Properties Definitions
To extract information from a P&ID, AseptSoft is looking through the drawing to solve some properties based on given rules.
The most commonly used property that needs to be resolved is the Tag.
However, based on the application of the PID Shape Components that the P&ID contains, there are other properties that AseptSoft might need to resolve.
Properties
They represent the final data that needs to be identified from the P&ID in order to make the P&ID compatible with the functionalities of AseptSoft.
Most commonly used properties are:
Tag
Engineering Items, Instruments, and sometimes Off-Page Connectors and others need a Tag to function optimally.
Used by the Class Types:
Phenomenon
Next to the Tag, forInstruments AseptSoft also needs to identify the phenomenon that each Instrument is measuring
Used by the Class Types: Class Types | Instrument
Fluid
For each Source AseptSoft needs to know which is the Fluid that the Source is providing into the pipes.
Used by the Class Types: Class Types | Fluid-Source
Bind
For each Off-Page Connector AseptSoft needs to know which is the other Off-Page Connector that is connected to the current one. The Bind property of the class Class Types | Off-Page-Connector is used to determine the binding.
Used by the Class Types: Class Types | Off-Page-Connector
Group
Used by the Class Types | Auto-GROUP to automatically groups in AutoCAD (like when using the GROUP command) Blocks that are used like flags to send the Fluidstream Simulations from one part of the P&ID to another part.
Used by the Class Types: Class Types | Auto-GROUP
Area
Used by the Class Types | Area-marker to determine the name of the current area
Used by the Class Types: Class Types | Area-marker
Custom Properties
Any other properties that the user adds will be handled by AseptSoft, and it will try to resolve them. For example: Size, Manufacturer, Diameter, Material, Medium, etc
To resolve a property means to find the correct value within the P&ID, or to generate one for each Block.
Properties Definitions
For AseptSoft to correctly identify the values for a Property, it is referring to that Property’s Definition to find all the rules that it needs to follow that will lead to a correct value.
A property definition includes the following information:
Where to look around a block to find the right value (Within a block’s own attributes, Within a nearby block’s attributes, within a Text, within a block’s definition, etc)
Patterns for filtering out wrong values - there might be a few possible matches around a block. We need to define rules that filter out the ones that are invalid. (For example next to a valve we might find “3/4'“, “VP-1A1”, “Mx”. It’s clear that only VP-1A1 could represent the Tag of our valve)
Data about the layers and maximum distance where we could find the right value
Data about how the value to be used (for example the Class Types | Area-marker class might make use of this data)
A Property Definition is defined by a few Attributes that needs to include some of the information from the list above.
Example of a Property Definition for a Tag:
The followingAttributes are used in a Property Definition:
Note: We are using the Tag property as an example, but any other property works the same: “Phenomenon-Build”, etc
Note: Some Class Types like Class Types | Area-marker and the Class Types | Off-Page-Connector can define other Attributes, other than the ones listed below. Please reffer to the Class Types page for class-specific Attributes
Attribute | Description | Content | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Property-Build Attribute(required) | It describes the pattern that filters out every possible wrong value | Please reffer to the Property-Build Attribute for the content that this Attribute can take. | |
Property-Layers Attribute(optional) | Specify which are the layers to look in for sources of information. | Enumerates the layers separated by comma (,) or semicolon (;) and as many spaces in between | 0, Process ; TagsLayer |
Property-Distance | Specify the maximum distance at which the source of information can be | Number written in local culture (point vs comma). Represents the AutoCAD distance in the current space (the same as the length of a line between the two points. | 12 |
Property-Distance Method Attribute(optional) | Which distance evaluation method to be used when determining the closest source. If this property is not specified, Tag-Build will be using the Center case. Center = evaluate distance between the centres of the two objects Closest = evaluate the distance between the closest points to each other on the two objects. When creating this property it is recommended to make it of type SelectionList, and use the list “Distance Methods (READONLY)”  | Either “Center” or “Closest” | Closest |