PDMS Bulletin116sp2

PDMS
User Bulletin
Version 11.6.sp2
pdms1162/PDMS Bulletin
Issue 281005
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VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp1 ii

User Bulletin
Revision History
Issue Notes
181104 Final draft for PDMS 11.6.0
140705 Final amendments for PDMS 11.6.sp1 – marked *sp1*
261005 Amendments for PDMS 11.6.sp2 – marked *sp2*
281005 Amendments & additions for defects
VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 Revision history-i

User Bulletin
Contents
1 Introduction...................................................................................................1-1
1.1 Overview .................................................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6........................................................................ 1-2
1.3 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6.sp1 *sp1*...................................................... 1-2
1.4 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6.sp2 *sp2*...................................................... 1-3
1.4.1 Support for Final Designer.............................................................................. 1-3
1.4.2 Support for Laser Model Interface.................................................................. 1-3
1.4.3 Miscellaneous Improvements.......................................................................... 1-3
1.5 Documentation *sp1* *sp2*................................................................................. 1-4
1.6 Operating System and Hardware Environment ..................................................... 1-4
1.7 Upgrading from previous releases ........................................................................... 1-5
1.8 Compatibility............................................................................................................. 1-6
1.9 Future considerations ............................................................................................... 1-6
1.9.1 AutoCAD integration ....................................................................................... 1-6
1.9.2 Use of UNIX servers ........................................................................................ 1-6
1.9.3 PML features.................................................................................................... 1-6
2 PDMS GUI – General changes .....................................................................2-1
2.1 Glossary ..................................................................................................................... 2-1
2.2 Application framework.............................................................................................. 2-3
2.2.1 Toolbars ............................................................................................................ 2-3
2.2.2 Dockable Windows ........................................................................................... 2-3
2.2.3 Floating Windows ............................................................................................ 2-3
2.2.4 Status Bar ........................................................................................................ 2-3
2.2.5 Session Settings ............................................................................................... 2-4
2.3 Tabbed Graphics form............................................................................................... 2-4
2.4 Database Explorers ................................................................................................... 2-5
2.4.1 History .............................................................................................................. 2-5
2.4.2 Explorer Settings ............................................................................................. 2-6
2.4.3 Filters ............................................................................................................... 2-6
2.4.4 Copy rules......................................................................................................... 2-6
2.4.5 Drag-and-drop .................................................................................................. 2-7
2.4.6 Mouse Actions .................................................................................................. 2-9
2.4.7 ToolTips ............................................................................................................ 2-9
2.4.8 Updates............................................................................................................. 2-9
2.5 Drawlist ..................................................................................................................... 2-9
2.6 My Data ................................................................................................................... 2-10
2.7 UNDO / REDO ........................................................................................................ 2-10
3 PDMS Design Changes ................................................................................3-1
3.1 General GUI improvements ..................................................................................... 3-1
3.2 Element Selection ..................................................................................................... 3-3
3.3 Quick Pipe Routing ................................................................................................... 3-4
3.4 Pipe Component modification................................................................................... 3-4
3.5 Pipe Component creation.......................................................................................... 3-5
3.6 Pipe Component Reselection .................................................................................... 3-5
3.7 Equipment Editing.................................................................................................... 3-5
3.8 Design Areas.............................................................................................................. 3-6
VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 Contents-i

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Contents
3.9 New Piping Pseudo Attributes ................................................................................. 3-6

3.9.1 Branch Surface Area........................................................................................ 3-6
3.9.2 Range of Angles or Radii ................................................................................. 3-7
3.9.3 Data Consistency ............................................................................................. 3-7
3.10 New Attributes for Material Management .............................................................. 3-9
3.10.1 Status attribute for use in MTO output .................................................... 3-9
3.10.2 Additional attributes for spool MTO.......................................................... 3-9
3.10.3 Additional attributes for Piping Specifications ......................................... 3-9
3.11 Extract Refresh ......................................................................................................... 3-9
3.12 Add to Drawlist tool bar *sp1* ............................................................................ 3-9
3.13 Piping component (e.g. flange) alignment *sp1* .................................................. 3-10
3.13.1 New attribute for PTCA, PTAX, PTMI, PTPOS *sp1* ......................... 3-10
3.13.2 New pseudo attributes for branch members *sp1* ................................ 3-10
3.13.3 Connection Command *sp1* ............................................................... 3-10
3.13.4 New Datacon warning messages *sp1* ................................................ 3-11
3.14 HVAC application – new components *sp1*......................................................... 3-11
3.15 Design Database additions – initially for Marine product only *sp1* .......... 3-11
3.15.1 Design grid – for ship coordinate system................................................. 3-11
3.15.2 Fabrication machine definitions .............................................................. 3-11
3.15.3 Pipe pieces & pipe spools .......................................................................... 3-11
3.16 Laser model and its manipulation *sp2* ............................................................. 3-11
3.17 Check Isometrics ..................................................................................................... 3-12
4 Piping Isometric Enhancements .................................................................4-1
4.2 Parameterised MTOL & MTOQ ............................................................................... 4-1
4.3 Use of temperature and pressure for selection........................................................ 4-1
4.3.1 Standard Bolt Hole DB Change ...................................................................... 4-1
4.4 User-defined Material Lists...................................................................................... 4-2
4.5 Spooler – Pulled bend numbering *sp1* ............................................................... 4-2
4.6 Isodraft – Pulled bend numbering *sp1* .............................................................. 4-2
5 Drawing Production Enhancements ...........................................................5-1
5.1.1 Merged sub-applications.................................................................................. 5-2
5.1.2 User utility menu............................................................................................. 5-3
5.1.3 Dimension and 2D drawing forms .................................................................. 5-3
5.1.4 Labelling rationalisation ................................................................................. 5-3
5.2 Use of the 3D features in DRAFT – updated at *sp1* ........................................... 5-4
5.2.1 3D Commands .................................................................................................. 5-4
5.2.2 3D user interface.............................................................................................. 5-4
5.2.3 Managing 3D view content (Drawlist) ............................................................ 5-5
5.2.4 Multi Selection ................................................................................................. 5-6
5.2.5 Scale control ..................................................................................................... 5-8
5.2.6 UNDO/REDO ................................................................................................... 5-8
5.2.7 Modify Star....................................................................................................... 5-8
5.2.8 3D to 2D (Update Design)................................................................................ 5-8
5.2.9 2D to 3D............................................................................................................ 5-9
5.2.10 Display of 2D view frame in the 3D view gadget ...................................... 5-9
5.2.11 Update control........................................................................................... 5-10
VANTAGE PDMS 11.6.sp2 Contents-ii

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Contents
5.2.12 View Type .................................................................................................. 5-10

5.2.13 Section Planes ........................................................................................... 5-10
5.2.14 Representation in 3D view ....................................................................... 5-11
5.2.15 Viewfinder Shortcut menu. ...................................................................... 5-11
5.2.16 3D view Shortcut menu additions related to view finder. ...................... 5-11
5.3 Template drawings.................................................................................................. 5-12
5.4 Section planes.......................................................................................................... 5-12
5.5 Background processes ............................................................................................. 5-13
5.6 AutoCAD integration with Final Designer ............................................................ 5-13
5.7 UNDO/REDO *sp1* ......................................................................................... 5-14
6 Customisation...............................................................................................6-1
6.1 Application switching................................................................................................ 6-1
6.2 Forms & Menus (PML) Enhancements ................................................................... 6-1
6.3 Further PML (Forms & Menus) changes *sp1* ..................................................... 6-3
6.3.1 Gadget layout management ............................................................................ 6-3
6.3.2 Form enhancements ........................................................................................ 6-4
6.3.3 New SLIDER gadget........................................................................................ 6-4
6.3.4 New radio group facility .................................................................................. 6-4
6.3.5 List gadget enhancements............................................................................... 6-5
6.3.6 Option gadget enhancements .......................................................................... 6-5
6.3.7 Miscellaneous ................................................................................................... 6-5
6.4 Internationalisation .................................................................................................. 6-6
6.5 Localisation ............................................................................................................... 6-6
7 Summary of non-upwards compatible PML changes................................7-1
7.1 Functional changes at 11.6 ....................................................................................... 7-1
7.2 Layout changes at 11.6 ............................................................................................. 7-2
7.3 Functional changes *sp1* ................................................................................... 7-3
7.3.1 Multi-selection list – Extra Start and Stop meta-events............................... 7-3
7.4 Layout changes *sp1* ......................................................................................... 7-4
8 Product Faults and User Requests .............................................................8-1
8.1 Known faults and Outstanding Issues..................................................................... 8-1
8.1.1 Windows fault – correction available.............................................................. 8-1
8.1.2 Windows faults – file locking........................................................................... 8-1
8.1.3 Windows incompatibility ................................................................................. 8-1
8.1.4 PDMS faults & limitations – corrections planned in future.......................... 8-2
8.2 Faults corrected and minor enhancements ............................................................. 8-4
8.3 Faults corrected and minor enhancements *sp1* ................................................ 8-17
8.4 Faults corrected and minor enhancements *sp2* ................................................ 8-22
VANTAGE PDMS 11.6.sp2 Contents-iii

User Bulletin
1 Introduction
This bulletin describes the new and enhanced functionality available in

the second service pack (sp2) for PDMS 11.6, including information about
the earlier release of PDMS 11.6. It gives an overview of the major
changes at 11.6, which are described in full in new and revised User
Documentation. Minor changes and enhancements are also described in
this Bulletin.
As a service pack, PDMS 11.6.sp2 has no major changes, but there are
further small changes and enhancements, together with further revisions
to some of the User Documentation. The most significant changes at sp1
or sp2 are indicated as appropriate: *sp1* or *sp2*.
1.1 Overview
PDMS has long led the way for 3D Plant Design. It has always been
object-based, using the concept of building a computer model of the plant,
in order to ensure that the design works in every detail. Deliverables are
always consistent as they are derived from this model. Interaction with
this model has used realistic colour-shaded images for over 15 years.
PDMS 11.5 introduced the first steps of a programme to build the Next
Generation user interface for PDMS, based on the latest Windows
technology. PDMS 11.6 brings a further leap forward in the graphical
user interface. Major new features introduced at PDMS 11.6 include:
• Use of the latest Microsoft .NET technology to provide Windows
graphical user interface (GUI) standards for familiarity and ease
of integration. This gives an appearance, and many GUI features,
similar to Microsoft’s Office 2003.
• A simpler mechanism for the various add-in applications for
DESIGN, both those produced by AVEVA and by customers.
• Extension of the new Model Editor, introduced at PDMS 11.5, and
provision of a new Plant Editor for Piping and Equipment. Refer
to the VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6 Graphical Model
Manipulation Guide for details. Future work will provide further
specialist discipline-oriented ‘Editors’ to support the workflow for
engineering design.
• A new GUI for DRAFT, including a 3D view, to simplify the
creation and annotation of drawings.
VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 1-1

User Bulletin
Introduction
The first service pack provides improvements, based on early use of some
of these new features, notably in DRAFT. In addition, there are many
enhancements made to ease migration of PML applications to PDMS 11.6
and the .NET environment.
PDMS 11.6.sp1 also shares technology with AVEVA’s new VANTAGE
Marine Outfitting product.
PDMS 11.6.sp2 enables the use of two new add-on products: Final
Designer 1.3 and Laser Model Interface. These both integrate PDMS
with a third party product.
Final Designer enables the use of AutoCAD as an alternative editor for
PDMS Draft drawings. Its use is described in its on-line help and in its
Getting Started with Final Designer manual.
The Laser Model Interface enables PDMS Design to link to third party
laser model software to enable the point cloud survey data to be
visualised, measured and checked for clashes.
1.2 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6
The changes fall into 3 main categories:

• The PDMS Application Framework, with its new .NET GUI. This
brings improved ways of integrating users’ GUI customisation.
• PDMS Design, with its enhanced Design Explorer and a new Plant
Editor, for Piping & Equipment
• PDMS Draft, with its new .NET GUI, 3D View and provision for
integration with AutoCAD.
Further work has been carried out on support of international languages,
though further improvements are planned for future releases. Details
are given in the ‘Customisation’ chapter of this document.
There are many other minor improvements throughout the product and
much of the documentation has been updated.
1.3 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6.sp1 *sp1*
The changes fall into 3 main categories:

• PDMS Design, with a new Add to Drawlist tool bar to specify the
colour of objects added using the Design Explorer.

User Bulletin
Introduction
• PDMS Draft, with improvements to the usability of the new 3D

View, including section planes, and implementation of
UNDO/REDO.
• The PDMS customisation environment (PML Forms & Menus) has
further improvements for the definition of user interface gadgets.
In addition, changes have been made to support new releases of the other
VANTAGE Plant Design products, notably:
• VANTAGE Plant Design Router 2.4
• VANTAGE Plant Design Global 2.3
• VANTAGE Multi-Discipline Supports 11.6
Corrections and improvements for many issues raised by customers in
PDMS 11.6 and earlier releases are also included in the service pack.
1.4 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6.sp2 *sp2*
1.4.1 Support for Final Designer

The new VANTAGE Plant Design Final Designer product provides a fully
integrated AutoCAD editor for DRAFT, thus enabling its use on
drawings produced directly from the PDMS model.
1.4.2 Support for Laser Model Interface

This new product enables point clouds from laser surveys to be used in
PDMS Design, thus enabling them to be viewed, measured and clash
checked alongside the PDMS model. It requires the use of a third party
system from the specialist survey company, with which it integrates
closely. The system is designed to be open, but is expected to become
available initially from BitWyse, Leica (Cyra), Mensi/Trimble,
Quantapoint and Zoller+Fröhlich (Z+F). There is a reference manual
explaining the new commands associated with the interface, but for full
details it is necessary to consult the appropriate third party vendor.
1.4.3 Miscellaneous Improvements

Corrections and improvements for many issues raised by customers in
PDMS 11.6 and earlier releases are also included in the service pack.

User Bulletin
Introduction
1.5 Documentation *sp1* *sp2*
This bulletin outlines the major changes at both the original PDMS 11.6
release and its service packs.
Most of the manuals were updated for PDMS 11.6; many had significant
changes that are noted on a Revision History page at the front of the
manual.
The Pipework design using VANTAGE PDMS manual, which was not
included in the original release, was updated for PDMS 11.6.sp1. The
following manuals were also updated for sp1:
• PDMS Installation Guide
• Drawing Production Using VANTAGE PDMS 11.6
• PDMS Software Customisation Guide
• PDMS Software Customisation Reference Manual
Many of the other manuals had minor amendments and corrections.
For PDMS 11.6.sp2, there were again amendments to 4 manuals:
• Drawing Production Using VANTAGE PDMS 11.6
• PDMS DESIGN Reference Manual Part 1:General Commands 11.6
• PDMS ISODRAFT User Guide 11.6
• PDMS ISODRAFT Reference Manual 11.6
The release also contains updated Design and Draft online help files:
updates were also supplied as a fix release PDMS11.6.SP1.2.
1.6 Operating System and Hardware Environment
PDMS 11.6 is supported for use on Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 and
Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 1 1 . There is no UNIX version of PDMS
11.6.
PDMS 11.6 requires the installation of Microsoft’s .NET Framework 1.1,
which it uses for the graphical user interface. This is supplied on the
CD-ROM and installed if necessary.
1PDMS 11.6 will run on Windows XP SP2, but requires changes to the default settings. The Internet
Connection Firewall (ICF) should be turned off or configured to enable access to the database & licence
servers. In addition, Group Policy changes (which alter the registry) are required for users of Global projects
to ensure that RPC requests do not require authentication. Details are given in the Installation Guide.

User Bulletin
Introduction
PDMS 11.6 should run successfully on Windows NT4, but it has not been
tested under Windows NT4 and is no longer supported in that
environment.
A minimum of 512 MB of memory is recommended for this release.
PDMS 11.6 will operate with less, but system performance will be
compromised. A screen resolution of at least 1024x768 is recommended.
Users running Windows XP are recommended to use the XP rather than
Classic theme. These should be set using Display Properties.
Due to the rapidly changing list of hardware-accelerated OpenGL
graphics cards commercially available, an up-to-date list of supported
graphics cards is not included in the documentation released with PDMS.
However, the AVEVA Web pages (http://www.aveva.com) contain a
current list of both tested and supported graphics cards.
1.7 Upgrading from previous releases
PDMS 11.6.sp2 is fully compatible with PDMS 11.6 and requires no

upgrade. PDMS 11.6 itself requires no change to the PDMS database
structure from that used at PDMS 11.4, 11.5 & 11.6. Upgrade scripts are
provided to upgrade projects from all previous releases of PDMS 11 on
the Windows platform, i.e. 11.2, 11.3, 11.4 & 11.5.
The upgrade scripts take account of a change at PDMS 11.4SP1, when
the standard database definition files were moved to the PDMS
executable directory (PDMSEXE). This simplified the upgrade process
required to add new attributes and elements to databases. It is no longer
necessary to copy these files (also known as virgin database files) to the
project data areas in order to gain access to new elements and attributes.
Users’ own PML customisation and applications from PDMS 11.4 or 11.5
should continue to work, after being amended to use the new application
switching mechanism. Please see section 6 Customisation. It is possible
that some form layouts will be adversely affected by the change to the
standard Windows proportional screen fonts, though this depends on the
way the forms have been defined. There is also scope for enhancement
by using the new facilities offered by PML, such as toolbars and docking
forms. Many of the AVEVA applications have been upgraded in this way,
so users who have revised the AVEVA applications should review their
changes in the light of this work.

User Bulletin
Introduction
1.8 Compatibility
PDMS 11.6 AutoDRAFT and DXF output functions have been designed
and tested with AutoCAD® 2004. Limited support will be available for
the use of AutoCAD 2002 for DXF output from DRAFT & ISODRAFT.
The new Final Designer product is compatible with AutoCAD® 2005 and
2006.
1.9 Future considerations
1.9.1 AutoCAD integration

Final Designer interfaces with AutoCAD and will supersede some of the
older AutoDRAFT functions. The latter will be withdrawn at the next
major release.
1.9.2 Use of UNIX servers

AVEVA has been supporting the use of Samba on IRIX servers to allow
users the opportunity to use their old servers for an interim period. This
is still supported for PDMS 11.6 but will not be supported from the next
major release. This is because of changes planned to allow larger PDMS
databases. Testing for PDMS 11.6 has used Samba 2.2.8a.
The improvements being made to PML to provide a more powerful
customisation environment, which complies better with Windows
standards, mean that certain older features can no longer be supported.
The following deprecated features will be removed at PDMS12: this may
well necessitate changes to some users’ PML applications.
1.9.3 PML features

RADIO gadget
This gadget has been deprecated and has not been documented for
several years. Any usage should be replaced by the new Frame and
RToggle gadget based radio group, which includes identical features and
should offer a simple upgrade path.
Option and single choice List field reselection technique

Clicking an already selected field will not now constitute a change of
value. The effect is that the gadget callback will not be run (a SELECT
event is NOT notified to PML).

User Bulletin
Introduction
Save and Restore using .bin files

Binary save and restore is to be replaced by the combination of session
layout serialisation files and view content (.disp) files.

User Bulletin
2 PDMS GUI – General changes
PDMS 11.6 uses the Microsoft .NET environment including the latest
WinForms based user interface components. Using this state-of-the-art
technology enables docking forms and toolbars in PDMS and provides a
robust foundation for the future provision of standard application
programming interfaces.
All modules with a graphical user interface (GUI) now use this new
technology, which is presented in an Application Framework and has
several new or updated components. The use of docking windows and
toolbars means that PDMS will appear more familiar to users of
Microsoft Windows XP and Office and reduce the number of dialogs
obstructing the 3D graphical view, enabling more effective use of screen
space. Many windows are now resizable, simply by dragging their edges
or corners in the usual Windows manner.
PDMS 11.6 also enhances the database explorer and drawlist with the
addition of filters and a more intuitive interface and – at sp1 – a colour
picker for objects dragged from the explorer.
The use of .NET has a significant impact on the number of program files
that comprise each PDMS module. For example, Design now consists of
the following files: des.exe, des.dll, wrappers.dll and these make use of a
large number of other files, including a large number of other .dll files.
This will have an impact on the way that bug fixes are issued: in future,
it is likely that fix releases will be cumulative. For example, fix release
11.6.0.5 will include all the changes in the preceding 4 fix releases.
Further information is given in the PDMS Installation Guide.
2.1 Glossary
The new Application Framework introduces some new concepts and terminology,
which are introduced here, along with other terms used in this document. PDMS
terminology is covered in the Getting Started with PDMS manual.
Add-in An add-in provides a means of adding functionality.

An add-in application appears on the Applications
menu, which provides a method of switching to it.
CE “Current Element” – the single PDMS object that is
acted upon by the PDMS command line and by many

User Bulletin
PDMS GUI – General changes
of the user interface gadgets. See Selection.

Combo box Standard Windows control that combines a text box
and interdependent list box.
Culture The .NET term for the various local settings for
language etc. – similar to the Windows locale.
Docking This describes windows and menu bars that can be
Dockable attached in appropriate places to the frame of the
main PDMS window.
Drag-and-drop Select with mouse and then drag (holding the mouse
button down) to a different place.
Form Input window – see window.
MDI Multiple document interface: a set of child windows
constrained to a single primary or parent window.
Menu bar A horizontal bar below the title bar containing menus.
My Data A new storage area for remembering PDMS data for
future use. Typically used for IDLists to copy from
one module to another.
Selection Many of the user interface gadgets can now work on a
selection of objects defined using the 3D graphical
view.
Shortcut menu This context sensitive pop-up menu is activated by
use of the secondary (usually right-hand) mouse
button.
Tab control Allows multiple, usually related, forms (windows) to
be overlaid, with a simple switching mechanism
Tabbed form
similar in appearance to a notebook or file divider.
Title bar The top, containing a title, of any particular window,
which can also be used to drag the window.
Toolbar A frame containing controls, typically icons, to trigger
GUI actions
ToolTip A small pop-up window containing descriptive text,
which typically appears when hovering over an icon.
Window A separately controlled area of the screen. PDMS has
one primary or main window and many secondary
windows: some of these are often called forms.

User Bulletin
2.2 Application framework
The PDMS 11.6 application framework provides the primary or main

application window with its associated main menu bar and toolbars as
well as support for docking windows. The framework also allows for
applications to be extended via the use of “Add-ins”, such as the Explorer,
and provides a GUI, based on the Microsoft Office 2003 look and feel.
2.2.1 Toolbars
The application framework supports toolbars, which can be floating or
docked to any of the sides of the primary window. Picking the title bar of
a toolbar and dragging away from the window frame will undock it.
Dragging it back to an appropriate place will re-dock it. The position and
state of toolbars and other windows are automatically saved between
sessions.
Note. Some toolbar tools cannot be displayed when a toolbar is docked
vertically.
2.2.2 Dockable Windows

The application framework supports the creation of dockable windows.
These may be dragged in a manner similar to toolbars and docked on any
side of the primary window. They may also be unpinned, so that they
auto-hide when not in use.
2.2.3 Floating Windows

Graphical views are contained in windows that can be floated via a
shortcut menu on their title bar. These floating windows can then be
placed on a different screen to the primary window.
2.2.4 Status Bar

The status bar consists of the following items:
• An area for user prompts
• A number of buttons to allow quick activation of MDI windows.
• Current Date
• Current Time.

User Bulletin
2.2.5 Session Settings

Various user interface settings for each PDMS module are automatically
saved in files in the directory defined by the PDMSUSER environment
variable. They can thus be restored on the next entry to that module,
even between PDMS sessions. These settings can safely be reset to the
default value by deleting the relevant file. This process is called
Serialisation in Microsoft’s .NET environment and includes:
• Layout of windows including their docking state
• Explorer Settings
• Element History including the CE
In general, the position and state of forms will be saved on exit from a
module and restored next time the user enters the module. This does not
apply to the contents of the main windows such as the 3D view, for which
the existing display binary save and restore mechanism may be used.
There are other exceptions: for example, the 3D view is not shown in
Draft until required, though its position is saved.
2.3 Tabbed Graphics form
The user interface for Graphics has been completely overhauled using a
standard Windows tabbed dialogue form to replace the original forms.
Many minor improvements have also been incorporated.
The new Graphics Settings form contains options previously on the 3D
View Options, Colours, Representation, Steelwork Representation, P-line
Representation and P-point Representation forms.

User Bulletin
The Load Settings and Save Settings buttons load from and save to the
options files stored in %PDMSUSER%.
The Design bar menu has been changed to remove references to old
forms and to call the new one. The Graphics Settings form is accessible
from Settings > Graphics…
2.4 Database Explorers
Explorer views have now been extended from the Design Database to
cover other modules and databases. The Application Framework
manages their layout and dockability. They provide a consistent tree
view of each database and module specific context menus.
An important feature of the Explorers is the ability to allow flexibility in
the presentation of the database hierarchy through the use of filters.
These are different sets of filters for different Databases. Additional
filters and other Explorer options are available on an Explorer Settings
form. The user may Drag-and-drop elements within and outside the
Explorer.
There is now a separate Toolbar Add-in, which shows the current
Element History.
Explorers are available in the Design, Draft, Spooler and Isodraft
modules, and replace the PML-based Members Lists. They are available
from the Main Menu>Display menus in each module. Each Explorer is
restricted to Elements of a particular database type.
2.4.1 History
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.

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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.
2.4.2 Explorer Settings

The Explorer Settings form is used to configure the behaviour of the
Explorer and set additional filters. It can be found, where appropriate,
from the Main Menu: Settings > Explorer…
The settings are remembered between sessions for each user and module.
All options are turned off by default apart from “Expand to CE” which
causes the Explorer tree to expand, if required, to show the CE whenever
the CE changes. A very useful option is “Auto Collapse Tree”, which
applies to all active Explorers. If this is on, any expanded node not
containing the CE is collapsed whenever the user changes CE.
The remaining options apply to either the Design Explorer or the Draft
Explorer. They control the visibility of elements: they can set elements
as always hidden (e.g. non-writeable Template Worlds and LIBY’s) or
allow previously hidden elements to be shown in the hierarchy (e.g.
TUBI, ROD and Point Worlds).
2.4.3 Filters
A predefined set of database filters is available to reduce the volume of
information presented in the Explorers. These can be selected and
turned on and off from each Explorer. When filtering is off the complete
database hierarchy is displayed in the Explorer. Only one system filter
can be active at any given time for each Explorer. Additional preset
filters are provided via the Explorer Settings Form (see above) for
“special case” elements. These can be toggled on/off regardless of
whether the system filters have been set.
2.4.4 Copy rules

An element (source) may be copied within the Explorer either by Drag-
and-drop, context menus or the keyboard shortcuts CTRL+C / CTRL+V
either beside or below another element (target). Paste beside copies the
element after the target.
For a copy to be valid the following must be true:

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• The relevant MEMBER attribute is settable: with that of the target

element (if below) or its owner (if beside).
• The source element type is an allowable member type for its new
owner.
If either of these rules is broken, the Paste is invalid. TUBI elements
cannot be copied or moved since they are implied by the system.
Users may add their own additional checks by adding code to the
following PML function:
• IsCreatable.pmlfnc
This logical function is stored in %PMLLIB%\common\functions
directory and is called before the Copy.
2.4.5 Drag-and-drop
The Explorer supports Drag-and-drop within the Explorer to copy
elements, Drag-and-drop into the 3D view to add elements to the Draw
List and Drag-and-drop into My Data to add elements to it.
Drag-and-drop within the Explorer

Selecting an element and dragging it, with either the primary or
secondary mouse button down, initiates Drag-and-drop.
• Single elements may be moved or copied within the Explorer using
Drag-and-drop (apart from TUBI if they are shown)
• Copy rules are applied to validate the Copy (see above)
• Hovering over a node causes it to auto-expand.
• The mouse pointer icon changes to notify the user of an invalid copy
(e.g. between databases)
• All child elements are transferred with the dragged item.
• The Drag-and-drop action can be cancelled by pressing ESC at any
time before dropping.
• A divider bar appears between elements to show where the dragged
element will be inserted if dropped, i.e. before, after or below.
• Dropping directly onto an element assumes that the dragged
elements are to be added to the beginning of the element’s child list.
• Pressing CTRL whilst dragging performs a “copy” action.
• Copy Drag-and-drop is indicated by an “arrow + plus” icon.
• Copied elements and all their child elements are copied.

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• All connectivity attributes are lost in the copied elements.

• The names of all copied elements which are named are prefixed with
“Copy-(n)-of-” (including copies of copies) where n >=2 (the first copy
will have the prefix “Copy-of-“.
• Copy and Paste are available on the Explorer context menus.
After selecting an element and doing a Copy, the user may select a valid
owning element and add the Copied element to it using Paste or select a
valid sibling element and insert the Copied element after it using Paste
Before or Paste After. Paste is greyed out if the Copy is invalid
• Alternatively the user can perform Drag-and-drop with the secondary
mouse button down. On mouse up, a context menu appears from
which the user can select a valid Copy or Cancel .
• Finally, the user can use the CTRL+C and CTRL+V shortcuts to Copy
and Paste respectively.
Drag-and-drop into the 3D view

This allows the user to add elements in the Explorer to the Design
drawlist by Drag-and-dropping from the Explorer to the 3D view.
• The user can select only single elements for drag & drop.
• All significant elements will be added to the drawlist along with the
dragged element.
• The elements can be dropped anywhere within the 3D view.
• Elements cannot be dropped into place; they will appear in their
correct 3D positions.
• The mouse pointer icon changes to notify the user of invalid moves
• The Drag-and-drop action can be cancelled at any time before
dropping, by pressing ESC.
Drag-and-drop into My Data

This allows the user to add elements to My Data by Drag-and-dropping
from the Explorer into either the Collections or Contents grids in My
Data (q.v.)
• The user can select only single elements for Drag-and-drop.
• Dropping into My Data is equivalent to the “Add to My Data” context
menu.
• Depending on where it is dropped, the dropped element is added
either to an existing Collection or as an orphan

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• Child elements will not be added to My Data.
2.4.6 Mouse Actions

Primary mouse click:
Selects element, sets CE, (also expands/contracts tree if on node icon)
Primary mouse double click:
Selects element, sets CE, expands/contracts tree below element
Secondary mouse click:
Selects element, sets CE, displays context menu.
2.4.7 ToolTips
Name, Type and Description are shown in ToolTips over each Element.
2.4.8 Updates
The Explorers are kept in step with the database and CE. So, whenever
the user does the following the Explorer is updated:
• Change CE
• Create/Delete element
• Rename element
• Reorder / Include element (Copy/Paste)
• UNDO / REDO
• Getwork
• MDB Update
• Claim
• Anything else that changes the state in the Explorer.
2.5 Drawlist
The Drawlist at 11.6 is a separate dockable window, managed by the

application framework, and replaces the previous Drawlist, which was
part of the Explorer.
It appears only in the Design and Spooler modules and provides
information about all elements currently added to the 3D View. It allows

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modification of the visual properties of the displayed elements, such as

visibility, translucency and colour. It also allows the user to add selected
Elements to My Data either from context menus or Drag-and-drop.
2.6 My Data
The “My Data” Add-in is a dockable window, managed by the Application

Framework, which provides a place for users to gather, organise and
perform operations on all the data they require to complete their tasks.
It contains collections of PDMS database Elements and single Elements.
My Data is particularly useful for the transfer of Design Drawlist
elements into Draft for the population of Drawings.
The user can add items to My Data in a number of ways: via context
menus on other components or via Drag-and-drop from other
components. The contents of My Data are persistent and are
reconstructed each time the user logs in. It is available in Design, Draft
and Spooler modules from the Main Menu>Display menus.
It consists of 3 components, namely a Collections Grid, an Actions Group
and a Contents Grid. The Actions Group and Contents Grids are
collapsible.
2.7 UNDO / REDO
The operation of UNDO and REDO has now been extended and is now
available to PML programmers for use in their applications. For details
of the latter, please refer to PDMS Software Customisation Guide section
8.3.7 UNDO and REDO.
Please note that UNDO is not yet available in modules other than
DESIGN & DRAFT.

User Bulletin
3 PDMS Design Changes
The Locator Handle, which manipulates the 3D model, has been

enhanced to work in a variety of ways in a context sensitive manner.
The new Piping editor includes a Pipe Routing Handle. Piping designers
can route pipes interactively by dragging this Handle in the 3D graphics
view and snapping to element features. The interface includes extensive
graphical feedback to assist the designer and makes the pipe routing
process easy to learn and use, and very quick in operation.
The Locator Handle also provides features specific to piping components.
For example:
• constraining the movement of piping components to the route of
the pipe
• intelligent connection to nozzles and other piping components
• moving groups of connected piping components.
Piping designers can now create piping components through a new
interface that uses docking windows to improve use of screen space. The
new interface allows rapid creation and placement of components in a
highly intuitive way, by interacting with the 3D graphics view. They can
also produce check isometrics (on screen or paper) from within Design,
thus simplifying the process of ensuring that the correct documentation
will be produced.
PDMS 11.6 extends graphical interaction to primitives below equipment
and sub equipment, thus enabling the manipulation of, for example,
nozzles using the Locator Handle.
In addition, many of the Design forms have been improved by using the
new facilities of the PDMS Workspace, such as tabbed forms.
3.1 General GUI improvements
Many forms in Design have been improved, for example:

The Query form is opened by selecting Query > Attributes from the main
bar. It has been made docking and resizable to allow easier viewing of
query results. The Query > General form has been removed.
The Query Project form is a tabbed form that replaces the existing User
List, Team List, DB List, MDB and Stamp List forms. It contains a tab

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PDMS Design Changes
that shows the information that was previously shown on each individual
form.
The alpha view in the Data Consistency Check form no longer receives
the I/O requests channel when it’s not needed. The layout of the forms
has been improved.
The View Control form has been made dockable – the menu bar has been
replaced by buttons, with some of the functions, changing the
background colour of views and deleting views, available on a shortcut
menu.
The layout of the Report Template form has been tidied up and tabs are
now used instead of spaces to align columns in the list. After input from
users, minor changes have been made: the form is not closed when a
report is saved; the user is asked to confirm before overwriting the
current data when modifying/creating a report; the user is asked whether
they want to quit without saving the current template when clicking on
the close icon.
The Penetration Defaults form now uses tabs for its three sections.
The Template Browser form has been made dockable. If open when
Design exits, it’s now opened when Design restarts. The Control > Select
CE TMPL menu option has been replaced by the CE TMPL button and
the Display > Selected Template has been replaced by the Display
button.
A new form, Data Access Control, has been created to replace the User
Rights form and add information previously found only on the Element
Data Access Control (DAC) Errors List form in the Model Management
product. The form has two tabs, displaying the information previously
shown on the two forms. The first, User Rights, shows the Access
Control Rights that apply to the current user, and information about
their scopes and roles. The second, Element Access, allows the user to
specify an element; for each attribute, it displays whether the user can
modify that attribute and the error message that occurs if not. It also
shows the operations (Claim, Issue, Drop, Create, Delete) the user is
allowed to carry out on that element. The form is shown by selecting
Query > Data Access Control from the bar menu.
Toolbars have been added to the Hangers & Supports application to
replace the current forms: the Utilities > Toolboxes > General and
Utilities > General > Support Creation menus now indicate whether the
toolbars are shown and toggle their visibility.
The Router forms, PDMS Router, Routing Messages and Branch Detail,
have been made resizable. This means there is no longer a need for a

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PDMS Design Changes
means of resizing the forms by rebuilding them, so the forms associated

with that have been removed.
3.2 Element Selection
At PDMS 11.5, element selection behaviour was different when in Model

Editor mode. At PDMS 11.6, the selection method and the graphic
feedback are always similar: the selection set is highlighted at all times.
However, the highlighting differs according to the element’s Read/Write
status: the default edge highlighting being Dashed Green for Read/Write
and Dotted Red for Read only.
When in Navigate mode, with the Model Editor not being used, the
selected objects cannot be changed, so all objects appear in the
Read/Write highlighting, even if they are Read only.
When in Modify mode with object(s) selected, a handle appears on the
selection, which denotes the current interaction mode, and quickly guides
the user into the possible operation in this mode. The mode is revised
whenever an object is added to or removed from the selection.
There are two ways that the user can enter Modify mode. The first way
is to click on the Modify button, when the system will start in the most
likely interaction mode. The second way is to right click, when all
possible interaction modes are offered on the pop-up menu. The system
then switches into the selected interaction mode and presents the user
with the appropriate handle. At any time in modify mode, the user can
change the current interaction mode by right clicking and selecting a
new mode from the list of options.
To leave Edit mode, the user must click on the Modify button to toggle it
off, at which point the current handle is removed.
To aid the user in making selections, related objects are selected by
default: at the moment this only affects piping components, but may be
extended to cover other types of objects at a later date. For example, if a
user selects a valve, the system by default selects the flanges and gaskets
connected to the valve.
If only a single object is required, the shortcut menu option “Select CE”
can be used.
N.B. A status bar prompt (e.g. Identify Nozzle) appears when the system
expects a 3D pick. If you wish to escape from this, it is necessary first to
click in the 3D window.

User Bulletin
PDMS Design Changes
3.3 Quick Pipe Routing
The quick pipe routing function allows the user to define the path of a
pipe wherever there is an ill-defined route within a branch, i.e. where the
dotted line is displayed instead of implied tube.
In defining a route the system will allow the user to perform the
following:
• Orthogonal and non orthogonal leg definition
• Positioning:
o Increment snapping
o Explicit positioning
o Feature snapping
Centre line
Offsetting by OD of tube (including insulation)
• Automatic completion of route
o Where completion is predictable
• UNDO/REDO changes
Where an extremity of a route is undefined, the system will allow the
user to assign the end to the last defined point within the route or to
designate an appropriate element to which the extremity is connected.
3.4 Pipe Component modification
The pipe component modification function allows the user easily to rotate
or position a single component or selection of connected components
within the constraints of a pipe route.
In modifying a component or components, the system offers the following
functionality:
• Rotation about the tube centre line
• Constrained positioning along the path of the pipe route:
o Increment Snapping
o Feature Snapping
• Components can only be repositioned where there is sufficient space
to fit them in the route

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PDMS Design Changes
• Automatic reorder of the elements within the hierarchy to suit the

new position within the pipe route
• The ability to reposition the handle within the constraints of the
component selection set (along the centre line of the pipe)
• The initial orientation of a selection is maintained where possible
• UNDO/REDO of changes
The system does not try to resolve any inconsistencies that may occur
from the repositioning of a component, e.g. if a reducer is moved into
another leg of a branch, the components and tube between its original
position and new position in the branch will remain the same.
3.5 Pipe Component creation
The new pipe component creation form allows the user to create a
component or component group that is either connected or positioned
along the route of a pipe.
The system will automatically try to create a set of predetermined
adjacent component types when certain component types are created, e.g.
creating a valve will try to create the appropriate adjacent gaskets and
flanges. This allows the pipe designer to define the major components of
the pipe route, with the system creating the secondary components
automatically.
Once a component (or group of components) has been created the system
will automatically select it, allowing the user, when in “Modify Mode”, to
modify the component’s position or rotation.
3.6 Pipe Component Reselection
Pipe components may be individually reselected using the reselection

form.
3.7 Equipment Editing
Equipment primitives may now be repositioned using the Equipment

editing mode of Model Editor. This involves “drilling down” the
hierarchy to the template, sub-equipment, primitive or negative
primitive required.
This mode can be entered by selecting an equipment item and using the
pop-up menu to pick Edit Mode > Equipment Editing.

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PDMS Design Changes
To help selection, when an element in the equipment hierarchy is

selected it is drawn solid, together with its children, and the rest of the
drawlist is made translucent. When a positive primitive is selected, any
negative primitives that it owns are drawn in wireline, which allows
them to be picked: this would not be possible in HOLES ON mode.
3.8 Design Areas
These are 3D volumes encompassing a portion of the plant model. For

example, they might encompass a process or part process that can be
worked on in isolation. In some industries, they are usually regularly
shaped and aligned with major plant axes; in other cases, they are more
likely to be irregularly shaped, positioned and orientated.
New Design Database elements (top level AREAWL, AREASET,
AREADEF, ABOX, ACYLI, ACONE, ADISH, ASLCY, ACTOR, APYRA
and ASNOU) have been added for modelling Design Areas. These
primitives are defined in a similar manner to the normal equipment
primitives. Clash detection may be used to determine the contents of
these areas.
• Which plant item origins are in a given Area?
• For a given item, which Area(s) contain its origin?
Collections have been enhanced to reference Areas: some of the geometric
operations have been improved, including an EXCLUSIVE option for
WITHIN.
These Areas will be used in future PDMS applications and for improved
integration with VANTAGE Project Resource Management.
3.9 New Piping Pseudo Attributes
Several new pseudo attributes are now available for piping.
3.9.1 Branch Surface Area

BRIARE/A Branch internal area.
BREARE/A Branch external area.
These provide an approximate inside & outside surface area for piping
and are valid for PIPE, BRANCH, BRANCH members and SPOOL
elements. The following assumptions are made:

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PDMS Design Changes
• A Bend or Elbow is treated as a torus; any other Branch Element

is treated as a cylinder or cone.
• If the CMPR on the SPCO is set, the OUTD (Outside Diameter) or
ACBO (Actual Bore) will be used, otherwise P-Arrive and P-Leave
bores and outside diameters will be used.
• Insulation is ignored.
3.9.2 Range of Angles or Radii

RANANG/LE Range of available angles. (Optional noun argument)
RANRAD/II Range of available radii. (Optional noun argument)
These pseudo attributes, valid for branch and branch members, provide a
list of available angles or radii for selecting bends and elbows. The
information is derived from the branch PSPE and the bore of the
previous element in the branch (head bore if the first element). The
result comes from the “ANGL” or “RADI”, if appropriate – or is returned
“unset”.
3.9.3 Data Consistency

This set of attributes gives a measure of the quality of the pipe route:
bores, connection types, offset and angle between a P-point and its
neighbour are checked.
AQANG Angle between a branch component and its previous
component. Calculates angle between the P-point
directions and also with the vector between the P-
points and uses the greater.
SPKBRK FALSE ATTAs are ignored
LQANG Angle between a branch component and its next
component. Calculates angle between the P-point
directions and also with the vector between the P-
points and uses the greater.
SPKBRK FALSE ATTAs are ignored
AQOFF The offset between a branch component and its
previous component. Returned in distance units.
SPKBRK FALSE ATTAs are ignored.
LQOFF The offset between a branch component and its next
component. Returned in distance units.

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PDMS Design Changes
AQCON Returns true if the connection between a branch

component and its previous component is correct.
Is also valid when CE is TUBI.
LQCON Returns true if the connection between a branch
component and its next component is correct.
AQBORE Returns true if the bore between a branch component
and its previous component is the same.
Does not consider TUBI.
LQBORE Returns true if the bore between a branch component
and its next component is the same.
PQANG <int> Angle between specified P-point of a branch
component and its adjacent component. Calculates
angle between the P-point directions and also with the
vector between the P-points and uses the greater.
Attribute is valid for Branches. For branch members,
only the arrive & leave P-points are valid.
PQOFF <int> The offset between specified P-point of a branch
component and its adjacent component. Returned in
distance units.
PQCON <int> Return true if the connection between a branch
component and its adjacent component is correct.
PQBORE <int> Return true if the bore between a branch component
and its adjacent component is the same.

User Bulletin
PDMS Design Changes
3.10 New Attributes for Material Management
The following attributes have been added, primarily to facilitate

integration with VANTAGE Project Resource Management (VPRM).
3.10.1 Status attribute for use in MTO output

A new attribute, FSTATUS, has been added to the following elements:
PIPE, STRU, EQUI, REST, ZONE, PCOM, ATTA, SPLDRG, SPEC
3.10.2 Additional attributes for spool MTO

The following attributes have been added to the SPLDRG element:
FAREA, FPLINE, FDRAWING, FREVISION, FRDRAWING
3.10.3 Additional attributes for Piping Specifications

The following attributes have been added to the SPEC element:
FISSUE, FINPUTBY
3.11 Extract Refresh
Modifications in PDMS can cause the Spatial map for an Extract to

change, resulting in the Map being updated on entry to Design. As a
result the User will now need to do a SAVEWORK to save the changes
before an EXTRACT REFRESH command can be executed.
3.12 Add to Drawlist tool bar *sp1*
This enables the user to specify the visual properties of items added to
the drawlist, for example by dragging from the Explorer to the 3D view.
The options are Auto (rule-based) or Specific (colour, translucency and
edges on or off).

User Bulletin
PDMS Design Changes
3.13 Piping component (e.g. flange) alignment *sp1*
This development allows piping components to be connected so that by

default their Z directions are aligned. This is particularly useful for
ducting and cable trays etc. – or where flanges need to be aligned. The
following changes have been made:
• A PZAXIS attribute has been added to various ppoint elements in
the catalogue.
• New pseudo attributes allow it to be queried in the design.
• The connect command has been enhanced to use the PZAXIS if set.
• Appropriate Datacon checks have been added.
3.13.1 New attribute for PTCA, PTAX, PTMI, PTPOS *sp1*

PZAXIS – Z direction
3.13.2 New pseudo attributes for branch members *sp1*

• PZDIR – Alignment direction for specified ppoint.
• AZDIR – Alignment direction for arrive ppoint.
• LZDIR – Alignment direction for leave ppoint.
• PQAANG – Angle between alignment direction for specified ppoint
and adjacent component.
• AQAANG – Angle between alignment direction for arrive ppoint
and previous component.
• LQAANG – Angle between alignment direction for leave ppoint
and next component.
3.13.3 Connection Command *sp1*

The syntax of the command is unchanged, but it now uses valid
alignment directions in place of a default orientation. It checks that a
PZAXI is set for the relevant ppoint of the current element and for the
ppoint it is connecting to. If the element being connected to is a gasket or
a weld and does not have a set PZAXI then the ppoint of the next
element is used instead. If there are either one or two unset alignment
directions, then the connection command functions exactly as before. If
an orientation is specified, e.g. CONNECT AND P3 IS UP, then this will
override the alignment direction.

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PDMS Design Changes
3.13.4 New Datacon warning messages *sp1*

The following warnings can now be generated. They are not output if the
branch is badly routed.
D850 BAD ARRIVE ALIGNMENT GEOMETRY, ANGLE IS 15
D850 BAD LEAVE ALIGNMENT GEOMETRY, ANGLE IS 45
3.14 HVAC application – new components *sp1*
The range of components supplied with the standard application has

been increased.
3.15 Design Database additions – initially for Marine

product only *sp1*
3.15.1 Design grid – for ship coordinate system

A new top level element GRIDWL has been added – but this is not used
in PDMS at present.
3.15.2 Fabrication machine definitions

A new top level element FMWL has been added – but this is not used in
PDMS at present.
3.15.3 Pipe pieces & pipe spools

New elements PPLIST (Pipe Part list) & PSLIST (Pipe Spool list) have
been added – but are not used in PDMS at present.
3.16 Laser model and its manipulation *sp2*
These options are only useful when the new Laser Model Interface is
installed. Details are available in its documentation.
The links to this external geometry are stored in new database elements
XGEOM, XLCTN, XCELS.
This enables the point cloud model to be visualized, measured and clash
checked alongside the PDMS model.

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PDMS Design Changes
3.17 Check Isometrics
Check Isometrics can now be produced from within Design and Spooler.
Extra syntax has been added to the command line:
• Isodraftmode switches into the Isodraft syntax.
• Exit returns the user to the Design/Spooler syntax.
The Utilities menu has been extended in the Design Pipework discipline.
(A similar capability has been added to the Spooler module). Selecting
Pipe Isometric… or System Isometric… at a Pipe, Branch, Spldrg, Spool
or Field element will display a preview isometric (processed using a
predetermined options file, which may be replaced by the user). There is
a button to display the process time messages.
Selecting Show Pipe System… at a pipe or branch element will highlight
the connected system for that element in the 3D view.
A Windows printing mechanism is also provided: it is possible to print
single sheets using or all sheets using . There are similar icons for
previewing single or multiple drawings and for saving them to file.

User Bulletin
4 Piping Isometric Enhancements
In addition to the new check isometric facility in DESIGN and

SPOOLER, a number of improvements have been made to the
ISODRAFT module, some involving data set up in other parts of PDMS.
They are listed here for convenience.
ISODRAFT has a new Office 2003 style GUI, based on Microsoft’s .NET.
This includes many new features such as window and toolbars docking,
tabbing etc. Please refer to section 2.2 Application Framework for
further details.
4.2 Parameterised MTOL & MTOQ
It is now possible to parameterise MTOL & MTOQ – for example, the

following is now possible:
MTOQ (PARA[3] + DESPAR[2] )
4.3 Use of temperature and pressure for selection
The temperature and pressure attributes from the owning branch can
now be used as Spec selectors for choosing bolting items in ISODRAFT.
Spec answers may use a specific value or give a range.
4.3.1 Standard Bolt Hole DB Change

The bolt set BTSE now has some of the same attributes as a BLTP:
BTHK, BDIA, BTYP
as well as a new attribute: NOFF (number off), which is defined as
for the SBOL element.
If these entries are set, the program automatically creates an array with
NOFF members which are the default bolts for this connection.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
This enables a drastic reduction in the amount of data that is required to

define bolt requirements. However, if the new attributes are not set, the
existing methods continue to work in exactly the same manner.
BLTPs should still be used as members of a BTSE for those numbers
where there is a deviation from the standard bolt as defined in the BTSE
or if the bolt hole numbering is non continuous. Note that Jacking bolts
must always be defined using BLTPs.
4.4 User-defined Material Lists
The restrictions on users defining their own material list format have
been eased. It is no longer necessary to be using the PARTNUMBERS
FROMDB option in order to do this. See MATERIALLIST command in
the VANTAGE PDMS ISODRAFT Reference Manual.
4.5 Spooler – Pulled bend numbering *sp1*
A new option has been added to the PARTNO command, for each of its
CREATE, CHECK and UPDATE <gid> options, e.g.
PARTNO CREATE <gid> PARTNO
This PBEND option (at the end of each command) will result in bends
having unique part numbers and will ensure implied tube either side of
the bend will have the same part number. Not all bends will be
numbered using this syntax; zero length bends will not be numbered.
4.6 Isodraft – Pulled bend numbering *sp1*
The syntax for PARTNO has been modified to include a new option for
pulled bends:
PBENDNUMBER ON PARTNO
This will use the part number rather than the bend number as the source
of the Bend number on the drawing – and in the bend table if shown.

User Bulletin
5 Drawing Production Enhancements
For the PDMS Draft user, PDMS 11.6 provides access to a 3D colour
shaded graphical view for use in the definition of drawings. The user can
use it to define the contents of a drawing or to set the direction and limits
of a 2D view. This feature has been refined at PDMS 11.6.sp1.
For the PDMS Draft user, PDMS 11.6 provides access to a 3D colour
shaded graphical view for use in the definition of drawings. The user can
use it to define the contents of a drawing or to set the direction and limits
of a 2D view. This provides a highly intuitive and productive user
interface that will help to reduce drawing production times and enable
users to work in a familiar 3D environment. Users can create and
manipulate section planes in the 3D graphical view using direct
graphical interaction, and apply these section planes to any view on the
drawing. This displays in 3D the position of each part of the section plane
and is therefore simple to use, even for complex stepped section planes.
Further productivity improvement is achieved through the introduction
of a dockable database explorer and presentation of key annotation
features in a common application, removing the need for the user to
switch applications when adding basic annotation to drawings.
Isometric creation is typically performed as a batch job. However, for the
piping designer it is highly beneficial to produce a check isometric or
system isometric at various stages in the design process. PDMS 11.6 will
allow the piping designer to produce a standard isometric or system
isometric from within PDMS Design or PDMS Spooler, allowing the
designer to stay focussed on the piping design whilst generating
isometrics to assist in the design process. For further information, please
refer to the section on Design.
A new Office 2003 style GUI, based on Microsoft’s .NET, is now used in
Draft. This includes many new features such as window and toolbars
docking, tabbing etc. Please refer to section 2.2 Application Framework
for further details.
In addition the Draft applications have been rationalised with the
various sub applications merged into a unified environment.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
5.1.1 Merged sub-applications

Dimensioning, Labels and 2D draughting applications have been merged
into one General application, so that all utilities are available to the user
without changing application or swapping menus.
DRAFT applications maintain the layer options (on the main window) to
enable the creation, in the appropriate place, of any 2D element,
dimension or label.
The Main Draft Menu has changed to remove the working sheet selection
and add a new members list explorer, with a mouse shortcut menu to add
a sheet to the 2D. The Dimensioning, Labelling and 2d draughting
applications have been removed, as they are now all merged into the
general application.
The Utilities from the 2D Draughting menu have been added to the
General Utilities menu, which is similar to the application utilities in
DESIGN.
Changes have been made to the Create and Modify menus as part of
merging the applications, with all the 2D draughting menus added to the
main menu.
Layers
The user can select a layer, but the application will select an appropriate
one, if required, before creating any element.
The layer gadget new has ALL the layers pertaining to the current sheet
listed, and this gadget can be filtered by using the new gadget Filter, to
list only those of the application the user is working on.
If the user changing from Dimensioning to Labelling, the application will
switch the layer gadget to list labels and select the first label type layer.
The user can re-select a different layer if required. The Layer gadget will
always change within the currently selected view, so if the user creates a
dimension in view 1 and then creates a label, the layer will switch to a
labelling layer in view 1.
Navigation around the DRAFT db automatically exchanges the layer
selection if a different view is selected. Clicking on a view has the same
effect as navigation to it.
Navigation to a dimension automatically changes the layer to a
dimension layer and highlights the view to which the dimension belongs.
This makes it easier to know where you are on the drawing and where
you are likely to create the next element.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
Database Hierarchy
Sheets may now be added to or removed from the 2D window from the
Explorer. This means it is necessary to check the position in the
hierarchy before adding something to the 2D window.
If the user is too high, i.e. above drawing level, then an error informs the
user that the “REGI/DEPT is not a valid working sheet”. However, if the
user is at drawing level, ALL the sheets are now added, even if there is
more than one. A message is displayed to inform the user that there are
several sheets, so they should check that they require them all to be
added.
5.1.2 User utility menu

A User application utility menu is now available in DRAFT, under the
general application. This utility allows the user to create menus for his
own use. The functionality is similar to that in DESIGN.
5.1.3 Dimension and 2D drawing forms

These forms have been changed so that dimensioning and 2D draughting
can be called from either form or toolbar. Some of the dimensioning
functionality has been moved from the utility menu and put under the
modify menu, to make it easier to find.
5.1.4 Labelling rationalisation

Labels have been rationalised and made dockable wherever possible.
This affects the Autotagging, Labelling and Gaps forms.
The autotagging form has been redesigned in order to reduce its size and
make it dockable. The regenerate tag button has been removed and
replaced with a toggle, so that the update button is the only button used
to execute the form. Checking the regenerate toggle and pressing update
regenerates the tags.
The labelling forms for SLAB (symbolic labels) and GLAB (General
Labels) have been combined and redesigned to be dockable, so that they
can be displayed all the time without obscuring the user’s view of the 2D
drawing canvas.
The main menu has been rationalised to show the new form, with the
modify menu reduced and some of the attribute settings removed, as they
are all covered in the new form.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
5.2 Use of the 3D features in DRAFT – updated at *sp1*
A 3D volume view is now available in DRAFT: it has similar properties to

that in Design. This can be used to explore the 3D model and identify
objects for drawing production.
There are also 2 database browsers: for Draft and Design databases. The
Design browser has a mouse shortcut menu option to add elements to the
3D view. You can also Drag-and-drop from the Design browser to the 3d
view.
Various improvements have been made to the usability of the 3D View at
sp1, notably to the behaviour of the view frame and section plane
features.
5.2.1 3D Commands
DESADD & DESREM commands allow the Addition and Removal of
Design elements to a 3D view gadget. These are similar to the ADD &
REM commands in Design. The GENERATE MODEL command allows
capture of a 2D view content and colour for addition to the 3D view.
The GENERATE MODEL command allows capture of a 2D view content
and colour for addition to the 3D view.
A new IDLIST object is now available to transfer the 3D contents to the
2D IDLIST (ADDE and REME elements).
A new SELECTION object provides a graphical aid of a 3D selection box.
This is called using the mouse secondary button in the 3D view.
A new VIEWFINDER object provides a graphical aid that represents the
2D view position, size and direction in the 3D view to allow interactive
positioning of the 2D view through point and view direction.
5.2.2 3D user interface

The new 3D view is similar to the 3D views in Design and may be
initiated from these menus: 3D View... from the shortcut menu for the 2D
view or Display > 3D View… from the main menu.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
Associated
View
5.2.3 Managing 3D view content (Drawlist)
(ToolTip 'Add to View') adds elements to the 2D Idlist and the 3D

view. The Draft idlist ADDE elements are created at this time. This is
done to help workflow so the user does not have to do an UPDATE
DESIGN at this time. Updates could be done at anytime, even as a
background process or overnight job. The element added to the idlist will
generally be the current element, unless there is a multi selection active,
when the selection will be added. Elements added to the ID List will be
displayed in colour specified in the view representation rules.
(Tooltip ‘Remove from View’) removes elements from the 2D Idlist and
the 3D view. The Draft idlist REME elements are created at this time
The element removed from the idlist will generally be the current
element, unless there is a multi selection active, when the selection will
be removed.
(Tooltip ‘Show View Content...' ) Show a form displaying the 2d view

Idlist (An UPDATE DESIGN may or not have been performed on this) .
This button is a toggle button to show or hide the ID List Contents form.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
This toggle gadget on the form, when ticked, means that the Idlist will be
amended appropriately when an element is added to (or removed from)
the 3D view directly from the Design Explorer. This is seen in the 3D
view in the correct representation colour.
If the gadget is unticked, this means that the element is added to the 3D
view only and the 2D Idlist is unchanged. Such items are added to the 3D
view in grey colour.
Therefore the significance of coloured items in the 3D view is that these
items have been added to the idlist. Grey items in the 3D view indicates
these items are in the 3D view but are not in the 2d idlist so even an
Update Design will not recognise these elements.
5.2.4 Multi Selection

The + and – buttons will add or remove the current element unless a
Multi-selection has been made using the CTRL+pick or by dragging out a
frame.
A primary mouse button drag on the 3D view gadget will initiate a
selection box as shown below. This allows the user to multi pick elements
within or partially within a volume. The box can be resized by movement
arrows indicated on each side of the box. The box can also be used as a
clip box. Two separate examples are captured below.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
The following menu is presented when doing a secondary mouse button

drag:-
When the box is displayed it appears as above. The box can be resized by
dragging the arrows.
Picking the arrows on the displayed selection box with a mouse click the
following menu is shown.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
The background also has the following menu addition

Clipping Planes On – This clips the graphics to the content of the
selection box.
5.2.5 Scale control
The view scale can be specified using direct input or form. Any change of
scale will be reflected in the 2D and 3D immediately.
The Scale gadget displays a standard scale dialog to maintain a
consistent feel in Draft.
5.2.6 UNDO/REDO
Database marks have been included:
1. When an element is added to the View – The View Content form will
be updated.
2. When an element is removed from the View – The View Content form
will be updated.
5.2.7 Modify Star

When the 3D View form initiates any database change such as:
Change in scale; Add to View; Remove from View; Move viewfinder,
(which modifies view through position)
the form title changes from ‘3D View’ to ‘3D View*’
The * indicates that an Update Design is required using the button.

Once the Update Design is done the * indicator is removed.
5.2.8 3D to 2D (Update Design)
(Tooltip 'Update 2D View from 3D view (i.e Update Design)')

The Elements displayed in the 3D view that are in the IDlist can be
transferred to a 2D view by simply pressing this button. At this time the
user may be asked if he wishes to do an Update Design and warned that
this can take a while. An Update can be done at this time or later by
using the Background Process Manager.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
5.2.9 2D to 3D
(Tooltip ‘Update 3D View from 2D View’)
The contents of the current 2D view can be displayed in the 3D view by
pressing this button. The associated view name is displayed next to this
gadget.
(Tooltip ‘Pick 2D View to associate to the 3D View’)
This button can be used to retain the current 3D view contents, to be
associate it to a different 2D view. The user is asked to identify a 2d view.
This is useful when different views of similar content are required (e.g. Plan
and Elevations)
5.2.10 Display of 2D view frame in the 3D view gadget
Figure 1 Figure 2
The limits of the associated 2D view are represented in the 3D view

using the VIEWFINDER. This is shown in the above snap shot by the
purple rectangle. The colour is, by default, the same as the highlight
colour of the 2d view – but can be changed. The view finder is a core
object that can be:
1. Graphically dragged to reposition the view through point.
2. Graphically rotated using the corner blobs.
3. Graphically resized using the arrows shown in the Figure 2.
In each case the 2D database is changed. Note that a view can be

inverted or turned through 90 degrees by using the popup ‘Rotate
Frame>’ options.
Similarly to switch between the Normal mode shown in Figure 1 and the
Resize mode shown in Figure 2 use the popup ‘Resize Frame’ toggle.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
5.2.11 Update control

It is PDMS User interface philosophy not to have hidden UPDATE
DESIGN operations. It is usually exposed so the user is aware that this
is going to happen, because this can take some time to update. Therefore
we have continued to separate this operation.
The Update Gadget has 3 options:

‘On Demand’ meaning UPDATE DESIGN when the 3D to 2D button is
pressed.
‘Background’ meaning UPDATE DESIGN as On Demand, by using the
Background Process Utility .
‘Auto Update’ meaning UPDATE DESIGN dynamically when the 2D
view changes (i.e. View Content, Scale, Direction, View Type, etc)
5.2.12 View Type
In the frame for update there is an option gadget to specify the type of
view to be generated in the 2D. The options in the gadget are the full
PDMS list of view types, ranging from Universal Hidden Line to
Wireline. Selecting one of these will change the database. Note that
section planes do not clip in wireline views.
5.2.13 Section Planes

(Tooltip 'Show Section Planes')
This toggle button activates the section planes and displays the Section
Planes form. Note that section planes can be individually hidden or shown,
so check settings on form..
(Tooltip ‘Indicate Section Plane clipping')

This toggle indicates the clipping side of the section plane by graphically
displaying a series of perpendicular lines behind the section plane.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
5.2.14 Representation in 3D view

It is possible to change the 3D representation, such as holes on/off, for 3D
elements as in Design.
5.2.15 Viewfinder Shortcut menu.

Align Frame with 3D View – Used to modify the view direction. Adjust
the 3d view to the desired view direction then use this option; and the
view finder will snap to this new direction.
Update Frame from 2D View – If the view has been changed using 2D
appware the 3D could be out of date. Use this option to update the 3d
view.
Center Frame – Centres the frame in the centre of the view gadget.
Rotate Frame > – Options for Up, Down, Left, Right which allow the view
to be instantly inverted or turned through 90degrees.
Resize Frame – (Toggle) Changes the mode of the View Finder so that is
can be resized. (See the above section ‘Display of the 2D View in the 3D
View gadget’ )
Lock Frame – This is a toggle that locks or unlocks the frame to prevent
accidental movement of the view frame. There is always an undo option
but the user may not be aware he has moved the frame.
Hide Frame – Hides the frame by making it invisible. To reshow the
frame there is a Show Frame option on the view background menu.
Auto Update – If this toggle is on then each time the frame is moved, an
Update Design is done. This should be used sensibly depending on view
content because large data will take a long time to process.
Frame Colour > White,Orange,Blue,Green,Magenta,Cyan,Yellow –
Changes the frame colour to the selected colour toggle. The current
colour will be ticked.
Translucent Frame – Gives the frame a background translucency or no
background. A translucent frame is easier to pick but can partially
obscure some of the content..
5.2.16 3D view Shortcut menu additions related to view finder.

Look >Through View Finder – This is a quick way to change the 3d view
direction to look squarely through the view finder.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
View Finder>Show Frame – Reshows the view finder frame (The hide
option is on the view finder menu itself)
Highlight Frame – Highlights the view finder frame by
flashing it. Similar to the Highlight CE in 2D view.
Center Frame – Centres the frame in the centre of the
view gadget.
5.3 Template drawings
Create>New Drawing from Template… utility.

Key Features:
• The utility does not require the input of a name for the new drawing.
• If the user is not at the correct hierarchal position, the system will
attempt to navigate to an appropriate place to create a drawing, and
ask the user to confirm if necessary.
• Templates made from DRWG or DRTMPL are valid.
• The Selection of the Template is more visual.
• Once the drawing has been created, the user can then utilise the 3D
view to define the view contents. See below.
• New ‘Drawing’ creation and New ‘Drawing Sheet’ creation are
allowed.
• Default names or user names are allowed.
5.4 Section planes
The User can now create, edit and view section planes in a 3D model
window from within Draft, before adding these to a drawing view. This
makes it easier for the user to work with section planes, but does not
affect the existing working methods. It does improve the presentation of
section plane information and their effect on the drawing.
The Section Planes window is initiated from the 3D View window. It
enables the creation and editing of section planes, both simple and
stepped, and their associated clipping lists.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
5.5 Background processes
Certain PDMS commands may take a long time to complete. PDMS 11.6
introduces a background process manager (BPM) for managing the
UPDATE DESIGN command. This technology may be extended to other
processes in future releases of PDMS.
When the background process is updating a particular view, it is possible
for the user to edit another view on the same sheet. That is, there is no
contention between the foreground and background processes.
The BPM does NOT need to be active at the same time as the main
PDMS session. For example, the user can submit any number of
UPDATE DESIGN jobs and then exit before the BPM is started. The two
processes are completely independent so that the BPM can run
overnight, for example. However, once a BPM job has completed a
PDMS session must of course be started to refresh the updated element.
Picture files are not updated directly by the BPM.
5.6 AutoCAD integration with Final Designer
PDMS 11.6 will bring a new option for the final production of AutoCAD
drawings: first release is expected with the next service pack of PDMS
11.6. The new Final Designer product enables users to export their Draft
drawing sheets to AutoCAD with links to the Draft database maintained.
It is anticipated that users will continue to develop drawing sheets in
PDMS Draft and make use of the automation features: when a drawing
sheet is ready for final design it will be exported to AutoCAD.
An exported drawing sheet can be accessed through PDMS Draft by
navigating to the sheet and opening it. The sheet is displayed in an
AutoCAD session for viewing or further editing. Within AutoCAD, users
can add dimensions, labels, intelligent text and 2D primitives. Where
applicable, annotation can be attached to P-points or P-lines enabling the
annotation to be updated when the design graphics change.
If Design graphics change, they can be updated in the same way as
standard Draft views: the changes are shown on the AutoCAD sheet.
Creation, deletion and modification of annotation in AutoCAD are
communicated to PDMS Draft so that the database links are maintained,
however, full details of the definition are not communicated. This means
that, for annotation created or modified in AutoCAD, the AutoCAD sheet
stores the up-to-date definition.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
Automation features in PDMS Draft should continue to work on

AutoCAD sheets with the exception of any commands that require
interaction with the Draft picture file such as ID commands.
5.7 UNDO/REDO *sp1*
This is now available in DRAFT.

User Bulletin
6 Customisation
6.1 Application switching
The application switching mechanism in Design, Draft and Paragon has

been changed to remove the need to swap the main form when changing
application and to make it easier for the user to make additions to the
appware. An object provides more control over the display of forms in
different applications.
PML add-ins are available in PDMS 11.6.
An add-in can:
• appear as an application on the main PDMS menu bar;
• define menus and toolbars;
• add menu fields and toolbars to applications;
• remove menu fields from applications;
• cause functions to be run when starting or switching between
applications.
Each existing application is implemented as a PML add-in. It is
important to make a distinction between an add-in that defines an
application and other add-ins. An application appears on the
Applications menu and can be switched to, whereas an add-in simply
provides a means of adding functionality to the module.
Information on how a user may upgrade existing applications and define
PML add-ins and control form display/reloading can be found in the
PDMS Software Customisation Guide Chapter 24 – PML Add-ins.
6.2 Forms & Menus (PML) Enhancements
An improved Gadget Set for PDMS 11.6 provides:

• Docking forms in the PDMS Application Framework
• Definition of intelligent resizable forms
• Toolbar definition in the PDMS Application Framework
• Tabbed multi-page form definition
• User-defined menu field names

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
• Menu and menu bar editing enhancements

• Other miscellaneous enhancements.
1. DIALOG forms are floating by default, but may be declared docking.
Docking dialogs are necessarily resizable and can be docked to an edge
of the PDMS Application Framework. Docked dialogs can be specified
as docked, or can appear floating and then be docked interactively.
2. DOCUMENT forms are MDI children by default, and as such will be
constrained within the PDMS Application Framework MDI client
frame. However they may be interactively floated outside the MDI so
that they can be dragged off onto the second screen of a twin screen
installation. Similarly a floating dialog can be interactively ‘unfloated’,
i.e. once again constrained within the MDI frame.
3. The layout of resizable forms has been improved by exposing
WinForms properties Dock and Anchor on most F&M gadgets. In
particular, a frame gadget itself has Dock and Anchor properties, and
may own other frame gadgets. The gadget Dock and Anchor attributes
permit the definition of intelligent position and resize behaviour when
its container gadget resizes. The net effect is to allow multiple
resizable gadgets on a form and predictable and potentially complex
resize behaviour. Existing resize behaviour has been maintained.
4. The Frame gadget is now a genuine container for all gadgets defined
within its scope. This permits easy management of properties such as
visibility for all its children. It also supports various frame types,
which allow the definition of toolbars in Main forms and Tabbed Pages
within Dialogs and Documents.
5. Menu field names and Menu and Menu bar enhancements are
supported as a basis for menu editing for sub-applications and Add-ins.
• to support PML defined main menus for Add-ins
• to support PDMS core-code to take over main menus
• to support enhanced menu editing
• to support enhanced Bar-menu editing
5. Miscellaneous enhancements
• Every gadget has a VISIBLE property, which can be queried and
set via PML.
• Graphical view gadgets now have BACKGROUND and
HIGHLIGHT methods to query the view background and
highlight colours as colour-name strings.
• Previously only pix-mapped buttons supported toggle behaviour,
i.e. on/off state with visual differentiation: this has been
extended to allow toggle button behaviour for all buttons.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
6.3 Further PML (Forms & Menus) changes *sp1*
Further improvements to PML forms & menus capability for this service
pack are noted here: full details are given in the two PDMS Software
Customisation Manuals, which have been updated and expanded.
6.3.1 Gadget layout management

It is difficult to predict the extent of gadgets which have a displayed Tag
attribute, because the size depends on the particular tag string. This is
made worse for gadgets whose content is also defined by a string (or
strings) rather than by an explicit width and height specification, e.g.
TEXT, OPTION, RGROUP. Determining the width as the number of
characters in a string multiplied by the grid size (notional character size
for the font) is not satisfactory because typically a mostly lower case
string of 10 characters say, only occupies about 60-70% of the 10 X
notional character spaces. Thus it usually results in lots of blank space,
but for pictorial fonts, such as Korean and Japanese, where the
characters tend to be wide it may cause truncation or wrap-round of the
displayed string.
Tagwidth and ButtonWidth attributes

The introduction of an optional Tag width specification for TEXT,
OPTION, RGROUP and TOGGLE gadgets and ButtonWidth attribute for
RGROUP gives the user (and F&M) more control over the size of gadgets,
independent of any string content and is upwards compatible. This
allows the Appware writer the possibility of removing the unwanted
‘empty’ space in gadget tags and radio groups and greatly improves
alignment possibilities with other gadgets.
Relative Gadget Extent specification

Form layout syntax has been extended to allow gadget size specification
relative to the size of previously defined gadgets on the form. This
mechanism makes it easier to construct forms in which the widths and/or
heights of various gadgets need to be the same as one another.
The combination of tag width specification and gadget relative size
specification greatly improves the ability to produce predictable form
layouts. This is particularly important for the construction of intelligent
resizable forms, where the static layout must be correct, but may never
actually be seen because of resizing during the first display.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
Button Width and Height specification

New Button Width and Height specification allows the Appware writer to
remove the unwanted ‘empty’ space in Buttons and greatly improves
alignment possibilities with other gadgets.
New ‘No gadget auto-alignment’ property for Forms

Traditionally PML Forms have the notion of a set of linear gadgets,
namely BUTTON, TOGGLE, TEXT, OPTION, single line PARGRAPH
and horizontal RGROUP with no tag. These are gadgets which fit within
1 vertical grid unit, and which are pseudo-centre-aligned with each other
when displayed. This pseudo-alignment gives sensible layout for simple
forms for PATH RIGHT (the default) and PATH LEFT, but introduces
small errors in all other circumstances.
A new form setup keyword noalign has been introduced, which prevents
this (historical) gadget auto-alignment from happening. If proper centre-
alignment of gadgets is required for horizontal layout paths then the
VALIGN CENTRE command should be used, which applies accurately to
all gadget types.
This NoAlign setting is recommended when designing new PML forms.
6.3.2 Form enhancements

New QUIT callback
Forms now have a QUIT callback which allows intelligent support of the
Quit/Close icon on the title bar of forms and the main application
window.
6.3.3 New SLIDER gadget

This allows the interactive generation of an integer value in a specified
range (see the border controls on 3D views). Vertical and horizontal
sliders are supported.
6.3.4 New radio group facility

It has become apparent that quite a lot of Appware overlays the radio
group gadgets (RGROUP and the deprecated RADIO) with other gadgets
e.g. toggles, texts, buttons, options to allow qualification of the selected
option. The Customisation User Guide and Reference Manual warn
repeatedly that overlaying gadgets is bad practice and unpredictable, but
it is not possible to include other gadgets within an existing radio group
gadget. We have extended the Frame gadget to have a radio group

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
property, and introduced a new radio button gadget, the Rtoggle, which
can only be added to Frames. The totality of radio buttons defined within
the Frame will act as a radio group. Any other gadgets can be added to
the Frame in the normal way.
6.3.5 List gadget enhancements

Multi-selection list – new Start_Batch and Stop_Batch events
Multi-selection lists may now generate a batch of events. The meta-
events START and STOP are now raised to bracket the set of
UNSELECT and the set of SELECT meta-events. Any programmatic
modification to the list’s content or selections should only be made at the
STOP batch event.
New ADD methods for List and Selector gadgets

The methods ADD have been added to allow a single new entry to be
appended to the current set.
6.3.6 Option gadget enhancements

Scrolling of text within display field Option gadgets
The current value for a textual option gadget, shown within the display
field, can now be scrolled so that all of it can be seen. This enables users
to specify a gadget display width smaller than the drop-down list string
lengths.
New ADD methods for the Option gadget

The methods ADD have been added to allow a single new entry to be
appended to the Option gadget’s drop-down list.
6.3.7 Miscellaneous
New FMSYS method to load/get a Form by name
Allows force loading of form definition and/or the ability to get a form
object from its name.
New Modified event for Text gadgets

The Text gadget now supports a MODIFIED event (action string).

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
Control of RGROUP radio-button active status

The methods setActive have been added to allow control of the active
(greyed-in) status of individual radio buttons of the RGROUP gadget.
Query background colour name using the .Background() method.

Most gadgets now support this method.
‘SHOWN’ event for tabbed forms

For frames which are tabbed pages within a Tabset frame, F&M now
generates a ‘SHOWN’ event whenever the user interactively selects a
new tab. The event is only fired for tabbed page frames which have a
PMLOpen callback defined. This is so that we don’t upset the current use
of the frame as Rgroup SELECT event, which can be applicable to tabbed
pages but can be handled via a simple (non-Open) callback.
If you want to manage tabbed pages which also contain RToggles, then
you must supply an open callback so that you can differentiate the
SELECT (rtoggle) event and the (page) SHOWN event.
6.4 Internationalisation
Several improvements have been carried out to improve the availability

of local language support in PDMS. Further work is planned for future
releases, when the whole handling of local languages is due to be
updated in line with Windows standards including Unicode UTF8
character handling throughout.
At this stage, the languages supported are as PDMS 11.5: details are
given in the Installation guide. However, the new .NET GUI does work
in a slightly different manner, so some of the recommendations are now
more important.
Use of local languages is supported for use in PDMS names and text, but
not for PDMS word attributes – this affects things such as SKEY, PKEY,
COCO etc. – or for username or password. They are not recommended
for use in filenames: if used, macros are more likely to work if run using
this syntax: $M ‘<filename>’
rather than: $M /<filename>
6.5 Localisation
Many of the PDMS user interface gadgets are now defined using
Microsoft’s .NET, so they may be handled by some of the new tools.

User Bulletin
PML Enhancements
Localisation deals with customizing data and resources for a specific

culture or locale language. All .NET Add-ins (Explorer, Explorer
Settings, Reference List, DrawList, and My Data) are localizable in that
all text and context menu strings are defined in a binary resource file.
This file is called PDMSResources.resources and lives alongside
PDMSResources.dll i.e. the %PDMSEXE% directory. It is created from
the xml file PDMSResources.resx using the .Net utility RESGEN.
PDMSResources.resources is the default resource name. This is the
resource file that the .NET runtime will look for when running PDMS - if
there are no language-specific resource files available. If there is a
resource file that matches the current culture then PDMS will use this.
In order to customise the Add-ins the user can either modify the default
resource or create a resource file for the intended culture. For example,
to create a resource file for UK English culture (culture Name: en-GB)
copy the default resource file PDMSResources.resx to
PDMSResources.en-GB.resx and modify the copied file.

User Bulletin
7 Summary of non-upwards compatible PML
changes
Great effort has been made to maintain upwards compatibility between

the current and previous versions, while introducing major changes. The
following are known potentially non-upwards compatible changes.
7.1 Functional changes at 11.6
1. The button gadget method !button.val returns type Boolean rather

than type String. Note this is in line with the documented behaviour,
but is a change from the previous actual behaviour.
2. A menu can no longer be referenced from several different places in
the Main menu system, i.e. the menu bar hierarchy of a form. If users
have made use of this, they will need to duplicate the shared menus.
This should be restricted to the form definition and is essentially a
cut and paste job. An attempt to reference a menu more than once
will cause an error alert to be raised.
3. The restriction on the Shortcut menu system is that a given menu
can be called from different shortcut trees, but cannot be used more
than once in a single shortcut tree. Infringing this will cause an error
alert to be raised.
4. A menu cannot now be used both as a Shortcut menu and as a Main
menu. If users have made use of this, they will need to duplicate the
shared menus. Infringing this will cause an error alert to be raised.
Remember the recommendation to set the menu usage mode of all
shortcut menus to ‘POPUP’.
5. We have removed the unpublished menu and menu bar Marker field
facility. The Marker is an invisible field which acts as a reference
point for the Clear methods of Bar and Menu. If this facility has been
used then it should be replaced by use of the named menu fields and
the Menu and Bar editing enhancements.
6. The ability to assign a user defined Shortcut menu to the TEXT
gadget has been withdrawn, because it clashes with the default ‘Edit’
shortcut which allows standard cut, copy and paste actions on the
text field.

User Bulletin
Software Change Requests
7.2 Layout changes at 11.6
The spacing between radio buttons within the RGROUP gadget must
now be set explicitly rather than being derived from the VDIST and
HDIST setting in operation at the point of definition.
We have switched to using variably spaced fonts to improve the overall
appearance of the user interface. This has produced various layout
changes, because the form co-ordinate grid size is determined by the
‘nominal’ character size for the font. The actual size of a given character
is rarely equal to this nominal size. Most lower case characters are
smaller than the nominal size (a, e, i, o, u, j, l, p etc.) whilst a few lower
case characters, numerics and upper case characters are often bigger
than the nominal size (m, W, M, K, 2, 3 etc.). In particular the space
character may well be relatively small. These relationships also differ for
different font families. Thus, for a string of, say, 10 characters, the actual
display length is generally shorter than 10 grid spaces, but may be longer
if most of the character are Big (i.e. larger than the font nominal size).
This has a number of repercussions:
1. The 'Width' specification for a gadget is the number of grid units
assigned to the gadget, not the number of characters that it can hold.
Often the gadget will be able to accommodate more characters than
‘width’, but if the characters are all Big then it will accommodate
fewer than ‘width’. Some adjustment may be needed to existing
Appware to reflect this change.
2. A similar situation exists for gadget Tag text. The space assigned for
the tag text is determined as (number of tag characters multiplied by
the grid unit size), not by the actual size of the tag string. This
supports the use of padding tags with trailing spaces to achieve left
alignment of a column of gadgets, i.e. all the gadgets to be aligned
should be given tags with the same number of characters in their tag
texts. For existing Appware, there may be a few cases where gadget
tags have a high proportion of Big characters, and additional trailing
spaces will need to be added to prevent tht displayed tag being
truncated or wrapping round.
3. A similar situation exists for paragraph gadgets whose width is set by
the ‘Text’ keyword, e.g. para .p1 Text|WAM|. In this example it is
probable that an extra trailing space will need to be added to the
string to prevent truncation.
4. The form title no longer contributes to the extent of the form, so forms
with long titles may now be shorter.
5. The menu bar size calculation is factored down because menu fields
tend to have few upper case and numeric characters. The menu bar
contributes to the form extent, so forms with long menu bars may now
be shorter. For dialog forms with a menu bar only and no gadgets, it
is recommended to declare the form ‘Resizable’ if possible, or to pre-

User Bulletin
specify its minimum size to ensure that all the menu bar fields
actually appear.
7.3 Functional changes *sp1*
7.3.1 Multi-selection list – Extra Start and Stop meta-events.

At PDMS11.6 we introduced support for Extended Selection Mode for
multi-selection lists, whereby CTRL and SHFT keys can qualify the list
selection. As a result a whole set of UNSELECT events followed by a
whole set of SELECT events can result from a single (atomic) user action.
These events are presented in sequence, but Appware cannot tell where
the sequence starts or ends.
At PDMS11.6, problems may arise if a multi-selection list is
programmatically changed during the list callback. Modifying the list
content or its selection during the sequence can cause unexpected results
or even software crashes.
At PDMS11.6Sp1 we nave introduced new START and STOP batch
actions to bracket the sequence of UNSELECT and SELECT event
actions.
For maximum upwards compatibility, the START and STOP batch
actions are only notified to PML if the user has assigned an open
callback, since this is the only way that different event types (actions)
can be differentiated. Please see the PDMS Software Customisation
manuals for more information.
Appware which used simple callbacks and worked at PDMS11.6 will
continue to work because START and STOP events will not be notified to
it.
Appware which used open callbacks and worked at PDMS11.6 will
continue to work if the SELECT and UNSELECT meta-events were
explicitly differentiated in the callback, as shown below, because the new
START and STOP events will be ignored.
Define method .listSelectionChanged( !list is GADGET, !action is STRING )

...
if( !action eq ‘SELECT’ ) then
...
elseif( !action eq ‘UNSELECT’ then
...
endif
...
endmethod

User Bulletin
If you experience a change in behaviour, then you may need to rewrite

your callback to explicitly handle the new START and STOP events and
modify the list content or its selection only on receiving the STOP event
action.
For newly written Appware we strongly advise the use of open callbacks
to service multi-selection list gadgets!
7.4 Layout changes *sp1*
The following changes may well not be apparent for most forms which
have been defined by relative gadget placement (as recommended)
• The start position for an OPTION gadget has moved left by 1 grid
unit.
• The width of an OPTION gadget with unspecified width and
content has decreased.
• The extent of a TEXT gadget with no tag has decreased by 1 grid
unit.
• The extent of an RGROUP gadget set by a long title (rather than
by the size of its included buttons) has decreased.

User Bulletin
8 Product Faults and User Requests
8.1 Known faults and Outstanding Issues
8.1.1 Windows fault – correction available

ToolTips may not work properly, on computers with accelerated OpenGL
video adapter drivers, after starting PDMS 11.6. This is due to a fault in
Windows XP which is corrected in Service Pack 2: see
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=814135 and
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=811113.
8.1.2 Windows faults – file locking

There are faults in some versions of Windows related to file locking,
which is used for PDMS databases. These typically manifest themselves
as ‘MCD errors’ or a PDMS session ‘hanging’. Hotfixes are available from
Microsoft for some versions of Windows and they are corrected in the
latest service pack of Windows XP.
Full details and the latest advice are given on the PDMS support pages
on the Internet.
8.1.3 Windows incompatibility

Microsoft has issued a ‘Security update 886904 is for the .NET
Framework 1.1’ for Windows 2000 and XP that appears to be
incompatible with PDMS. PDMS Design and other modules fail to
initialise and give a series of errors, starting with:
System.InvalidOperationException: Unable to generate a temporary class (result=1).
The version of .NET included on the PDMS CD-ROM does not suffer from
this problem. The solution is to uninstall the patch and reboot, after
which PDMS should start normally.

User Bulletin
8.1.4 PDMS faults & limitations – corrections planned in future

Unless otherwise indicated, the following faults will be corrected, if
possible, by the time of the next service pack.
Reference Description Module

Although use of international languages has been General
improved for PDMS 11.6 & 11.6.sp1, there are
still various issues to be addressed in PDMS 12.
(1533) PDMS cannot, in general, handle spaces in file General
names or directories. This is due to the way in
which its commands are processed and cannot
easily be resolved, without some incompatibility.
Changes are being considered for PDMS 12.
(3777) Centreline length output to file is incorrect in Isodraft
Imperial (English) units.
HPD 23332 POHEDRON does not Export to Review correctly. Design
(4127)
(4366) The extract control form did not handle deleted General
sites correctly and cannot delete a site if one or
more sites are controlled by a DAC.
(4509) The Equipment application Option list selections Design
(4510) are not handled correctly. Planned for PDMS 12.
(4700) When using two docking forms, for example pipe GUI
component creation and pipe creation, both open
and tabbed together, it can happen that pressing
a button on one will activate the other.
HPD 24740 A misleading error message can be caused by Design
(4759) DAC rules. This is because the command “BY E 0
mm” is used to test for write access.
(4863) Under some circumstances, the General Model Design
Editor handle is incorrectly used in place of the
Pipe Component Modification handle. Planned for
PDMS 12.
(5087) The use of proportional fonts makes some screen General
reports difficult to read: they will be changed to
use columns.

User Bulletin

(5285) Member elements are not always correctly moved Design
when a PNODE is moved or rotated.
Improvements have been made to positioning but
rotation is still not correct. Planned for PDMS 12.
HPD 28284 PDMS sometimes runs slowly when using a thin Design (and
(6989) client implementation. This is being investigated elsewhere)
but can be improved by placing PMLLIB on each
client.
HPD 28541 Support (trunnion) dimension on elbow shows cut Isodraft
(7034) length rather than distance to elbow’s P0. This
could be confusing for the Fabrication Shop.

User Bulletin
8.2 Faults corrected and minor enhancements
This section briefly describes some of the most significant corrections and
improvements since PDMS 11.5 but not necessarily documented
elsewhere. Many of these will have been back-ported to earlier releases:
where this information was available at the time of writing, this is noted.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive: many other minor corrections
have been made. Users responsible for raising specific Software Change
Requests (SCRs) resulting in changes to PDMS should already have been
notified individually.
N.B. References in (brackets) are AVEVA internal numbers.
Reference Description First

Released
HPD 17392 Performance improvements on entering Design. Design
HPD 17432 11.5.0.1
HPD 15676 Corrected setting of back references on CRFAs.
Full Service See User Bulletin for details: PDMS
pack • Updated AISC steel profiles catalogue to 11.5.sp1
Version 3.01.
• Admin MDB Form performance enhancements
• DABACON default buffer size increased
• Nominal BDIA and BLEN for Bolts and
Hangers
• Units option for height input to SPECON
• Upwards of 50 minor improvements & fault
corrections
HPD 14056 A set of gridlines (modelled by SCTNs with null Draft
SPREF) was drawn if the only content of a View 11.5.sp1
but could disappear when other Design items
were added.
HPD 18376 Selection of a SCTN and then Goto>SPREF from Design
the members form used to navigate using the 11.5.sp1
SPREF NAME rather than the SPREF reference.
This caused incorrect navigation in the unusual
case of multiple SPREFs with the same name in
the MDB – this is now corrected.

User Bulletin

Released
HPD 18378 Corrected a spurious error condition when Design
deleting members of a ZONE, when DACS are on, 11.5.sp1
using Delete>Members >All.
HPD 21137 The numbering of spool drawings that did not Spooler
(3701) start at a GASK or FLAN has been corrected. 11.5.SP1.1
This could lead to unset BOLTPARTNUMBERS. Isodraft
11.5.SP1.2
HPD 18208 Ability to add MTOLENGTH on a case by case Design
basis 11.5.sp1.3
Isodraft
11.5.sp1.3
HPD 20676 Wireline representation was faint with some Design
(3683) graphics cards. This has been resolved by making 11.5.sp1.4
anti-aliasing (introduced at PDMS 11.5) optional.
It is now off by default but can be turned on by
setting the environment variable
SGL_ANTIALIAS=ON
HPD 16464 No longer leaves phantom users in DARS and DARs
HPD 15743 design 11.5.sp1.5
HPD 22854 Upgrading a project directly from 11.2 did not set Admin
(3883) the database extract number 11.5.sp1.6
HPD 21916 Flanges on the upstream and downstream side of Spooler
HPD 22215 a component with MTOC and MTOT attribute set 11.5.SP1.7
HPD 22899 to DOTU or DOTD are no longer flipped. Isodraft
HPD 22729 Flanged tees in the material list with the same 11.5.SP1.7
code and bores had different entries in the Isodraw
material list but only one part number on the 11.5.SP1.7
isometric
HPD 21274 Weld Bores were not shown as Nominal Bores on
the weld table when using Imperial Bores.
HPD 22017 Spooler part numbering now checks LOFF to
(3938) ensure that OLETs do not split implied tube into
2 parts.
HPD 22534 When the "MTOC" attribute is set to DOTD on Isodraw
flanges, the bolt item was still created in 11.5.SP1.8
"COMPIPE”" export file, even though it was not
shown on the isometric drawing

User Bulletin

Released
HPD 23077 Corrected wrong dimension (OLET – TEE) if a Isodraw
Text ATTA and a WELD have the same position 11.5.SP1.9
and an OLET is the previous fitting.
HPD 23143 Panels & Plates application amended to create a Design
(4011) single penetration for a section through a panel 11.5.SP1.10
correctly.
HPD 18109 Corrected fault in restoring display from binary Design
dump files. 11.5.SP1.11
HPD 23699 Enhanced drawlist query (for MDS).
HPD 23868 Tapered SCTNs with SPREF containing SREC Design
HPD 21581 geometry were drawn prematurely shortened if 11.5.SP1.12
the tapering was more than around half the
original size.
HPD 23772 Desclash now correctly records long names for its
(4190) clash reports.
HPD 23891 Corrected Desclash failure with a very large
obstruction ( >20M in X, Y, Z axis)
HPD 24237 Partnumber now 0 for bend with SKEY TB*D Design
HPD 23756 Bolts now correctly reported at out of spec valve 11.5.SP1.13
(4249) to nozzle (no gasket) connection
Draft
HPD 24305 Corrected transformation applied to the graphics
of OLAY elements when these were defined by 11.5.SP1.13
external plotfile - potentially affected DXF &
Isodraft
DGN file export from DRAFT.
11.5.SP1.13
(4353) Pseudo attribute DACMOD did not work when
used within a collection
HPD 24095 Corrected operation of extracts: it previously Design
HPD 24526 caused a DICE check to give the message: 11.5.SP1.14
“Element n has an inconsistent entry in the name Draft
table. Name exists in the table but a different 11.5.SP1.14
name exists on the element.”
Admin
This was caused by renaming an element in an
11.5.SP1.14
extract, creating another element with the
original name and then flushing or issuing the
renamed element.
Global Extract Flush/Issue/Release used to lead to
HPD 23649 inconsistent errors due to only part of a command
being executed when the local daemon was not

User Bulletin

Released
running. PDMS did the child extract action, but
the parent extract action was lost. Following
Flush/Issue commands failed with a 613; Releases
had inconsistent claimlists resulting in error
messages:
”Element n needs clearing from extract from
claimlist in parent extract.”
”Element n needs to be marked in parent extract,
as being claimed to this extract in parent extract”
”Element n is claimed to extract n, not a child”
”The child part of the extract is now undone if the
local daemon is not running. The command will
have to be resubmitted once the daemon is back
up.”
HPD 24817 DICE reported a corruption where an element Design
was not registered in its owners member list: 11.5.SP1.15
Element =n/n is not in the member's list of its
owner =n/n Draft
For example, this sequence: 11.5.SP1.15
In Master
Create /PIPE1 Admin
Create /BRAN 11.5.SP1.15
In Extract
Create /PIPE2
Move /BRAN to /PIPE2
Flush /BRAN
Meant that /BRAN was not in the member list of
/PIPE2.
DICE can now patch this fault.
HPD 20482 Axes and element name (Query>AXES option) are Design
HPD 22731 now correctly displayed on the graphical view, 11.5.SP1.16
(3834) even when clipping is turned on.
HPD 24054
HPD 25141
HPD 23330 Print view distorts the view on the printer
HPD 24636 Updating or checking numbering of a SPLDRG
(4709) results in termination with DB error 41
HPD 23773 Amended relative movement form when used Design

User Bulletin

Released
HPD 25939 WRT element itself. 11.5.SP1.17
(4756) Isodraft
HPD 25723 Position Explicit (AT) with LOAP gave the 11.5.SP1.17
following incorrect error message:
(2,211) Attribute ORI cannot be evaluated for
LOAPOINT /1210-10-1/ANCHOR - max.level of
nesting exceeded'
HPD 25083 Q P1 BOLT TOTAL did not work with one branch
with a flange connected to PTAIL and a second
branch connected to the first. The second branch
had a gasket and flange connected to PHEAD.
HPD 25860 Choose form did not output HEIGHT values with
the correct units
HPD 25563 Selection of Tee with ARRIVE 3(!) and LEAVE 1
or 2 sometimes incorrectly gave error message:
(61,164) SPEC does not contain elements
matching given criteria.
(3123) Database 'Marks' are now cleared by GETWORK 11.6.sp2
HPD 22229 Global Extract ranges could not be applied using Admin 11.6
the GUI.
HPD 26241 Corrected Expunge User Process form: the date
was incorrect for most of the entries.
HPD 15174 Corrected occasional WIGWAM Primitive Group Draft 11.6
overflow (error 21) typically on company logos
composed of 1000s of STRAs. (SKE ORIG ALL IN
gid or SKE POIN ALL IN gid).
HPD 20154 RENAME text gadget on COPY form now works
correctly with or without the / preceding the
name.
HPD 22250 #PROJ^DESC corrected for Global projects.
HPD 24115 DATE field now correct when creating e a DRWG
from a TEMPLATE.
(4153) Code words such a #P^POS & #PK^POSS did not
work for TEXPs of VNOTs.
HPD 26286 Customer specific set-up file for configured DXF-
output did not correctly set up DRAFT Utilities >
DXFout > Configured.

User Bulletin

Released
HPD 11795 The Export of some panels to Review was Design 11.6
incorrect, so they appeared black. This was due
to an incorrect calculation of the normal to the
end surface of extrusions, which now always point
outwards.
HPD 14470 List Gadgets now correctly grey out when
inactive.
HPD 18365 Q MTBE or Q BRCOG used to crash with
DABACON 18 error when the CE was implied
tube of hanger.
HPD 19125 3DView.shaded boolean now returns correct value
HPD 22572 Copy with Offset form failed to display if it had
(4013) been used to refer to a deleted element: it now
defaults to /*.
HPD 23149 Error fixed that caused syntax error when
modifying the position line or joint line of a joint
(MODIFY>JOINTS>POSITION LINE).
HPD 24304 Macro error corrected for Modify>Joints>Joint
Like.
HPD 24504 Corrected macro error for
ModifyÆSectionsÆMerge and then selecting
“Sections in List”.
HPD 25367 Trying to modify the position line of a fitting on a
section gave syntax errors in line 119 of Macro
%PDMSUI%/DES/CLIB/GPLINE
HPD 25368 Tidy Gtypes macro on SCTN’s with template
fittings gave errors:
(2,752) Array element 7 does not exist
In line 49 of Macro
%PDMSUI%/DES/STLWRK/MSETGTYPE
HPD 26863 A steelwork joint with an associated plotfile but
no editable properties now correctly displays the
plot.
HPD 18490 Error removing weld symbol from FLANGE when Isodraft
P-point 2 PSKEY set to PLAIN. 11.6
HPD 24072 Incorrect continuation nozzles no longer drawn
when using FTUBS
HPD 25430 ISODRAFT now handles explicitly set BTHK

User Bulletin

Released
(5508) values of BLTPs of BTSE for wafer components.
HPD 26118 Using universal keys caused a splash fatal error
in certain cases.
HPD 26213 Redefinition of Spec Break ATEXT caused
information to be missed off drawing.
HPD 26562 See Remedy call for details. Isometrics with no
material list had incorrect spool numbers with
Spool Number PREFIX ‘*K’
HPD 15643 EXTRACT CLAIM LATEST gets the latest General
(2985) claimlist for all writable DBs. This entails going
through a share lock on each DB.
For large projects this can be time-consuming so
the syntax has been extended to allow:
‘EXTRACT CLAIM LATEST DB <dbname>/ALL’
and allow specific db to be given.
In ADMIN it is no longer permitted to say just
‘EXTRACT CLAIM LATEST’ – specifying a db is
compulsory. Elsewhere it is optional.
HPD 14636 Improved performance when merging large General
(3399) number of sessions.
HPD 18268 OUTPUT now correctly adds quotes when an Paragon

(3402) STEX string begins with ‘(’ .
(3413) Increased the max insulation thickness from 150 Design
to 300mm.
HPD 18402 Now handles a user doing PARTNO CREATE CE Spooler

(3420) when another user has just created the spool
drawing & still has it claimed.
HPD 18641 The following pseudo attributes may not be used Design
(3431) in catalogue expressions:
ATLE, LTLE, AGRD, LGRD, FITLEN, MTLE,
STLE, STAP & MTCL.
Use of ATLE previously caused a crash in Design
when the item using such a ppoint was drawn.
HPD 18874 CONN PH to P4 of /PAD4 now correctly sets Design
(3464) CRFA of /PAD4 if initially unset.

User Bulletin

Released
(3520) Element with duplicated names in two extracts of Design 11.6
the same database caused problems on flushing
back to the parent database.
HPD 18959 Data listings are now always output in ‘forwards’ Design
(3529) mode: previously numbering could get confused.
HPD 14758 Resolved a problem with Report formatting with Design
HPD 16772 subtotalling. If a value results from several values
(3541) being subtotalled, then it no longer appears on a
new line in the report.
HPD 20176 Modify>Sub Equipment Origin>ID Point now Design
(3628) clears the SUBE name is after the user accepts
the location of new origin point.
HPD 20222 Text strings in DXF output are no longer limited Draft
(3648) to 128 chars, as expanded text from DRAFT can
be up to 180 chars.
HPD 20167 UDAs with non alpha names now work in PML2 General
(3651) expressions, e.g.
!XX = !!CE.:UDA-LIST
HPD 19946 The ACBORE on a CMPD is no longer treated as Propcon
(3653) a nominal bore, so when set to 38.14 it is not
changed to 40!
HPD 20364 Query !!ce.inth now returns ZERO (0) were Design
(3660) insulation is unset for a component.
HPD 20798 Q BRWEI no longer crashes if the CE is a pipe Design

(3682) which owns restraints.
HPD 20968 !X = !!CE.PTCDIR now works correctly. General
(3699)
HPD 21379 RESELECT now works for tees & reducers Design
(3724)
HPD 21328 Data output command no uses a greater precision Design
(3809) (1/8192”) with FINCH DIST.
HPD 22751 PDMS no longer crashes when the Explorer “ADD Design
(3837) CONNECTED” option is used with the connected
branch deleted.
HPD 23033 Several improvements have been made to the Design

User Bulletin

Released
HPD 23039 behaviour when creating and modifying ring
(4008) GENSECS, using the Create Ring and Modify
(4009) Section (Ring) forms.
HPD 23041 Deletion of CURVE element of SPINE using Design
(4010) Modify Section (Curve) form produces error
message and does not complete deletion.
If a CURVE element is deleted using the Delete
button on the Modify Section (Curved) form an
error message is displayed, see attachment, and
the deletion is not carried out.
HPD 22577 If you set the frame of reference to the SCTN that Design
(4012) you are trying to move, the resulting position is
no longer incorrect (by a long way!)
(4033) A number of improvements have been made to General
SP1 to ensure that a list, option gadget and
textbox with the same width specified in the form
definition now have the same overall width.
Many other improvements have been made to
forms & menus layout, visibility etc.
(4062) With 2D views, the ‘arrow’ keys seem to be locked GUI
to the horizontal scroll bars and do not work
properly.
HPD 23467 Lists/Collections form, using Add>Selection… General
(4084) ALL types no longer outputs a syntax error.
HPD 23523 Dice can now patch the case where elements have Admin
(4106) been lost from the member list of their owners.
HPD 23609 Error D800 is now included in the Design Ref pt 4 Design
(4117) manual.
(4186) Dice now outputs highest session number. Dice 11.6
HPD 23891 Clashes are no longer missed when a very large Design
(4206) object is checked against a small obstruction item.
(4300) Dice no longer crashes on corrupt database Dice 11.6
HPD 24095 Out of sync name tables (possibly caused by a bug Admin 11.6
HPD 24526 in extract flush) are now patched by Dice.
11.5.sp1
(4408/4410)

User Bulletin

Released
(4430) Problem opening these other Databases will no Admin 11.6
longer cause DICE to fall over.
(4433) MODE FULL and MAXERROR of 0 are now the
default settings on entry to Admin.
HPD 24237 There is now no Partnumber for bend with SKEY Design
(4346) TB*D
(4474) Correct precision now displayed in GUI for Draft

imperial units.
HPD 24998 Options>Modify form: Select Component Tags… Isodraft
(4543) now includes FILT.
(4568) The ‘Head’ and ‘Tail’ type markers do not resize Design
during an ‘align with feature’ operation when the
view is zoomed in.
(4471) The View manipulation for the Draft 3D View Draft
window has been improved for SP1.
HPD 19944 Amended unwanted clipping when rotating the Design

HPD 18705 view around an element.
HPD 24431
(4757)
HPD 24648 When adding Routing Planes as a constraint to a Router
(4760) branch, the form in Design now shows all the
RPLA’s in the MDB, not just the current
database.
HPD 24557 Global Stand alone Project creation using the Admin
HPD 24531 upgrade option adds unnecessary lines in inmacro
(4761) that creates a loss of catalogue references: the last
section must be removed for it to work correctly.
HPD 25281 Modification of ACR GROUPS using the Admin
(4783) application has been amended.
HPD 25293 MicroStation (.DGN) files have been corrected to Draft
(4804) enable DGN file export.
HPD 22623 The case of an unset filename for File on the Design
(4819) DATACON form is now handled better.
HPD 25357 Corrected an error causing some primitives of a Design
(4874) catalog component to be omitted from the display.

User Bulletin

Released
(SGL errors were also output)
HPD 24880 The Utilities>Pipe penetration application no Design
(4908) longer leaves the aid axes behind.
HPD 20192 The Create Extrusion form no longer creates two Design
(4918) slashes (//).
HPD 25539 The Nozzle Specification (FNOZZPEC) form has Design
(4919) been amended.
(4926) Corrected a problem on entry to PDMS with Monitor
Korean mdb name. 11.6
(4933) Query>Project>DBs now gives correct details for Admin
those with Korean names.
(4980) Resolved a problem merging Extract Databases Admin 11.6
containing sessions that point to a base session in
the owner. Previously an error meant that
running Dice on the Child Extract gave a Bad
Block FATAL error, with the rest of the database
not being checked.
HPD 25083 Error in bolt querying corrected. Design
(4994) Q P1 BOLT TOTAL did not always work correctly
with branches connected together.
(5015) UNDO now works more reliably with the model Design
editor handle position.
(5016) Corrected an error with Project form for project Admin
descriptions containing Korean characters.
HPD 25602 An error causing memory to ‘leak’ in PML (TCTL) Design
(5020) has been corrected.
(5035) The Reselect command is now available outside Design
the model editor from SP1.
(5154) With a sheet consisting of more than one view, Draft
the preview for offset section planes is not clear.
HPD 25723 Position>Explicit (At) Form corrected when used
(5208) with loadpoint LOAP.
The following error message used to appear:
(2,211) Attribute ORI cannot be evaluated for

User Bulletin

Released
LOAPOINT /1210-10-1/ANCHOR – max.level of
nesting exceeded.
(5212) An AREADE element containing an ABOX does Design
not correctly copy – it fails to copy the ABOX and
gives a misleading error message.
HPD 25563 Resolved a problem with selection with a TEE
(5228) with ARRIVE 3(!) and LEAVE 1 or 2, using the
syntax:
!Select = SELECT LSTUBE WITH SHOP TRUE
(5284) A docking form that is undocked will not show GUI
ToolTips on pixmap buttons.
(5370) Can now save the Define Purpose file using the Design
SaveAs option.
HPD 26241 Correct dates now shown on the Expunge User Admin
(5382) Process form.
HPD 22229 When setting the Global Extract range for an (Global)
(5384) uninitialised location, the user is asked if he Admin
wants to initialise the location. A ‘No’ answer is
now handled correctly.
(5387) The list gadget allows data as strings to be added General
as columns separated by a TAB character. The
expression object used for columns, tables and
report objects at SP1 allows the tab character to
be used so that the data can be added directly to a
list from a table/report.
(5427) Some PDMS blocking forms prevent the user from General
(5428) accessing other applications, including MS Office
etc.
(5459) If the ADMIN/PADD DB is deferred when the Draft
user tries to display the 3D View window, Draft
would crash with Dabacon 41 error. This is
handled properly in SP1.
(5550) The ‘+’ and ‘-‘ keys have been implemented in SP1 Design
such that ‘+’ increases the offset or clearance from
the plane defined by the feature, ‘-‘ decreases this
value.

User Bulletin

Released
(5555) An error when producing Check ISO’s of unnamed Design
spool elements has been corrected.
(5559) Correction of an error causing the message General
“(2,751) Variable !!REALFMT does not exist”
when querying attributes.
(5613) Certain changes are treated incorrectly during Admin
reconfiguration of extracts
(5625) Direction of movement of a component at the tail Design
of the branch using the GUI has been corrected.
(5698) Resolved a problem when flushing any element General
would result in a Dabacon 534 error.
HPD26626 The default value DPRO is now used to evaluate a Design
(5704) text property. It is used for the real equivalent
RPROP.
HPD 27087 A correction has been made to avoid an incorrect
(5716) message:
(99,532) Undefined UDA name
when using long uda names.
(5719) Form now tracks the problem item on the Data Design
Consistency Form.
HPD 27082 Correction to allow concatenation of a method to a General
UDA value.
(5726)
(3287) DICE now increments the session when it patches Dice 11.6.0
a database, thus ensuring that Global correctly
recognises and distributes any necessary changes,
including claim lists.
(5791) Invalid entries in name tables (i.e. invalid Dice
references) are now corrected if possible.
(5793) A partial flush will now ignore any invalid table General
attributes and carry on.

User Bulletin
8.3 Faults corrected and minor enhancements *sp1*
Please note that this list is not complete: many corrections were made to faults
discovered during internal testing and early evaluation. Some of these may also
have been back-ported to earlier releases.

HPD 23235 The axis is no longer left the object being Design
(4130) created/modified after leaving the HVAC 11.6.sp1
application.
HPD 25543 Export does not export leave rod from hangers. Design
(5051) 11.6.sp1
HPD 26315 Wigwam overflow crashes with a very large Draft
(5406) number of EXTRUsions or error messages, e.g. 11.6.sp1
HPD 26936 Error 21s (Primitive Group too long) from
(5680) GOPPLN, when drawing large models created
using ImPLANT. Existing checks need to be
extended. Splitting or simplifying the model will
usually help.
HPD 26447 Connect button is no longer greyed out to prevent Design
(5477) connection of ph to first mem after it was 11.6.sp1
connected to a PT.
HPD 26802 Creation of a component starting from the tail of Design
(5625) the branch with a spool between the TAIL and 11.6.sp1
the component now goes in the correct direction.
HPD 26863 A steelwork joint with an associated plotfile but Design
(5634) no editable properties will no longer have the 11.6.sp1
plotfile button greyed out on the Joint Spec form.
HPD 22396 Corrected a possible SPLASH crash for GLAB (& Draft
(5725) probably SLAB) with invalid DDNM when 11.6.sp1
repositioning using command AT @.
HPD 27043 Text evaluation of a selection now adds brackets General
(5732) around a VTEXT variable. 11.6.sp1
HPD 19575 Modify>Component>Connection Ref. now works Design
(5754) correctly for a CROS. 11.6.sp1
HPD 23235 The axis is no longer left at the object being Design
created or modified after leaving the HVAC

User Bulletin

(4130) application 11.6.sp1
HPD 19243 Access control methods are now properly invoked Draft
(5756) before creating a ADDE/REME element, ensuring 11.6.sp1
that the ADD command does not create a new
ADDE under an IDLI when it is not claimed.
HPD 27197 Component selection form no longer shows an Design
(5747) error if component is in LIMBOSPEC 11.6.sp1
HPD 19602 Settings>Storage Areas option Create>Level Design
(5752) brings up the buildings level form: this now 11.6.sp1
works better if the Apply button is used without
giving a name.
HPD 19630 A PML error caused by deletion of the PLOO Design
(5763) element of a rectangular panel has been 11.6.sp1
corrected.
HPD 27430 Resolved problem of losing the temporary Draft
(5775) graphics after popping up the modify labels menu 11.6.sp1
if the cursor is off the graphics window.
HPD 26914 Corrected quantity for bolt material if there are Isodraft
HPD 27671 more than 100 bolts in one flanged connection. 11.6.sp1
(5780)
HPD 27469 Corrected a calculator error when using Delete Design
(5800) range of piping components button in imperial 11.6.sp1
units.
HPD 27468 A correction has been made for mixed pipe bore Design
(5801) handling when using Quick Pipe Router. 11.6.sp1
HPD 27553) Datal output for "BACK" now correctly outputs Draft
(5764/5809) certain ‘cascaded’ attributes such as SIZE, XYPS 11.6.sp1
if they are set.
HPD 27472 Improved equality check for two PML variables of General
(5811) data type BORE. This means that components 11.6.sp1
HPD 27766 will be correctly matched.
(6697)
HPD 27191 Member .detail of AVEVA object GPHPOSITION Design
(5817) corrected to work with Imperial FINCH units. 11.6.sp1
HPD 27893 Plotfiles in tabbed frames no longer make PDMS Design
(6707) crash or hang. 11.6.sp1

User Bulletin
HPD 27884 It is no longer necessary to set dock or anchor for Design

(6708) tabbed frames to create a scrollbar, as they are 11.6.sp1
now treated as Dock Fill.
HPD 27883 It is now possible to give tabbed frames tags after Design
(6709) they have been created. 11.6.sp1
HPD 27882 It is now possible to make tabbed frames Design
(6710) invisible. 11.6.sp1
HPD 27946 Branch weight of first tubi now gives correct Design
(6729) weight. 11.6.sp1
HPD 27956 comPropData.pmlobj corrected for nozzles Design
(6734) 11.6.sp1
HPD 27987 Unhandled Exception error message is no longer Monitor,
(4422) when Auto-hide option is used on the Command Admin
(6741) Line.
HPD 27623 PDMS will no longer crash when checking pipe Design
(6763) with missing references on hangers. 11.6.sp1
HPD 16869 Correction for tube weights in material list. Isodraft
(6774) 11.6.sp1
HPD 28142 If PML discovers an incomplete DO loop on an General
(6786) ENDMETHOD, it now issues an error message 11.6.sp1
as well as tidying up.
HPD 28030 Picking of REST/HANG elements now works Design
(6829) correctly when representation for insulation is 11.6.sp1
set to translucent.
HPD 28292 Corrected a problem closing sheet, after a Draft
(6834) deletion. This led to an error messages 11.6.sp1
(2,109) Undefined name
and afterwards
(47,15) CP: Syntax error
for any activity.
HPD 28331 Components created using the new component Design
(6840) creation form will no longer always have the 11.6.sp1
SHOP set to FALSE, regardless of the spec.
HPD 28434 Improved visibility of Zoom box on plot view. Isodraft
(6875) 11.6.sp1
HPD 28280 Setting obstruction to anything but OFF no Design
(6879) longer makes all the steel section disappear. 11.6.sp1

User Bulletin
HPD 28394 Correction to allow the steelwork joints on the Draft

(6886) MTO. 11.6.sp1
HPD 28478 Corrected an error when LOCKing the WORLD! Draft
(6893) No longer gives a Runtime error with the error 11.6.sp1
message 'Unhandled Database Error 10 from
DGOTO, invalid external reference'
HPD 28515 Moving a branch no longer navigates to a Design
(6906) different element. 11.6.sp1
HPD 28528 PRESSURE and TEMP are not showing on the Isodraft
(6923) iso properly; they are being converted with the 11.6.sp1
UNIT (showing as FEET and INCHES).
HPD 28407 Improved the speed of GETWORK in Draft. Draft
(3525/6924) 11.6.sp1
HPD 28587 Resolved text problems with Cyrillic fonts in DXF Draft
(6925) output. 11.6.sp1
HPD 23469 Corrected an error in the description for 1" 90deg 11.6.sp1
(6972) elbows.
HPD 23470 Corrected various problems with Spec Breaks: Isodraft
(6973) 1. At some breaks no break marker boxes were 11.6.sp1
shown.
2. Only one marker box was shown at CONT.ON
(REC -30).
3. Marker for a single spec instrument was
missed out.
4. In some cases, the lines for the positioning
were too long.
HPD 28468 Corrected a problem with the component mouse Design
(6990) pointer when using modify mode to rotate or 11.6.sp1
move a piping component.
HPD 28583 The case where a JOIS or JOIE attribute on a Design
(6993) SCTN element was an invalid ref (as correctly 11.6.sp1
noted by DICE) was not being handled by
CHECK (Datacon). This situation is now trapped,
and an error 'Structural Geometry Error - JOIS
(/JOIE) reference invalid' will be produced.
HPD 28470 Modify Mode now correctly moves the Pipe Head Design
(6996) or Pipe Tail, when there is a connection across a 11.6.sp1
pair of flanges.

User Bulletin
HPD 28762 Itemcode from UDA now works correctly when Isodraft
(7162) the number of UDA's exceeds 30. 11.6.sp1
HPD 28912 Utilities > Export > Dump Attributes utility now Design
(7173) wors correctly when is a BRAN component that 11.6.sp1
has an unset or bad SPREF.
HPD 28933 Creating Corner Posts with the ASL Modeller Design
(7298) application now locates the corner posts correctly 11.6.sp1
with an imperial project.
HPD 28965 Can now modify floor fittings. Design
(7398) 11.6.sp1
HPD 27131 Module switch will no longer crash when there is General
(7520) an instance of user defined object with member(s) 11.6.sp1
of type EXPRESSION.
PML will now not attempt to save any objects
which have any C++ members, such as the
Expression object. This is because any such PML
object is not saved over a module switch.
HPD 28477 Q BREARE now gives the correct result for a Design
(7539) TUBI after a REDU. 11.6.sp1
HPD 28477 Highlighted elements are no longer displayed Design
(7661) wrongly. 11.6.sp1
Formerly, if you identified a portion of tube in the
graphical view and then moved to another item in
the view, the portion of line that you have
identified previously would change to dotted (in
wireline) like there is an error on that portion of
pipe.

User Bulletin
8.4 Faults corrected and minor enhancements *sp2*
This lists the most important corrections in Service Pack 2, at the time of writing
(October 2005).

HPD 16305 Dice sometimes incorrectly showed errors in large Dice
(2879) Dabacon tables. 11.6.sp2
HPD 29325
(7908)
HPD 29632
(7929)
(3418) Pline Definition window now correctly displayed Paragon
on selecting Modify mode, deleting the created 11.6.sp2
Pline and then re-calling the form in Create mode.
(4495/8458/ Dice now correctly handles errors in tables due to Admin
8229) corrupt data, rather than crashing. 11.6.sp2
HPD 24925 Corrected an error causing report templates to Reporting
(4758) fail thus: 11.6.sp2
WARNING – Data too long for variable. Data (also fix for
truncated. 11.5)
This was due to inconsistent limitations in
passing arguments between macros.
(5254) Form layouts improved, e.g. relative offset Design
11.6.sp2
(5377) Exception error when using UNDO and Quick Design
Pipe Router 11.6.sp2
(5457) Relative move form now shown correctly after Design
deleting equipment 11.6.sp2
(6711/8171) Deletion of a primary element in a master 11.6.sp2
database could lead to errors when modifying it in
a variant. This is now handled correctly.
HPD 29571 Option to allow a partial flush to work with 11.6.sp2
(7999) deleted elements with the same name.
(6728)
HPD 25316 SKEYs WLR and WLC have been added for use to Isodraft

User Bulletin

(6757) show lugs. The default symbol for both is the 11.6.sp2
same as a NIPL OLET, but without the bore data
and elevation messages.
HPD 25340 Limitation in DACs condition setting form Admin
(6981) corrected. 11.6.sp2
HPD 27267 Modifications to prevent excessive database (Dabacon)
(7089) growth during issuing or flushing. 11.6.sp2
HPD 29068 Group reference list now allows for element Design
(7431) appearing more than once – caused crash 11.6.sp2
HPD 29217 Corrected spurious cut length number for elbow Isodraft
(7589) upstream welded attachment. 11.6.sp2
(7670) Plines can now be highlighted or selected on Design
Gensecs, as on Sections. 11.6.sp2
(7709) Pipework Pipe Component Selection form now Design
shows Spec correctly after a change. 11.6.sp2
HPD 29394 Corrected OLET Item Numbers display in the Isodraft
(7768) isometric graphics area, for specific options 11.6.sp2
including user defined columns.
HPD 29404 New option to suppress continuation notes, giving Isodraft
(7769) the number of the sheet, across sheets of a 11.6.sp2
drawing. This command controls only the arrowed
continuation message; other aspects of the
continuation are unchanged. Examples:
CONTS OFF: Continuation notes between sheets
are suppressed.
CONTSHEET ON: Continuation notes between
sheets are switched on.
HPD 29415 Corrected Dabacon error 23 or 10 on flushing an 11.6.sp2
HPD 29847 extract Database containing differing length
(7777/7990) UDAs.
HPD 29468 The customary warning when a licence is due to General
(7804) expire shortly is now working again.
(7807) Pipe and branch names are now displayed Design
correctly in the Component Creation form 11.6.sp2
(7808) Bore text is now displayed correctly in the Design
Component Creation form 11.6.sp2

User Bulletin

HPD 29292 Bores are now correctly handled for both imperial Design
(7699) and metric projects when creating components. 11.6.sp2
(7813)
(7814)
(7818)
(7828)
(7833)
(7847)
HPD 29556 Clashes are not detected if implied tube is badly Design
(7877) aligned, i.e. is shown dotted in the 3D graphics, as 11.6.sp2
it is not included in the spatial map. Under some (also
circumstances, this could be misleading: for 11.6.sp1.5)
example, if different tolerances are used for
drawing and for building the map. Rather than a
bad alignment message, new D860 & E860 (for
Arrive & Leave tube) error messages are now
issued when data checking when the tube is not
in the map. These state:
TUBE DOES NOT EXIST IN THE SPATIAL MAP, NO CLASH
WILL BE DETECTED
(7888) An error causing an exception when using the 3D Draft

view has been corrected. Features were not being 11.6.sp2
rotated with the model, so they appeared in the
wrong place, and could not then be associated
with the model. Placing the cursor in the 3d
window then caused a crash.
(7894) An attempt to rotate a deleted selection will no Design
longer cause an Unhandled Exception error. 11.6.sp2
(7895) Labels now snap to the origin of the label in Draft
modify mode with snap to grid turned on. 11.6.sp2
HPD 29591 Resolved Dabacon crash with certain data when Design
(7915) querying ‘PQAANG’ – this caused a Runtime 11.6.sp6
Error when Branch Reconnection or Data Check (and
was carried out. 11.6.sp1.1)
(7917) Use of model editor on HVAC branch no longer Design
causes a null reference exception error. 11.6.sp2
(7918) Resolved occasional exception error, due to Design
operations being attempted on a closed 3D view. 11.6.sp2
(7919) Various uses of the Reference Definition Design

User Bulletin

Application form while in Model editor mode 11.6.sp2
caused a run time error. These have been
corrected.
HPD 29726 Corrected poor form layout when using some Design
HPD 29860 Asian languages 11.6.sp2
(7939)
HPD 29529 Improved Equipment Positioning on Panel Design
(7945) surfaces. 11.6.sp2
(7951) Resolved a fault causing Dabacon errors such as 11.6.sp2
Unhandled Database error 41 in Extract
databases.
HPD 29776 Resolved ERROR in SPLASH routine HADDIA Isodraft
(7965) when detailing an Equipment Trim. 11.6.sp2
HPD 29886 SPLASH Error in routine HGETI1 when floating Design
(8017) a second Graphics window has been corrected. 11.6.sp2
Comment [PJEB1]: Need
HPD 29206 The PREPROCESS and POSTPROCESS Isodraft to change appware as
(8048) commands have been modified to use the 11.6.sp2 well
maximum string length of 250 characters before
processing, e.g. for embedded quotation marks.
(8052) Corrected spurious message: (160,9) File Design
%PDMSUSER%/frame-coords.txt does not exist. 11.6.sp2
This occurred on the first attempt to list the
attributes of an element in the explorer.
HPD 30077 System incorrectly called for Final Designer Draft
(8147) license feature. This also caused many errors in 11.6.sp2
(8206) the log-file when there was no such license.
(8162) Corruption in Name table now prevented when 11.6.sp2
name of element (deleted in variant) is re-used in
owning extract.
(8183) Dice will now correct reports errors of the form: Dice
Next bucket is 6 but bucket 6 found in extract 3. 11.6.sp2
(8184) Crash in Dice when doing a check db with patch Dice
on. 11.6.sp2
(8208) Extracts no longer created with wrong team using Admin
Admin GUI. 11.6.sp2
(8221) Resolved a fault causing Dabacon error 41 when 11.6.sp2

User Bulletin

doing "extract refresh”.
(8228) Entries were being left in the Spatial Map when 11.6.sp2
elements no longer existed: a Dice check reported
this problem. Now handled correctly.
(8233) In a global project, all changed extract files must 11.6.sp2
be propagated after compaction before databases
are used. To ensure this is done, Dabacon now
checks and handles this situation by checking the
‘compaction count’.
(8246) Co-fitting now correctly applies referenced Design
negative geometry, when splitting a panel. 11.6.sp2
(8306) A SBFI (sub-fitting) can use the ARRIVE Design
attribute to specify a P-point of the owning CMFI 11.6.sp2
(compound fitting) to alter the frame of reference
for its geometry and orientation. In this case, the
system now correctly uses the design points of a
CMFI defined as a TMPL in place of the P-points
of one using a catalogue definition.
(8308) The EDG measure utility now works correctly Design
when in graphics mode. 11.6.sp2
(8328) In certain circumstances, the Commands form Design
'Request' panel became 'see-through' – now 11.6.sp2
corrected.
(8360) Dice now handles transaction databases better, to Admin
avoid misleading error messages due to the 11.6.sp2
databases growing whilst DICE is running its
checks.
(8383) Corrected a fault with linear grids, causing a run Design
time error when clicking any point on the dotted 11.6.sp2
line.
HPD 29073 Clicking on a ROD element no longer causes a Design
HPD 30189 crash after a message “Unhandled Exception: 11.6.sp2
(8376) System.NullReferenceException”.
HPD 30284 Certain PML forms could cause an error (61,564) Design
(8427) “F&M Cursor functions not allowed during 11.6.sp2
Tracking updates” is raised and then a program
crash. This did not happen at PDMS 11.5. The
error will now be trapped properly.

User Bulletin

This was caused by a form with Tracking on
executing a cursor function from a button and
causing the system to become recursive.
(8446) Under certain circumstances, claims were being 11.6.sp2
lost, resulting in the following DICE error:
‘Element ATTACHMENT /name needs to be
marked in parent extract, as being claimed to this
extract in parent extract’
(8448) Crash in MyData corrected. It was caused by 11.6.sp2
adding an element to MyData in one session,
changing the element’s name in another session,
and then savework, getwork in the first session.
(8464) Dice no longer hangs, when encountering a Admin
particular severe corruption in the sessions of a 11.6.sp2
database.
(8465) Dice now copes better with databases containing Admin

lots of 406 errors. 11.6.sp2
(8476) Switching names on two elements no longer 11.6.sp2
causes corruption if done twice in conjunction
with flushwithout.
(8479) Dabacon error 41 on deleting an extract – now Admin
handled correctly 11.6.sp2
(8504) Dice now handles extracts missing at the current Admin
location differently. Previously, a DICE check on 11.6.sp2
a level 2 extract might give an error 'Unable to
search index table in extract 3' because Extract 3
was non-propagating, and therefore not present at
the current location. This error is now treated like
the 'Lost bucket' error in a global project, which
outputs a warning about non-primary databases.

User Bulletin

PDMS Bulletin116sp2

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PDMS

© Copyright 1974 through 2005 AVEVA Solutions Limited

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp1 ii

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 Revision history-i

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 Contents-i

3.9 New Piping Pseudo Attributes ................................................................................. 3-6

VANTAGE PDMS 11.6.sp2 Contents-ii

5.2.12 View Type .................................................................................................. 5-10

VANTAGE PDMS 11.6.sp2 Contents-iii

This bulletin describes the new and enhanced functionality available in

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 1-1

1.2 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6

The changes fall into 3 main categories:

1.3 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6.sp1 *sp1*

The changes fall into 3 main categories:

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 1-2

• PDMS Draft, with improvements to the usability of the new 3D

1.4 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6.sp2 *sp2*

1.4.1 Support for Final Designer

1.4.2 Support for Laser Model Interface

1.4.3 Miscellaneous Improvements

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 1-3

1.5 Documentation *sp1* *sp2*

1.6 Operating System and Hardware Environment

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 1-4

1.7 Upgrading from previous releases

PDMS 11.6.sp2 is fully compatible with PDMS 11.6 and requires no

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 1-5

1.9 Future considerations

1.9.1 AutoCAD integration

1.9.2 Use of UNIX servers

1.9.3 PML features

Option and single choice List field reselection technique

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 1-6

Save and Restore using .bin files

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 1-7

Add-in An add-in provides a means of adding functionality.

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 2-1

of the user interface gadgets. See Selection.

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 2-2

2.2 Application framework

The PDMS 11.6 application framework provides the primary or main

2.2.2 Dockable Windows

2.2.3 Floating Windows

2.2.4 Status Bar

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 2-3

2.2.5 Session Settings

2.3 Tabbed Graphics form

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 2-4

2.4 Database Explorers

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 2-5

2.4.2 Explorer Settings

2.4.4 Copy rules

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 2-6

• The relevant MEMBER attribute is settable: with that of the target

Drag-and-drop within the Explorer

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 2-7

• All connectivity attributes are lost in the copied elements.

Drag-and-drop into the 3D view

Drag-and-drop into My Data

VANTAGE PDMS Version 11.6.sp2 2-8

• Child elements will not be added to My Data.

2.4.6 Mouse Actions

The Drawlist at 11.6 is a separate dockable window, managed by the

1.3 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6.sp1 sp1

1.4 Summary of Changes at PDMS 11.6.sp2 sp2

1.5 Documentation sp1 sp2

3.12 Add to Drawlist tool bar sp1

3.13 Piping component (e.g. flange) alignment sp1

3.13.1 New attribute for PTCA, PTAX, PTMI, PTPOS sp1

3.13.2 New pseudo attributes for branch members sp1

3.13.3 Connection Command sp1

3.13.4 New Datacon warning messages sp1

3.14 HVAC application – new components sp1

3.16 Laser model and its manipulation sp2