------------------------------+->
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3.3.2 Clearing the Alpha Views

Keywords: Description: Examples: ALPHA COMMANDS CLEAR Clears the text from the COMMANDS region only. ALPHA REQUESTS CLEAR Clears the text from the REQUESTS region only. Command Syntax:
>-- ALPha --+-- COMMands --. | | -- REQuests --+-- CLEAR -->
ALPHA CLEAR Each alpha region may be cleared by using a variation of the ALPHA command.
3.4
Leaving Design
3.4.1 Changing Modules

You can change to another PDMS module by typing the name of the module. Design automatically saves your work before changing module.
3.4.2
Exit from Design without Saving Changes

QUIT FINISH QUIT exits from Design without saving any changes or the display setup. QUIT has the effect of deleting any changes made since the last SAVEWORK, module change or MDB change. FINISH also exits from Design without saving any changes, but in this case you are taken directly to the operating system of your computer.
Examples: QUIT QUIT ISODRAFT Exit from Design (and enter Monitor) Exit from Design and enter Isodraft
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FINISH Command Syntax:
Exit from Design to the operating system
>-- QUIT --+-- modulename --. | | ----------------+--> >-- FINISH -->
3.5
Setting Working Units and Tolerances

These functions let you set the dimensioning units and precision for design placement and element searching operations. The designer can choose at any time to work with metric or imperial units and can differentiate between the units used for nominal pipe bores and for general linear dimensions. Tolerance settings are available for general 3D positioning, plus special tolerance controls for pipe and structural steelwork layouts. A search radius (the hit radius) can be specified for cursor picking operations.
3.5.1 Setting Working Units

Keywords: Description: MILLIMETRE MM INCH FINCH
You can choose to work with units for nominal bores and dimensions other than those specified in the Catalogue. The PDMS default is to work in millimetres for nominal bores and distances. However, the Catalogue can contain company-specific instructions that alter the defaults; say, feet and inches. After the units setting is changed, all input and output will take place in the new units unless specifically stated.
Examples: MM BORE All bores will be input and output in mm FINCH DIS All distances and coordinates will be input and output in feet and inches UNITS /PERCHES All distances and coordinates will be input and output in the units defined in the units definition element /PERCHES in the Properties Database UNITS DEF Uses the default Catalogue database units
3-5
UNITS Command Syntax:

>--+-| |-| |-| --
Standard PDMS units
NOTE: 3 feet 6 inches must be input as 36 when using FINCH units.
MILlimetre --. | MM ----------| | INch --------| | FInch -------+-- BOres ------. | | -- DIstances --+-->
>-- UNITS --+-- <id> -----. | | |-- DEFault --| | | -------------+-->
Querying: Q UNIts Q DISPLAY Gives tolerance and level settings, as well as unit settings
3.5.2 Setting Output Precision of Distance Units

NOTE: You must not change the precision if you are customising the AVEVA Applicationware. You should only use this command if you are writing a completely new application. Keywords: Description: PRECISION
Output dimensions, in the current units, are normally rounded to the following degrees of precision:
Millimetres Inches Feet and inches Millimetres Inches Feet and inches To the nearest mm (e.g. 316) To the nearest 0.1 inch (e.g. 38.8) To the nearest 1/32 inch (e.g. 37.15/32) To two decimal places (e.g. 316.25) To two decimal places (e.g. 38.75) To the nearest 1/64 inch (e.g. 37.31/64)
Output for setting variables defaults to the following, higher, precisions:
You may control the output precision of distances in some modules by using the PRECISION command. This allows you to specify the number of
3-6 VANTAGE PDMS Design Reference Manual Part 1: General Commands Version 11.6SP1
decimal places for MM or INCH output, or the largest fraction denominator for FINCH output. Precision levels for general output and for the setting of variables are specified separately. To specify the output precision, use the command:
PRECision opt1 DIstance opt2 value opt3
where the command options (opt1, opt2 and opt3) are as follows:
opt1 defines how the specified precision is to be applied. It is one of the

following:
OUTput VARiables For general dimensions For setting variables
If opt1 is omitted:
Both Output and Variables are set if opt2 is DEFAULT Output only is set if opt2 is TO
opt2 defines whether you are changing to a newly-defined precision or

back to the default settings. It is one of the following: TO DEFault If opt2 is omitted, TO is assumed.
opt3, which only applies if opt2 is TO, qualifies the number specified by value. The available choices are:
DECimals DPls THs NDs
Examples: PREC OUT DI DEF PREC VAR DEF PREC DI DEF PREC DI 1 DP PREC OUT DI 4 DEC Set default precision for output Set default precision for variables Set default precision for output and variables Set output to 1 decimal place (MM or INCH units) Set output to 4 decimal places (MM or INCH units)
Decimal places Decimal places As in 64ths As in 32nds

value is Decimals value is THs or NDs
If opt3 is omitted, value is assumed to apply as follows:

If current units are MM or INCH: If current units are FINCH:
PREC VAR DI 3 DP Set variables to 3 decimal places (MM or INCH units)

PREC DI 64THS
Set output to 1/64 inch precision (FINCH units)
3.5.3 Switching between Actual and Nominal Bores

The PRECISION command also allows you to output actual bore dimensions (rather than Nominal bore values) when required. To switch to output of actual bore dimensions, use the command:
PRECISION BORE ACTUAL
To switch back to using nominal bore values:

PRECISION BORE NOMINAL
3.6
Audible Error Trace

ALARM When a macro error occurs, there is an audible alarm at the workstation to signal that the error has occurred. Occasionally, macro errors can be anticipated and no audible warning is required. This command allows the audible warning to be switched on or off either interactively or via a macro. If the audible warning is ON, it will sound whenever an error alert is displayed. The default setting is ON .
Examples: ALARM ON ALARM OFF Command Syntax:

>-- ALARM --+-- ON ---. | | -- OFF --+-->
Sets the audible tone to be on. Suppresses the audible tone until it is turned on again.
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3.7
Switching Text Output Off

TRACE This command, applicable in TTY mode only, controls the automatic output of the Current Element name and attributes. When macros are being run, TRACE is always set to OFF automatically.
Examples: TRACE OFF TRACE ON Note: Stops the automatic output of Current Element name. Restarts automatic output of Current Element name.
ON is the default setting.
Command Syntax:
>-- TRAce --+-- ON ---. | | -- OFF --+-->
3.8
Giving Operating System Commands from PDMS

SYSCOMmand PDMS normally assumes that any command input in response to its prompt character (*) is an instruction to the current module, and will check its validity on that assumption. You can issue an operating system (OS) command to the host computer from within PDMS by entering the SYSCOM command followed immediately (without pressing Return) by the OS command enclosed between apostrophes () or vertical bars (|). The effect applies only to the single command line; as soon as the OS command has been executed, control is returned to PDMS.
NOTE: Do not try to issue OS commands which might disrupt PDMS operations; for example, commands which would close or amend files currently in use by PDMS. Examples: SYSCOM 'dir' Lists directory from which you entered PDMS.
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3.9
General Querying Facilities

You will often find, when working in PDMS, that you need to check existing information about some aspect of the programs operations; for example:
Current usage in terms of users, modules and DBs. The currently selected output device. The unique code which identifies the process you are running and the station you are running it from (useful for generating unique workfile names). The current setting, perhaps the default setting, of a command option. The contents of part of a particular DB; for example, the current setting of an attribute or the list of member elements owned by a specific element. The elements which match specific selection criteria entered by you. (almost always abbreviated to Q)
To ask for such information from within Design, type

Query
followed by the relevant querying option as described in the following sections. (You also will find more specific querying syntax throughout this set of manuals.)
3.9.1 Querying Your Current Module

To check the version number or revision date of your current module, enter one of the following:
Q BANner Q BANner FULL
This will cause PDMS to redisplay the banner which was shown when you first entered Design. For example:
Design Mk11.3.1 (WINDOWS-NT 4.0) (29 Feb 2000 : 22.40)
(the FULL option will also display data about the software components used by Design).
3.9.2 Querying Your System

To ask about your current MDB, enter
Q MDB
To output all valid teams for the current user, enter

Q TEAM
To output the current PDMS user name, enter

Q USER
To output your login name, enter

Q LOGIN/NAME
To output the value of an environment variable, enter

Q EVARiable <evar> NOTE: If the environment variable name contains any non-letter characters, it must be enclosed in quotes.
To output information about a file, enter

Q FILE <filename> <att>
To output information about an open file, enter

Q OPENFILE <token> <att>
with the file identified by <token>. The information returned is governed by the attribute <att> which can be: NAME MODE FULLName ENTRY SIZE DTM OWNER LOCK SORT The name of the file as typed in the OPENFILE Command The mode as given in the OPENFILE command The fully specified filename The entry name of the file (i.e. without directories) The size of the file in bytes when it was last closed (it does not increase as it is written to) The date and time the file was last modified The owner (creator) of the file Indicates if the file is locked (valid only for OPENFILE) Type: File, Directory or Other (e.g. a link)
NOTE: In all the above, environment variables in filenames are always expanded, even for NAME.
3.9.3 Querying Your Current Output Devices

To check the current types of alphanumeric and graphics devices to which Design is expecting to send your output, especially if you have not changed the default settings, enter
Q DEVice
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To check either type of device separately, enter one of the following:

Q DEVice ALPha Q DEVice GRAphics
To check the current settings for your graphics device, enter any of the following (the list is not comprehensive):
Q SETPens Gives Q SETPens number Gives Gives Q LINESTyle Q COLours or Q COLORs Gives Q COLours number Gives Q COLours BACKground Q COLours ALPHa
all logical pen settings setting for logical pen number line type (dotted, dashed etc.) colours of all logical colour numbers colour of logical colour number
Gives colour set for display background
Gives colour set for alphabetic characters and so on.
3.9.4 Querying the Command Implementation Mode

To check the current state of the command implementation mode, that is, whether you have Actions On or Off , enter
Q ACTions
3.9.5 Asking for a Unique Workstation Code

To generate a unique string, based upon your current process and workstation in use, enter
Q UNIQueid
This returns a unique string, which is machine dependent. This is useful for generating workfile names that will not clash with names generated by other users.
3.9.6 Querying Elements and Attributes in DBs

To check what the current element is, enter
Q CE
To check the membership list of the current element, enter

Q MEMbers
The members will be listed in the order of their positions in the membership list.
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To find out which element owns the current element (the inverse of the preceding example), type
Q OWNer
To ask what types of element may legally be members of the current element, type
Q LISt
To ask whether an element exists, type

Q EXISTS <element name/refno> [<type>] [UPDATE]
The optional <type> lets you check whether the identified element is of a given type. The optional UPDATE can be used to tell you whether the identified element can be updated or not. The responses to this query are: TRUEA TRUE TRUEC FALSEA FALSEB FALSEC If you did not specify <type> and the element exists. If you specified <type> and the element exists and is also of the given <type>. If the element exists and can be updated. If the element does not exist. If the element exists but is not of the given <type>. If the element exists but cannot be updated (if UPDATE was used).
To ask what elements match specified criteria, enter

Q ALL <select>
where <select> is the selection expression. All elements matching your entered selection criteria will be output. For example
Q ALL BRANCH WHERE (HBORE GT 100) FOR /ATEST
will output all branches in the element /ATEST which have values greater than 100 for the attribute HBORE. To check the settings of all attributes of the current element, type
Q ATTributes
(Any user-defined attributes (UDAs) will be output at the end of the attribute list.) To check the setting of an attribute of a specific element, type
Q (<attribute> OF <id>)
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For example:
Q (XLEN OF BOX1)
To check the settings of specific attributes only, query them by name, thus:
Q XLEngth Q BORe Q POSition Q ORIentation Q :TESTED
(where :TESTED is a UDA)
and so on. You may query several specified attributes in a single command line. For example,
Q POS ORI XLEN YLEN ZLEN :TESTED
To query the contents of part of an array, enter

Q arrayname[index]
For example:
Q DESP[10]
To query the PDMS version from which the current DB was created, enter
Q CRINFO
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Design Databases and MDBs

It is sometimes necessary to access or change Multiple Databases during a PDMS session.
4.1
MDB Mode
MDB UPDATE NOUPDATE
The MDB command puts you into MDB Mode, where you can use a limited number of Monitor commands. This lets you change the current multiple database during a Design session without having to leave Design and enter Monitor. When you enter MDB mode, you can either update the current MDB to save your design changes, or ignore any changes made since your last SAVEWORK command, by specifying UPDATE or NOUPDATE. When you are in MDB mode, you can give the following commands, which are the same as the corresponding Monitor commands. For more information, see the VANTAGE Monitor Reference Manual.
Examples: MDB UPDATE MDB NOUPDATE EXCHANGE DEFER CURRENT PROTECT USER username PROJECT code LIST Save design changes and enter MDB Mode. Enter MDB Mode without saving design changes. Alter the databases in the current list of the current MDB Temporarily alters your access rights to specified databases. Changes the current user Changes the current project Allows you to query: Users, including the number of active users, Teams including the set (current) Team, Databases, including copied Databases, MDBs, Macros and Variables Change to MDB /PIPING. Change to MDB /PIPING in read-only mode.
4-1
/PIPING /PIPING READONLY
EXIT Command Syntax:
Return to Design Mode.
>-- MDB --+-- UPdate ----. | | -- NOUPdate --+-->
4.2
Checking the Current User Status

STATUS Gives you information about your current status as a user and about the DBs to which you have access.
Keywords: Description: Example:
A typical response to the STATUS command could be:

Project: XYZ User: CSI (758) Teams: B MDB: /DESIGN Current DBS: 1 PIPING/SITE 2 MASTER/CATLOG Deferred DBS: 3 STRUCT/STEEL
RW R
This indicates that the designer has identified himself as being PDMS user CSI, that he is logged in to the computer as user 758, that he is a member of team B, that he is accessing Project XYZ, and that he has selected an MDB called /DESIGN.
Command Syntax:
>-- STATus -->
4.3
Checking the Current System Status

SYSTAT The SYstem STATus command gives you information about the current active status of the project in which you are working. It lists all users who are currently accessing the project, the modules and databases
Keyword: Description:
4-2
which they are using, and whether they are examining (Read-only status) or modifying (Read/Write status) the database. It also gives the workstation identifier for each user. Example:
A typical response to the SYSTAT command could be:

PROJECT XYZ ============== USER SYSTEM (57b) MODULE ADMIN MDB ** UNSET ** USER HHJ (752) MODULE DESIGN MDB /STEEL DB MASTER/AREA-A MASTER/AREA-B STRUC/AREA-C MODE R R RW
This shows that two users are currently logged in and are using PDMS for work on Project XYZ. The Project Coordinator is using ADMIN but is not accessing any databases. User 752 is using DESIGN. He is accessing the MDB named /STEEL, whose constituent DBs are as listed. He has Read-only status for the DBs owned by the MASTER (System) team and Read/Write access to the DB STRUC/AREA-C.
Command Syntax:
>-- SYStat -->
4.4
Listing Project Information

LIST Lets you list most of the project information held in the System Database, with the exception of confidential details such as other users passwords, which can only be listed by the System Administrator in PDMS ADMIN.
Examples:
4-3
A typical response to the LIST MDB command could be:

List of MDBS for project XXX ============================== MDB: /DESIGN Current DBS: 1 PIPING/AREA-A 2 PIPING/AREA-C 3 MASTER/AREA-D Deferred DBS: 4 PIPING/AREA-B 5 MASTER/AREA-E MDB:/STEEL Current DBS: 1 MASTER/AREA-A 2 MASTER/AREA-B 3 STRUCT/AREA-C Deferred DBS: **NONE** MDB: /ANSI Current DBS: 1 CATAL/AREA-E Deferred DBS: **NONE** List of USERS for project ZZZ =============================== SYSTEM (FREE) TEAMS :MASTER STAB Z (FREE) TEAMS :***NONE** GEN (GENERAL) TEAMS :TEST
DESI Exclusive DESI Update DESI Exclusive
DESI Exclusive DESI Update
DESI Exclusive DESI Exclusive DESI Exclusive
CATA Update
A typical response to the LIST USERS command could be:
The information generated by the LIST command can either be displayed on screen or sent to a file.
4-4
Command Syntax:
.----<----. / | >-- LIst --*-- USers --| | | |-- MDBs ---| | | |-- DBs ----| | | |-- TEams -- | -------------->
4.5
Sessions
Each time you enter DESIGN or save your design changes, a new session is created for each database changed. You can then query when specific items of design data were modified by reference to the corresponding session number(s). Sessions can be used by the System Administrator to backtrack changes to a given date or session if necessary.
4.5.1 Session Comments

You can add a comment for each session, which can help identify the work done in each session.
Keyword: Description: SESSION COMMENT Lets you associate comment text with the current design session. You can query this text later to help you identify a particular session in which modifications were made to elements and/or attribute settings. You should enter the session comment before you issue a SAVEWORK command. Sessions 1 and 2 are created in ADMIN (when the DESIGN DB and its World element, respectively, are created), so the first true DESIGN session will be Session 3.
Note:
Examples: SESSION COMMENT Addition of upper platform Command Syntax: >-- SESSION COMMENT -- text --> Querying: Q SESSComment integer
where integer is the session number.
4.6
Querying MDB Information

QUERY Lets you query details of the current MDB. This is a supplementary querying facility to the LIST command (Section 4.4). It allows specific information about features of the project configuration to be interrogated.
Command Syntax:
>-- Query --+-| |-| |-| -USer word ---. | TEam word ---| | DB dbname ---| | MDB name ----+-->
4.6.1 Querying Individual Database Information

Keywords: Description: Examples: Q DBNAME Q DBTYPE Q DBFNUMBER Q DBFILE Gives name of current DB; e.g. TEST/DESI Gives type of current DB; e.g. DESI Gives file number for current DB; e.g. 6 Gives pathname for current DB file; e.g. \usr\pdms\projects\SAM\sam006 QUERY Lets you query details of the current DB for a given element.
Command Syntax:
>-- Query --+-| |-| |-| -DBNAme -----. | DBTYpe -----| | DBFNumber --| | DBFIle -----+-->
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4.7
Change Management
You can query the following aspects of the history of modifications to the current database:
When and by whom an element or attribute was last modified. A complete history of the sessions in which an element or attribute has been modified. Details of a given session. The session number for a given date.
4.7.1 Querying the Last Modification to an Element or Attribute

Keywords: Description: Examples: Q LASTMOD Gives date for last modification to current element. Q SESSMOD Gives session number for last modification to current element. Q USERMOD Gives name of user who last modified current element. Q LASTMOD HIER Gives dates for last modifications to current element and its members. Q LASTMOD XLEN Gives date for last modification to XLEN attribute of current element.. Command Syntax:
Q --+-- LASTMod --. | | |-- SESSMod --| | | -- USERMod --+--+-- <selatt> --. | | | | --------------+-- HIERarchy --. | | | | ---------------+--> | -- attribute_name -->
LASTMOD
SESSMOD
USERMOD
Lets you query details of the most recent change to a given element or attribute.
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4.7.2 Querying the Session History for an Element or Attribute

Keywords: Description: Examples: Q HISTORY DIAM Gives all sessions in which DIAM attribute was modified. Note: HISTORY is an array type pseudo-attribute, so that qualifying positions may be appended to query specific occurrences in the modification history. For example: Q HISTORY[2] DIAM gives second most recent session in which DIAM attribute was modified. History records are restricted to a maximum of 120 sessions. Command Syntax: Q HISTORY attribute_name HISTORY Lets you query modification history for a given attribute; i.e. session numbers during which the attribute was modified.
4.7.3 Querying Details of a Specific Session

Keywords: Description: Examples: Q SESSCOMM 58 Gives comment text associated with session 58 Q SESSUSER 58 Gives name of user responsible for session 58. Q SESSDATE 58 Gives date and time at which session 58 was created. Note: All session queries are for the current DB. Command Syntax:
Q --+-- SESSComment --. | | |-- SESSUser -----| | | -- SESSDate -----+-- integer -->
SESSCOMMENT
SESSUSER
SESSDATE
Lets you query details of any specific session. This is particularly useful to get details of sessions listed by a HISTORY command.
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4.7.4 Querying Session Number for a Given Time

Keywords: Description: Examples: Q SESSION ON 12:00 22 August 1995 Q SESSION ON 9 / 9 /96 Time defaults to 23:59, so returns last session number on given date. Command Syntax: Q SESSION ON <date> SESSION ON Lets you query which session was current at a given time. (This is the inverse of the Q SESSDATE option described in Section 4.7.3.)
where <date> is a standard syntax graph, see Chapter 2. Remember that <date> actually specifies a time (to the nearest minute), so take care if you use any defaults here.
4.8
The Comparison Date

It is only by comparing a drawing at two states or sessions that it is possible to determine what has changed. Using the current state of the drawing as one state we must then reference an earlier state in order to make the comparison. We do this by specifying a Comparison Date (COMPDATE), that is, the drawing state at a time that we wish to use as a baseline or datum.
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4.8.1 Setting the Comparison Date

Keywords: Description: SETCOMPDATE You can enter a comparison date, either for the entire MDB or an individual DB. For individual DBs, you can also enter a specific session number and extract number.
Examples: SETCOMPDATE 31 March 2002 SETCOMPDATE STAMP /STAMP1 SETCOMPDATE NOW -(will compare against the start values) SETCOMPDATE FOR CTBATEST/DESI to session 99 SETCOMPDATE FOR CTBATEST/DESI to EXTRACT compare against the parent) -(this will
SETCOMPDATE FOR CTBATEST/DESI to CTBATEST/MASTER (CTBATEST/MASTER must be up the extract hierarchy) Command Syntax:
-SETCOMPDATE--|---date-> | --STAMP------name-> -FOR--DB--dbname--TO--|--date--> |--Session -int-|--|-EXTRACT--|- int----> --------------- --> |-- Dbname-> ---------->
The date subgraph takes the keyword NOW This in effect sets the comparison date to the start of the session. This can be useful for querying the original value of an attribute. The EXTRACT keyword sets the comparison to an extract DB. This extract DB must be one further up the extract hierarchy. If the EXTRACT keyword is used by itself, the comparison is set to the parent extract. Thus this enables you to find out what has been changed in this extract.
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4.8.2 Querying the Comparison Date

Keywords: Description: Examples: Q COMPDATE EXTRACT FOR DB CTBATEST/DESI to get extract Q COMPDATE COMPDATE SESSION FOR DB CTBATEST/DESI to get session Q COMPDATE DATE to get date Q COMPDATE STAMP to get stamp COMPDATE The query will return the comparison session number or extract number for a DB.
Note that if a stamp is used to set the comparison date, this will set the comparison session for each database within the stamp. It will also reset any comparison dates set previously. The query for the comparison date will only return a value if the COMPDATE was set using a single date. Otherwise it will return unset. Similarly querying a stamp is only valid if the COMPDATE was set using a stamp.
Command Syntax:
Q ----------|-COMPDATE-|--SESSION--|--FOR---dbname---> VAR vname-- |EXTRACT--- |----DATE---------> ----STAMP-------->
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4.8.3 The MODIFIED Function

Keywords: Description: MODIFIED For the more sophisticated queries relating to modifications, the MODIFIED function tells you if the given element has changed since the comparison date. This function is not implemented within PML2 expressions.
Examples:
To return true if element has changed at all since the comparison date use:
Q MODIFIED()
It will also return true if the element has been created since the comparison date. To return true if POS or ORI have been modified since the comparison date use:
Q MODIFIED(POS,ORI)
To return true if the position of P1 has changed use.

Q MODIFIED(P1 POS)
You may follow each attribute name with the qualifying keywords below. To check this element and members use:
OFFSPRING
To check all elements for which this element represents the significant one use:
SIGNIF
To check all elements for which this element represents the primary one use:
PRIMARY
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To check this element and everything below (descendants):

DESCENDANTS
You can use the keywords below on their own to test for any attribute change. e.g. to return true if any geometry for item or any descendants have changed use:
Q MODIFIED(GEOM DESCENDANTS)
To return true if any element for which this element is primary, has changed use:
Q MODIFIED(PRIMARY)
You may use the OF syntax as for attributes. e.g. to return true if /PIPE1 has been modified since the comparison date use:
Q MODIFIED() OF /PIPE1
You may put the new functions anywhere within a PDMS PML1 expression. i.e. after Q/Var and within collections. e.g.
Q (BUIL OR MODIFIED() OR ELECREC OF NEXT ) Command Syntax:
.------------------------------------. / | >-MODIFIED--(-+--attname-------|--*--DESCENDANTS--+--+-comma--+--attname-- | | | | |--DESCENDANTS--. |-- SIGNIFICANT-| | | | | | | |--SIGNIFICANT--| |--PRIMARY----- | | | | | | | |--PRIMARY------| |--MEMBERS------| | | | | | | |--MEMBERS------| --------------- | | | | | | | | | | ---------------+----------------------+--+--) ---OF --id--> | -->
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4.8.4 The CREATED Function

Keywords: Description: CREATED Determine if an element has changed since the Comparison Date. The functionality of CREATED() is identical to using the pseudo attribute ELECREC.
Examples: Q ( CREATED() )
4.8.5 The DELETED Function

Keywords: Description: DELETED Determine if an element has been deleted since the Comparison Date. The functionality of DELETED() is identical to using the pseudo attribute ELEDELC.
Examples: Q ( DELETED() )- returns deleted since comparison date
However if the element has been deleted then you cannot have navigated to it in the first place, hence DELETED() by itself will always be true. There are two ways around this. Either include the elements reference number e.g.:
Q (DELETED() of =15752/234 )
Or use it as part of the 'old' syntax. e.g.:

Q OLD (DELETED() of /VESS2)
4.8.6 The GEOM, CATTEXT, and CATMOD Special Attributes

There are three new special attributes GEOM, CATTEXT, and CATMOD (previously called CATA). 4.8.6.1 GEOM special attribute The GEOM attribute returns true if any aspect of the evaluated geometry has changed. The definition of evaluated geometry change includes:
Any dimension of a primitive has changed
Any ppoint changes Pos/ori change
The level information used to determine the geometry is set by the REPRE MASS command. The REPRE MASS command is also available in ISODRAFT. 4.8.6.2 CATTEXT special attribute This will return true if any part of the evaluated detail or material text has changed. 4.8.6.3 CATMOD special attribute Special attribute CATMOD will return true if any value in the catalogue has changed. i.e.
SPREF Changes to SPCO element Changes to COMP element Changes to any PTSE, GMSE, ppoint, geometry elements Changes to any dataset elements Changes in DTEXT,MTEXT elements
Note that there is a subtle difference between CATMOD and the other two: the CATTEXT and GEOM keywords work on the evaluated values. Thus it is possible that the geometry element has changed but the GEOM keyword returns false, e.g. a UDA value may have changed, but this has no effect on the evaluated geometry. The CATMOD keyword on the other hand will return true for any change. You can use the CATMOD keyword on any element. It will return false if the element does not have a SPREF or CATREF reference pointing into the catalogue database. It will return true if the element has a SPREF or CATREF attribute and either (a) this reference attribute has itself changed in value or (b) the catalogue element pointed at, or any catalogue element owned by or pointed at by this element, either directly or indirectly, has changed in any way. The exception is that elements pointed at by UDAs are not compared, although the value of the UDA itself is checked. Thus if a reference
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valued UDA has been changed then this will count as a change, but if only the element pointed at has changed, then this will not count.
4.8.7 Querying Any Attribute at the Comparison Date

The OLD syntax enables you to query any attribute at the comparison date. You can use the syntax in front of any expression or attribute. The whole expression will then be evaluated at the comparison date. e.g.
Q OLD XLEN
If a name is given, the name will be for the item at the comparison date, not now. Thus values of deleted items may be accessed. e.g.
Q OLD REF OF /OLDPIPE
Where /OLDPIPE no longer exists. The OLD syntax may also be used after VAR. This includes collections e.g.
VAR !PIPES OLD COLLECT ALL PIPES
This would return a collection of all PIPES at the old version. If the functions MODIFIED, CREATED, DELETED are used on the old version then the comparison is made with the current version. For example to get a list of deleted pipes between the comparison date and now, then the following collection could be used. e.g.:
VAR !PIPES OLD COLLECT ALL PIPES WITH ( DELETED() )
There is also a pseudo attribute, DSESS. that returns the session number when an element was deleted. i.e. having got the deleted PIPES from the previous query, we can now find out when they were deleted.
4.9
Using Multiwrite Databases

If a Design DB has been created as a multiwrite database, several users can write to it simultaneously, although they cannot change the same element.
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Multiwrite databases can either be Standard multiwrite databases, or Extract databases. In both types, an element must be claimed before it can be modified. Claiming an element prevents other users claiming (and modifying) the element; the element must be unclaimed or released before another user can change it. Claiming can be either explicit, where the user must use the CLAIM command before attempting to modify the element, or implicit, where the claim is made automatically when the user tries to modify the element. The claim mode is set when the DB is created. For full details see the
VANTAGE PDMS Admin Reference Manual.
4.9.1 User Claims

Keywords: Description: CLAIM UNCLAIM
In a Standard multiwrite database, you must claim an element before changing it. This is known as a user claim. If the claim mode is explicit (see below for details of how to check this), you must first claim each element that you want to modify using the CLAIM command. If the claim mode is implicit, the claim will be made automatically (although you can still give explicit CLAIM commands if you want to prevent other users claiming specific elements). Only significant elements can be claimed, that is: WORLD SITE ZONE EQUI SUBE PIPE BRAN STRU SUBS FRMW SBFR REST HANG SCTN GPWL PANE HVAC PTRA RPLG You can claim a specified element only, or a specified element plus all of the significant elements below it in the hierarchy. If the claimed element is not a significant element, the significant element above it in the hierarchy will be claimed. An element must be unclaimed before another user can claim it and change it. User claims are always unclaimed when you change modules or leaves PDMS, and you can also unclaim elements at any time during a PDMS session using the UNCLAIM command.
Examples: CLAIM /ZoneA /EQUIP100 /PIPE-100-A Claims named elements CLAIM /ZoneA HIERARCHY Claims named element and all of its owned hierarchy
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CLAIM /ELBOW-33 Claims Branch which owns named component, since ELBO is not a significant element UNCLAIM /PIPE-100 /PIPE-200 Unclaims named elements UNCLAIM ALL Unclaims all elements currently claimed Command Syntax:
.---------------. / | >-- CLAIM ----*-- elementname --+-- HIERARCHY ---. | | ----------------+--> .---------------. / | >-- UNCLAIM ---*-- elementname --+-- HIERARCHY ---. | | | `-- ALL ----------+----------------+-->
4.9.2 Notes on Standard Multiwrite DBs

Elements cannot be claimed if recent changes have been made to them by other users. You must issue a GETWORK command first. Elements cannot be unclaimed if there are updates outstanding. You must issue a SAVEWORK command first. You can insert/remove significant elements in a members list without claiming the owner. For example, you can add a Branch to a Pipe without claiming the Pipe. Thus two users can add different Branches to the same Pipe: any discrepancies will be resolved when a SAVEWORK is attempted. Before an element can be deleted, that element and all of its sub-hierarchy must be claimed. The following potential problems may not be revealed until you try to save changes: If two concurrent users allocate the same name to different elements, the second user to attempt a SAVEWORK will show up an error. The second user must rename their element. If one user inserts a significant element into another elements list, while a concurrent user deletes the latter element, an attempt to SAVEWORK will show up an error. Either the first user must delete or move the significant element, or the second user must QUIT without saving the deletion.
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4.9.3 Extract Databases

Keywords: Description: EXTRACT REFRESH ISSUE FLUSH RELEASE DROP Unlike standard multiwrite databases, extracts allow users to keep elements claimed when they exit from PDMS or change module. They can also be used, together with Data Access Control, to manage workflow. See the VANTAGE PDMS Admin User Guide for more information. An extract is created from an existing Database. When an Extract is created, it will be empty, with pointers back to the owing or master database. Extracts can only be created from Multiwrite databases, and all extracts are themselves Multiwrite. An extract can be worked on by one User at the same time as another user is working on the master or another extract. When a user works on the extract, an extract claim is made as well as a user claim. If the claim mode is explicit, the extract claim will be made automatically when you make a user claim using the CLAIM command. You can also claim to the extract only using the EXTRACT CLAIM command. If an element is claimed to an extract, only users with write access to the extract will be able to make a user claim and start work on the element: If the databases are set up with implicit claim, when the user modifies the element, the element will be claimed both to the extract and then to the user. If the element is already claimed to the extract, then the claim will only be made to the user. If the databases are set up with explicit claim, then the user will need to use the CLAIM command before modifying the element. Once a user has made a user claim, no other users will be able to work on the elements claimed, as in a normal multiwrite database. If a user unclaims an element, it will remain claimed to the extract until the extract claim is released or issued. When an extract User does a SAVEWORK, the changed data will be saved to the Extract. The unchanged data will still be read via pointers back to the master DB. The changes made to the extract can be written back to the master, or dropped. Also, the extract can be refreshed with changes made to the master.
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Examples: EXTRACT CLAIM /STRU1 /STRU2 /STRU3 Claims named elements to the extract EXTRACT CLAIM /STRU1 /STRU2 /ZONE-A HIERARCHY Claims the named elements, and all the elements in the hierarchy to the extract The HIERARCHY keyword must be the last on the command line. It will attempt to claim to the extract all members of the elements listed in the command which are not already claimed to the extract. EXTRACT FLUSH DB PIPE/PIPE Writes all changes to the database back to the owing extract. The Extract claim is maintained. EXTRACT FLUSH /STRU1 /STRU2 /STRU3 Writes the changes to the named elements back to the owing extract. The Extract claim is maintained. EXTRACT ISSUE DB PIPE/PIPE Writes all the changes to the database back to the owning extract and releases the extract claim EXTRACT ISSUE /ZONE-A HIERARCHY Writes all the changes to the named element and all elements under it in the hierarchy back to the owning extract and releases the extract claim EXTRACT ISSUE /STRU1 /STRU2 /STRU3 Writes the changes to the named elements back to the owning extract and releases the extract claim EXTRACT RELEASE DB PIPE/PIPE Releases the extract claim: this command can only be given to release changes that have already been flushed. EXTRACT RELEASE /STRU1 /STRU2 /STRU3 Releases the extract claim: this command can only be given to release changes that have already been flushed. EXTRACT RELEASE /ZONE-A HIERARCHY Releases the extract claim to the named element and all: elements under it in the hierarchy. EXTRACT DROP DB PIPE/PIPE Drops changes that have not been flushed or issued. The user claim must have been unclaimed before this command can be given. EXTRACT DROP DB PIPE/PIPE Drops changes that have not been flushed or issued. The user claim must have been unclaimed before this command can be given. The elements required can be specified by selection criteria, using a PML expression. For example:
HIERARCHY
EXTRACT CLAIM ALL STRU WHERE (:OWNER EQ USERA)
Command Syntax:
>- EXTRACT -+| || || || || `FLUSH ---------------. | FLUSHWithoutrefresh -| | RELEASE -------------| | ISSUE ---------------| | DROP ----------------| .-------<-------. | / | REFRESH -------------+--*-- elementname --+- HIERARCHY -. | | | | | | `-- DB dbname ---------------------+->
4.9.4 How to Find Out What You Can Claim

Keywords: Description: Q CLAIMLIST Before you start work on an extract, you should do a GETWORK and an EXTRACT REFRESH, which will ensure that you have an up-todate view of the database. This section explains what different users will see as a result of Q CLAIMLIST commands. For this example, take the case of a database PIPE/PIPE, accessed by USERA, with two extracts. Users USERX1 and USERX2 are working on the extracts.
DB PIPE/PIPE DB PIPE/PIPEX1 USERX1 USERA DB PIPE/PIPE-X2 USERX2
USERA creates a Pipe and flushes the database back to the owning database, PIPE/PIPE. The results of various Q CLAIMLIST commands by the three Users, together with the extract control commands which they have to give to make the new data available, are shown in the Figure 3-1.
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Note: Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT tells you what you can flush Q CLAIMLIST OTHERS tells you want you can't claim
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USERA: EXTRACT REFRESH DB PIPE/PIPE Q CLAIMLIST: none Q CLAIMLIST OTHER: /PIPE-100 Extract PIPE/PIPE_EX7001 Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT: /PIPE-100
USERX1 creates PIPE-100 EXTRACT FLUSH DB PIPE/PIPE Q CLAIMLIST: none Q CLAIMLIST OTHER: none Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT: /PIPE-100
USERX2: EXTRACT REFRESH DB PIPE/PIPE Q CLAIMLIST: none Q CLAIMLIST OTHER: /PIPE-100 Extract PIPE/PIPE_EX7001 Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT: none Note that USERX2 must use Q CLAIMLIST OTHER (not Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT) to see the claim
Figure 3-1 Querying extract claimlists

When you create an element, PDMS only sees it as a user claim, not an extract claim, until the element is flushed. It will then be reported as an extract claim (as well as a user claim, if it has not been unclaimed). Note that a change in the claim status of an existing element will be shown by the appropriate Q CLAIMLIST command as soon as appropriate updates take place, but a user will have to GETWORK as usual to see the changes to the Design model data.
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We recommend that: Before you make a user or extract claim, you should do an EXTRACT REFRESH and GETWORK. If you need to claim many elements to an extract, it improves performance if the elements are claimed in a single command, for example, by using a collection: EXTRACT CLAIM ALL FROM !COLL Examples: Q DBNAME Returns the name of the database which you are actually writing to. Q CLAIMLIST Outputs a list of all elements currently claimed by yourself: Q CLAIMLIST OTHER Outputs a list of all elements currently claimed by other users who are accessing the same DB: Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT Shows the extract claimlist for all the writable extracts in the MDB. Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT DB dbname Shows the extract claimlist for the named extract DB. Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT FREE DB dbname Shows the elements claimed to the current extract and not claimed to another extract or user. That is, the elements which can be released Q CLAIMLIST EXTRACT OTHER DB dbname Shows the elements claimed to the current extract and claimed to another extract or user. Q CLAIMLIST CONTROL DB dbname Shows the extract claimlist for a CONTROLLED named extract DB. Q DBAC Queries the access mode of the database. DBAC is a pseudo-attribute which can have the text settings CONTROL, UPDATE or MULTIWRITE. Q DBCL Queries the claim mode of the database. DBCL is a pseudo-attribute which can have the text settings EXPLICIT or IMPLICIT. Q LCLM Queries whether or not the current element is claimed by another user. Returns TRUE or FALSE.
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Command Syntax:
>-- Q CLAIMLIST --+- OTHER -----. | | |- EXTRACT ---+- OTHER --. | | | | |- FREE ---| | | | | `----------| | | |- CONTROL --------------| | | |------------------------+-- DB dbname --. | | `----------------------------------------+-->
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4.10 Comparing Database Changes

4.10.1 Comparing Database States at Different Times
You can compare details of your current database settings with the corresponding settings at a specified earlier time and generate a report listing all differences. The types of change reported include:
Keywords: Description: Creation and deletion of elements. Changes to the attribute settings of elements. Changes in the list order for BRANCH, POGON, DRAWI and BOUND elements. DIFFERENCE SINCE
Lets you report all changes to one or more specified database elements since an earlier version of that database. The output is in the form of a report listing all elements and attributes which have changed, with their old and new values. The report can be sent to a file by using the ALPHA FILE or ALPHA LOG commands.
Note:
The database states are compared between SAVEWORK operations. For example, if you last saved your design changes at 9:30 and ask for a comparison since 10:00, the current settings will be compared with those at 9:30. DIFFERENCE ALL BRANCH FOR /ATEST SINCE 21 JANUARY DIFF CE SINCE 10:00 Assumes current day. DIFF /ZONE1 Compares current settings with those at your last SAVEWORK command.
Examples:
DIFF SITE SINCE SESSION 66 Compares current settings with those at the end of session 66 of the current database. Command Syntax:
>- DIFFerence <selele> SINCE -+- <date/time> -+-----------------------. | | | |- LATEST ------| | | | | |--SESSION nn --| | | | | `---------------+- EXTRACT -+- extname -| | | `- extno ---+->
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4.11 Creating Database Update Macros

The OUTPUT command produces macros which can be re-input to recreate or modify specified parts of the Design DB. You can include only the elements which have been changed since a specified time (i.e. those elements which would be listed by the DIFFERENCE command). The output is generated in three stages: 1. Any elements which were originally locked are unlocked. Element deletions, name changes and type changes are output. Note that reordering or insertion of elements in their owners members list is treated as deletion followed by creation, so that Refno attribute settings may be changed. Newly created elements and all standard attribute settings are output. Reference attribute settings and rules are output. Elements which were originally locked are relocked and GADD commands are included if any elements were included in Groups.
OUTPUT CHANGES SINCE
2. 3.
Lets you output all changes to one or more specified database elements since an earlier version of that database. The output is in the form of a macro which can recreate the changes when run on, say, a copy of the original DB. The macro is sent to a file by using the standard ALPHA FILE or ALPHA LOG commands.
Examples: OUTPUT /ZONE-A Outputs all elements, whether or not they have ever been changed. OUTPUT ALL PIPE FOR /ZONE CHANGES SINCE 21 JANUARY Outputs all changes to named element and its members since the given date. OUTPUT /PIPE-100 CHANGES Outputs all changes to named element and its members since last SAVEWORK command. OUTPUT /PIPE-1 CHANGES SINCE EXTRACT In an extract database, outputs all changes since the extract was created. OUTPUT /PIPE-1 CHANGES SINCE LATEST EXTRACT In an extract database, outputs all changes compared with the latest version of the parent extract.
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OUTPUT /PIPE-1 CHANGES SINCE EXTRACT 44 OUTPUT /PIPE-1 CHANGES SINCE EXTRACT PIPE/PIPE-X1 In an extract database, outputs all changes compared with the latest version of the given extract, which must be higher in the extract hierarchy. OUTPUT /PIPE-1 CHANGES SINCE SESSION 77 EXTRACT 44 OUTPUT /PIPE-1 CHANGES SINCE OCT 2000 EXTRACT PIPE/PIPE-X1 In an extract database, outputs all changes compared with the given extract, which must be higher in the extract hierarchy, at the given session or date.
The macro is sent to a file by using the standard ALPHA FILE or ALPHA LOG commands (see Section 3.3). You can also give a PDMS session number. The database states are compared between SAVEWORK operations. For example, if you last saved your design changes at 9:30 and ask for a macro containing changes since 10:00, the macro will contain all changes since 9:30.
Command Syntax:
>- OUTPUT <selele> SINCE -+- <date/time> -+-----------------------. | | | |- LATEST ------| | | | | |--SESSION nn --| | | | | `---------------+- EXTRACT -+- extname -| | | `- extno ---+->
4.12 Inter-DB Connection Macros

Access to a DB is usually controlled in such a way that only one user can modify the content of that DB at any one time; that is, only one user can have Write access to the DB. Other users may have simultaneous Read access, depending how access rights have been set up in the ADMIN module. (See also Section 4.9, which describes a new multiwrite DB facility.) In a multi-disciplinary PDMS project, in which different teams of users work on different aspects of the design, an individual user will usually have Read/Write access to the DBs controlled by their own team and Read-only access to DBs controlled by other teams. This works well until a user needs to connect an item in their teams DB to an item in another teams DB; for example, a member of the Piping team may wish to connect a Branch in a Piping DB to a Nozzle in an Equipment DB (to which they have Read-only access). In such a case, the design changes needed in the Equipment DB are stored in a buffer file known as an
inter-DB connection macro. Only when this macro is run by a member of the Equipment team, with Write access to the Equipment DB, are the changes implemented. The sequence of events which would occur is illustrated in the following example. Assume that Project ABC has separate Piping and Equipment design teams. Assume that User P has Read/Write access to a Piping DB and Read-only access to an Equipment DB, while User E has Read/Write access to the Equipment DB and Read-only access to the Piping DB. User P wishes to connect a Branch Tail in their Piping DB to a Nozzle in User Es Equipment DB; that is, they wish to set the Branchs TREF in their Piping DB to point to the CREF of the Nozzle (which they can do) and to set the CREF of the Nozzle to point to the TREF of their Branch (which they can not do), thus:
Only User E can set this Branch in Piping DB owned by User P's team Nozzle in Equipment DB owned by User E's team
TREF
CREF
Only User P can set this
User P sets the TREF of their Branch to point to the CREF of the Nozzle in the Equipment DB. When User P tries to set the Nozzles CREF, they receive a message telling them that they are trying to connect to a read-only DB and that an inter-DB connection macro is being created automatically. This macro, which stores the commands needed to set the CREF, is given a name with the format abc001.mac (where the macro number, 001 here, is allocated sequentially), and is held in the directory ABCMAC (or as defined by the projects environmental variables). When User E next enters Monitor (usually when entering or leaving PDMS), they receive a message asking them to run the inter-DB connection macro abc001.mac and to delete it when they have done so. User E enters Design and runs the inter-DB connection macro by giving the command $M /%ABCMAC%/abc001.mac This sets the CREF for the Nozzle to point to the TREF of the Branch and completes the link between the two DBs.
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User E enters Monitor (or Admin if they have sufficient access rights) and deletes the redundant macro by giving the command DELETE MACRO 1 where 1 is the macro number. This command is valid in Design, Monitor and Admin.
Note:
If User P checks their DB for data consistency errors between Stages 2 and 4, when the macro has been created but not yet run, they will get an incompatible connection reference message. They cannot finalise their design until User E has run the macro. Thus, the successful use of inter-DB connection macros relies on good co-operation between the teams involved. Inter-DB connection macros are also created in multiwrite DBs if an attachment is claimed by another user.
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Display
The commands described in this chapter control how the items are displayed in a 3D (Volume) View. For information about creating View windows, see the Plant Design Software Customisation Guide and the Plant Design Software Customisation Reference Manual.
5.1
Adding Elements to the Display

ADD COLOUR Allows selected Design items to be added to the Draw List, which defines which elements are to be displayed. If an element is to be displayed in a colour which is different from the default colour, this can be specified as part of the command line. Items added to the display are added to all volume views with the scale and view direction appropriate to that view. The Draw List can contain significant elements only. Significant elements in Design are: EQUI BRAN SCTN SUBE HANG PNOD DATU PVOL* PALJ GRDM RPLA* PANE PTRA STRU BOUN SUBS
(* only if directly below a Site or Zone.) If an element below a significant element (i.e. a primitive) is added, then the whole significant element will be added as well. If an element above a significant element (e.g. a PIPE) is added, then all significant elements owned by that element will be added; not the high-level element itself. Examples: ADD /P100A ADD CE /P100A is added to the Draw List The current element will be added to the Draw List
ADD /ZONE1 /ZONE2 COLOUR 5 /ZONE1 and /ZONE2 will be added in colour 5. If you wish to add items in other colours, you must use separate commands. Command Syntax:
Display
.----<-------. / | >-- ADD --*-- <selatt> --+-- COLour <colno> --> | -->
where:
<colno> = >--+-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| -integer --. | ACTive ---| | VISIble --| | CE -------| | CLASH ----| | OBST -----| | AIDS -----+-->
Querying: Q DRAW Q DRAW COUNT Q DRAW FULL Queries the contents of the Draw List Queries the number of items in the Draw List Queries the contents of the Draw List and the colour with which each Draw List member was added Queries the colour number of the referenced item, r. It returns unset if the item is not in the Draw List.
Q DRAW r COLOUR
Q DRAW r TRANSLUENCY Queries the translucency number of the referenced item, r. It returns unset if the item is not in the Draw List.
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Display
5.1.1 Selecting Graphics Colours Automatically

Keywords: Description: AUTOCOLOUR Lets you define a set of rules for automating the selection of colours for items added to graphical views. Each rule consists of a set of selection criteria for particular types of element, together with an associated colour (which may be an explicit colour number or an expression). When an element is added to the drawlist, the selection rules are scanned in sequence until a rule is found to be true for that element. The element is then added in the colour corresponding to that rule. If the colour is invalid, the search is continued. If no rule is true for the element, the default colour is used. The order in which the rules are set up is significant, since the first rule found to be true determines the colour. Automatic colour selection may be switched on or off as required. If it is on, the colour specified by the rule is used rather than any other colour entered as part of the ADD command. If dynamic autocolouring is specified, the autocolour will be checked every time an attribute is changed and, if necessary, the relevant element will be re-added in the current colour. Each autocolour may be drawn either as a solid colour (default) or as a translucent shade. If using translucency, you can also specify whether or not the edges of an item should be drawn (as in wireline mode) to give a more distinct outline. Examples: AUTOCOLOUR ALL EQUI COLOUR 4 All Equipment items to be added in colour 4 AUTOCOLOUR ALL EQUI COLOUR 4 TRANSLUCENCY 25 EDGES ON All Equipment items to be added in colour 4 with 25% translucency and edges drawn. AUTOCOLOUR ALL BRAN WITH (HBORE GT 100) COLOUR 10 All Branches with head bores greater than 100 to be added in colour 10. AUTOCOLOUR ALL SCTN COLOUR (:COLOUR OF SPRE) All Sections to be added as defined by the UDA :COLOUR derived via their SpecRefs. AUTOCOLOUR ALL COLOUR (:COLOUR) Uses the UDA :COLOUR to denote the colour for all displayed elements. If you enter this as the
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final rule, it will provide a default colour if all other rules prove false. AUTOCOLOUR ON Colours will be chosen according to autocolour rules. If Off (the default), colour specified in the ADD command will be used.
AUTOCOLOUR DYNAMIC ON Updates autocolour each time an attribute changes. (Use with care!) AUTOCOLOUR RESET Clears all current autocolour rules.
AUTOCOLOUR REMOVE 2 Removes the second rule from the current list. AUTOCOLOUR REORDER 2 TO 4 Moves rule number 2 to position 4 in the list. Command Syntax:
>- AUTOCOLOUR -+- selection_rule - COLOUR - expression -+-> | | | .-----------------------<--------------' | | | '- TRANSLucency - expression -+-> | | | '- EDGES - ON/OFF -> |- ON/OFF -> | |- DYNAMIC - ON/OFF -> | |- RESET -> | |- REMOVE - integer -> | - REORDER - integer1 - TO - integer2 ->
NOTE: The expression for Translucency must be in the range 099: the actual translucency will be set to the nearest of 12, 25, 37, 50, 62, 75 or 87 (99 = transparent; 0 = opaque). AUTOCOLOUR ON must be in force to see the effect of AUTOCOLOUR DYNAMIC ON. Querying: Q AUTOCOLOUR NUMber Gives number of colour rules. Q AUTOCOLOUR MODE Queries autocolour mode; i.e. On or Off.
Q AUTOCOLOUR integer Gives selection criteria for rule integer. Q AUTOCOLOUR DYNAMIC Checks whether dynamic updating is on or off.
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Q AUTOCOLOUR FOR id COLOUR Queries colour that would be selected for identified element (this is of most use for batch testing). Q AUTOCOLOUR FOR id TRANSLUCENCY Queries translucency setting for identified element. Q AUTOCOLOUR FOR id EDGES Queries whether or not edges are to be drawn for identified element (only relevant if translucency is being applied).
5.1.2 Removing Elements from the Display

Keywords: Description: Examples: REMOVE /BRANCH1 /BRANCH1 will be removed from the Draw List and the display All items in the Draw List, and on the screen, will be removed REMOVE These commands remove elements from the Draw List and the display.
REM SITE /PIPING The site /PIPING will be removed REM ALL Note:
If an element below a significant element (i.e. a primitive) is removed, then the whole significant element will be removed as well. This is because the Draw List may only contain significant elements. Significant elements are EQUI, SUBE, DATU, GRDM, PTRA, BOUN, BRAN, HANG, PVOL*, RPLA*, STRU, SUBS, SCTN, PNOD, PALJ, PANE. (* only if directly below a Site or Zone.)
Command Syntax:
>-- REMove -- <selatt> ------>
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5.1.3 Defining Colours

Keywords: Description: COLOUR ACTIVE CE VISIBLE CLASH OBST AIDS
These commands allow colours to be defined so that different types of item in the display may be distinguished by means of colour. Certain items such as current element and active element colours have default settings, but these may also be redefined. The colours may be assigned by using the COLOUR command to define the Red-Green-Blue mix for a colour number or to assign a predefined colour mix by name. Design allows the use of 115 user-definable colours, plus some specific ones which are assigned to items which need to be readily distinguishable in the display.
Definitions: The Active element is the significant element (and its components) being worked on. The Current Element (CE) is the actual element currently being accessed. The Visible design consists of the design elements which you wish to be displayed (but which you are not currently working on). A Clashing element is an element whose current position and geometry are being tested for interferences against other elements in the design and which has been found to clash (see Chapter 15). An Obstructing element is any of the elements in the design against which a clashing element is being tested for interferences and which has been found to clash (see Chapter 15). An Aid includes tags (markers), axes and other graphical annotations.
The predefined colour mixes which you may specify by name are as follows: Colour black white whitesmoke ivory grey lightgrey darkgrey darkslate red brightred coralred
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Red Green Blue 0 100 96 93 66 75 32 18 80 100 80 0 100 96 93 66 75 55 31 0 0 36 0 100 96 88 66 75 55 31 0 0 27
Colour
Red Green Blue 0 0 14 18 0 0 46 0 28 0 69 100 80 56 31 93 75 93 0 46 0 88 50 0 14 18 93 80 78 80 100 50 90
springgreen green forestgreen darkgreen cyan turquoise aquamarine blue royalblue navyblue powderblue
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tomato plum deeppink pink salmon orange brightorange orangered maroon yellow gold lightyellow lightgold yellowgreen
100 55 93 80 98 93 100 100 56 80 93 93 93 60
39 40 7 57 50 60 65 50 14 80 79 93 91 80
28 55 54 62 44 0 0 0 42 0 20 82 67 20
midnight 18 steelblue 28 indigo 20 mauve 40 violet 93 magenta 87 beige 96 wheat 96 tan 86 sandybrown 96 brown 80 khaki 62 chocolate 93 darkbrown 55
18 51 0 0 51 0 96 87 58 65 17 62 46 27
31 71 40 60 93 87 86 70 44 37 17 37 13 8
The default colour assignments are: Colour No Active design Current element Visible design Clashing element Obstructing element Aids 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Examples: COL 5 DARKGREEN Colour 5 will be changed to dark green COL 3 MIX RED 50 GRE 50 BLU 5 Colour 3 will change to the specified mix of red, green and blue
Colour orange yellow lightgrey red tomato blue grey red orange yellow green cyan blue violet brown white pink mauve turquoise indigo black magenta
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COL ACTIVE BRIGHTRED Sets the colour for displaying active elements to bright red Note: When colours are mixed in their Red, Green and Blue constituents, the command line must contain values for all three constituents in the correct order. The numbers entered for the relative proportions of the basic colours must each be in the range 0-100, but they are not percentages of the overall colour and so do not need to add up to 100.
Command Syntax:
>- COLour -+- integer -. | | |- ACTive --| | | |--AIDS-----| | | |- VISIble -| | | |- CE ------| | | |- CLASH ---| | | - OBST ----+-- colour_name ---> | -- MIX RED integer GREen integer BLUe integer ->
where colour_name is the name of any of the predefined colour mixes listed above.
Querying:
>-- Q COLour --+-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| -integer -----. | CE ----------| | ACTive ------| | VISIble -----| | CLASH -------| | OBST --------| | AIDS --------+-->
5.2
Element Representation
There are a number of options which determine how items in the graphical display are to be shown on the screen. These are controlled by the REPRESENTATION command.
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5.2.1 Setting Tube Representation for Piping Components

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION TUBE CL (CENTRELINE)
The REPRESENTATION command allows tubing to be represented in a centreline or as a solid tube. In some cases, it helps to switch between the two representations to simplify an otherwise complicated view. TUBE and CENTRELINE representation are not instantly updated on the screen. To see the effects of a representation change, use the REPResentation UPDATE command to make any changes visible.
Examples: REPR TUBE ON CL OFF Sets tubing representation as solid tube. REPR CL ON TUBE OFF Sets tubing representation as centreline. REPR TUBE ON CL ON Sets both types of representation on (but centreline will not be visible in colour-shaded mode, as it will be hidden by solid tube). Command Syntax:
.---------------------<-----------------. / | >-- REPResentation --*-- CL -------------------------. | | | | |-- CENTreline -----------------| | | | | -- TUbe -----------------------+-- ON ---| | | -- OFF --+-->
Querying: Q REPR TUBE Q REPR CL Q REPR PROF Q REPR Queries all Representation options.
5.2.2 Setting Profile Representation for Steelwork

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION PROFILE The REPRESENTATION PROFILE commands allow structural steel profiles to be represented in a centreline or solid profile format. In some
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cases, it helps to switch between the two representations to simplify an otherwise complicated view. TUBE and CENTRELINE representation are not instantly updated on the screen. To see the effects of a representation change, use the REPResentation UPDATE command to make any changes visible. Examples: REPR PROF ON CL OFF Sets profile representation as solid profile. REPR PROF CL ON TUBE OFF Sets profile representation as centreline. REPR PROF ON CL ON Sets both types of representation on. Command Syntax:
.---------------------<-----------------. / | >-- REPResentation --*-- PROFile --+-- CL -----------. | | | | |-- CENTreline ---| | | | | |-- OBSTruction --| | | | | -- INSUlation ---+-- ON ---| | | -- OFF --+-->
Querying: Q REPR PROF TUBE Q REPR PROF CL Q REPR Queries all Representation options.
5.2.3 Setting Drawing Level Representation

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION LEVEL This command enables individual drawing levels to be specified for the display of piping, nozzles, structural elements and other design database elements. Every basic primitive shape in the design has an associated drawing level range attribute (for piping and structural steelwork components, these are stored in the Catalogue). If the specified drawing level
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coincides with this range, the 3D object will be drawn when it is added to the Draw List. The practical effect of this facility is that it allows you to minimise visible detail when representing Design items. For example, at drawing level 3 steelwork may be represented as single line only, whereas at level 1 the full detail may be visible. Level 3 may well be adequate for design purposes. LEVEL manipulation is not instantly updated on the screen. To see the effects of a level change, use the REPResentation UPDATE command to make any changes visible. Examples: REPR LEVEL PIPE 5 Sets piping level to 5. All pipes which are added after this command will be drawn at level 5. Those already in the view will remain unchanged. REPR LEVEL NOZZ 1 Sets Nozzle level to 1 REPR LEVEL 2 Set level for all other Component types to 2 Command Syntax:
.-------------------<-------------------. / | >- REPResentation --*-- LEVel --+-- PIPE -------. | | | | |-- NOZZle -----| | | | | |-- STRUcture --| | | | | ---------------+-- integer --+->
Querying: Q REPR Q REPR LEVEL Q REPR LEV PIPE Q REPR LEV NOZZ Q DISPLAY Lists all REPRE options Lists levels at which other Components are drawn Gives the level at which pipes are drawn Gives the level at which Nozzles are drawn Gives units and tolerance settings, as well as representation levels
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5.2.4 Setting Obstruction & Insulation Representation for Piping Components

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION OBSTRUCTION INSULATION TRANSLUCENCY Component Obstructions are often given LEVELS or TUBE and CENTRELINE settings which render them invisible. Setting the Representation of OBST On forces the system to override normal LEVEL and TUBE settings and show all of the primitives, regardless of the other settings. Setting the Representation of INSU On or Off determines whether or not insulation is shown on primitives. These have the effect of considering all primitives which have an obstruction level greater than zero and all primitives which are affected by insulation parameters. The graphics display is not updated instantly. Use the REPResentation UPDATE command to make any changes visible. To avoid obscuring the view in colour-shaded mode, obstruction and/or insulation can be shown as translucent, the degree of translucency being controllable. Examples: REPR OBST ON INSU OFF REPR INSU ON REPR INSU ON TRANSLUCENCY 25 Command Syntax:
.------------------------------<---------------. / | >- REPResentation -*- OBSTruction -. | | | | - INSUlation --+- ON --+------------------------| | | | | '- TRANSLucency - value -| | | - OFF --------------------------+->
NOTE: value must be in the range 099: the actual translucency will be set to the nearest of 25, 50, 75 or 87 (99 = transparent; 0 = opaque). Querying: Q REPR Q REPR INSU
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Lists all Representation settings Queries if insulation is ON or OFF

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Q REPR OBST
Queries if OBST is ON or OFF
Q REPR INSU TRANSL Queries translucency setting for insulation
5.2.5 Setting Obstruction Representation for Steelwork

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION PROFILE OBSTRUCTION ON/OFF TRANSLUCENCY Structural Steel Obstructions are often given LEVELS or TUBE and CENTRELINE settings, which render them invisible. Setting the Representation of OBST On forces the system to override normal LEVEL and TUBE settings and show all of the primitives, regardless of the other settings. Setting the Representation of INSU On or Off determines whether or not insulation is shown on primitives. These have the effect of considering all primitives which have an obstruction level greater than zero and all primitives which are affected by insulation parameters. The graphics display is not updated instantly. Use the REPResentation UPDATE command to make any changes visible. To avoid obscuring the view in colour-shaded mode, obstructions can be shown as translucent, the degree of translucency being controllable. Examples: REPR PROF OBST ON REPR PROF OBST OFF REPR PROF OBST ON TRANSLUCENCY 25 Command Syntax:
> REPResentation--PROFile--OBSTruction -+- ON - TRANSLucency - value - -. | | - OFF -------------------------+->
NOTE: value must be in the range 099: the actual translucency will be set to the nearest of 25, 50, 75 or 87 (99 = transparent; 0 = opaque). Querying: Q REPR PROF OBST TRANSL Queries translucency setting for obstructions
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5.2.6 Setting P-Point Representation

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION PPOINTS LENGTH NUMBERS P-point representation may be set to ON or OFF. The default setting is PPOINTS OFF, although p-points will be shown automatically as part of an identification operation. When p-points are on, they are drawn as small arrows with a cross at the p-point position and with the arrow indicating the p-point direction. The size of the arrow is controlled by the LENGTH option. P-point numbers may also be displayed, as controlled by the NUMBERS option. As with changes to other representation settings, the graphics display is not updated instantly. Use the REPResentation UPDATE command to make changes to the display of p-points visible. Examples: REPR PPOINTS ON Sets the p-point representation to ON
REPR PPOINTS LENGTH 5 Sets size of p-point arrows REPR PPOINTS NUMB ON Shows p-point numbers Command Syntax:
.----------<----------. / | >-- REPResentation --*-- PPoints --+-- ON ---| | | |-- OFF --+--> | |-- LENgth -- value --> | -- NUMbers --+-- ON ---. | | -- OFF --+-->
Querying: Q REPR PPOINTS
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5.2.7 Setting Structural Node Representation

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION PNODES SNODES
These options allow Primary and/or Secondary Nodes on structural steelwork items to be shown on the display in specified colours and sizes. By default, both types of node are shown in the current visible colour, with a size equivalent to 10mm diameter.
Examples: REPR PNOD ON Only Primary Nodes will be shown in the display. REPR SNOD OFF The display of Secondary Nodes will be suppressed. REPR PNOD COL BRIGHTRED Primary Nodes will be shown in bright red colour. REPR SNOD COL 12 Secondary Nodes will be shown in the currently defined mix for colour number 12. REPR PNOD SIZE 15 REPR SNOD SIZE 6 Primary Nodes will be emphasised by being drawn at 15mm diameter, while Secondary Nodes are drawn at only 6mm diameter. Command Syntax:
.------------<----------------------. / | >-- REPResentation --*-- PNODes --. .-------------------. | | |/ | | -- SNODes --*-- ON ---------------| | | | | |-- OFF --------------| | | | | |-- SIZe <uval> ------| | | | | -- COLour <colour> --+--+-->
Querying: Q Q Q Q Q Q REPR REPR REPR REPR REPR REPR PNOD PNOD PNOD SNOD SNOD SNOD SIZE COL SIZE COL
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5.2.8 Setting P-Line Representation

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION PLINES LENGTH PKEY P-line representation for structural Sections may be set to ON or OFF. The default setting is PLINES OFF. When p-lines are on, the size of the arrow showing their direction is controlled by the LENGTH option. P-line identifiers, in the form of the settings of their PKEY attributes (TOS, BOS, NA, etc.) may also be displayed, as controlled by the PKEY option. As with changes to other representation settings, the graphics display is not updated instantly. Use the REPResentation UPDATE command to make changes to the display of p-lines visible. Examples: REPR PLINES ON Sets the p-line representation to ON REPR PLINES LENGTH 6 Sets size of p-line arrows REPR PLINES PKEY ON Shows p-line identifiers (settings of PKEY attributes) Command Syntax:
.---------<----------. / | >-- REPResentation --*-- PLINes --+-- ON ---| | | |-- OFF --+--> | |-- LENgth -- value --> | -- PKEY --+-- ON ---. | | -- OFF --+-->
Querying: Q REPR PLINES
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5.2.9 Setting Holes Representation

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION HOLES Determines the appearance of holes in volume views. ON gives a more realistic view of a hole, with objects behind the hole being visible through it. OFF represents holes as patterned regions on the surface of the component.
Examples: REPR HOLES ON Sets the holes representation to ON Command Syntax:

.---------<----------. / | >-- REPResentation --*-- HOLes ---+-- ON ---| | | -- OFF --+-->
Querying: Q REPR HOLES
5.2.10 Setting Arc Tolerance Representation

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION DARCTOLERANCE
Controls the arc tolerance used when representing certain curves as polygon segments or faceting planes. The smaller the arc tolerance, the smoother the curve drawn, but the slower the graphical performance. The tolerances used for most curve drawing in Design are controlled automatically by the graphical system. The REPRE DARC command controls the following aspects only: Filleted vertices used in the representation of extrusions; for example, Section Profiles from the Catalogue, Panel Loops, etc. Items which include holes (but only when REPRE HOLES is set to On; see Section 5.2.9).
The default setting is 10 mm. The minimum permitted setting is 1mm.
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Example: REPR DARC 5 Sets the arc tolerance to 5 mm. REP DARC DEF Resets arc tolerance to 10 mm. Command Syntax:
>-- REPResentation -- DARCtolerance --+-- <uval> ---. | | -- DEFault --+-->
Querying: Q REPR DARC
5.2.11 Refreshing the Graphical View

Keywords: Description: REPRESENTATION UPDATE Lets you refresh the graphical display, after modifying any of the representation settings, without having to remove and add back all items in the drawlist.
Examples: REPR UPDATE Command Syntax:

>-- REPResentation -- UPDATE -->
5.3
Specifying Axes
AXES Lets you specify and position a set of axes on the display. The axes represent the compass directions of the World co-ordinate system and may be positioned anywhere on the display. Axes remain visible until they are switched off or deleted. Switching axes off renders them invisible, whilst deletion removes them altogether. Switched-off axes can be made visible again by switching them back on.
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Examples: AXES AT @ Positions a set of axes at the graphics cursor AXES HEIGHT 300 AT @ Positions a new set of axes at the graphics cursor, with a height of 300mm (default size is 1000mm) AXES OFF Removes axes from the screen (although they still exist) AXES ON Redisplays axes as previously shown. AXES DELETE Deletes axes (i.e. AXES ON will have no effect) Command Syntax:
.---------<---------------------------. / | >-- AXEs --*-- HEIght value -----------------------| | | |-- AT <bpos> --------------------------| | | |-- AT POLar <bdir> DISTance <uval> ---' | |-- AT @ ----. | | |-- ON ------| | | |-- OFF -----| | | |-- DELete --| | | ------------+----------------------------->
5.4
Graphical Labelling of Design Elements

MARK UNMARK
This facility allows specific design elements or lengths of Tube to be labelled in the display. Frequently referenced items may be marked with a constant graphic label which will stay with that item even if it is moved or rescaled. Items can also be unmarked (which removes the label). Labels are shown in all permitted regions where the items origin is within the current sub-view. The label always points to the origin or, in the case of a Branch or Hanger, to its Head or Tail (where the name will be suffixed with + or respectively).
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You can specify selection criteria for marking, and specify any textual expression for the marker. Examples: MARK /DATUM5 Element /DATUM5 will be labelled with its name. UNMARK /DATUM5 The specified element will cease to be labelled. MARK WITH Outer Boundary ID @ Labels the picked element with the given text. MARK WITH NAME ALL BRAN Labels all Branches with their PDMS names. MARK WITH NAME OF SPREF ALL VALVE WHERE PBORE GT 100 Labels all valves larger than the specified bore with their specification references in the catalogue. UNMARK ALL Removes all marking from the screen. Command Syntax:
>-- MArk --+-- WITH -- text expression --. | | -----------------------------+-- <selatt> --> >-- UNMark -- <selatt> -->
5.5
Using Design Aids

AID LINE ARROW CEARROW ARC SPHERE BOX CYLINDER This facility lets you incorporate lines, arrows, arcs, spheres, boxes or cylinders in a view to help you with the design construction. Design aids can be grouped together (using the NUMBER option) and given a number for identification. Aid lines are drawn between two defined 3D positions. The linestyle can be solid, dashed, dotted or dash-dot, and you can label them with text markers at defined positions. Aid arrows are used to complement lines for showing dimensions etc. You can control both the overall height of an arrow and the proportion of its height occupied by the conical arrow-head, thus changing its emphasis.
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A special aid arrow, the CEArrow, is positioned automatically to point to the current element. You can specify whether the arrow points to the Origin (default), P-arrive or P-leave of the current element. NOTE: These terms relate primarily to piping components. For other element types, they are interpreted in a logical way. For example, for a SCTN, Origin = P-arrive = POSS, P-leave = POSE; for a PANE, Origin = Vertex 1; for a VERT, Origin = vertex position; etc. Aid arcs are defined in terms of two points at their extremities and either a third 'through' point or a tangent point through which a second-order Bezier curve is constructed. Aid spheres are defined by the position of the centre and the radius. Aid boxes are defined in terms of their position, orientation, and X,Y,Z dimensions. They may be drawn in wireline mode (like penalty volumes or clipping boxes) or in solid mode (like box primitives). Aid cylinders are defined in terms of their position, orientation, diameter and height. They may be drawn in wireline or solid (filled) mode. Examples: AID LINE E1200S3500U0 TO E760N1200U50 Draws a line between the two 3D positions. AID LINE NUMBER 5 E1200S3500U0 TO E760N1200U50 LINESTYLE DOTTED Groups the new line with other such lines with the same number (5 this example) and draws it in the dotted linestyle. AID CLEAR LINE 5 Deletes line number 5 AID ARROW AT E760N1200U50 DIR E HEI 100 PROP 0.5 Positions 100mm arrow with given position and direction; arrow head is 50mm long. AID BOX POS PIN 6 ORI X IS UP Y TOWARDS /PUMP1 XLEN 200 YLEN 200 ZLEN 200 FILL OFF Positions a wireline cubic box, with 200mm sides, at Pin 6 with the specified orientation. AID CLEAR SPHERE UNN Deletes all unnumbered aid spheres.
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Command Syntax:
>- AID LINE -+--------------. | | - NUMber int -+- <bpos> TO <bpos> -+- LINEStyle -+- SOLId ---. | | | -> |- DASHEd --| | | |- DOTTEd --| | | - DASHDot -+-> >- AID TEXT - NUMber int - text_expression - AT <bpos> -> >- AID ARROW -+--------------. | | - NUMber int -+-- AT <bpos> -- DIRection <bdir> -. | .---------------------------------------------- | - HEIght val -+------------------. | | - PROPortion val -+-> >- AID CEARROW -+- ON/OFF -> | '- HEIght val -+------------------. | | - PROPortion val -+- ARRIVE -. | | |- LEAVE --| | | '- ORIGIN -+-> >- AID ARC -+--------------. | | - NUMber int -+- <bpos> TO <bpos> -+- TANPoint <bpos> -. | | '- THRU <bpos> -----+-> >- AID SPHERE -+--------------. | | - NUMber int -+- <bpos> - DIAmeter <expre> -> >- AID BOX -+--------------. .-------------------. | | / | - NUMber int -+-*- POSition <bpos> ---| | | |- ORIentation <ori> -| | | |- XLENgth <expre> ---| | | |- YLENgth <expre> ---| | | |- ZLENgth <expre> ---| | | - FILLed -+- ON --. | | | | - OFF -+--+->
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>- AID CYLinder -+--------------. .-------------------. | | / | - NUMber int -+-*- POSition <bpos> ---| | | |- AT <bpos> ---------| | | |- ORIentation <ori> -| | | |- DIAmeter <expre> --| | | |- HEIght <expre> ----| | | - FILLed -+- ON --. | | | | - OFF -+--+-> >- AID CLEAR -+| || || || || || || 'ALL-------------------------. | LINE -----. | | | ARROW ----| | | | CEARROW --| | | | ARC ------| | | | SPHERE ---| | | | BOX ------| | | | CYLInder -+- int --------. | | | | |- ALL --------| | | | | - UNNumbered -+--+->
Querying:
>- Q AID -+| || || || || || 'LINE -----. | ARROW ----| | CEARROW --| | ARC ------| | SPHERE ---| | BOX ------| | CYLInder -+- integer ----. | | |- UNNumbered -| | | - ALL --------+->
Note:
Q AID ARC lists arcs using the THRU (not TANP) definition, since all arcs may
be represented in this way.
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>- Q AID - NEXT -+| || || || || '-
LINEnumber -----. | ARROWnumber ----| | ARCnumber ------| | SPHEREnumber ---| | CYLIndernumber -| | BOXnumber ------+->
(Gives next available aid number for specified type)
5.6
Highlighting Components in the Designs

ENHANCE UNENHANCE SOLELY
This facility lets you highlight components visually in the design. For example, all sections of implied tube and rod could be highlighted, all piping components and so on. A particular use of this facility would be to highlight components which fail error checking. The SOLELY keyword clears all previous highlighting before highlighted the defined components. You can also highlight specific lengths of tube or rod.
Examples: ENHANCE SOLELY ALL REDU WITH (ABOR GT 10) COLOUR 13 Highlights all RED components that match the selection criteria with colour 13 (turquoise) ENHANCE /PIPE1 /PIPE2 COLOUR 5 Highlights PIPE1 and PIPE2 in green ENHANCE LENGTH 20 OF LEAVE TUBE COLOUR 7 Highlights 20mm of LEAVE TUBE in blue Command Syntax:
>-- ENHANCE --+-- SOLELY ---. .--------------. | | | | -------------+-- <selatt> --+-- <selatt> --. | | | -- COLour -- <colno> --. | | +- LENGth - <uval> - OF -. | | | | - TOTAl ----------------+- <hlid>-----+-->
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Where <hlid> is:

>--+| || || LEAVE --. | ARRIVE -| | HEAD ---| | TAIL ---+- ROD --. | | - TUBE -+- OF - <gid> -- COLour -- <colno> -->
.--------------. | | >-- UNENHANCE ---+-- <selatt> --+-- <selatt> -- | | +- <HLID> -----+-------------------+--->
5.7
Spatial Maps
Spatial maps of the model are based on the obstruction limit boxes surrounding each Design element, rather than using fully detailed geometric representations. The spatial maps allow faster data access, and they are used for tasks such as clash detection where fast data access is required and where the simplified representation is adequate. Spatial maps are maintained automatically as the design model is updated, but may need to be rebuilt explicitly if the Catalogue data, from which the map geometry is derived, is changed.
5.7.1 Checking the Spatial Maps

Keywords: Description: MAP CHECK You can check one or more of the spatial maps to ensure that they accurately reflect the current state of the design. To avoid spurious results, it is advisable to do this before carrying out a clash check. This is particularly important if the geometry of any geometry elements has been modified.
Examples: MAP CHECK MDB Checks the spatial maps for all Design DBs within the current MDB against the current design and catalogue data. If there are any discrepancies, appropriate messages are output; you should then rebuild the map (see Section 5.7.2) MAP CHECK PIPES/AREA1 Checks the up-to-date status of the spatial map for the named Design DB only.
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Command Syntax:
>--- MAP CHEck ---+--- MDB -------------------------------. | | | .-----------<---------. | | / | | --- word ---*--- name --+-- word --- | | | --------------+--->
where word and name define the full name of a current Design DB.
5.7.2 Creating or Updating Spatial Maps

Keywords: Description: MAP BUILD
Lets you update existing spatial maps to take into account all design and catalogue changes which have taken place. This is only necessary if the MAP CHECK command (Section 5.7.1) shows that the map is out of date.
Examples: MAP BUILD MDB Updates the spatial maps for all Design DBs within the current MDB. MAP BUILD STEEL/AREA2 Updates the spatial map for the DB STEEL/AREA2. Command Syntax:
>--- MAP BUIld ---+--- MDB ---> | | .-----------<-----------. | / | --- word ---*--- name ---+--- word --- | --->
where word and name denote the full name of a current Design DB.
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Using Rules to Define Attribute Settings

Rather than being set explicitly, the values of some types of attribute can be specified in terms of rules; that is, expressions from which the attribute values can be evaluated. Rules can be set only for attributes of the following types (including user-defined attributes): text, scalar (integer, real or logical), position, orientation, direction; they cannot be set for reference attributes. A static rule will change the attribute setting only when verified or executed explicitly, whereas a dynamic rule will update the attribute setting whenever any part of the expression changes (the default type is static).
6.1
Setting Attribute Rules

RULE SET STATIC DYNAMIC
Lets you set a rule for the value of a single named attribute. The rule may contain any valid expression of the type applicable to the attribute setting.
Examples: RULE SET ZLEN (XLEN + YLEN) Sets rule that ZLEN of the current element is the sum of its XLEN and YLEN values. The ZLEN will be updated to reflect changes to XLEN or YLEN only when the rule is verified or executed (i.e. it is a static rule). RULE SET XLEN DYNAM (YLEN + 2) XLEN will be updated automatically whenever YLEN is changed. RULE SET POS (N300 E400 U500) ON ALL BOX FOR /PUMP1 Sets rule for position attribute for all boxes in /PUMP1 RULE SET POS DYNAM (N100 FROM /BOX2 ) If /BOX2 moves, the element with this attribute rule will move with it automatically. (Note space between last character of element name and closing parenthesis.)
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Command Syntax:
>- RULE SET - attribute_name -+- STAtic --. | | |- DYNamic -| | | -----------+- <expre> -+- ON -. | | ------+-. | .------ | -+- <selatt> -. | | ------------+->
Querying: Q ATT Q RULES Q RUL OF XLEN Displays all attribute values and all rules for the current element. Displays all rules for current element. Displays rule for XLEN attribute of current element.
6.2
Verifying Attribute Rules

RULE VERIFY
When a rule is verified, the expression held in the rule is evaluated and both the result of the evaluation and the current value of the attribute are displayed.
Examples: RULE VERIFY ALL Verifies all rules for the current element. RULE VER HEIG ON CYLI 1 FOR /PUMP1 Verifies rule for height attribute on first cylinder of /PUMP1. Command Syntax:
>-- RULE VERify --+-- attribute_name --. | | -- ALL -------------+-- ON --. | | --------+-- <selatt> --. | | --------------+-->
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6.3
Executing Attribute Rules

RULE EXECUTE
When a rule is executed, the expression held in the rule is evaluated and the value of the attribute is replaced by the result of the evaluation.
Examples: RULE EXECUTE :TEMP1 Executes rule for uda :TEMP1 for the current element. RULE EXE ALL ON ALL BOX FOR /PUMP1 Executes all rules for all boxes owned by /PUMP1. Command Syntax:
>-- RULE EXEcute --+-- attribute_name --. | | -- ALL -------------+-- ON --. | | --------+-- <selatt> --. | | --------------+->
6.4
Deleting Attribute Rules

RULE DELETE
Keywords: Description: Examples:
Lets you delete one or more rules for the current element or for specified elements.
RULE DELETE ALL Deletes all rules for the current element. RULE DEL ALL ON ALL FOR /PUMP1 Deletes all rules for all primitives owned by /PUMP1. Command Syntax:
>-- RULE DELete --+-- attribute_name --. | | -- ALL -------------+-- ON --. | | --------+-- <selatt> --. | | --------------+-->
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6-4
Interacting with a Graphical View

Note: The commands described in this chapter should not be used very often. Most of the functionality they provided has been superseded by Eventdriven Graphics, and they are included here for compatibility with earlier versions of PDMS.
7.1
Identifying Displayed Items and Points

A displayed element from the visible model can be accessed directly by moving the cursor over it and clicking the left-hand mouse button. The following sections describe the different ways of selecting database elements from the display by using the cursor. These commands let you use the visible design in order to move to elements in the Design hierarchy and points in 3D space. In each case, an appropriate prompt is displayed.
7.1.1 Identifying Displayed Elements using the Cursor

Keywords: Description: IDENTIFY If a particular type of element is to be located, a selective search can be made using the IDENTIFY command followed by a keyword identifying the element type. If a specific element type is not requested, the element hit will always be a geometric primitive or component. Any displayed line or p-point of an item may be hit. To abort, press the Cancel button on the displayed form. ID @ Pressed Enter (or Return), move the cursor over the desired item and click the left-hand mouse button. The name of the element under the cursor is displayed on the command line. The picked element becomes the current element and is displayed in a different colour. (This is the general response to all variations of the IDENTIFY command.) As above, but the search is restricted to EQUI elements.
Examples:
ID EQUIP @
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Command Syntax:
>-- IDentify --+-- <snoun> --. | | -------------+-- @ -->
7.1.2 Identifying Tube using the Cursor

Keywords: Description: IDENTIFY TUBE Variable length Tube (and Rod) from the visible design can be accessed by picking with the cursor. As Tube is not an element in the Design hierarchy, it cannot be accessed. Instead, the component on the upstream side of the Tube (downstream if routing backwards) will be accessed. This means that the next component to be created will be inserted in the picked Tube. Any visible Tube can be picked regardless of whether it is shown in single or double line representation. ID T @ The name of the component on the upstream side of the Tube under the cursor is displayed on the command line.
Examples:
Command Syntax:
>-- IDentify Tube @ -->
7.1.3 Identifying Displayed Points using the Cursor

Keywords: Description: Note: IDPPOINT PPOINT The cursor can be used to pick any p-point in the visible design or any mapping pin. This form of picking will not change the current element. IDPPOINT cannot be used in isolation. It must be used with another command. Only those p-points which are defined in the Catalogue as being visible in Design will be available for picking in this way. Q IDP @ Press and hold down left-hand mouse button when cursor is over element. Element will be highlighted with p-points visible and cursor will change to a square shape. With left-hand mouse button still held down, move cursor over required p-point. When over a ppoint, cursor will change to a square shape with crosshairs. Release the button to select the p-point.
Examples:
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Command Syntax:
.-----<-----. / | >-- Query <marke> --+--*-- <ppatt> --+--> | |-- <axes> --> | --> <ppatt> = >--+-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| -CONnection --------------. | BORe --------------------| | OD ----------------------| | POSition ---. | | | DIRection --| | | | East -------| | | | X ----------| | | | West -------| | | | North ------| | | | Y ----------| | | | South ------| | | | Up ---------| | | | Z ----------| | | | Down -------| | | | GRADient ---| | | | BOP --------| | | | TOP --------+-- <axes> --| | | ------------+-->
7.1.4 Identifying Items with a 2D Pick

Use a working plane in preference to this older functionality.
Keywords: Description: TWODPLANE TWODPICK
This facility lets you define a plane which is normal to the view direction. You can then use the cursor to pick a point in an orthogonal view such that the third coordinate of the required point is derived automatically from this plane.
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The TWODPLANE command defines the 2D picking plane in terms of a point within the plane. The AT TWODPICK @ command may then be used to request a cursor position which identifies a point within the 2D picking plane. The plane is generated dynamically from the TWODPLANE point and the view direction. Examples: TWODPLANE E 1000 N 2000 U 500 Defines 2D picking plane which passes through given point and which is normal to view direction AT TWODPICK @ Using the preceding 2D picking plane definition, a cursor hit at E 1234 N 5678 in a plan view will return the position E 1234 N 5678 U 500 in World coordinates
Note:
Cursor positions are always returned in World coordinates. In order to obtain the correct result, the 2D picking plane must therefore be set to an absolute World position.
Command Syntax:
>-- TWODPLane -- <bpos> --> >-- AT TWODPick @ -->
Querying:
>-- Q -- TWODPLane -->
7.2
3D Pins
The Design pins are a set of ten temporary marker points which have a 3D position and direction. They can be moved around using positioning and orientation commands similar to those available for permanent Design elements. Once positioned, a pin may either be used as a static reference point or as a temporary p-point. The commands described here only show how to make pins visible and position and orientate them. Once this has been done they can be used for positioning and orientating Design elements in any command that uses point as an argument.
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7.2.1 Setting a Pins Position and Direction Explicitly

Keywords: Description: PIN AT DIRECTION The position and direction of a pin can be set explicitly in the same way as an ordinary design element. Unless stated otherwise, the positional parameters described below are in the coordinate system of the current element. PIN 5 AT E1000 Pin 5 will be moved to the coordinate position East 1000 from the Site origin.
Examples:
PIN5 DIR W WRT SITE Pin 5 will be orientated in a direction West with respect to the current SITE. Command Syntax:
>-- PIn integer --+-- AT --+-- <bpos> ------------------------. | | | | -- POLar <bdir> DISTance <uval> --| | | -- DIRection <bdir> -----------------------+-->
Querying:
>-- Q PIn integer POSition <bpos> --+-- <axes> --. | | ------------+--> >-- Q PIn integer DIRection <bdir> --+-- <axes> --. | | ------------+-->
7.2.2 Making a Pin Visible

Keywords: Description: PIN This command allows a particular pin to be switched in and out of the Display. When a pin is visible, it will be drawn as a numbered arrow marker which indicates its position and direction in each volume view. Visible pins can be hit with the cursor during any IDPPOINT operation. When a pin is switched off, it is erased from the display, but it still exists and can be referred to by name. Examples: PIN 5 PIN 5 OFF
Pin 5 will be drawn into all volume views, and can be hit by the cursor. Pin 5 will be erased.
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Command Syntax:
>-- PIn integer --+-- OFF --. | | ---------+-->
Querying:
(As in previous subsection.)
7.2.3 Locating a Pin by Copying or Connecting

Keywords: Description: PIN COPY CONNECT
A pins position and direction can be set by copying or connecting to any other p-point or pin, the only difference being that the CONNECT operation orientates the specified pin in the opposite direction (see examples below). PIN 5 C0PY IDP @ Pin 5 will be placed at the same position and orientation as the p-point or pin hit by the cursor.
Examples:
PIN 5 CONNECT TO PH Pin 5 will be placed at the Branch Head, but pointing in the opposite direction to HDIR (Head direction). This command must be given at BRANCH level. Pin 5 can be an existing pin or a new one. Command Syntax:
>-- PIn integer --+-- Copy --------------. | | -- CONnect --+-- TO --| | | --------+-- <marke> -->
Querying:
>-- Q PIN integer --+-- POSition ---. | | -- DIRection --+-- WRT --. | | |-- IN ---+-- <gid> --. | | ----------------------+-->
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7.2.4 Moving a Pin

Keywords: Description: PIN BY THROUGH DISTANCE
These commands allow a pin to be moved from its current position in any axis direction or along its own direction. If moved along its own direction, a specified distance can be given or, alternatively, an intersection. (Moving in this manner is very similar to the pipe-routing options.) PIN 6 BY E3000 N2000 Pin 6 is moved by the given directions and distances PIN 6 DIST 600 PIN 6 THR /NOZZ5 Pin 6 is moved along its own direction by the given amount Pin 6 is moved along its own direction until it intersects a plane through /NOZZ5
Examples:
Command Syntax:
>-- PIn integer --+-- BY <pos> ---------. | | |-- THRough <bpos> ---| | | -- DISTance <uval> --+-- WRT --. | | |-- IN ---+-- <gid> --. | | ----------------------+-->
Querying:
>-- Q PIN integer --+-- POSition ---. | | -- DIRection --+-- WRT --. | | |-- IN ---+-- <gid> --. | | ----------------------+-->
7.2.5 General Pin Moves

Keywords: Description: PIN Pins may be moved in exactly the same manner as piping components, using the same command options. The movement direction is always in the pin direction, so it is important to ensure that this is appropriate before a move is attempted. As these commands are quite extensive, they are not repeated here; see the pipe routing commands in Chapter 8.
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Examples: PIN 6 DISTANCE 600 INFRONT ID @ Pin 6 is moved along its direction until it is 600 distance units in front of the item picked with the cursor. Command Syntax: >-- PIn integer <plane> --> (see Chapter 8 for the <plane> construction)
7.3
Constructs
Note: Use the Constructs options on the Utilities menu in preference to these older facilities. CONSTRUCT POSITION LINE PLANE DIRECTION DISTANCE ANGLE
The construction aids available in Design let you display coordinates, directions, distances, angles and plane definitions. The constructed quantities are written out into the REQUESTS region of your display. These quantities can be written into variables for later use. The commands used to define constructed quantities make use of p-points, p-lines, pins, directions, positions and orientations. The different methods for constructing these entities are: CONStruct Angle
position1 TO position2 TO position3 direction1 AND direction2 line1 line2 line plane plane1 plane2 plane line
CONStruct DISTance
position1 TO position2 position TO line position TO plane line1 TO line2 projection of any of the above ALong a given direction
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CONStruct Position NEArest position ON line NEArest position ON plane INTersect plane1 plane2 plane3 INTersect line plane INTersect line1 line2 (gives result on line1 if lines are skew or
parallel) plane line
CONStruct DIRection NORmal plane ORTHogonal direction1 AND direction2 ORTHogonal direction AND line ORTHogonal line1 AND line2 ORTHogonal line AND direction position1 TO position2
plane line
CONStruct LINe JOIn position1 TO position2 direction THRough position PARallel line THRough position NORmal line THRough position NORmal plane THRough position PROJection line ON plane INTersect plane1 plane2 CONStruct Plane THRough position1 AND position2 AND position3 direction THRough position direction THRough a p-point, pin or digitised point (optionally offset a given DISTance or relative to existing geometry: INFront or BEHind an element, p-point or position: FROm or TO a position) Note: In all of the above, position, direction, line or plane is defined in normal PDMS format, or by reference to a p-point, pin or marker, or picked from an appropriate view.
Examples: CONS POS P2 OF FLAN 4 OF BRAN /PIPE1-1 TO PLANE PIN 7 The intersection between the specified point and the plane perpendicular to pin 7 is shown. VAR 5 CONS POS PL TO LINE PA OF NEXT The closest point on the line from PLEAVE to the intersection of the two lines is placed in Variable 5. CONS POS PIN5 TO PLA PIN6 The intersection between the direction of pin 5 and the plane perpendicular to pin 6 is written out into the request region.
CONS DIR PL The direction of the line is output in World coordinates into the request region. CONS DIST PA TO PL The dimension from the first to the second p-point of the current element is written out into the Request region. VAR 5 CONS DIST PL TO LIN PA OF NEXT The minimum distance between PLEAVE of the current element and the specified line will be be placed in Variable 5 CONS ANG PIN1 TO PIN2 TO PIN3 The angle between the three specified points is written out into the Request region. CONS ANGL PL LIN PA OF NEXT The angle between the lines from the two specified p-points is written out into the request region. CONS LINE JOIN P0 TO P1 Constructs a line joining the two p-points, displaying the in the request region. line description
CONS PLANE P3 DIST 900 The plane perpendicular to the specified point and 900 from it is written out into the request region. CONS PLANE PL THROUGH /NOZZ5 The plane perpendicular to the specified point and intersecting /NOZZ5 is written out into the request region. CONS PLANE PA DIST 500 BEH /COL19 A plane perpendicular to the specified point will be defined and written out into the request region. The plane will be positioned 500 to the far side of /COL19.
7.4
Isodraft Mode
ISODRAFTMODE Enables you to enter (a subset of) Isodraft syntax within Design. You are thus able to produce an Isometric plot without having to switch modules. Note: This syntax is included here for completeness, but you would normally produce check Isos in Design using the GUI.
Command Syntax:
>-- ISODRAFTMODE --. | |
(Isodraft syntax available)
- EXIT --> (Return to Design syntax.)
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7-12
Design Database Elements

This chapter describes the commands to create, copy and name database elements, and also the commands to navigate around the database hierarchy once you have created some elements. These commands can be used throughout Design. For information about creating the elements which build up the model, and setting their attributes, see Part 2 and Part 3 of the VANTAGE PDMS Design Reference Manual. For a comprehensive list of all valid PDMS attributes, see the Plant Design Software Customisation Reference Manual.
8.1
Elements
8.1.1 Creating Elements

Keywords: Description: NEW This command creates a new element in the Design hierarchy. The attributes of that element can then be specified or further elements may be created as members. Elements can only be created at appropriate levels in the hierarchy. For example a Site can own a Zone, but not a Valve. In some cases you must navigate to the correct position in the hierarchy before you can create a new element, but in other cases Design will navigate to the correct level automatically: see Examples below. For Branch and Hanger elements, the location of the new Component in their member list defines the route logic. It is therefore necessary to navigate to the Component adjacent to the insertion point in the member list (upstream if routing forwards, downstream if routing backwards). If the new Component is required at the end of the member list then accessing the Branch or Hanger Head or Tail will insert the Component in the correct position. Examples: NEW ZONE /Z1 The Zone element is created as a member of the current Site. The Zone is now the current element. Its NAME attribute is /Z1.
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NEW TEE If the current element is the fourth member in a Branch member list, the Tee element is inserted as the fifth member. The Tee is now the current element. NEW EQUIP /1301 If the current element is a Box owned by another EQUIP which is Member 2 of Zone /Z1, the new Equipment element is inserted as member 3 of the Zone and named /1301. The new Equipment is now the current element. NEW GASKET If this command is given when the current element is the Branch Head, the Gasket is inserted as the first member of the Branch and is now the current element. Command Syntax:
>-- NEW --+-- name <snoun> --------. | | -- <snoun> --+-- name --| | | ----------+-->
Querying: Q LISt Indicates all the design element types that can be created as members of the current element.
8.1.2 Creating Elements at a Given Position in the Member List

Keywords: Description: NEW You can place elements in any location in a legal member list by specifying the existing element adjacent to where the new element is required. The new element may be inserted either before or after the specified element.
Examples: NEW VALVE BEF (At a Branch Component) The Valve will be inserted before the current element in the current list. NEW ZONE BEF 2 (At Site level) The Zone will be inserted before member 2 of the Site. NEW BOX (At a CYLI which is a member of a STRU) A new BOX will be inserted as the next member of the STRU (after the CYLI in member list order). NEW BOX (At a SUBS which is a member of a STRU) A new BOX will be inserted as a member of the SUBS (at the top of the member list).
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Command Syntax:
>-- NEW --+-- name <snoun> --------. | | -- <snoun> --+-- name --| | | ----------+-- BEFore --. | | |-- AFTer ---+-- <gid> --. | | | | ------------+--> -->
8.1.3 Deleting Elements

Keywords: Description: DELETE The basic delete operation can only be performed on the current element. Its effect, however, is to delete this element and all its offspring (i.e. members and their members, etc.) from the model. The MEMBERS option only deletes the offspring, leaving the current element intact. When an element is deleted, its owner becomes the new current element.
Examples: DELETE NOZZ Deletes the current element - a Nozzle. The EQUI owning the Nozzle becomes the current element. DELETE ZONE Deletes the current element - a Zone and all its offspring. The Site owning the Zone becomes the current element. DELETE SITE MEM Deletes all the members of the current element (SITE) and their offspring. Command Syntax:
>-- DELETE <snoun> --+-- MEMbers --+-- integer --+-- TO integer --> | | | | | --> | --> -->
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8.1.4 Reorganising the Hierarchy

Keywords: Description: REORDER INCLUDE If it is necessary to reorganise the hierarchy, two options are available. REORDER allows the elements in a single member list (e.g. Components of a pipe) to be rearranged. INCLUDE allows elements to be relocated to another part of the hierarchy (e.g. an EQUIPMENT may be moved into a different Zone). In both operations the elements and their offspring are transferred to their new location in the Design hierarchy. In the case of INCLUDE, the elements owner changes. If the old and new owner are in different positions in World coordinates, then the element will change position. Elements can also be moved to new locations in the hierarchy by placing them before or after a specified element. Examples: REORDER /B /B, which must be in the member list of the current element, is relocated after the current member list position. INCLUDE /EQUIP The current element must be a Zone, which is the only element which can own an Equipment. /EQUIP is inserted into the Zones member list. REORD /B AFTER 3 (Both elements must be in the member list of the current element.) Element /B is located after the third element in the member list. INCL /EQUIP BEF 3 The element /EQUIP is brought from its location in another Zone to before the third element in the member list of the current Zone. Command Syntax:
>--+-- REOrder --. | | -- INClude --+--
<gid> --+-- BEFore --. | | |-- AFTer ---+-- <gid> --. | | | | ------------+--> -->
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8.1.5 Copying
This subsection describes how to copy elements, together with their offspring. When elements are copied, all attributes are duplicated except:
Keywords: Description: NAME, which must be unique. LOCK, which will always be unlocked in the new element. COPY The COPY command provides an extremely powerful facility. Not only is it possible to copy all the attributes of a specified element into the current element, it is also possible to duplicate any offspring that element may have. This means that anything from a single primitive shape to a whole equipment item (or even a Site) can be copied.
Examples: COPY PREV For example, if both the current and previous elements are Boxes, the attributes of the previous element will be copied to the current element. COPY /EQUIP10 For example, if the current element is an Equipment, the attributes and offspring of /EQUIP10 are copied to the current element. (The NAME and LOCK attributes of the current element do not change.) Command Syntax:
>-- COPY --+--------------------. | | |-- ATTributes - OF -| | | +-- LIKE ------------+ -- <gid> --. | | -- ADJacent ------ <selatt>------+--->
The ATTRIBUTES option copies all attributes (except for direct design references) from the identified element to the current element. The members hierarchy is not copied. The source and current elements do not have to be the same type. If the types are different, only the attributes valid for the target (current) element are copied. The LIKE option works in a similar fashion to ATTRIBUTES, except that any position, direction, orientation or angle attributes are not copied. The ADJACENT option causes a list of elements, selected by <selatt>, to be copied alongside their original positions in the database. For example, if the list included a SCTN and a PNOD, each of these items would be copied so that the new SCTN shared the same owner as the old SCTN, and the new PNOD shared the same owner as the original PNOD. Note that as this option copies elements, rather than just attributes, the COPY option can be used.
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8.1.6 Copying and Renaming

Keywords: Description: COPY RENAME
This command allows automatic renaming of the current element and any new offspring that possess a standard name part. You can also choose to copy only the members (and their offspring) of an element, leaving the attributes of the current element unchanged.
Examples: COPY MEM OF /EQUIP10 (At another EQUIP element.) If the current element is an Equipment, all the offspring of /EQUIP10 are copied into the current element. The attributes of the current element do not change. COPY /P1/PIPE RENAME /P1 /P2 The attributes and offspring of /P1/PIPE are copied into the current element. Where /P1 is found as the name or part of the name, it is renamed as /P2 in the current element and its offspring. COPY MEM 4 TO 10 OF PREV BRAN The attributes and offspring of the fourth element in the current elements member list are copied into the tenth element in the member list of the previous BRAN element in the current member list. Command Syntax:
>- COPY -+- MEMbers -+- n -. | | | | -----+- TO n -. | | | | --------+- OF <gid> -+- REName name name -. | | | | --------------------| |- ALL OF -. | | | | ----------+- <gid> -+- REName name name --------------------| | | ---------------------------------------+->
8.2
The Standard Design Element Attributes

The range of information attributes carried by each Design element depends upon the element type; for example, a Cylinder has DIAMETER and HEIGHT among its attributes, whereas a PIPE has a PRESSURE attribute. All elements, however, possess the following basic core of four essential attributes (known as the standard attributes):
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TYPE NAME
This is given by the user as part of the element creation command, e.g. NEW BOX (where the TYPE is BOX). This can either be provided by the user or, in the case of minor items, is generated automatically (as a reference number). This attribute indicates the elements owner and is automatically set when the element is created. This is allows you to prevent an element from being altered or deleted. The position of the element relative to its owner. The orientation of the element relative to its owner.
OWNER LOCK
In addition, most Design elements possess the two additional attributes:

POSITION ORIENTATION
Both of these attributes are set automatically during 3D element positioning and routing operations.
8.2.1 The Type of Element and its Owner

Keywords: Description: TYPE OWNER
An elements TYPE and OWNER attributes are set automatically when it is created. They cannot be changed explicitly. See Sections 8.1.1 and 8.1.2 on element creation (NEW command).
Command Syntax:
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8.2.2 Naming Design Elements

Keywords: Description: NAME UNNAME
All elements except the WORLD can be named. Although Design elements are often given suitable names while being created, later name changes can be made by giving a new name or by removing the old name. The name of any element must be unique; that is, not already used for another currently accessible element.
Examples: NAME /ZONE5D The current element is given the specified name provided it has not been used elsewhere. UNN The current element loses its name (it is still identifiable by its automatically allocated reference number). Command Syntax:
>-- NAMe --+-- ALL name name --. | | -- name -----------+--> >-- UNName -->
8.2.3 Renaming Elements and their Offspring

Keywords: Description: Examples: REN ALL /Z1 /Z2 All occurrences of /Z1 in the names of the current element and its offspring will be changed to /Z2. Command Syntax:
>-- REName --+-- ALL name name --. | | -- name -----------+-->
RENAME The name of the current element and offspring can be modified where a standard name part occurs.
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8.2.4 Locking Elements Against Alteration and Deletion

Keywords: Description: LOCK UNLOCK
Locking a design element prevents it from being modified or deleted. The LOCK command allows either a single element to be controlled, or all its offspring too. (A complete Site can be locked if required.) This provides you with personal security control over your area of work. (General security restrictions affecting the whole Project are established in the ADMINISTRATION module of PDMS.)
Examples: LOCK ALL The current element and all its offspring are locked. UNLOCK The current element is unlocked. Command Syntax:
>--+-- LOCK ----. | | -- UNLOck --+-- ALL --. | | ---------+-- <snoun> --. | | -------------+-->
8.2.5 The Position and Orientation Attributes

Keywords: Description: POSITION ORIENTATION Virtually every element in the Design hierarchy has its own coordinate system which consists of a set of axes giving an origin position and orientation. The POSITION and ORIENTATION of an element are the position of its origin and the orientation of its axes relative to its owner. On creation, an element starts with the position E0 N0 U0 (i.e. at the origin of its owner) and is orientated with its axes aligned with those of its owner. The commands which alter position and orientation are all the element placement, connection and routing facilities described elsewhere in this manual.
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Querying:
>-- Query POSition --+-- <bpos> --. | | ------------+-- WRT -- <gid> --> | --> >-- Query ORIentation --+-- WRT -- <gid> --> | -->
Querying examples: Q POS Returns the current element position in its owner co ordinates Q ORI WRT SITE Returns the current element orientation in Site coordinates Q POS IDP@ WRT WORLD Returns the position of the Design point hit by the cursor in World coordinates
8.3
Navigation
You can navigate around the Design database in the following ways:
Going to a Design element whose identity or position in the hierarchy is known Going to a Design element whose position in the hierarchy relative to the current position is known Going to a Design element by picking it a graphical display.
Note that you can navigate to any element in the Design database, and not just the items currently shown in the graphical display. As well as the commands described in this Section, you can go to an element by:
Picking it in the Graphical View. Picking it in the Members List Typing in its name or reference number.
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8.3.1 Going to the Previously Accessed Element

Keywords: Description: SAME CE
SAME takes you to the element you were at before you accessed the current element. Repeating the SAME command has the effect of moving repeatedly between two items - it does not move back along the list of items accessed. (If the previously accessed element has been deleted, the next available element in the list will be accessed.) CE takes you to the current element itself. (This facility may seem rather pointless in this situation; however the CE keyword is used in many commands as a means of identifying an element to be the object of that command.)
Examples: CHECK CE Check the current element for data inconsistencies. ADD CE Add the current element to the display. Command Syntax:
>-- CE --> >-- SAMe -->
8.3.2 Going to an Implied Tube or Rod

Keywords: Description: IARRIVE ILEAVE HEAD TAIL TUBE ROD
You can navigate to implied tube or rod within a branch or hanger (although if the derived length is less than 1mm, the system does not consider it to exist). To make an implied rod or tube the current element, you must also indicate whether the head, tail, arrive or leave tube or rod is intended.
Example: IARRIVE TUBE OF /PIPE1 Go to arrive of implied tube of /PIPE1.
8-11
Command Syntax:
>--+-| |-| |-| -IArrive ---. | ILeave ----| | HEAd ------| | TAIl ------+---+-- TUBe --. | | -- ROD ---+-- OF ---<gid>---. | | -----------------+---->
8.3.3 Ascending the Design Hierarchy

Keywords: Description: OWNER END
Moving up the hierarchy involves fewer decisions than moving downwards, as any element can have only one Owner. Two commands (OWNER and END) allow you to move up to the immediate parent. END differs from OWNER by allowing you to return to a Group element from which the current element was accessed. As the Group does not own that element, the command OWNER would go to the elements true Owner and not the Group. You can move up the hierarchy by more than one level by inputting the type of element you want to access. For example, navigation from an Elbow to its parent Zone would involve three successive END commands. However the command ZONE would scan up the hierarchy to find the Zone which owns the current element list, thus saving two END commands.
8.3.4 Other Navigation Commands

Keywords: Description: Examples: FIRST BRANCH OF ZONE /Z25A LAST NOZZLE OF PREVIOUS 3 EQUIPMENTS FIRST ZONE OF /SITE 5 PIPE 2 OF /Z100A ELBOW 1 OF NEXT BRANCH
FIRST END
LAST TYPE
NEXT
PREVIOUS
MEMBER
Navigate to the specified position in the members list. Most can be used with the OF keyword to go to members of other elements.
8.4
Setting a Synonym for an Element Name

SETSTAR To save repeatedly typing an element's name, you can define the asterisk or star symbol (*) to represent any specified element. By default, if no element identifier is given, the current element is assumed. After setting, the * symbol may be entered in any command to represent the full name of the element.
Keywords Description
Examples: SETSTAR * will now represent current element SETSTAR /element_name * will now represent the specified element Command Syntax:
>-- SETSTAR --+-- <gid> --. | | -----------+-->
8-13
8-14
Error Messages
This chapter lists error messages specific to Design. These messages have a message number beginning with 61. Any other messages that may be output are not described here as they are not specific to Design. Note that in the following element_identifier denotes an element name or (for unnamed elements) an element reference number. The latter is a system number which is assigned automatically whenever an element is created.
(61:1) (61:2) (61:3) (61:4) (61:5) (61:6) (61:7) (61:8) (61:9) (61:10) (61:11) (61:12) (61:13) (61:14) (61:15) (61:16) (61:17) (61:18) (61:19) (61:20) (61:21) (61:22) (61:23) (61:24) (61:25) (61:26) (61:27) (61:28) (61:29) (61:30) (61:31) (61:32) (61:33)
Unable to calculate the orientation element_identifier is not a piping or a hanger component or has not been positioned oriented or selected. element_identifier is not a branch or piping component element_identifier is not a hanger or hanger component Unable to position element_identifier element_identifier does not have a position Unable to orientate element_identifier element_identifier does not have an orientation Unable to set the head position of element_identifier Unable to set the tail position of element_identifier Unable to set the head direction of element_identifier Unable to set the tail direction of element_identifier Trying to connect element_identifier to itself Unable to set the head reference of element_identifier Unable to set the tail reference of element_identifier Current element does not have a head or a tail attribute Default orientation only available for piping and hanger components. Default orientation cannot be found. Previous element either not positioned and oriented or not selected. Direction undefined for towards origin of current element Current element type unsuitable for DIRECTION command SPREF can only be selected for a piping or hanger component LSTUBE can only be selected for a piping component HSTUBE can only be selected for a BRANCH LSROD can only be selected for a hanger component HSROD can only be selected for a HANGER TUBE can only be selected for a BRANCH or a piping component ROD can only be selected for a HANGER or a hanger component Only BRANCHs, HANGERs, and piping and hanger components can be selected element_identifier is not a SPEC element_identifier is not a SPCOM Cannot find SPCOM name Appending name to specification name gives a name of more than 50 characters. Angle attributes can only be given values between -180 and +180 degrees.
9-1
Error Messages
(61:34) (61:35) (61:36) (61:37) (61:38) (61:39) (61:40) (61:41) (61:42) (61:43) (61:44) (61:45) (61:46) (61:47) (61:48) (61:49) (61:50) (61:51) (61:52) (61:53) (61:75) (61:76) (61:77) (61:78) (61:79) (61:80) (61:81) (61:82) (61:83) (61:84) (61:85) (61:86) (61:87) (61:88) (61:89) (61:120) (61:121) (61:122) (61:123) (61:125) (61:126) (61:127)
9-2
Degenerate orientation specified Pins cannot be used for connecting piping or hanger components Reconnecting element_identifier Connection to element_identifier is invalid ( HREF / TREF do not point back to nozzle ) element_identifier is locked, reconnection fails element_identifier is in a read-only database, reconnection fails Plane parallel to movement direction Default movement direction only available for piping and hanger components. Default movement direction not available. Previous element either not positioned and oriented or not selected. ARRIVE / LEAVE ppoint cannot be determined. Current element has probably not been selected. Default movement origin cannot be determined. BOP and TOP can only be used with piping and hanger components. DIRECTION command only operates on ppoints of the current element Bad DIRECTION - zero degree angle specified Point set does not allow variable angle. Angle is unchanged, direction is in correct plane. Unable to achieve specified direction - probably due to unconventional pointset Pin numbers must be in the range 1 to 10 Unable to position pin integer Unable to orientate pin integer Unable to copy the marker element_identifier is not a branch, reconnect fails Connection to a database that is not open, reconnection fails Cannot find P-point 1 - Nozzle catalogue reference probably not set Reconnect not allowed at WORLD or GPWL level element_identifier cannot own nozzles Cannot access SPCOM from which to reselect To position the HEAD / TAIL of a branch or hanger use POS / MOVE PH / PT / HH / HT ... BOP / TOP cannot be used on a HEAD / TAIL that has not been positioned Default clearance is only available for piping or hanger components Shear attributes can only be given values between -89 and +89 degrees. element_identifier cannot be flipped - it does not have ARRIVE and LEAVE attributes. Warning - Angle is greater than maximum specified in SPREF Warning - Angle is less than minimum specified in SPREF SPREF not found or unset element_identifier does not have a Local-axes attribute Too many views shown Form name too word for screen Unable to set form gadget value or gadget not found Form name not found Gadget name not found Item invalid as contents of view Form name already shown
Error Messages
(61:128) (61:129) (61:130) (61:131) (61:132) (61:133) (61:134) (61:135) (61:136) (61:137) (61:138) (61:139) (61:140) (61:150) (61:151) (61:152) (61:153) (61:154) (61:155) (61:160) (61:161) (61:162) (61:163) (61:164) (61:165) (61:166) (61:167) (61:168) (61:169) (61:175) (61:190) (61:191) (61:192) (61:193) (61:194) (61:199) (61:201) (61:206) (61:207) (61:208) (61:209)
Form name may not be hidden Cannot open Recreate file File error while restoring data - RESTORE aborted File error while restoring data - please exit from module and reenter Unable to RESTORE - databases modified since module state SAVEd Unable to SAVE - cannot access SAVE file Unable to SAVE - SAVE file already in use Unable to RESTORE - SAVE file already in use Unable to RESTORE - cannot access SAVE file Unable to RESTORE - cannot find SAVE file Unable to RESTORE - current database files are not those which were in use when module state SAVEd Unable to RESTORE - module version number/screen size/font size is not the same as SAVE file Do you wish to save changes? Only piping components, nozzles and equipments can be dragged element_identifier is connected to element_identifier which is in a read only database. This connection will be broken by drag. element_identifier has a connection to an unknown element. This connection will be broken by drag. element_identifier is locked, drag aborted The connection from element_identifier to element_identifier will be broken by drag. Attachment points can only be dragged if they have been positioned and oriented Spec is not set up correctly for CHOOSE command element_identifier is not a piping component SPEC does not contain word elements SPEC does not contain correct bore structure for CHOOSE SPEC does not contain elements matching given criteria Previous component, element_identifier, has zero bore Unforced Connections are word Forced Connections are word Connections are OFF Warning - Requested bore value does not match current bore word HOFFSET must be positive ( not zero ) Fatal error detected by Graphics Package forcing a return to MONITOR module Are your databases to be updated with the changes made this session(Y or N) Fatal error detected by SPLASH forcing a return to MONITOR module WARNING - System storage area value % full. Remove items from drawlist to avoid fatal error. WARNING - Graphics storage area value % full. Cannot access directory name No more than 20 items can be given to AUTO XR and YR values must be in the range 0 to 1.0. Specified region is too narrow. Illegal autolimits produced. ( Does it have any primitives? ) Mix values for colours are percentages ( 0 - 100 )
9-3
Error Messages
(61:211) (61:220) (61:221) (61:225) (61:226) (61:230) (61:231) (61:272) (61:273) (61:274) (61:275) (61:276) (61:278) (61:303) (61:304) (61:305) (61:306) (61:307) (61:351) (61:355) (61:357) (61:358) (61:461) (61:462) (61:463) (61:471) (61:495) (61:499) (61:561) (61:564) (61:565) (61:599) (61:800) (61:820) (61:830) (61:840)
Only colours 1 to integer may be assigned to pens Failed to connect. Cannot calculate default orientation. Usable colours are system colours plus user colours 1 to integer Autolimits may only be set for graphic views, Please select a graphics view and retry Error reading from plotfile .. Unrecognised code in plotfile Already using file - name for alpha output Cannot open alpha output file No alpha output file in use. Already using log file - name Cannot open log file No log file in use. Direction cannot be calculated between two design points with the same position - UP is assumed Position cannot be calculated as lines are parallel - first point given is assumed Position cannot be calculated as line and plane are parallel - first point given is assumed Angle cannot be calculated as two points are coincident - zero assumed Only significant and drawable elements can be tagged by type The WORLD and GPWLs cannot be added / removed. SITEs can only be added using ADD SITE in a setup context. No more than ten elements can be added at one time element_identifier is not a SITE Only SITEs or ZONEs can be specified for ADD WITHIN. The default is all sites in the multiple database. Hit radius must be at least 1mm. Hit radius must be no more than 100mm. Working grid must be at least 1mm. Cursor abandoned Form name may not be changed Menus may not be iconned Workstation screen is not available, using TTY Cursor input not allowed on alpha device Point entered is not in a suitable view Forms may not be updated Reference DETAIL not set SKEY not set SKEY TSFL is used with generic type TEE, not TRAP SKEY element_identifier not known. Assumed to be user defined
9-4
Index
<axes> syntax, 2-13 <bdir> syntax, 2-16 <bpos> syntax, 2-14 <date> syntax, 2-5 <dir> syntax, 2-15 <expr> syntax, 2-4 <gid> syntax, 2-9 <marke> syntax, 2-12 <noun> syntax, 2-7 <pos> syntax, 2-13 <selatt> syntax, 2-17 <snoun> syntax, 2-7 <uval> syntax, 2-6 Accessing DESIGN, 3-1 Active element, 5-6 ADD command drawlist, 5-1 AID command, 5-20 Aids graphical, 5-6, 5-20 ALARM command, 3-8 ALPHA CLEAR command, 3-2, 3-4 ALPHA FILE command, 3-2 ALPHA LOG command, 3-2 ARC command design aids, 5-20 ARROW command design aids, 5-20 Attributes standard, 8-7 Audible error trace, 3-8
AUTOCOLOUR command, 5-3 AXES command, 5-18 BOX command design aids, 5-20 BUILD command spatial maps, 5-26 CE command, 8-11 CEARROW command design aids, 5-20 CHANGES command, 4-27 Changing modules, 3-4 CHECK command spatial maps, 5-25 Clashing element, 5-6 CLOSEST command, 2-10 COLOUR command, 5-6 displayed items, 5-1 Colour mixes predefined, 5-6 Colours active element, 5-6 clashing element, 5-6 current element, 5-6 default assignments, 5-7 defining, 5-6 graphical aids, 5-6 obstruction element, 5-6 visible element, 5-6 Commands input mode, 2-19 COMMENT command, 4-5
index-i
Index
COMPDATE command, 4-11 CONSTRUCT command, 7-8 Construction aids, 7-8 Coordinates, 2-13 COPY command, 8-5 CREATED command, 4-14 Creating elements, 8-1 Current element, 5-6 CYLINDER command design aids, 5-20 Database querying current, 4-6 Database changes creating update macro, 4-27 querying history, 4-7 Date, 2-5 DELETE command, 8-3 rules, 6-3 DELETED command, 4-14 Design aids, 5-20 DESIGN command, 3-1 Design points, 2-12 DIFFERENCE command, 4-26 Dimensions, 2-6 Direction axial, 2-15 general, 2-16 Display saving, 3-2 Draw list, 5-1 Drawing levels, 5-10 DYNAMIC command attribute rules, 6-1 Elements
creating, 8-1 deleting, 8-3 identifying, 2-9, 2-17 locking, 8-9 naming, 8-8 renaming, 8-8 selecting, 2-17 types, 2-7 END command, 8-12 ENHANCE command, 5-24 Entering DESIGN, 3-1 Errors alarm, 3-8 EXECUTE command, 6-3 Explicit mode multiwrite DBs, 4-17 Expressions, 2-4 Extracts, 4-19 master, 4-19 FINCH command, 3-5 FINISH command, 3-4, 4-17 FIRST command, 8-12 GETWORK command, 3-1 Graphical aids, 5-20 Highlighting graphical items, 5-24 HISTORY command, 4-8 IARRIVE command, 8-11 ID @ command, 7-1 IDENTIFY command, 7-1 Identifying displayed items, 7-1 IDPPOINT command, 7-2 ILEAVE command, 8-11 Imperial units setting, 3-5
Index-ii
Index
Implicit mode multiwrite DBs, 4-17 Implied tube, 8-11 INCH command, 3-5 INCLUDE command, 8-4 INSTALL command, 3-2 INSULATION command, 5-12 ISODRAFTMODE command, 7-10 LAST command, 8-12 LASTMOD command, 4-7 Leaving DESIGN, 3-4 Leaving PDMS, 3-4 LINE command design aids, 5-20 LIST command, 4-4 LOCK attribute, 8-7 LOCK command, 8-9 MAP command, 5-25 Mapping pins, 7-4 MARK command, 5-19 Master database of extract, 4-19 MDB command, 4-1 MDB mode, 4-1 Metric units setting, 3-5 MILLIMETRE command, 3-5 MM command, 3-5 MODIFIED command, 4-12 Multiple database, 4-1 querying, 4-6 NAME attribute, 8-7, 8-8 NAME command, 8-8 NEW command, 8-1
NEXT command, 8-12 Obstructing element, 5-6 OBSTRUCTION command, 5-12, 5-13 ORIENTATION attribute, 8-7, 8-9 OUTPUT command, 4-27 OWNER attribute, 8-7 OWNER command, 8-12 PIN command, 7-5 Position axial, 2-13 general, 2-14 POSITION attribute, 8-7, 8-9 PRECISION command, 3-6, 3-7 PREVIOUS command, 8-12 QUERY command, 3-10 QUIT command, 3-4 RECREATE command, 3-2 REMOVE command drawlist, 5-5 RENAME command, 8-6, 8-8 REORDER command, 8-4 REPRESENTATION command CENTRELINE, 5-9 DARCTOLERANCE, 5-17 HOLES, 5-17 LEVEL, 5-10 OBSTRUCTION, 5-13 OBSTRUCTION/INSULATION, 5-12 PLINES, 5-16 PNODES/SNODES, 5-15 PPOINTS, 5-14 PROFILE, 5-9 TRANSLUCENCY, 5-12, 5-13 TUBE, 5-9
Index-iii
Index
UPDATE, 5-18 Rules deleting, 6-3 executing, 6-3 setting, 6-1 verifying, 6-2 SAME command, 8-11 SAVEWORK command, 3-1 Selection of elements, 2-17 SESSCOMMENT command, 4-8 SESSDATE command, 4-8 Session comment, 4-5 number, 4-5 SESSION command, 4-5 SESSION ON command, 4-9 SESSMOD command, 4-7 SESSUSER command, 4-8 SET command attribute rules, 6-1 SETCOMPDATE command, 4-10 SETSTAR command, 8-13 Significant element, 5-1 SINCE command, 4-26, 4-27 SOLELY command, 5-24 Spatial map, 5-25
SPHERE command design aids, 5-20 Standard attributes, 8-7 STATIC command attribute rules, 6-1 STATUS command, 4-2 Synonym, 8-13 SYSCOMMAND command, 3-9 SYSTAT command, 4-3 System status, 4-3 Text output, 3-9 TRACE command, 3-9 TRANSLUCENCY command, 5-12, 5-13 TWODPICK command, 7-3 TWODPLANE command, 7-3 TYPE attribute, 8-7 UNENHANCE command, 5-24 Units of measurement, 2-6 setting, 3-5 UNLOCK command, 8-9 UNMARK command, 5-19 UNNAME command, 8-8 User status, 4-2 USERMOD command, 4-7 VERIFY command, 6-2 Visible element, 5-6
Index-iv

PDMS-Design Reference Manual Part1

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What is the purpose of the Design Reference Manual?

What is the purpose of the Design Reference Manual?

What are the main sections covered in Part 1 of the manual?

What are the main sections covered in Part 1 of the manual?

PDMS Design

Reference Manual Part 1: General Commands

pdms1161/Design Reference Manual Part1 Issue 270605

How to Use the Syntax Graphs.....................................................................2-1

General PDMS Commands ...........................................................................3-1

3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9

Design Databases and MDBs .......................................................................4-1

5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7

Using Rules to Define Attribute Settings.....................................................6-1

Interacting with a Graphical View.................................................................7-1

Design Database Elements...........................................................................8-1

Organisation of the Design Reference Manual

Organisation of this Manual

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

.----<------. / | >---*--- name ----+--->

can be input in any of the following forms:

Commands shown in all uppercase letters cannot be abbreviated.

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

Standard Syntax Graphs

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.1 Universal Expression <expr>

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.2 Date/Time <date>

means means means

2003 2004 1905

If no year is given, the default is the current year.

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.3 Physical Dimension <uval>

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.4 Design Element Type <snoun> or <noun>

Equipment and Civils:

Piping, Hangers and Supports:

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

Datums and Constraints:

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.5 Design Element Identity <gid>

Direct identification: from

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

Identification by physical position in the design model:

WITH EXTENT AFTER FROM

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.6 3D Design Points <marke>

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.7 Axial Position <pos> <axes>

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.8 3D Position <bpos>

(see previous subsection)

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

2.3.9 3D Axis Direction <dir>

How to Use the Syntax Graphs

Examples E E45N W-33D Y

2.3.10 3D Direction <bdir>

(See previous subsections for <dir> and <axes>)

(see above for <bpos>)