Standardize Connection Size Information

The Standardize Connection Size Information tool finds the connection sizes of ducts, pipes and their fittings, such as bends, junctions and reducers, wherever the source model stores them. It copies them into one standard property, either as they are or in one standard format, or both into two properties.

Models store the connection sizes in different properties and write them in different ways, depending on the authoring application, the product library and the discipline. The same model can even have the same property in several property sets, one for each product type. The tool collects the sizes from all of these, so that the later steps of your dataflow, or the receiving application, find them in one place and in one format. For example, with the default settings the standardized values look like this:

The tool never changes the properties it reads the sizes from.

The tool is meant for ducts, pipes and their fittings, terminals, valves and insulation. It does not handle cable trays or other electrical objects, whose sizes are stored in other properties or written in other ways.

How the connection sizes are read

• A value can describe one or several connections. A round connection is given as its diameter, and a rectangular connection as its width and height, for example 300x200.
• The connections can be separated by a dash or a slash. Spaces, the unit mm, the prefix DN, diameter signs and upper and lower case letters are ignored, and a decimal comma counts as a decimal point.
• Number properties and length properties can be read as well. Their values are used as millimetres, and the values of length properties are converted to millimetres first.
• If the tool cannot read a value as a connection size, the object gets no value. After the run the tool lists such values in one warning, at most 20 of them, so you can spot values written in a way the tool does not know.

Running the tool again with the same settings does not change anything, because a property that already has the right value is left as it is.

Settings

Target

Defines the objects whose connection sizes are standardized. Typically these are ducts, pipes, fittings, terminals, valves and their insulation. You can read more about selections in the Configuration Editor guide. The default value is all objects.

If the selection does not find any objects, the tool reports a warning and does not change the model.

Source Properties Mode

Defines how the tool finds the properties that hold the original connection sizes. The default value is Any Text Property.

Any Text Property

The tool reads all the text properties of the target objects and uses the ones whose values are written like connection sizes, for example 160 mmø, 1000 mmx500 mm-500 mmø, DN 100-80, Ø315-Ø315 or 100/120/100.

A property whose values are plain numbers, like 100 or 125, is used too when another property with the same name was recognized by its values. This is common in HVAC models, where the same property, for example Connection size_mm, exists once for each product type and only some product types have several connections. Number and length properties with such a name are used the same way.

Properties that hold only connection sizes are read before properties that also hold other values. The properties the tool writes into are not read in the same run, but a property that an earlier run wrote with other settings can be. After the run the tool reports the names of the properties it used, so you can check them. If it finds none, it reports a warning and does not change the model.

Selected Text Properties

You define the properties to read yourself in the Scan Properties setting.

Scan Properties

This setting is available when the Source Properties Mode is Selected Text Properties, and it is mandatory then.

Defines the names or identity keys of the properties that may contain the original connection size, in the order you want them read. For each object the tool uses the first property that has a value. If it cannot read that value as a connection size, the object gets no value; the tool does not move on to the next property.

A property that an object class does not have is skipped. If none of the properties exist in any of the target objects, the tool reports a warning and does not change the model. Text, number and length properties can be read, and a property of another type is skipped with a warning.

When you give a name instead of an identity key, all the properties with that name are read. HVAC models often have the same property, for example Connection size_mm, in several property sets, one for each product type. Giving the name once covers all of them. Use an identity key if you want to read one specific property only.

Standardization

Defines what the tool writes: the original values, the standardized values or both. The default value is Standardized Property with Standardized Values.

Standardized Property with Original Values

The tool copies the original value as it is into the Original Value Property Name. Use this when you want the connection size to always be in the same property, no matter where it is in the source model. The value of a number or length property is copied as a number of millimetres.

Standardized Property with Standardized Values

The tool writes the standardized value into the Standardized Value Property Name. The standardized value always has the same format, however the original value was written. By default a round connection is written as its diameter, a rectangular connection as width x height and the connections are separated by a dash, without units or prefixes. You can change the format with the settings from Prefix to Unit.

Both

The tool writes both: the original value into the Original Value Property Name and the standardized value into the Standardized Value Property Name.

Only values that the tool can read as connection sizes are written, in all three modes. So when you choose Both, an object gets either both values or neither.

Original Value Property Name

This setting is available when the Standardization is Standardized Property with Original Values or Both, and it is mandatory then.

Defines the name or identity key of the property into which the original value is copied. The property must be a text property.

Create if Missing

This setting is available with the Original Value Property Name.

If ON, the Original Value Property Name is created in the object classes that do not have it, in the property set defined by the PropertySet Name below. The property is then looked for in that property set only, so a property with the same name in another property set does not count, and the tool creates a new property next to it.

If OFF, the object classes that do not have the property are skipped with a warning. If none of the target object classes have the property, the tool reports an error and does not write any values.

The default value is OFF.

PropertySet Name

This setting is available when Create if Missing of the Original Value Property Name is ON.

Defines the property set in which the missing Original Value Property Name is created. If the property set already exists in an object class, the property is created in it. Otherwise the property set is created too. The default value is My Properties.

Overwrite Non-Empty Values

This setting is available with the Original Value Property Name.

If ON, a value that the Original Value Property Name already has is replaced with the original connection size. If OFF, existing values are kept and only empty values are filled. A value that is already the same is left as it is in both cases. The default value is OFF.

Standardized Value Property Name

This setting is available when the Standardization is Standardized Property with Standardized Values or Both, and it is mandatory then.

Defines the name or identity key of the property into which the standardized value is written. The property must be a text property.

Create if Missing

This setting is available with the Standardized Value Property Name.

If ON, the Standardized Value Property Name is created in the object classes that do not have it, in the property set defined by the PropertySet Name below. The property is then looked for in that property set only, so a property with the same name in another property set does not count, and the tool creates a new property next to it.

If OFF, the object classes that do not have the property are skipped with a warning. If none of the target object classes have the property, the tool reports an error and does not write any values.

The default value is OFF.

PropertySet Name

This setting is available when Create if Missing of the Standardized Value Property Name is ON.

Defines the property set in which the missing Standardized Value Property Name is created. If the property set already exists in an object class, the property is created in it. Otherwise the property set is created too. The default value is My Properties.

Overwrite Non-Empty Values

This setting is available with the Standardized Value Property Name.

If ON, a value that the Standardized Value Property Name already has is replaced with the standardized connection size. Turn it ON, for example, when you have changed the format and want to rewrite the values. If OFF, existing values are kept and only empty values are filled. A value that is already the same is left as it is in both cases. The default value is OFF.

Prefix

This setting and the four settings after it are available when the Standardization is Standardized Property with Standardized Values or Both. They define the format of the standardized value.

Use <space> where you need a space. Spaces at the beginning and at the end of these settings are not kept, so write <space>-<space> to get a dash with a space on both sides, DN<space> to get DN and a space, or <space>mm to get a space and mm.

Defines the text written once at the start of the whole value. For example, DN<space> gives DN 100-80. The default value is empty.

Connection Separator

Defines the text written between the connections. For example, - gives 100-80 and <space>-<space> gives 100 - 80. This setting is mandatory, and the default value is -.

Rectangular Dimension Separator

Defines the text written between the width and the height of a rectangular connection. For example, x gives 1000x500. This setting is mandatory, and the default value is x.

Show Diameter Symbol

If ON, the diameter symbol Ø is written in front of the diameter of each round connection, for example Ø100-Ø80. Rectangular connections never get it. The default value is OFF.

Unit

Defines the text written after the dimensions of every connection. For example, <space>mm gives 100 mm-80 mm and 1000x500 mm. The default value is empty.

With all the settings in use, for example the prefix DN<space>, the separator <space>-<space>, the diameter symbol ON and the unit <space>mm, the original value 125/125/100 becomes DN Ø125 mm - Ø125 mm - Ø100 mm.

Release Notes

This tool was added in Simplebim 12.0 SR1