AU09_SpeakerHandout_PD208-1.pdf

AutoCAD P&ID Customization: Everything from Tags and Annotations to Symbols Mangesh Kalbhor – Autodesk, Inc. Atilio Zelaya – Total CAD Systems, Inc. PD208-1 In this class, we will discuss all the key concepts of tags, annotations and symbols, with special emphasis on customization to meet the needs of end users. Learn how to customize AutoCAD P&ID to create and use custom symbols, and define and utilize custom tag formats that inherit properties from different sources. Learn how templates can be effectively used in project creation. Learn about property acquisition to propagate property values from one component to another and define new rules for acquisition. Learn about the Join Type functionality and how to set it for different symbols, including inline Equipment behavior to achieve desired workflow. At the end of the course, the audience should feel confident about customizing P&ID for their own usage.

About the Speaker: Mangesh is a QA Project Lead for the Plant Solutions Division at Autodesk. He has worked on all the releases of AutoCAD P&ID, AutoCAD Plant 3D and has in-depth knowledge of the software as a key quality engineer. Prior to joining Autodesk, Mangesh worked as a Process Engineer in specialty chemicals manufacturing plant involved in various plant modifications and extension projects. Mangesh earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Pune and Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University. E-mail: [email protected]

Atilio is the A.E. Lead for the Plant Solutions Division for Total Cad Systems Inc. an Authorized re-seller for Autodesk. He has worked with AutoCAD P&ID 2008 and beyond. Prior to joining Total Cad Systems Inc. Atilio worked as Piping Senior Designer III, and File Net Administrator for the fourth biggest oil and Gas company in United States. Atilio earned a Bachelor degree in computer Science from University of Southwestern Louisiana and an Associate degree in Architectural, and Piping Graphics Design from West Bank VTS in Louisiana. E-mail: [email protected]

AutoCAD P&ID Customization: Everything from Tags and Annotations to Symbols

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I. Introduction

AutoCAD® P&ID is a design software use to create, modify, and manage piping and instrumentation diagrams. Built on the latest AutoCAD® platform, AutoCAD P&ID is easy to use and familiar to designers and process plant engineers. Made specifically for P&ID designers, AutoCAD P&ID enables faster and more efficient creation, manipulation, and revisions to P&ID drawings.

Additional Material ‘PD208-1_Extras.pdf’ is available on Autodesk University website.

II. Projects: Default vs. Template

A. What is a Default Project? • A preset project value used when a setting has not been specified by the user • Default settings are set to what the majority of people would choose. There is no reason to

change them

B. What is a Template Client Specific Project? • A customized project value used when a setting has been specified by the Administrator (user). • A copy of the default, new, existing, Sample or finished Project • Template Project contains all define settings, folders and other required settings specific to a

client(s)

III. Template creation The default standard Project is a good base for starting a project, but there are always specific company’s palettes, symbols, environments and settings that require customization. Items such as symbols, annotations, and templates as well as the location to store your settings and drawings are part of your project. See default and client specific template AutoCAD 2010 P&ID pictures below.

Start the Project creator Wizard, fill in the information and check mark “copy settings from existing

project” box, then click on the button and find the client specific template project to use (page 1 of 5). Click on the chosen project and left click “Open”. When open, Left Click “Next”


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Even though you chose a define template, you still have the option to change some settings during Project creation such as the drawings base units (page 2 of 5). Left Click “Next” Make sure to specify the Directory where your P&ID drawings will be stored (page 3 of 5). Left click “Next” and specify the Plant 3D models DWG directory (page 4 of 5). Left Click “Next” Now you are at the end of the Project creation (page 5 of 5). You can now check mark on the “Edit additional project settings after creating project” (recommended) or click “Finish”. Open the Project Setup and look at the properties. Remember to click

on the “User defined reports directory” button to define appropriate location. When finished, the new Project created using the client defined template file creation should contain all Files and folders pertaining to the new Project and the properties from the Client defined template.

So the question remains….. Why is a Template better than the original?

Think about the time it would take to specify all the page size/layout properties, Toolbars, Blocks, Layers, Borders, apply fonts, ensure all is lined up and matching to your company's standards. Project Templates can help ensure a consistent look and feel. Default projects are a great start, but most developers and administrators will want to know how to create their own templates. AutoCAD 2010 P&ID makes it extremely easy to create your own templates. In addition, once they are created, you have the ability to modify them at your leisure. A Master template is the beginning of a new, updated, and better Client specific Master project Template.

IV. Tags vs. Annotations

What is a Tag in AutoCAD P&ID? • A Tag is a unique identifier for an asset or line segment • A Tag is DATA that lives in the Data Cache • An asset or line segment can have only one Tag (Nozzle Tag is unique per asset that it is on) • A Tag is built up of sub parts as defined by the Tag Format

What is an Annotation in AutoCAD P&ID? • An Annotation is text (an optional geometry) in the drawing pane which presents information. • An Annotation is GRAPHICS that lives in the drawing • An Annotation need not be unique; an asset or line segment may have multiple Annotations • Annotation test is determined by the Format String defined in Annotation Style’s block. • Annotation text may show asset’s Tag property, but it is not “the” Tag. It is still an Annotation.

What do we mean by “tagging” in AutoCAD P&ID? • Tagging means assigning the values for the unique identifier of a given asset into the Data Cache • Tagging means creating and storing data. • Tagging is done via the Assign Tag dialog.

Placing an annotation in the drawing that shows the tag property is NOT Tagging, it is Annotating.


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V. Tag Formats Working with the Tag Format, you can specify and customize the data that you want to include in the Tag property for any P&ID class.

• Tag Formats are defined at a specific class, and are available to that class and all child classes. • Tag Formats are comprised of multiple sub-parts. Sub-parts can be separated by delimiters. • Each sub-part refers to a property, an expression, or both. • When you assign the Tag, each sub-part is assigned a value. All the values and delimiters are

concatenated to become the Tag property, which is stored in the data cache. • The Tag property as a whole must be unique within the project. • Properties can come from the Project, Drawing, or Class. These sources are mutually exclusive. • Class properties can be from the class of the item being tagged, or from a class related to the

item being tagged. The Assign Tag dialog box assigns these values back to the data cache.

Drawing and Project properties are read-only, they are used to initialize the sub-part value, but the Assign Tag dialog box does not assign values back to the Drawing or Project. • First three buttons are Class, Drawing and Project properties; fourth is for Expression dialog. • It can be used in combination with a property or by itself. • When used in conjunction with a property, expressions can serve to enforce the input format of

the value (for example by enforcing upper-case or a minimum number of digits). • When used by themselves, expressions (pure) simply require input of the requested type, which

is stored as part of the complete Tag, but is not stored individually into any property.


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• Expressions can also be used to trigger auto-generation which can be implicit or explicit. • Auto-generated values can be assigned to pure expressions or to properties. • Implicit auto-generation occurs when one sub-part is a pure, numeric expression and all other

sub-parts are properties with known values. Implicit auto-generation selects the next available number that can be combined with the other sub-parts to create a unique tag.

• Explicit auto-generation is based on Project or Drawing auto-generation properties. These properties store a last-used value and an increment to determine the next available value. The auto-generation properties must be initialized for this type of auto-generation to function.

• Project auto-generation value is initialized once, for the entire project; to generate values that increase across the project. Drawing auto-generation values must be initialized in each drawing.

• Line segments are collected into line groups. In AutoCAD P&ID, it is actually the line group that is tested for uniqueness, not each individual line segment. In addition, it is only the Line Number property of the line group which is tested.


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VI. Annotations An Annotation is a type of text, and optional graphics that is tied both to a target asset or line segment and to the information from the underlying data sources, such as the Data Cache, Drawing, and Project. When the underlying data changes; the text on screen updates automatically in the drawing.

• Annotations can be “simple” or “complex” • Simple Annotations are based on text, and are created when you drag a cell from the Data

Manager onto the drawing. They use AutoCAD’s current text style settings for font, size, etc. • Complex Annotations are based on blocks, and are defined by creating an Annotation Style.

Complex Annotations can contain both text and graphics, and the graphics can be defined to automatically resize with respect to the size of the evaluated text.

• Annotation Styles are defined at a specific class level, and are also available to all child classes.


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• Access and modify Annotation Styles from the Project Setup dialog box. • The Annotation Style defines specific behaviors for the Annotation, and also specifies the block

definition associated with that Annotation Style. • AnnotationTemplates.dwg has block definitions for creating new Annotation Styles. • The block definitions of existing Annotation Styles may also be used for a new Annotation Style.

A copy of selected block definition is created to be associated with the new Annotation Style. • Annotation block definition must contain AutoCAD attribute definitions to represent the text. • The AutoCAD attribute definition must be associated with a Format String, specifying the

underlying data that the Annotation is meant to show. This is done in the block editor. • The interface for specifying the Format String for an Annotation’s attribute definition is almost

identical to the interface for specifying a Tag Format. • The Format String for an Annotation’s attribute definition is not a Tag Format since it is not

being used to define a tag. It is just a format string. • For Annotations, using an Expression enforces formatting of the output. • Each attribute definition specifies a single line of text in the resulting Annotation block insert. • Each attribute definition may specify multiple sub-parts in the Format String, just as is true for

Tag Formats. All these sub-parts will be retrieved and displayed on a single line. • When the Annotation is inserted, the Format String is used to automatically retrieve and display

the underlying information. • If an underlying property cannot be retrieved or not yet initialized, the Annotation shows a dot.

Each Annotation Style has a unique block definition. Annotation block definitions are not shared between multiple Annotation Styles.


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• Each attribute definition specifies a single line of text in the resulting Annotation block insert. • Each attribute definition may specify multiple sub-parts in the Format String, just as is true for

Tag Formats. All these sub-parts will be retrieved and displayed on a single line. • When the Annotation is inserted, the Format String is used to automatically retrieve and display

the underlying information. • If an underlying property cannot be retrieved or not yet initialized, the Annotation shows a dot. • AutoCAD’s dynamic block behaviors are extended to support special behaviors for P&ID

Annotation block inserts. • An AutoCAD linear parameter can be specified to automatically become the same width as the

attributes in the Annotation block insert AFTER the Format String has been fully evaluated. Any actions associated with that linear parameter will execute based on the calculated size of the linear parameter.

• To associate a linear parameter with an attribute definition, give the linear parameter the same label as the attribute definition. (The toolbar tool will do this for you.)

• The special TotalX and TotalY labels will cause the linear parameters to size to the combined width and height of all the evaluated attributes.

The delimiter field can be used to contain any desired free text. To add leading free text, modify the attribute definition using the properties palette.


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VII. Custom Symbols Each P&ID class is associated with one or more Graphical Styles. These styles specify a block definition that is used as graphical representation of P&ID Class in the drawing, along with some properties that control the symbol’s behavior.

Adding a symbol to a class is done selecting ‘Add Symbol…’ button and in the same dialog to set the appropriate properties. A P&ID class can also have multiple different symbols; just by creating multiple graphical styles. You may swap the style of an existing asset in the drawing using the properties palette.

As an example, assume that we need a new symbol for a reversible screw pump, with minor variations on the standard PIP screw pump symbol.


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Multiple Graphical Styles can be associated with a property so that changing the property changes the appearance of the asset. To do this, use the Project Setup dialog to add a new Symbol List property to the screw pump class. Only one Symbol List property is allowed per class.

Defining multiple Graphical Styles for a single P&ID class can also be useful in showing Closed and Open Valve or when a very large asset, such as a vessel, must span drawings. To make a single asset span


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drawings, simply assign the same Tag value in each drawing, and answer “Assign this Tag to the Selected Component” when prompted by the “Tag Already Assigned” dialog box. Finally, use the properties palette to manually assign the appropriate style in each drawing.

This property will appear in Data Manager and changing the value will change the symbol’s appearance.

Block Contents When defining block, be aware of certain items that the block must contain. First, to define the places where lines should connect to assets, such as pump inlet and outlets, place a dynamic point parameter and give it the label “AttachmentPointN” where N is 1, 2, 3, etc.

These point parameters provide node snapping when drawing an SLINE to connect to the asset, and also provide the locations for insertion point cycling during asset insertion. (Using the <P> prompt.)

If the asset supports end-connections, the name of the point parameter should be post-pended with :EndCodeRRR, where RRR is the rotation, in degrees, at which the end code graphics should be drawn.

Setting right ‘Join type’; any equipment can be inserted on line, oriented along the flow direction and breaks the pipeline into two segments and two groups. Symbol setting property of Join Type has: Inline, Endline, Segment Group Breaker, Segment Breaker and No Join.

Setting ‘Join type’ allows user to create a segment and group breaking pumps or new inline assets.


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VIII. Property Propagation/Acquisition

Property propagation and property acquisition are the same concept, when component A propagates its value to component B; it means component B acquires its value from component A. The Acquisition type property allows the user to specify a RULE as the means by which a property of an instance gets its value. To add Acquisition property, open Project Setup and select Add button in P&ID Class Definition.


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• When an instance property is at the “Acquire” mode, changes to the source are picked up by the instance that is acquiring. In this mode the data is in Read-only format and cannot be entered manually.

• When an instance property is at the Local mode called as “Override” mode, changes to the source are NOT picked up by the instance doing the acquiring. This mode let you enter new values manually, but remember changes made here do not get pushed back to source property.

• The Acquisition property type also supports the concept of “Initialization Only”, where the instance first acquires the value from its source and immediately goes to the Override mode.

• Acquisition rule can be edited or remove via Project Setup. • Acquisition property is just another type of properties, if you setup a (Acquisition) property at the

EngineeringItems level, all Class Definitions below that level will inherit the property.

Documents

AU09_SpeakerHandout_PD208-1.pdf