Highlight | AseptSoft Documentation

Highlights are a powerful tool that enables you to display custom geometries that are only visible while AseptSoft is active. Unlike 📝 Notes which are text-based, Highlights can use any kind of shape — lines, circles, rectangles, polylines, or any AutoCAD geometry.

When you close AseptSoft or deactivate the module, the highlighted geometries are automatically hidden.

⚙️ How Highlights Work

Highlights extend the annotation system with additional properties for targeting and scoping. Each Highlight:

References one or more AutoCAD entities (geometries)
Preserves the entities' native color using the Color Overrule system
Controls visibility based on the module's active state

🔧 Properties

Property	Description
Value	Display text for the highlight
Highlighted Target	Name/identifier of what is being highlighted
Scope	Category for grouping highlights (e.g., "Equipment", "Safety")
Inactive By Default	Whether the highlight is hidden when the module first opens
Location	Position in the drawing
Is Active	Current visibility state

🆕 Creating a Highlight

Step 1: Draw Custom Geometry

First, draw any custom geometry in AutoCAD — lines, shapes, text, or any combination:

Example: Draw a colored rectangle or circle around an area of interest in the P&ID.

Step 2: Create the Highlight

Open the Module Ribbon
Navigate to the Live Edit section
Click the Highlight button
Select the geometries you drew
Press Enter to confirm

From this point on, the selected geometries will be:

Hidden when opening the DWG file normally
Visible only while AseptSoft is active and the module is loaded

🎨 Color Overrule Integration

Highlights use the Color Overrule system to manage entity colors:

Method	Description
Register Color Override	Reads the entity's native AutoCAD color and preserves it
Register Custom Color	Applies a custom color to the highlighted entity

This ensures that highlighted entities maintain their intended appearance through the overrule priority system.

🔍 Querying Highlights

Highlights can be queried using flexible matching criteria:

Selector	Description	Example
Exact Value	Exact match on the value	`"Attention"`
Contains	Substring match	`"review"`
Regex Match	Regular expression pattern	`"VP[0-9]+"`
Highlighted Targets	List of target names	`["ValveA", "ValveB"]`
Scope	Match by scope category	`"Equipment"`

🔧 Batch Operations

Operation	Description
Select Highlights Where	Find highlights matching criteria
Set Highlights Visibility	Show/hide highlights matching criteria

💡 Use Cases

Use Case	Description
Safety zones	Draw colored regions around hazardous areas, visible only during AseptSoft operation
Review annotations	Circle or highlight areas that need engineering review
Equipment grouping	Draw visual boundaries around equipment groups
Flow path marking	Trace custom flow paths with colored lines
Temporary markers	Place visual cues that don't appear in final printed drawings

⚖️ Highlights vs Notes

Feature	📝 Notes	Highlights
Content type	Text only (MText)	Any geometry
Scope levels	Module / Process / Step	Module only
Visibility	Scope-dependent	Active module only
Color management	Standard text	Color Overrule integration
Queryable	By collection	By selector (value, scope, target, regex)
Default visibility	Always active	Can be inactive by default

🏭 Pharma Example: Marking CIP Flow Paths and Safety Zones

In a CIP system P&ID, Highlights help communicate critical information visually:

Flow path marking: Draw colored polylines tracing the caustic supply path from the CIP skid to the tank — create a Highlight with scope "CIP Flow" so it is only visible during AseptSoft sessions
Safety zones: Draw red rectangles around high-temperature zones near steam connections — create Highlights with scope "Safety" to warn operators visually
Review areas: Circle valves that need engineering review with yellow dashes — set them as "Inactive By Default" so they only appear when the reviewer enables them
Use batch operations to show all "Safety" highlights at once during a safety review meeting