Tips & Tricks

3D Objects

For 3D linear features:

  1. Select the 3D object (make sure it is the only feature selected).
  2. Type FLATTEN in the AutoCAD command line.
  3. Choose not to remove hidden lines (if you are prompted for this).

 

For associated blocks and nodes:

  1. Select the required block and view its properties.
  2. In the properties dialog, change the Position Z value to zero (0).

 

Do not use the FLATTEN command on block features. This command changes their block name to BlockName-flat-1. This name change will cause the selected block to be ignored by the current configuration.

Empty FDO Layers

The Validate ACDC Drawing tool cannot be run if the drawing contains FDO layers with no data records in the tables.

Supported FDO Object Types

When writing records to a FDO connection, Lines, Polylines, Closed Polylines, and Polygons are all supported object types. Circles, however, are not supported by FDO and an Arc needs to be a segment of a LWPOLYLINE. See below for more details.

  • CIRCLES: Circle geometries are not permitted in FDO so they will be represented by 2 arc geometries (by default). Alternatively, the user can choose to have a circle geometry converted to a 32 segment polyline. The Arc or Polyline Circle option is available in Configurator settings under gGeometryCircle.
  • ARCS: Any arc needs to be a segment of a LWPOLYLINE in order for ACDC to recognize them. Because arcs are drawn (and used) based on the scale you are at in AutoCAD, it can happen that a valve configured to break a LWPOLYLINE containing an arc segment pipe does not break the arc segment. You can increase the setting gPipe2BreakSearchBuffRad however the default of 0.1m should be OK.

Extended Attribute Information in the Configurator

To view extended attribute information in the Configurator, double-click the top left square of the grid view. This will display all of the columns of the target table in the grid view. To go back to the abbreviated column view, just double-click the top left square of the grid view again.

Date Field Requirements

For MS SQL Server databases, any date field must be of type date-time. If date fields are of any other date type, the ‘Configurator’ will not recognize them.

Reflect Destination Database Changes in Configurator

If changes have been made to the destination database’s structure, you must refresh the saved FDO connection in your configuration before this change will be reflected in the ACDC Configurator. To do this, disconnect and delete the applicable connection in the FDO Connections node of the Configurator (right click disconnect then right click delete. Then reconnect to the specific data connection, add the specific data layer(s) to AutoCAD and press the Save FDO Layers button (on the ACDC toolbar). The destination database changes will now be reflected in the Configurator.

Configurator User Interface

Attribute Configuration Seems to Disappear or is Different

Note that, if you have the following case:

  1. An Attributed Block is selected in the left pane.
  2. The Object tab is selected.
  3. In the grid view, records have different IDs.
    • That happens when some were Added (creates a new ID) and some were Duplicated (reuse the same ID).
  4. Now, different attributes are displayed in the following two cases:
    • You highlight a record with say ID = 1 in the grid view and then select the Attributes tab.
    • You highlight a record with say ID = 2 in the grid view and then select the Attributes tab.

ACDC Menu Not Visible

If the ACDC menu is not visible, execute MENUBAR on the AutoCAD command line and set the value to 1.

 

The ACDC Ribbon Toolbar contains all of the ACDC tools. Should the ribbon and toolbars fail to display after installation, type the command ACDCMENULOAD at the command line.

Validation unable to detect block

To ensure block can be detected the user should place a point (using the AutoCAD Point function), at 0,0 within the block definition BEDIT.

Corrupt ACDC Menus within ACDC/Munsys Profile

If the menus are corrupt within ACDC, and the user is running ACDC on an ACDC/Munsys Profile, then it is recommended that the user execute the Restore Munsys Menus function. This function will enable the menus to be restored back to default however the ACDC menus will be removed as a result. Hence the user should:

  • Execute the Restore Munsys Menu function first.
  • Type MENULOAD and load the ACDC menu.

This will then ensure that the ACDC menus are loaded correctly for the user to continue using the application.

Known Issues

Attribute Blocks – Single Line Text Objects Not Displayed in Left Tree View.

Objects of type Single Line Text do not appear in the left tree view under Attribute Blocks. This occurs because Single Line Text objects do not have any attribute blocks associated with them, so there is nothing to display in the list of Attribute Blocks. As a result, the only way to select Single Line Text objects is to go to the Object tab of the Attribute Blocks node and select them in the top right grid view.