Manually add and modify symbol items - CADWorx - Help

CADWorx P&ID

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CAESAR II Version
12
CADWorx Version
20.0 (2020)
CADWorx Structure Version
2020(4.0)

USERSYMBOL is an example section used for this workflow.

  1. Open the [Product Folder]\P&ID\Support\Flow_alt.dat file in a text editor, such as Notepad.

  2. At the end of the file, create a blank.

  3. On the next line, type the name of the section in brackets in Column One:

    [USERSYMBOL]

  4. On the next line, type the name of a .dwg preview file in Column One, the item name in Column Two, and the insertion routine and other needed settings in Column Three.

  5. Repeat the previous step for each item in the section.

  6. Save and close Flow_alt.dat.

Flow_alt.dat

[Product Folder]\P&ID\Support\Flow_alt.dat is the delivered menu symbol text file. This file can be modified using Menu Symbols , or using a text editor. The file is organized into three columns of data:

Column One

Specifies the name of the .dwg drawing file for each item used for Preview on the Menu Maintenance dialog box. The file must be in the [Product Folder]\P&ID\Support folder. Also specifies section names (in straight brackets) and groups the items into sections. This column must start on space 1 of the text file.

There must not be blank lines within a section. There must be a blank line after each section.

Column Two

Specifies the name of each item. This column must start on space 40 of the text file.

Column Three

Specifies the following settings, with a space between each setting:

  • The insertion routine required to draw the component. For more information, see Insertion Routines below.

  • Drawing layer, as defined in the configuration file. For more information, see Layer Control Dialog Box.

  • The .dwg drawing file used for the symbol. The file must be in [Product Folder]\P&ID\Support.

  • Size, Size1, Size2, Size3, and Size4 - the physical sizes of the symbol when placed in the drawing.

  • Category - The table name where the symbol is recorded when a database is used.

  • Tag and Label - Optional blocks which can be inserted with the symbol.

  • Spectype - Optional code that allows integration with pipe specifications from CADWorx Plant.

Insertion Routines

INSERT_COMPONENT draws the following types: generic square, cylinder, concentric shape, eccentric shape, vessel skirt, hemispherical head, elliptical head, and dished head. The format is:

  • INSERT_COMPONENT layer type category

INSERT_TANK draws the following roof types: flat, sloping, and floating. The format is:

  • INSERT_TANK layer rooftype category tag label

INSERT_VESSEL draws the following vessels and head types: hemispherical, elliptical, flat, and dished. The format is:

  • INSERT_VESSEL layer headtype category tag label

Other insertion routines have the following format:

  • INSERT_1_PLINE layer symbol size category tag label spectype

  • INSERT_2_PLINE layer symbol size1 size2 category tag label spectype

  • INSERT_3_PLINE layer symbol size1 size2 size3 category tag label spectype

  • INSERT_4_PLINE layer symbol size1 size2 size3 size4 category tag label spectype

  • INSERT_DIRECTION layer symbol size category spectype

  • INSERT_INST layer symbol size category tag label

  • INSERT_LINK layer symbol size category direction

  • INSERT_NORMAL layer symbol size category tag label spectype

  • INSERT_REDUCER layer symbol size1 category spectype

  • INSERT_ROTATE layer symbol size category tag label spectype

  • INSERT_X_AXIS layer symbol size category tag label spectype

  • INSERT_Y_AXIS layer symbol size category tag label spectype

Symbol drawings must not contain any blocks. A symbol drawing can have any CAD entity (such as lines, circles, arcs, plines, and attribute definitions) except a block. The drawing must be centered at 0,0,0 and the insertion base point must also be 0,0,0. To set the insertion base point for a symbol drawing, use the CAD platform BASE command.