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11.6 M03 Basic and Functions
11.6 M03 Basic and Functions
Design (PDMS)
Version 11.6
Module 3
Basics & Functions
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Contents
Session 1 ...................................................................... 1-1
The Principles of PDMS ............................................................................... 1-1
Objectives .................................................................................................. 1-1
Must Know Points ...................................................................................... 1-1
How PDMS Can Help You ......................................................................... 1-2
How PDMS is Structured ........................................................................... 1-5
PDMS Databases..................................................................................... 1-10
How PDMS Data is Stored....................................................................... 1-11
Navigating Around the Database ............................................................. 1-15
Attributes in PDMS................................................................................... 1-17
UDA (User Defined Attributes) ................................................................. 1-21
Contents-i
Contents
ii
Session
Explain some of the advantages of using PDMS to control and execute your
designs.
The basic Hierarchy, and the elements that can be created under different owner
types.
1-1
1-2
All the data in a PDMS design would be of little value without the ability to ensure the
quality of the design information. Indeed, it would be pointless to develop such a
large computer system if it could not improve on existing techniques. PDMS
contributes to the quality of the design in the following ways:
1-3
1-4
3D Model Design
DRAFT
2D Drawing Production
ISODRAFT
ADMIN
Project/User Control
PARAGON
Catalogue Construction
SPECON
Specification Construction
PROPCON
Properties Construction
LEXICON
DESIGN
DESIGN is the main, graphically driven constructor module within PDMS. In this
module the plant model is built and the data stored in one or more databases. The
databases contain a three-dimensional description of all items in the plant.
Component selection is provided through specifications that dictate which catalogue
components can be used.
The main features:
1-5
DRAFT
DRAFT is used to create and manipulate drawings, annotation and dimensioning.
The annotation can be in the form of labels attached to design elements, or 2D
annotation such as drawing notes, or drawing frames, tables, lines etc.
Annotation attached to a design data element on the drawing will move if the3D
position of the element changes. Dimensions are projected distances between
connecting points (P-Point) in the 3D design. The dimension itself is calculated
automatically and is recalculated every time the drawing is updated. The design
database can be interrogated through the drawing database, but it cannot be
changed from within the DRAFT module.
1-6
ISODRAFT
ISODRAFT produces dimensioned symbolic piping isometrics for construction and
erection purposes. This module produces isometric drawings in various formats, as
required. Its facilities include:
1-7
ADMIN
Large plants designed using PDMS will usually be broken down into individual areas
(either physical areas or design areas), depending on the physical size, complexity
and configuration of the plant. On a large Project, the System Administrator will first
agree with Project and Design Management, the breakdown of the PDMS project
into sections which:
Are relevant to the needs of project reporting and control.
Form reasonable design subdivisions with sensible match-lines and design content.
Enable enough designers to work in parallel with simultaneous access to carry out
their design tasks.
In much the same way as in a design office (with its section leader, draughtspeople,
etc.), PDMS has Teams, the members of which are called Users. These Teams can
consist of any number of Users and can be organised by discipline or physical work
areas.
The main features are:
Access Control (Teams and Users)
Databases (DBs)
Multiple Databases (MDBs)
Database management functionality
PARAGON
PARAGON is used to input and modify the component catalogue stored in the
project database. The catalogues in PDMS serve a similar purpose to the
manufacturers catalogues, which you would refer to when using conventional design
methods. The PDMS component catalogue is used to specify the geometry,
connection information, obstruction and detailing data of steelwork, piping, and
HVAC and cable tray components.
This module is used to construct the component catalogue just as DESIGN is used
to construct the design data. The catalogue data is held in a hierarchical manner and
special database. It should be noted that, where the design data is specific to a
particular design, catalogues and specifications may be specific to a company but
general to a number of projects in that company. For example, the same catalogue
component may also appear in other designs proceeding at the same time.
PROPCON
This module is used to construct a Properties database. The database contains data
for use with design databases as well as stress analysis packages and includes:
1-8
Material properties.
Component data.
LEXICON
This module enables User Definable Attributes (UDAs) to be assigned to PDMS
elements so that additional information may be stored in the databases and
extracted into drawings and reports.
1-9
PDMS Databases
The heart of PDMS consists of a set of hierarchical databases that store the model
data. The database system is called Dabacon and is exclusive to AVEVA.
The databases are structured specifically for plant design data storage and each
type of database stores different data.
Design databases, where data for the model you construct in the Design module is
stored, can be of two types:
1. Update, where each user has their own database to work in
2. Multi Write, where a number of users work in the same database.
Generally multi-discipline projects are executed using discipline specific designers
who will use specific applications in PDMS to construct the model components for
their specific discipline. A project, therefore, may consist of a number of Design
databases for each discipline.
When constructing the model references are made to catalogue, property and user
defined attribute data that is held in different types of databases. As this data is
common to all users of each discipline, each user will refer to a common set of data
for the project. These databases are called Reference databases.
In order that each user can see the required design components modelled by other
users and refer to the common catalogue, property and user defined attribute data,
the Design and Reference databases are grouped together into a Multiple
Database (MDB).
There may be several MDBs for a project, each defining specific groups of
databases, for users with different tasks to perform.
1-10
1-11
WORLD
When the database is first built, it is empty except for a single element named the
WORLD. Each database has its own WORLD element as the first element in the
hierarchy.
SITE
Below the WORLD, the second level of the hierarchy is SITE. A SITE may be
considered as a significant collection of plant, whose size is not necessarily
determined by physical area, but by practical considerations. It may, for example be
the whole project, or one part of a large project. You can have as many SITEs within
a PDMS project as required for data organisation.
ZONE
The next level below a SITE is a ZONE. Again, a ZONE is not necessarily used to
define a physical area, it is more likely to store similar types of item for easy
reference, such as a piping system in one ZONE, related equipment in another, and
so on. You can have as many ZONEs owned by a site as required for data
organisation.
SITE and ZONE elements are common to all disciplines. Below ZONE level the
hierarchy is discipline dependent, i.e. the elements depend on which discipline you
are modelling.
EQUIPMENT (EQUI)
Equipment items are built up in PDMS using elements known as primitives. Each
piece of equipment can comprise any number of primitive shapes positioned to form
the item. The primitives may be owned directly by the EQUI element or by a SubEquipment element.
SUB-EQUIPMENT (SUBE)
A SUBE is an optional element to further sub-divide an EQUI. The SUBE can own
primitive elements.
PRIMITIVES
Primitives are the basic building blocks of PDMS. They are used by other disciplines
to create catalogue components. There are many types of primitive, each with its
own features which when combined with other primitives can represent complex
shapes. Examples of primitives are nozzle (NOZZ), box (BOX), cylinders (CYLI) and
pyramids (PYRA).
1-12
STRUCTURES (STRU)
STRU elements are administrative elements, i.e. they exist to own FRAMEWORK
elements, and allow the plant structures to be separated for ease of modelling and
reporting.
FRAMEWORK (FRMW)
FRMW elements are used to store structural components in the model. A complex
structure can be divided into logical frameworks. Dividing the structure in this way
allows structural modelling, and also reporting, to be done more efficiently, e.g. by
copying a complete FRMW. Structural components may also be owned by a SubFramework element.
SUB-FRAMEWORK (SBFR)
A SBFR is an optional element that can own structural components. They are used
to further sub-divide complex projects or for modelling sub-assemblies within a
framework.
STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
Structural profiles are represented in PDMS by section (SCTN) elements. Profile
sizes are selected using a section specification that references standard catalogue
data for section sizes complying with various national standards. Plate elements are
represented by panel (PANE) elements and curved profiles are modelled using a
general section (GENSEC) component.
PIPE
Pipes may be considered like lines on a flowsheet. They may run between several
end connection points and are usually grouped by a common specification and
process.
BRANCH (BRAN)
Branch elements are sections of a pipe, which have known start and finish points. In
PDMS the start and finish points are called the Head and Tail. Heads and tails may
be connected to nozzles, tees or other Heads and tails, depending on the
configuration of the pipe, or left open ended.
PIPING COMPONENTS
A BRAN can own a wide variety of components such as gaskets (GASK), flanges
(FLAN), tees (TEE), valves (VALV), elbows (ELBO), etc. These form the shape and
geometry of the BRAN and ultimately the pipeline itself.
1-13
1-14
Design Explorer provides a Tree View display of database elements in the current
MDB, which can be expanded and contracted, where applicable, by clicking the + or
icons. The icons in the Tree View opposite the element names represent the
different database element types.
The expression, Current Element, (sometimes referred to as CE in the text and on
user interface forms) is that element of the design you are currently positioned at.
The Current Element can be identified in the Design Explorer as the highlighted item
in the Tree View. the History List and contains a list of recently visited items.
1-15
History List
The History Add-in appears on the main toolbar in Design, Draft, Spooler and
Isodraft. It displays the current element (CE), regardless of the database. The user
can set the CE either by typing the element name into the combo box, selecting a
previously typed in element from the drop-down list, navigating through the CE
history one element at a time using the backwards and forwards buttons or by
selecting elements from the CE history list using drop-downs on the
backwards/forwards buttons. When typing into the combo box the system attempts
to auto complete the name by scanning the open databases for the first 15 matches
and displaying them in a pop-up list. The user can then either carry on typing or
select an element from the list. When docked vertically the toolbar displays only the
backwards and forwards buttons; the combo box is not displayed.
Clicking on an element in the list will navigate to the selected element. The left and
right arrows next to the history list will navigate up and down the list one element at a
time.
PDMS databases may contain many thousands of elements, however, only one
element can be accessed at a time. As all elements, with the exception of the
WORLD, are owned by another element, deleting, say, a ZONE would cause
everything owned by that ZONE to be deleted as well.
1-16
Attributes in PDMS
Every element in a PDMS database has a fixed set of properties known as its
attributes. Some attributes are common throughout the range of elements while
others differ according to the type of element involved. For example, a cylinder
(CYLI) has Height and Diameter attributes whilst the size of a box (BOX) is
determined by Xlength, Ylength and Zlength attributes, as illustrated below.
When you create an element, a set of appropriate attributes are entered into the
database. The attributes will vary according to the type of element but essentially the
process is the same. For example, a cylinder has the following attributes:
Attribute
Default Value
Name
Type
CYLI
Lock
Owner
Position
Orientation
1-17
Level
Obstruction
Diameter
0 mm
Height
0 mm
These are all of the attributes of a cylinder, and all cylinders in the database will have
precisely the same number of attributes.
NAME
Every element in PDMS can be named. Whether named or not every element will
have a unique system generated reference number. If a name is not specified, then
a hierarchy description will be displayed in the Design Explorer or Members List.
Internally PDMS uses the reference number since this cannot change. A table of
names against reference numbers is maintained for this purpose.
All PDMS names begin with a forward slash character (/) and is considered to be
part of the name. In order to save you the effort of typing this, all of the forms you
encounter will add the forward slash for you when you press the Return or Enter key
after typing a name. The forward slash character is not shown in the Design Explorer
or Members List.
The WORLD has a special name in PDMS, /*
Names cannot contain spaces and are case sensitive. For example, /E1302A is a
different name from /E1302a or /e1302A.
Elements in a PDMS database are unique, i.e. they cannot have the same name or
reference number.
TYPE
This attribute refers to the specific type of element it is, e.g. EQUI is an equipment
type.
LOCK
The LOCK attribute determines if an element may be changed or not. If an element
is locked, its LOCK attribute is set to the value TRUE, preventing it from being
modified until unlocked. By default, LOCK is false.
OWNER
The different levels in the hierarchy are maintained by an Owner-Member
relationship. An EQUI will have ZONE as its owner, while a CYLI might well be one
of the EQUIs members. The owner is that element which is directly related to the
current element at the next level up in the hierarchy, as shown in the diagram below:
1-18
The element on the upper level is the Owner of those elements directly below it, e.g.
the equipment (EQUI) owns the primitive (CYLI). The lower level elements are
Members of the owning element, e.g. the EQUI is a member of the ZONE.
POSITION
Many items in a database have a POSITION attribute which is the position of the
element in relation to its owner.
All primitives have a position attribute which relates to the its Point of Origin. As each
primitive has a different Point of Origin changing the position attribute will have the
effect of moving the cylinder to some other position with its Point of Origin positioned
on the new co-ordinates.
1-19
1-20
HEIGHT
The height of the cylinder.
DIAMETER
The diameter of the cylinder.
HEIGHT
(Normal Attribute)
1-21
Session
Controlling PDMS
Objectives
At the end of this session, you will able to:
Access the Design module and explain the different features of the VANTAGE
PDMS Login form.
Use all the mouse functions and understand how the Menus and Forms are
accessed and used.
2-1
Controlling PDMS
After the initial start-up windows have appeared, the VANTAGE PDMS Login form
is displayed:
The Project, Username and MDB are chosen by using the option arrows adjacent
to each entry, whilst the Password must be entered using the keyboard. The options
are determined by the project set-up triggered when PDMS is initialised.
There is no choice for password, this must be known before entry can proceed.
A Multiple Database (MDB), for example, /TRAINA, must be selected for all modules
except Admin.
The required PDMS module, e.g. Design, is selected by clicking on the Module list.
The Load From pull-down gives options of Macro Files, Users Binary, Default
Binary and Select Binary.
Loading from Macro Files builds the user interface from all its associated program
macro files. Loading from a binary file, whichever option is selected, will load display
files saved in a previous PDMS session.
Clicking the OK button will enter PDMS whilst clicking Cancel will abort the login
process.
2-2
Controlling PDMS
Window Setup
Entering PDMS the main window is displayed:
3D View Window- the window in which the design model will be displayed. This
window has horizontal and vertical tool bars.
You can reposition or minimise the main window at any time by using the standard
window management facilities provided by your workstation. It is suggested that you
do not close them from the window controls select the dismiss and close option.
2-3
Controlling PDMS
2-4
Controlling PDMS
Using Menus
There are two types of menu, Pull-down Menus and Sub-menus.
Pull-down Menus
Clicking an item on the menu bar with the left mouse button will display the pull-down
menu items:
As the pointer is passed over the menu items they are highlighted in turn. There are
three types of options on a pull-down menu which result in different actions:
Options followed by a triangular pointer:
When this type of option is highlighted moving the pointer
to the right, keeping the option highlighted, will display a
Sub-menu.
Option followed by three dots:
When this type of option is highlighted clicking the lefthand mouse button will dismiss the pull-down menu and
display a form for data entry or modification.
Option shown as plain text:
When this type of option is highlighted clicking the left
mouse button will directly perform the action described in
the menu item.
2-5
Controlling PDMS
If no menu item is required, clicking the left mouse button in the 3D View Window will
dismiss the pull-down menu.
Sub-menus
As described above, highlighting a menu item which is followed by a triangular
pointer and moving the pointer to the right will display a sub-menu:
Sub-menus may contain any of the three menu options described above. If none of
the menu items are required, highlighting another option on the pull-down menu will
dismiss the sub-menu. Alternatively, clicking the left mouse button in the 3D View
Window will dismiss the pull-down as well as the sub-menu.
2-6
Controlling PDMS
Using Forms
Forms are used to display information, often about current data settings, enter data
and to modify data.
Forms typically comprise an arrangement of Buttons, Text Boxes, Radio Buttons,
Check Boxes and Scrollable Lists (sometimes collectively referred to as controls).
Input to a form is usually via a combination of mouse and keyboard, the mouse being
used to select the appropriate controls and the keyboard to enter the data.
When a form is displayed, settings can be changed, reset to initial values, accept
and act on data input, or cancelled without applying any changes, depending on the
design of the form.
Radio Buttons
Radio buttons are combined in groups and only permit one selection of the group to
be set ON, i.e. the radio button with the black dot in the centre.
To set the radio button ON move the pointer over the radio button or associated text
and click the left mouse button.
Turning a radio button on will automatically turn the other radio button(s) in the group
OFF.
2-7
Controlling PDMS
Check Boxes
A check box may be either ON, i.e. a checkmark (tick) is displayed in the box, or
OFF, i.e. the box has no checkmark displayed.
Check boxes do not interact so any combination of check boxes on a form may be
ON or OFF.
To change the status of a check box, i.e. to set it ON or OFF, move the pointer over
the check box or associated text and click the left mouse button.
Text Boxes
Text boxes are the areas where alphanumeric data, e.g. names, dimensions, values,
etc., can be entered. A text box will generally have a label describing or qualifying
the data required.
To enter data into a text box, move the pointer into the box and click the lefthand
mouse button. Using the keyboard, type in the required data, editing any existing
entry as necessary. The Backspace key will clear the box of any content. When
complete, acceptance of the input is confirmed the by pressing the Return (or Enter)
key.
When first displaying a form containing text boxes, the first text box on the form will
be current and a text pointer (a vertical bar) will be displayed in the box. A text box
often contains a default entry when first displayed. Some text boxes will accept only
text or only numeric data, and entries with the wrong type of data will not be
accepted.
Tabs
Tabs are used to change to a new page of the form.
Scrollable Lists
A scrollable list is displayed as a vertical list of options within a form, with vertical
scroll bar on the right hand side of the list and, if appropriate, a horizontal scroll bar
along the bottom of the list. If the list contents can be displayed within the limits of
the list the scroll bar(s) will be greyed out.
To select an option from a scrollable list, click with the left mouse button on the list to
display the list items.
2-8
Controlling PDMS
Moving the pointer up and down the list highlights each list item in turn. To select a
list item click the required selection with the left mouse button.
Some scrollable lists allow only a single selection, so that selecting any option
deselects all others automatically. Other lists allow multiple selections, with all
selected options highlighted simultaneously. To de-select a highlighted option on a
multi-item list, click on it again. Repeated clicks toggle a selection on and off.
Buttons
Buttons are raised areas of the form with a text label, either on the button or adjacent
to it, that conveys the purpose of the button. The button may either take direct action
when activated or may display a further form.
Buttons are activated by moving the pointer over the button and clicking the left
mouse button.
Form Menus
Some forms contain a menu bar across the top of the form. Form menus act in the
same way as the main menu bar, described previously, with the same options.
2-9
Controlling PDMS
2-10
Controlling PDMS
Contents
This option displays a list of all topics for which online help is available.
This is effectively a Contents List for the whole of the online help documentation,
with search facilities incorporated.
Index
This option is similar to Contents, but displays and index of keywords within the
help.
About
This displays information about the current operating system on the computer, the
version of PDMS and its applications.
2-11
Controlling PDMS
Leaving PDMS
To exit PDMS select Design>Exit from the Main Menu. If no changes have been
made to the Design databases you will be prompted to confirm your selection with
the following form:
Selecting YES will exit PDMS and selecting NO will abort the exit command.
If changes have been made to the Design databases since your last save, selecting
Design>Exit will display the following form:
Selecting YES will save the changes before exiting PDMS. Selecting NO will discard
the changes before exiting PDMS and selecting CANCEL will abort the exit
command.
2-12
Controlling PDMS
Entering PDMS
1. Your Training will have provided a shortcut to PDMS. Double click the PDMS
icon on your desktop
2-13
Controlling PDMS
3. Select the Arrow icon to the right of the Project text box to display a list of
available projects:
4. Select SAM from the list by clicking the entry with the left mouse button.
5. Select the Arrow icon to the right of the Username text box to display a list of
available usernames in the project:
:
6. Select your username from the list by clicking the entry with the left mouse
button. (USERA, USERB, USERC etc.)
7. The pointer will appear as a flashing vertical bar in the Password text box.
Type in your password (A, B, C etc.) and press the Return key on the
keyboard.
2-14
Controlling PDMS
8. Select the Arrow icon to the right of the MDB text box to display a list of
available MDBs in the project:
9. Select the MDB you are going to use from the list by clicking the entry with the
left mouse button (TRAINA, TRAINB, TRAINC etc.).
10. Your login form should now look similar to this:
11. Make sure that the Module selector reads Design and that the Load from
selector reads Macro Files.
12. Click the OK button with the left mouse button to enter PDMS in the Design
module.
2-15
Controlling PDMS
2-16
Controlling PDMS
2. Move the pointer to highlight the Equipment item on the menu and select it
by clicking the left mouse button.
3. PDMS will now load the Equipment modelling application. Note the message
in the Status Area.
4. When the application has loaded, note how the Main Menu and icon menus
have changed. These are specific menus and icons for the Equipment
application.
5. Select other applications and note how the Main Menu and icon menus
change.
2-17
Controlling PDMS
5. Navigate to pipe4 using the History Form, type pi and note that all items starting
with pi are displayed. (Note that names in Vantage PDMS are case sensitive)
2-18
Controlling PDMS
6. Select pipe2
7. Investigate using the forward and back arrows to navigate to items that you have
visited earlier.
2-19
Session
3-1
Limits.
Which direction are the elements to be viewed from, i.e. Setting the View
Direction.
PDMS uses a Draw List to hold the Design elements to be displayed. All elements in
the Draw List must be in the Members List, however, not all elements in the
Members List need to be in the Draw List.
Before any element can be displayed in the 3D View Window it must be added to the
Draw List. This may be a single equipment item, a number of items or a complete
SITE. Elements can be added or removed from the Draw List at any time during a
Design session.
3-2
You can continue to add items but items that are not within the current view limits will
not be displayed of cropped.
Setting limits is discussed later.
3-3
Add
Add Connected
3-4
Remove
Highlight
Unhighlight
4. Drawlist
As items are added or removed from the 3D Display the Drawlist is maintained
3-5
3-6
There are several ways by which the elements to be viewed can be scaled to fit the
screen:
1. Using the Icons in the 3D View Window
At the top of the left-hand side there are three icons which can be used to scale
elements to the screen:
Limits CE & Options sets the display limits to the current elements.
Zoom to Selection fills the 3D View Window with the current element or graphical
selection, if one exists.
3-7
Walk to Draw List zooms and centres the display with all the elements in the Draw
List.
The Limits CE & Options icon has a sub-menu:
The Explicit menu item displays the Volume - Design [1] form that enables
display limits to be set explicitly using co-ordinates:
The volume is defined by setting 3D co-ordinates for the opposing corners of a box
that defines the limits you wish to display, using the From and To options on the form
list.
3-8
The Select form menu enables you to select elements or their owner to define the
limits:
3-9
The majority of the menu items are covered later in the manual, however, the Zoom
To and Walk To items concern the view limits. Both items have sub-menus:
Selection fills the 3D View Window with the current element or current graphical
selection, if one exists.
Identify Element allows you to graphical identify an element, by clicking on it with
the left mouse button, then fills the 3D View Window with the identified element.
Graphically identifying an element in this context does not set the selected element
to be the current element.
Entire Draw List fills the 3D View Window with all elements in the Draw List and
centres the view.
Walk To differs from Zoom To in that it sets the viewing limits, also Walk To
removes items between your eye position and the target item that are not in the
immediate vicinity of the target item. Items in the immediate vicinity of the target item
will continue to be displayed, so it may be necessary to remove items still obscuring
the target item by removing them from the Draw List.
Using the 3D View Shortcut Menu
Clicking the right mouse button with the pointer in the 3D View Window displays the
3D View Shortcut Menu:
3-10
This menu is similar to the View menu on that Main Menu bar except that some
menu options are excluded.
The Zoom To and Walk To items have identical sub-menus to the View menu and
operate in the same way.
3-11
Look displays a sub-menu with six viewing directions. Selecting a direction will set
the view direction to one selected.
Plan displays a sub-menu with four cardinal directions. Selecting a direction will set
the view to a plan view with the selected cardinal direction pointing up the screen.
Isometric displays a sub-menu containing four pre-set isometric view directions.
Each direction corresponds to North pointing towards bottom right, top right, top left
and bottom left of the screen:
3-12
The Look, Plan and Isometric sub-menus are the same as those on the View menu
and the options operate in exactly the same way.
The current viewing direction is displayed in the Status Area of the 3D View:
3-13
Highlight the equipment item PUMP1 and click with the RH Mouse button to
display the menu. Select 3D View > Add from the sub-menu using the left
mouse button.
4. Highlight the EQUIP.ZONE element and add it to the Draw List. Note that the
equipment element TANK2 is added to the Draw List. TANK2 can not be seen
on the display as the display is has the display limits set around TANK1. As the
other equipment items owned by the EQUI.ZONE were already in the Draw List
only the remaining equipment item has been added.
5. To change the Drawlist limits select Walk to Drawlist Icon.
3-14
8. Add the PIPE.ZONE to the Draw List to display the remainder of the pipes.
9. Your 3D View should now look like this: -
10. Using the Design Explorer navigate to various elements adding and removing
them from the Draw List
Experiment using the Add CE to Drawlist and Remove CE from Drawlist icons on
the menu bar.
3-15
6. Navigate to PUMP1 in the Design Explorer and set the limits to the current
element by clicking the Limits CE & Options icon on the left-hand side of the
3D View. Note that the equipment item now fills the 3D View.
3-16
7. Click the Limits CE & Options icon with the RH mouse button and select
Explicit from the menu to display the Volume Design [1] form. Select
Select>Owner from the form menu and note the co-ordinates change on the
form.
Click the Apply button on the form and note that the 3D View now displays all
the equipment items and a limits box around the owner, i.e. the EQUI.ZONE.
Click the Dismiss button on the from to dismiss the form and remove the limits
box from the display.
8. Navigate to various elements and set the view limits using a combination of the
View menu, the 3D View Shortcut Menu and the appropriate icons on the lefthand side of the 3D View.
3-17
Session
4-1
Multiple 3D Views
PDMS provides the ability to view the model in multiple 3D Views, however, the
number of views will probably be limited by the physical size of your display.
Selecting Display>Graphical View from the Main Menu bar creates a new 3D View.
The new view initially fills the main PDMS window but may be modified in size and
shape by dragging the view corners or edges, as in standard Windows operations.
Additional 3D Views may also be created and deleted by selecting Display>View
Control from the Main Menu bar and selecting the appropriate option from the
form menu of the displayed 3D View Control form.
Each 3D View is numbered in top bar of the window and has a full set of view
manipulation icons on the left-hand side of the view.
All 3D Views use the same Draw List, however, each view is independent in terms of
view manipulation and representation.
Only one 3D View can be active at any one time, the currently active view being the
one whose top bar, containing the view number, is highlighted. A view may be made
current by clicking the top bar, clicking anywhere in the view with the left mouse
button or by selecting Window>3D View (x), where x is the view number, from the
Main Menu bar.
4-2
The desired mode may be selected from the sub-menu and a check mark (tick)
appears next to the selected mode the next time the sub-menu is accessed.
Clicking an icon will set the appropriate mode. The depressed icon depicts the
current mode, e.g. Zoom Rectangle in the picture above.
If a mode is set using any of the other methods described, the appropriate icon will
appear depressed.
All modes are persistent, i.e. the mode will remain in operation until you change it.
The current mode is displayed in the Status Area in the bottom left corner of the 3D
view:
ZOOM
Zoom mode has two options, Zoom Rectangle and Zoom In/Out.
Zoom Rectangle
This option allows you to drag a rectangle in the 3D View around the item you wish
to zoom in to. The sequence of operation is as follows:
1. Identify the item or area you wish to zoom in to.
2. Click in the 3D View, using the middle mouse button, at a point to the left and
below the item or area.
3. Hold down the middle mouse button and move the pointer up and to the right to
display a rectangle.
4-4
4. Move the pointer to the desired location and release the middle mouse button.
5. The 3D View will zoom in to the rectangle.
Note: The rectangle may be started at any corner.
Zoom In/Out
This option enables you to zoom in and out by clicking and holding down the middle
mouse button, anywhere in the 3D View, and moving the pointer up or down the
screen.
Moving the pointer up the screen zooms in, whilst moving the pointer down the
screen zooms out.
Zooming with the mouse scroll wheel
In addition to the two middle mouse button zoom options described above, zooming
may be performed with the mouse scroll wheel.
Rolling the scroll wheel forward zooms in and rolling the scroll wheel backwards
zooms out.
Zooming with the scroll wheel can be performed in any of the middle mouse button
drag modes.
Holding down the Shift while performing a scroll wheel zoom makes the zoom
faster.
Holding down the Ctrl key while performing a scroll wheel zoom makes the zoom
slower.
The Zoom To options available from the View menu are covered in Session 3.
Using a Click on the Middle mouse button will centralise the view
4-5
PAN
Pan mode enables you to move across the 3D View in by clicking and holding down
the middle mouse button, anywhere in the 3D View, and moving the pointer in any
direction.
The view will pan in the opposite direction to the pointer in direct correlation to the
amount the pointer is moved.
Panning may also be achieved by setting the Centre of Interest of the 3D view.
Positioning the pointer anywhere and in the 3D view and Clicking the middle mouse
button will move the selected to the centre of the view, thus effectively panning the
view.
The view will pan by the distance between the picked point and the centre of the
view.
Keeping the pointer in the same location and repeatedly clicking the middle mouse
button will keep panning the view.
ROTATE
Rotate mode enables the elements in the 3D view to be rotated around a vertical or
horizontal axis by clicking and holding down the middle mouse button, anywhere in
the 3D View, and move the pointer up and down or left and right.
Moving the pointer left or right rotates the view around a vertical axis, whilst
moving the pointer up or down rotates the view around a horizontal axis.
The model may be rotated around the eye point, the position from which the model is
being viewed, or the eye may be rotated around the model.
The method of operation depends on the setting displayed in the Status Area in the
bottom left hand corner of the 3D View. If the status reads Model the eye is rotated
around the model. If the status reads Eye the model will be rotated around the eye.
Selecting View>Settings>Eye will set Eye if the option is currently unchecked, or
set Model if the option is currently checked.
4-6
4-7
4-8
Selection
This option centres the view on the current element or the graphical selection, if one
exits.
Identify Element
This option enables you to select an element to centre the view on.
Having selected the option, click on any element in the 3D View with the left mouse
button and that element will be centred in the view. This option does not make the
selected element the current element.
Screen Pick
This option enables you to pick a point anywhere in the 3D View with the left mouse
button. The picked point will become the centre of the view.
When any method described above is used to set the centre of the view, the centre
of rotation is also reset to the view centre.
4-9
View Representation
As well as providing functionality to manipulate the 3D view, PDMS provides tools
that enable you to modify the view representation
Other View Menu Options
Additional options to those described previously are available from the View menu
on the Main Menu bar:
Print Graphics
This option enables you to output the contents of the active 3D View to a printer.
Selecting View>Print Graphics displays a standard Windows print form giving
you the ability to select a printer, select the number of copies and set properties for
the print.
4-10
Copy Image
This option enables you to copy the contents of the 3D View Window to the Windows
paste buffer so that it can be pasted into any Windows application that supports
picture objects.
Selecting View>Copy Image displays a sub-menu containing standard image
resolutions from 640x480 to 1600x1200.
Save View
This option enables you to save the current state of a 3D View so that the direction
and magnification can be restored when required. The sub-menu allows you to
select up to four views to be saved:
If View 1 has already been saved, selecting it again will overwrite the previous view
and save the new one.
Restore View
4-11
This option enables you to restore one of the four saved views. The sub-menu allows
you to select one of the four views to be restored. If any of the Save View options
have not been selected the corresponding Restore View option will be greyed out:
Restore View is also available from the icons on the left-hand side of the 3D View.
When a view is saved, the corresponding Restore View icon is highlighted. As with
the sub-menu any Save View options have not been selected the corresponded
Restore View icon will remain greyed out.
4-12
Shading
Usually the model is viewed in solid shaded colour, however, in some
circumstances it may be more beneficial to work in wire-line mode.
Selecting View>Settings>Shaded will set shaded mode if the option is currently
unchecked and set wire-line mode if the option is currently checked.
Solid shaded and wire-line modes may also be toggled by selecting
Settings>Graphics>View from the Main Menu bar to display the 3D View
Options form and checking or un-checking the Shaded checkbox.
Function key F8 also toggles between Shaded and Wire-line modes.
Translucency
4-13
The visual properties shown are those of the element highlighted in the Draw List,
which may not be the current element.
The available visual properties are Colour (covered in the next section),
Translucency and Show Edges.
Clicking on the Translucency icon on the right of the Translucency text box displays
a form that enables the percentage translucency to be set:
Clicking the slider with the left mouse button and moving it along the scale sets the
percentage of translucency. The current setting is displayed at the right-hand side.
4-14
Colours
By default PDMS displays elements in the 3D View using default Autocolour rules
which colour elements depending on the element type.
Modifying the Autocolour rules is not covered in this manual,
However, colours of individual elements, or groups of elements, may be changed:
1. From the Drawlist
Clicking on the Colour list of the visual properties in the Draw List panel this displays
a colour palette. Clicking the More>> button on the palette displays a further palette
with additional colours:
Clicking one of the colour buttons in either o f the palettes sets the colour property
for the element highlighted in the Draw List.
2. From the Members List, (Display > Members)
Selecting Drawlist>Add CE with Colour from the Members List form menu displays
the Add Current Element form:
4-15
Selecting a colour button from this form adds the current element to the 3D View
using the selected colour.
It should be noted that the element will not be initially displayed in the selected
colour as its colour property is set to the CE Colour (see below). Making another
element the CE will display the added element in the selected colour.
Apart from the default Autocolour settings, PDMS set colours for the current element,
associated elements, modelling aids and highlighting. These colours enable you to
distinguish, say, the current element from other elements in the 3D View.
Clicking Settings>Graphics on the Main Menu bar and select the Colour Tab:
Highlight is the colour used for highlighting selected items, e.g. for deleting.
Note: Active and Visible colours are used when Auto Colour is turned off.
Clicking any of the colour buttons displays a colour form appropriate to the selection:
Selecting a colour button from the palette sets the colour for the selected item.
The Autocolour rules can be toggled ON or OFF by checking or un-checking the
Auto Colour On/Off checkbox.
Representation
Additional representation properties, apart from colour and translucency previously
described, of elements in a 3D View, can be controlled using the Representation
Tab displays the Representation form:
4-17
Obstruction
This option is similar to Insulation except that it controls the representation of
Obstruction volumes.
Obstruction volumes are used to represent areas in the model which must be kept
clear of obstructions , e.g. walkways, escape routes, access volumes for valves and
instruments, etc,.
Holes Drawn
This option determines how negative primitives, e.g. holes, cut-outs, etc., are
represented in the 3D View. If Holes Drawn is OFF the negative primitives as shown
as black lines in a shaded view. If Holes Drawn is ON the negative primitives will be
shown cutting the appropriate model elements
Holes Draw is toggled on and off by checking and un-checking the Holes Drawn
checkbox.
4-18
Arc Tolerance
This option sets the tolerance for the representation of arcs, i.e. the smoothness of
curved surfaces, will be represented.
The Arc Tolerance value is set by entering a number in the text box. A value of 1.0
will give the smoothest arcs.
When the desired values have been set, checking the update all Graphics
checkbox and clicking the OK button modifies the representation.
The Level section of the Representation form enables different drawing levels to be
set for groups of elements.
All elements used for building Plant items in the catalogue, e.g. piping components,
structural profiles, etc., or in Design, e.g. equipment, panels, etc., have a Level
attribute. Different representations of a Plant item can be made and assigned to
different levels such that modifying the level displayed in the 3D View will change the
representation of the Plant item.
For example, a simple representation of a pump may be constructed of primitives
with a Level attribute set to a range of 0 to 3, whilst a more detailed representation of
the pump may be constructed of primitives with a Level attribute set to a range of 4
to 10. Entering a value of 0 to 3, inclusive, on the Representation form will display
the simple representation of the pump, whilst entering a value of 4 to 10, inclusive,
will display the detailed representation.
The representation Level is set by entering a value in the appropriate text box.
Pipe is used for piping components and tubing
Nozzle is used for equipment nozzles
Structure is used for structural profiles
Others is used for all other appropriate elements.
Mass is used to determine the representation used when calculating mass
properties.
4-19
As with the General section of the form, when the desired values for Level have
been entered, checking the update all Graphics checkbox and clicking the OK
button modifies the representation.
The Specific section of the Representation form is used to set and modify the
representation of Ppoints and Plines in discipline specific operations and is outside
the scope of this manual. Ppoints and Plines are covered in discipline training course
manuals.
4-20
1. Select Display>Graphical View from the Main Menu. Note the main Window
header bar now reads Design General Application VANTAGE PDMS (Project
SAM) [3D View (2)].
2. Click the Restore Down icon on the 3D View to make the view window smaller
and move 3D View (2) to reveal 3D View(1) beneath.
3. Select Display>View Control from the Main Menu to display the 3D View
Control form.
4. Select Create from the form menu to create 3D View (3), make the view smaller
and move it to reveal all three 3D Views.
5. Adjust the 3D View windows, using standard Windows dragging techniques, so
that your display looks like this:
4-21
6. Click anywhere in 3D View(1) to make it the current view and modify the view
direction. Make the other 3D Views current in turn and adjust their viewing
direction.
7. Remove some items from the Draw List and note that the items are removed
from the display in each 3D View.
8. Delete 3D View(2) and 3D View (3) by selecting Display>View Control from
the Main Menu, highlighting the views in the displayed View Control form and
selecting Delete>Selected from the form menu. Restore 3D View (1) to fill the
window by clicking the Maximise icon on the view.
4-22
Click and hold down the middle mouse button and move the pointer down the screen
to zoom out.
4. If you have a scroll wheel on your mouse, rotate the wheel each way and note
the zoom effect.
5. Select Middle Button Drag>Pan from the 3D View Shortcut Menu.
Note the change from ZOOM in the Status Area. Click and hold down the middle
mouse button and move the pointer around the screen, noting the panning effect.
6. Click the middle mouse button with the pointer away from the centre of the 3D
View to set the centre of interest, noting the panning effect of this action. Click the
middle mouse button several times with the pointer in the same place to maintain
to pan the view.
7. Click the Walk to Draw List icon. Click the Rotate icon on the left-hand side of
the 3D View, click and hold down the middle mouse button and move the pointer
left and right across the view to rotate around the vertical axis, noting the centre
of rotation. Release the middle mouse button and repeat the action but this time
move the pointer up and down the screen to rotate around the horizontal axis.
8. Press the F7 function key to set Eye in the Status Area and repeat the rotate
actions noting the difference from the Model setting.
9. Press the F7 function key again to return to the Model setting and press the F9
function key to display the rotation sliders on the bottom and right-hand side of
the 3D View. Click on the bottom slider with the left mouse button and hold it
down while moving the slider left and right to rotate the model. Repeat the action
with the right-hand slider, moving the pointer up and down to rotate the model.
10. Press the F4 function key to set the view to Perspective, noting the change in the
Status Area. Select View>Middle Button Drag>Walk from the Main Menu to set
Walk mode. Click and hold down the middle mouse button and move the pointer
up the screen to walk the eye point forward. Move the pointer down the screen
to walk the eye point backwards.
4-23
11. Press the F4 function key to set the view to Parallel, Walk To the entire Draw List
and set an Iso 3 view direction. Make TANK2 the current element and select
View>Set Centre of View>Selection from the Main Menu. Note that the view
adjusts to move the equipment item at the centre of the view. Rotate the model
and note the rotation centre.
12. Select Set Centre of View>Identify Element from the 3D View Shortcut
Menu and select any primitive on the PUMP1 equipment item. Rotate the model
and note the rotation centre.
13. Select Set Centre of View>Screen Pick from the 3D View Shortcut Menu
and click anywhere in the 3D View with the left mouse button. Note that the
pointer location when you clicked has moved to the centre of the view.
4-24
7. Toggle Show Edges On and OFF on some of your translucent selections and
note the differences.
8. Select Settings>Graphics and select the Colour Tab from the Main Menu to
display the Colours form. Click on the colour button next to CE to display the
Colour for Current Element form and select a brightred from the palette.
Dismiss the form and click the OK button on the Colours form. Make any
element the CE and note that it is displayed in the selected colour.
9. Select Settings>Graphics and select the Representation from the Main
Menu to display the Representation form. Uncheck the Tube checkbox and
check the Centreline and update all Graphics checkboxes. Note how the piping
elements in the model are represented.
10. Display the Representation form again and check the Tube checkbox. Select
50% from the Obstruction scrollable list and click the OK button on the form.
Note the obstruction volumes displayed around the valves in the model.
11. Turn the obstruction volume representation Off. Remove the PIPE.ZONE from
the Draw List, set the view to an Iso 3 direction and zoom in on PUMP1. Display
the Representation form again and check the Holes Drawn checkbox. Click the
OK button on the form and note the holes in the ends of the pump nozzles rather
than the black lines of the negative geometry. Note the faceted representation of
the nozzles.
12. Display the Representation form again and change the Arc Tolerance setting to
1.0. Click the OK button on the form and note that the pump nozzles are now
displayed as perfect circles.
4-25
Session
5-1
Attributes in PDMS
As we discussed earlier every element in a PDMS database has a fixed set of
properties known as its attributes. Some attributes are common throughout the range
of elements while others differ according to the type of element involved. For
example, a cylinder (CYLI) has Height and Diameter attributes whilst the size of a
box (BOX) is determined by Xlength, Ylength and Zlength attributes, as illustrated
below.
When you create an element, a set of appropriate attributes are entered into the
database. The attributes will vary according to the type of element but essentially the
process is the same. For example, a cylinder has the following attributes:
5-2
Querying Attributes
Select Query > Attributes from the main display
The above form shows the attributes of a cylinder the main ones being its diameter
and height.
5-3
Modifying Attributes
The attributes of the database elements can be modified using Modify > Attributes
The modify Attribute form will change based on the database Item you wish to
modify. Above shows the modify attribute form for a cylinder whilst the one below is
for a box.
5-4
If you select one of the attributes using the LH mouse button a modification dialogue
box will be displayed. This can be used to change the attribute setting.
Model Editor
The Model editor can be used to position and rotated Items in the Vantage PDMS
database.
The use of this feature is explained fully in later Training Modules M4 Equipment
Design, M5 Piping Design, M6 Steelwork Design and the PDMS Design Graphical
Model Manipulation Guide.
To enter the Model Editor Mode select the Model Editor Icon.
If Items are selected in the 3D design whilst in Model Editor Mode the Model Editor
handle is displayed.
The display below shows the Model Editor Handles on Equipment.
5-5
In the above picture the Z axes has been selected using the LH Mouse Button and
the equipment raised 600mm.
Example of Rotating Equipment
5-6
Using the RH Mouse button in Model Editor Mode brings up a 3D Shortcut Menu
Specific values can be entered using the Enter Value selection.
5-7
Appendix
Remember you can also used <F2>, a Click with the Middle Mouse Button is used to
set the View Centre,
6-1
6-2
Limits CE
Limits CE is used to set the 3D view limits or scale to the Current Element.
Walk to Draw List is used to set the 3D view or scale to that of all the items in the
Draw List.
6-3
Isometric View 3
Summary
6-4
<F2>
<F8>
<F9>
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