Off-Page Connectors (OPCs) are PID shape components that represent interruptions in piping — connecting pipes from one P&ID to another, or to another part of the same P&ID. When the Fluidstream Simulation reaches an Off-Page Connector, fluid automatically continues to its paired Off-Page Connector.
In pharmaceutical facilities, Off-Page Connectors are essential for modeling multi-drawing systems — connecting a CIP supply header on one P&ID to a process skid on another, or linking a WFI distribution loop across multiple drawings.
🏷️ Classification
Off-Page Connectors are classified as the Off-Page Connector behaviour in the P&ID Components Classification system. Each OPC class defines its binding behavior through class-level attributes.
|
Property |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Tag |
Unique identifier for the OPC instance |
|
Bind |
Pairing identifier used to match with another OPC |
|
Binding Method |
How the OPC finds its pair (see below) |
|
FluidCreation |
Whether fluid is generated/created at this connector endpoint |
|
Not Within PID |
Restricts connections to only within the same PID |
🔗 Binding Methods
The binding method determines how two Off-Page Connectors find and pair with each other.
Match by tag (paired connectors with same tag)
Two OPCs are paired when their Bind values are identical.
Point-to-point (directly linked pair)
A stricter binding method requiring mutual reference. OPC A's Tag must match OPC B's Bind, and OPC B's Tag must match OPC A's Bind.
One-way (fluid exits but doesn't return)
A directional binding where OPC A's Tag points to OPC B's Bind value, but only one direction needs to match.
🖱️ OPC Connectivity Bullets and Hover Popup
AseptSoft provides a visual overlay that shows the connection status of every Off-Page Connector directly on the drawing, along with an interactive hover popup for inspecting and navigating OPC pairs.
🔵 Connectivity Bullets
When enabled, small colored circles appear at each OPC's position on the drawing:
|
Bullet Color |
Meaning |
|---|---|
|
🟢 Green |
The OPC is connected — it has a valid pair on another P&ID (or the same P&ID) |
|
🔴 Red |
The OPC is unconnected — no matching pair was found |
⚙️ Enabling the OPC Bullets
The feature supports three modes:
|
Mode |
Behavior |
Best For |
|---|---|---|
|
🚫 Disabled |
OPC bullets and popups are off |
Distraction-free drawing |
|
✅ Auto |
Bullets are always visible; popup appears on hover |
Active configuration of cross-PID connections |
|
⌨️ Ctrl+Hover |
Bullets appear when holding Ctrl or Alt; popup on hover with modifier key |
Review sessions where you want OPC info on demand |
📋 What the Hover Popup Shows
Hover over any OPC bullet to see a floating panel with detailed connectivity information.
For a connected OPC: Status (Connected), Tag, Bind, PID name, Binding mode, Connected Pair details, Flow Direction, and a Navigate to Pair button.
For an unconnected OPC: Status (Unconnected), Tag, Bind, PID name, and a scrollable list of other unconnected OPCs showing their Tag, Bind, and PID name.
🧭 Cross-PID Navigation
The Navigate to Pair button automatically switches to the destination P&ID, selects the paired OPC, and zooms to it.
📊 Connectivity Graph
The popup includes a Show Connectivity Graph button that opens a full visualization window showing the entire network of OPC connections across all open P&IDs.
🧩 Multi-OPC Blocks
A single AutoCAD block can contain multiple Off-Page Connector sub-nodes. This is configured through the Symbol Style system, where each sub-node has its own Name, Tag Pattern, Bind Pattern, and Binding Method.
🌐 Cross-PID Fluid Flow
Off-Page Connectors are the mechanism for cross-PID fluid flow. When paired OPCs exist on different P&IDs, fluid can flow between drawings.
Cross-PID Stream Behavior
|
Mode |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Isolated |
Fluid cannot leave or enter the PID — no cross-PID flow |
|
Communicate with already-open PIDs |
Fluid flows through paired OPCs when both PIDs are open |
|
Require all PIDs, then communicate |
Throws an exception if a dependent PID is unavailable, then communicates |
💧 Fluid Creation
The FluidCreation property allows an Off-Page Connector to generate fluid at its endpoint. This is useful when the OPC represents a connection to an external system where fluid originates.
💊 Pharma Scenario: Connecting a CIP Supply Header Across P&IDs
Imagine a CIP system spanning two drawings:
-
P&ID-001 contains the CIP skid with the caustic tank, acid tank, and supply pump.
-
P&ID-003 contains a process vessel with its inlet/outlet manifold.
To connect them:
-
On P&ID-001, place an Off-Page Connector at the end of the CIP supply header with Tag = "CIP-SUPPLY-003" and Bind = "CIP-SUPPLY-003".
-
On P&ID-003, place a matching Off-Page Connector at the start of the CIP inlet with Bind = "CIP-SUPPLY-003".
-
Set the binding method to Match by tag.
-
When both PIDs are open, the Fluidstream Simulation will carry CIP Caustic from the skid on P&ID-001 through the OPC pair and into the vessel manifold on P&ID-003.
🏭 Workflow: Tracing a Cross-PID Fluid Path Using OPC Bullets
-
Enable OPC bullets in Auto mode
-
Look for red bullets — these indicate unconnected OPCs that may be blocking cross-PID flow
-
Hover over a green bullet to confirm the connection
-
Click Navigate to Pair to jump to the destination P&ID
-
Run a Fluidstream Simulation to verify fluid flows through the OPC pair
-
If a bullet is red, hover over it to see the list of other unconnected OPCs
⚙️ Configuration
For defining and connecting Off-Page Connectors, refer to the Activation Settings in the classification system.
🛠️ How To: Set Up an Off-Page Connector Pair
-
Classify the OPC block as Off-Page Connector in the P&ID Components Classification window.
-
Set the Binding Method to the appropriate mode.
-
Configure the Bind Build token pattern.
-
Place matching OPCs on each P&ID with consistent Tag/Bind values.
-
Open both PIDs in the same module and run a Fluidstream Simulation to verify cross-PID fluid flow.
-
Enable OPC bullets to visually confirm all connections.
🔗 Related Pages
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Engineering Item — Controllable components connected via OPCs
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Source — Fluid origins that may feed into OPCs
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Fluidstream Simulations — Cross-PID fluid flow visualization
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PID Shape Components — All shape component types
-
P&ID Components Classification — Classifying OPC blocks
-
Activation Settings — Detailed OPC configuration
-
Valve Hover Inspector — Similar hover inspection feature for valves
