Line annotation issue

[dave]

I am trying to create custom annotation for my lines. Sometimes I want to see if the line is insulated, sometimes I dont. Since Insulation is set by "process" instead of by "pipe run" I need to be able to annotate a line w/out showing the insulation. In a P&ID I type SETT which brings up my settings manager. I have to hunt down one of the annotations I am not using and create a new one. This all works great. EXCEPT when I open a new drawing I have to re-set it up. What am I doing wrong?

[Packin31]

Dave,

Where is your settings.dbf file stored?

If you have created a custom directory for each project you would need to point to that directory for each drawing. Then it will read the settings.dbf file for that project.

[dave]

Forgive my ignorance on this Tom but where do I point the drawing to the settings.dbf file? In the P&ID > preferences > custom directory?

[Packin31]

Dave,

Yes you should. That is if you have a custom directory setup.

If not the drawings should be reading the one that is locally.

When you type sett at the AutoCAD command line it will tell you where it is pointing.

[dave]

awesome, thanks Tom!

[Aplant Monkey]

Dave,

my experience has been that this needs to be set in the PID_SUP at the following line:

;; The function below is used with the LINE-ID settings record.
;; This value is in Item Description field.
(defun LineMark ()
(STRCAT psz "-" ltag "-" pspec )

just do a search for the "linemark" and you will be able to find it.

[Packin31]

Dave,

You are welcome. Anything I can do to help out since you put this nice forum together for us users. It sure is much easier to use this one then the so call Bentley forums.

[dave]

Aplant Monkey - That is the default line annotation in the PID-sup I know. Can I add additional annotation strings in there too? I thought I had to create/modify all additional (non-default) annotation strings from the settings.dbf file as Tom said. (edit: Dave discovers the settings dbf file :) )

[Aplant Monkey]

okay yes that is true.

you can also as you know wet up a predefined label through the Annotation tool in the P&ID Tools pull down. Problem with this is that it is desltop specific. There is a way to write it in to the AT.ini file, then copy it down to all users. I will try to find this out and get back to you. You can also set up an alternate tag type in PA if this would work for you

[Aplant Monkey]

if you go to your AT.ini file at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Bentley\Plant 2004\CFG you can put in the following or amend as you see fit for pre-determined annotation settings that can be used from the P&ID pull down Annotation, select the predefined tag that you want and use that. You would have to copy the AT.ini file through to all users though. Not a big deal if you maintain a Master AT.ini file on your network.


[PIDANNO-AT_PIPERUN]
ANNO0=(STRCAT LTAG )
ANNO1=(STRCAT PSZ )
ANNO2=(STRCAT PSPEC )
ANNO3=(STRCAT PSZ "-" PCLASS "-" LTAG "-" PSPEC_NOM )

[Packin31]

Aplant Monkey,

I just tried it. It worked great. I didn't know about that feature. There ios always something to learn with programs.

[dave]

Brian, that was brilliant! Thanks dude, worked like a champ.

[Aplant Monkey]

sometimes I even surprise myself :shock:

[dave]

makes me wonder what other kind of magic lies in that file. I'm going to go looking (after I make a backup) ;)

[Aplant Monkey]

good hunting

[HybridAWD]

Hrmm for some reason I have tried both methods: Creating a path to the APcustom directory, and then just letting it use the local LSP file.

Both will work fine, but when I have it setup using the APCustom this is what I get displayed:

2"-ST-229-PI-2201-P1-CS1-1"

which translates into

Size - Service - P&ID Number - P1 (im assuming number?) - Spec - Insulation

What should be displayed is:

2"-ST-2201-01-CS1-1"

Size - Service - P&ID number - Line Number - Spec - Insulation

This is what it reads in my AT.ini:
[PIDANNO-AT_PIPERUN]
ANNO0=(STRCAT PSZ "-" PSERV "-" LTAG "-" PSPEC "-" PINS )

I dont understand why it's Ltag... but in the LSP it says tag is what is to be used.

Currently I am using the APCustom Directory.

What am I doing wrong for it to display improperly?

[HybridAWD]

brain fart: forgot I had to edit the Tag types under PA