SEGUIMIENTO DE LAS PROPUESTAS DE MEJORA

A module is defined in Bentley AutoPLANT as a set of files that define the components that may be placed when the module is loaded in the PIPING or ISOMETRICS applications. PIPING and ISOMETRICS share module and component class configurations. The following modules are provided with your software.

+ Carbon Steel (default) + Cable Tray (PIPING only) + Conduit (PIPING only)

The AutoPLANT Class Editor is a tool that enables you to manage these modules on a project-by-project basis. The procedure to start the Class Editor is provided in the next section. The three sections that follow give a brief overview of Class Editor operation and the files involved in this process.

The Class Editor (CE) works hand-in-hand with the Project Administrator application. As noted in the description on project tools earlier in this chapter, a project is created by copying a set of template files based on the units you specify in the project creation wizard. By copying these files into the project, the source template files are preserved and should not be modified. By this same context, a module and its associated component script files should not be modified. The intent of the system design is for you to use the Project Administrator to create your projects, then use the Class Editor to create/modify the module and component scripts and methods for that project. All modified files are stored in your custom project directory structure, therefore, maintaining the integrity of the shipping version files.

When you create a new drawing in PIPING/ISO, and select a project, the system will search your custom project directory path for custom version of all files first. For example, if you used the Project Administrator to create a project named MY_PROJ, then used the CE to modify the drawing script for a gate valve in your MY_PROJ project; CE will save the modified gate valve script within your MY_PROJ project directory structure. When you create a new drawing in PIPING/ISO, and select the MY_PROJ project, then attempt to place this gate valve, the system will search for the gate valve drawing script in your MY_PROJ directory path first, thereby using

AUTOPLANTCLASS EDITOR

your custom script to place the gate valve. If the system does not find a custom file for any component placement, it will use the original source file.

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The procedure to start AutoPLANT Class Editor (CE) is provided below. This application can be launched from the AutoPLANT 3D menu/toolbar, or from your Windows Start menu.

1. Select Class Editor from the AutoPLANT 3D menu, or select

Bentley > Plant > Tools > Class Editor from your Windows Start menu.

The remainder of this section provides an overview of Class Editor operation. Refer to the on-line help for a more detailed explanation of every available feature and function.

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When the Class Editor first loads it reads the AT_PROJ.DBF file to get a list of projects in the last active project’s root directory. For example, the figure above shows the Class List dialog that opens when CE reads the project list from the provided sample project root folder.

The project drop-down list enables you to select the project under the indicated project root folder that you want to modify. When you select a project, the navigation tree will automatically be updated to reflect the modules and associated components available in that project. You can also

open an entirely new Class List for a different project root using the File > Open Project Root command.

When a project is selected from the list, CE locates the project’s MODULES.INI, then extracts the module group records into a temporary database, CE.MDB. From the data in this temporary database, CE creates a navigation tree to enable you to view/configure the module and its

component methods. The modules defined in MODULES.INI are denoted by the symbol in the navigation tree.

Each module’s main directory is defined in its MODULES.INI record. This tells CE where the component class, methods, ports and specification search criteria control files are located. These files define the components available in the module.

A component is defined by its class record in the file CLASS.INI. In general, a component class defines the Basic Script methods or functions executed to associate intelligence and draw the component. Several components may be assigned to the same class, which defines the base methods that apply to all components assigned to that class. For example, all valves are assigned to the same parent class, which enables you to assign a set of methods that are common to a number of components to a parent class, then assign this parent class to each of these components instead of repeatedly assigning the same methods to all of these similar components.

CE extracts the information in each module’s CLASS.INI, METHODS.INI, PORTS.INI, and SPECKEY.INI files into the temporary database to build the navigation tree for each configuration.

Parent class records are depicted in the navigation tree by the symbol, while individual component class records are noted by the symbol.

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As you make changes to the module and component configuration files, CE stores these changes in the temporary CE.MDB database. The File > Save option may be executed at any time during a CE work session to update the project configuration files with changes that have been stored in the CE.MDB database. If you modified one of the provided files (i.e., a gate valve placement script), then CE will save the modified version of this file in your project directory structure, thereby maintaining the integrity of the provided file in its original location.

Since a temporary database stores all of your changes during a CE session, you can play around with the program, then exit without saving to keep your original system intact while experimenting with the Class Editor application.

SPECIFICATION GENERATOR

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The Spec Generator is a stand-alone application whose primary function is to generate specifications for use with Bentley's latest AutoPLANT and AutoPIPE applications. These catalogs and specifications are created in Microsoft Access MDB database format. This file format allows for a catalog/specification’s component tables to be stored in a single file with multiple tables.

When designers build a model, the set of components and size ranges available is determined by the active specification. All catalog and specification information is stored in an MDB (MS Access) database. The Spec Generator is used to build this database and assign unique IDs to each component in the specification, which is required by the latest AutoPLANT applications.

In addition to its primary function of generating specs, the Spec Generator is also a Catalog Editor.

Use it to add to the set of records contained in an existing catalog, or edit existing catalog records.

You can also define the types of input allowed in certain fields, add new tables to an existing database, delete fields from existing tables, and a variety of other customization features.

The Spec Generator may be launched from your Windows Start menu by selecting Bentley > Plant

> SpecGen > Specification Generator.

Note Refer to the Spec Generator on-line help for a complete description of every available feature and function. This help also describes the process of updating your previous AutoPLANT version specs to work with v3.0

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A catalog is a Microsoft Access database that contains a rich selection of component records from which manufacturer specific specifications can be created. Bentley provides several sample working catalogs of tens of thousands of components from which manufacturer-specific specifications may be produced.

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A specification is a Microsoft Access database that is basically a subset of a catalog. Specifications can be edited or modified to suit unique requirements, and any number of specifications can be created. In addition to the sample catalogs, Bentley provides several sample specifications for Imperial, Metric, and Mixed Metric units. The Spec Generator program enables you to build and customize the database specifications used with particular projects or clients.