Appendix: Get External Data Configuration File - Intergraph Spoolgen - Help

Intergraph Spoolgen Help

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English
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Intergraph Spoolgen
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SmartPlant Foundation / SDx Version
10
I-Configure Version
6.0(2016)
Isogen Version
13.0(2016)
Smart Isometrics Version
7.0(2019)
Spoolgen Version
9.0(2019)

A GED solution can be very simple, or it can be extremely complex, involving many database interactions. The instructions for performing the GED solution are contained in a text configuration file, which follows a basic XML file structure. In XML terminology, data is organized into a series of elements. An element is a series of text and child elements called statements, with each element being delineated by start and end tags enclosed in angle brackets (<…>). The six elements of the GED configuration file are shown in the example.

Each element that makes up the configuration file performs a specific function.

1 - ROOT Element

Provides data regarding version and diagnostic level.

Basic syntax:

  • Version="POD3" is mandatory.

  • DiagnosticLevel:

    • 0 – Only critical errors are reported in the POD file.

    • 1 – Errors plus confirmation of attributes being successfully set.

    • 2 – Verbose output, showing full diagnostics.

2 - PIPELINE Element

Contains instructions for populating attributes at the pipeline level in the POD file. A POD file can contain one or more pipelines. Instructions in the PIPELINE element are processed once for each pipeline in the POD file.

Basic syntax:

3 - COMPONENT Element

Contains instructions for populating attributes at the Component (and, optionally, Material) level in the POD file. A POD file can contain one or more pipelines, each of which contains a set of components (typically, tangible items such as flanges, valves and gaskets). Instructions in the COMPONENT element are processed once for each component in each pipeline in the POD file.

Basic syntax:

Use <PIPELINE> tags inside the COMPONENT element to set pipeline properties from the Component level. This feature allows you to do such things as find maximum and minimum values on a pipeline, keep running totals of a property such as InlineLength, or keep a count of component types.

You can use the same syntax to set the properties of the component material and override the ItemCode or Description attribute.

4 - INFORMATION Element

Contains instructions for populating attributes at the Information Item level in the POD file.

Information items include messages and other annotations related to pipelines, components, and spools on the isometric drawing.

Pipelines and components in a POD file can contain many information items. The software processes the instructions in the INFORMATION element once for each information item in the POD file. Spool information is stored in an INFORMATION-ELEMENT at the pipeline level.

You can use EXTERNAL-MAP statements within the INFORMATION element to write data to the <PIPELINE>, <COMPONENT>, or <SPOOL> tag that owns the information element. This allows the information element to write to its parent pipeline, component, or spool. For more information, see EXTERNAL-MAP statement.

Basic syntax:

5 - MATERIAL Element

Contains instructions for populating attributes at the Material level in the POD file. Pipelines in a POD file can contain many materials. Instructions in the MATERIAL element are processed once for each material in the POD file.

Basic syntax:

6 - JOINT Element

Contains instructions for populating attributes at the Component and/or Material level in the POD file. The components are those which form part of a joint in a pipeline. For example, a bolted connection between two flanged components, including a gasket, forms a single joint. The JOINT element has special syntax to refer to the components that form part of the joint – C0, C1 and C2.

C0 is the connector component, such as the gasket or weld. C1 and C2 are the two connected components, such as the flanges, the pipe and olet.

Basic syntax:

The C0, C1 and C2 component elements in the previous example can contain a MATERIAL statement, allowing an EXTERNAL-MAP statement to refer to the material properties of the component. In the following two examples, Example 1 sets properties of the C0 component itself, and Example 2 sets properties of the material assigned to the C0 component. Both examples are valid

Example 1:

<C0>
<EXTERNAL-MAP …. />
</C0>

Example 2:

<C0>
<MATERIAL>
<EXTERNAL-MAP …. />
</MATERIAL>
</C0>

The JOINT element also has special syntax that allows the selection of a particular type of joint using the Type = "Joint Type" syntax, as shown in the above Basic syntax example.

Joint Type String

Defined By

Connector (C0)

Welded

Weld connected to a non-weld. No multiple welds at same point generate one connection per weld.

Weld

Flanged

Flange connected to gasket or flange connected to flange (no gasket).

Gasket (optional)

 

Wafer

Wafer component (XW) between two flanges or two flange / gaskets .

Gasket (optional)

 

Screwed

Screwed to Screwed or Screwed to Pipe

Empty

Compression

Compression/Compression or Compression/Pipe

Empty

Clamped

Clamped/Clamped or Clamped/Pipe

Clamp

Glued

Glued/Glued or Glued/Pipe

Empty

PushFit

Pushfit/Pushfit or Pushfit/Pipe

Empty

BallAndSocket

Ball and Socket/Ball and Socket or Ball and Socket/Pipe

Empty

Flared

Flared/Flared or Flared/Pipe

Empty

Lap Joint

Clamped/Clamped or Clamped/Pipe

Empty

Hygienic

LN-/LC-/LR-/ MP = one of group or XP

Empty

PulledBend

PulledBend component

PulledBend

Unknown

Any unrecognized connection

Empty

Within each configuration file element you can include a series of statements. These statements contain specific processing instructions. The nine statements that the GED configuration file can contain are described in detail on the following pages.

EXTERNAL-DATA statement

EXTERNAL-MAP statement

EXECUTE statement

FILTER statement

FORMATS statement

MATERIAL statement

SET-ADDITIONAL-MATERIAL statement

SET-INFORMATION-ELEMENT statement

SQL statement

GED configuration file statements can also contain macros. A macro is a string that is substituted with a value taken from the current POD file when the GED function is executed. A macro starts and ends with a dollar sign ( $ ) character. For more information about the macros you can use in the GED solution, see GED Macros.

Scripting Facilities

The GED .xml script supports the use of VBScript to perform functions on map variables. This capability can obviate the need to define a dummy database in order to use SQL to perform basic calculations and improves both readability and performance.

Scripting initialization file

When you run the Get External Data command, the function looks for a file called PODTools.xml. The PODTools .xml file contains a set of general purpose scripts, currently IIf and Format. An example of the .xml file is shown below.

Scripting within the GED .xml configuration file

The GED .xml configuration file can contain scripts in the same format as the PODTools.xml file at the document level or at the command element level. Scripts at the command element level can also contain a RESULT attribute. This attribute turns the script into an expression evaluation and sets a variable. The name of this variable is specified by the RESULT attribute. You can then use this variable in additional expression scripts or in the EXTERNAL-MAP node.

  • The PODTools.xml file is distributed with PODTools.

  • The use of CDATA allows the use of special characters, which makes the script more readable.