The first step in a vdPCADdesign project is an analysis of the available Product Catalog and the desired data model.
- What type of objects do we want to distinguish; pipes, bends, end caps, valves, fire hydrants etc.
- Are these point, line or polygon objects, in other words they must be drawn as polyline, blockreference or closed polyline.
- What information must be linked to those objects. Which comes from the catalog, which must be selectable from selection lists and which are free text fields.
In addition, it must be investigated whether point objects should be linked to line objects in a certain way.
- Some points may be placed on a line at any location; a fire hydrant somewhere on a pipe.
- Other points must be placed at a kink point of a line string; a bend at the bend of a pipe.
- Certain points must be placed at the end point of a line string and adopt the direction of that segment as the angle of rotation; an end cap at the start or end point of a pipe.
The desired styling must also be mapped.
- On which layer names do the objects appear; preferably we conform to NLCS layer codes.
- Which standard color and line type are given to all objects on the relevant layer.
- Which symbol is used with the relevant point objects.
- Which information fields are used to display the labels.
As a result of the analysis, some things must be implemented in code.
- Think in particular of the Ribbon interface. Here the functions are provided for entering the desired objects.
- But also reading the catalog will have to be aligned with the structure of the existing Product Catalog.
The majority of the settings are recorded in a number of control tables for data model and styling. In addition, a DWG template must be set up with the definition of line types and symbols.
If the contractor uses vdPCADdesign, with the utility-company’s Products Catalog, the revision drawing contains customised object-information and can easily be loaded into the asset-managementsystem as a GML-file.
As a result, the revision is processed faster, the asset-managementsystem is up to date faster and the WIBON-obligation can be met on time.
vdPCADdesign is a C#.NET utility and available for various AutoCAD-versions.
More information?
Ask the cadgis-consultant.