Host Project Definition

AseptSoft operates within a Host Project — the native or virtual project environment provided by the CAD platform. The Host Project defines the root folder where AseptSoft stores its databases, classification definitions, and module data. Understanding how the Host Project is resolved on each platform is essential for a correct setup.

🔀 Platform Comparison

🏭 AutoCAD Plant 3D — Native Project

In Plant 3D, the Host Project is the native Plant 3D project. When a user opens or creates a project through the Plant 3D Project Manager, AseptSoft detects it automatically.

📂 Project Root Resolution

The project root is resolved to the Related Files directory within the Plant 3D project structure. For example, in a pharmaceutical facility project:

PharmaCorp_Building5/
├── Related_Files/          ← AseptSoft project root
│   ├── AseptSoft/          ← AseptSoft databases and data
│   │   ├── Project.db
│   │   ├── Modules/
│   │   └── ...
│   └── ...
├── PnID Drawings/
│   ├── PID-101-CIP-Supply.dwg
│   ├── PID-201-SIP-Distribution.dwg
│   ├── PID-301-Fermentation.dwg
│   └── ...
└── Project.xml

If the "Related Files" directory sits within the project folder, it is used directly. Otherwise, AseptSoft falls back to a Related_Files subdirectory under the project folder.

📑 Drawing Enumeration

Drawings are enumerated from the Plant 3D PnID project part. Each registered P&ID drawing in the project is available as a PID workspace, whether or not it is currently open in the editor. This means AseptSoft can reference cross-PID data (e.g. Off-Page Connector pairing) across all project drawings.

🏷️ Project-Level Classification

Plant 3D uses project-wide classification: classifications are loaded from the project database, meaning all PIDs in the project share the same set of classification definitions. AseptSoft creates specific columns and picklists in the Plant 3D data model:

• Picklists created: "AseptSoft Controls", "AseptSoft Fluids", "AseptSoft Sources"

• Columns created: AseptSoftControl, AseptSoftCurrentPercent, SourceContent

These columns appear in the Plant 3D Data Manager and can be edited directly from there, in addition to AseptSoft's own interface.

🔔 Project Events

AseptSoft subscribes to Plant 3D project lifecycle events:

• Drawing added — When a new drawing is added to the project, it is automatically activated as the current PID

• Project closed — When the project is closed, AseptSoft cleans up all PID workspaces, releases database handles, and resets its internal state

📐 AutoCAD Standard — Virtual Project

AutoCAD Standard does not have a native project system. AseptSoft creates a virtual project by using the file system directory of the first opened drawing as the project root.

📂 Project Root Resolution

C:\Drawings\PlantA\          ← Virtual project root (directory of first saved .dwg)
├── AseptSoft\                ← AseptSoft databases and data
│   ├── Project.db
│   ├── Modules\
│   └── ...
├── PID-001.dwg
├── PID-002.dwg
└── PID-003.dwg

The root is determined by the first document that has been saved to disk (i.e. has a valid file path). Unsaved "Drawing1.dwg" files are ignored for root resolution.

📑 Drawing Enumeration

Only open .dwg files whose directory matches the project root are considered part of the virtual project. If you open a drawing from a different folder, it will not be included in the current AseptSoft project context.

🏷️ Per-PID Classification

In AutoCAD Standard, classification operates per-PID rather than project-wide. Each drawing loads its own classification definitions from the environment database. This means:

• Each PID can have a different set of classified blocks (though in practice they typically share the same environment)

• The artificial classification system with tokens is the sole mechanism for identifying components

• There are no Plant 3D picklists or data model columns

🔄 Project Lifecycle

• Opening: The virtual project is implicitly created when the first saved drawing is opened and AseptSoft is initialized

• Adding drawings: New documents created or opened in the same directory are automatically added

• Closing: The project is closed when the last document is closed or when AutoCAD exits. Cleanup is triggered automatically

📁 Storage Structure

Regardless of platform, the AseptSoft storage structure under the project root follows the same layout:

[Project Root]/
└── AseptSoft/
    ├── Project.db                    ← Project-level database
    ├── Environments/                 ← Classification environments (portable)
    │   ├── MyEnvironment.aseptenv
    │   └── ...
    ├── Modules/                      ← Per-module data
    │   ├── Module1/
    │   │   ├── Module.db
    │   │   └── ...
    │   └── Module2/
    │       └── ...
    └── DataTemplates/                ← Module data templates
        └── ...

🔄 Environment Portability

Classification environments are portable across projects. When a project is opened, AseptSoft copies environment files from the project's Environments folder to the local environment root (if they don't already exist locally). Update files override local copies, enabling centralized environment distribution through the project folder.

💡 Practical Implications

For Plant 3D Users

• The project must be created and opened through the Plant 3D Project Manager before using AseptSoft

• All team members working on the same project share classification definitions automatically

• AseptSoft columns appear in the Data Manager for direct editing

• Off-Page Connector pairing works across all project drawings, even those not currently open

For AutoCAD Standard Users

• Place all P&ID drawings for a given plant in the same directory to form a coherent virtual project

• Open drawings from that directory before initializing AseptSoft

• Classification environments should be configured per-environment (they are stored locally and copied into projects)

• For cross-PID features (like Off-Page Connectors), all relevant drawings must be open simultaneously

🔗 Related Pages

• AseptSoft Project Structure — The three-level hierarchy (Host Project → AseptSoft Project → Module)

• First Time Setup — Initial configuration guide

• P&ID Components Classification — How blocks are classified into component types

• File System — Database and file storage details

• P&IDs and Modules — Managing which P&IDs belong to a module

• Version Control — Users, branches, and collaboration