The Create Model Data from ASCII File creates areas, models and drawings from an ASCII input file. For piping, equipment, structural, and raceway models, design files are created. For other disciplines, only the model definitions are created. For Piping and Equipment models, you can also specify a Design Volume Coordinate System for each model.
Note: This command can be used to create model definitions for existing ModelDraft or Frameworks Plus models without writing over the existing design files.
Format
Information in the ASCII files is the same as that entered into the forms seen in the PDS Environment.
The format used to define the model management data is a set of entries of the form:
Keyword:data.
There must be a colon (:) separating the keyword and the data.
For any entry in this list, there is a maximum of 132 characters per line of data.
The ASCII file(s) to be used to create a model, must be in order by the keywords listed below.
The software will not function at all if the order is wrong.
For structural models, the Force Units, Standard Section Table and User Section Table values come from the FrameWorks Plus information in the project database. The default value for the Third Party Software option is STAADIII, and the default value for the Design Code is AISC-ASD. These defaults are the same values that appear in a model create using the Create Model Interactive command.
Keywords
The following keywords are used to define the data; they are the same as the fields specified in the Create Design Area form and the Create Model Data form, including structural models:
Site_ID - An optional value for the site ID. If no value is specified, the site ID will be the same as the project site ID set in pdtable_101. If the project does not belong to a site, the site ID is set to NULL. This keyword is case sensitive. This keyword should only appear once in a particular ASCII file. If models are to be created for multiple site IDs, a separate ASCII file is required for each site ID.
Discipline - The discipline name exactly as it appears in the PD_Shell environment (example:
Discipline:Piping). This is required information.
Area_Name - A required 20-character design area name; it must be unique across disciplines (example: Area_Name:Piping_A).
Area_Desc - An optional 40-character description for the design area being created (example:
Area_Desc:Piping Area A).
Note: This keyword is required when creating a new area. If the area already exists, use Area_Name only.
Area_Marker_File - An option to indicate that you want an interference marker file for the area (example: Area_Marker_File:Yes).
Note: This option is only for use in combination with Area_Desc.
Area_Volume_Low/High - An option that indicates if the design area will have a predefined volume for interference checking purposes. This is required if Area_Marker_File is Yes; the low volume and high volume represent the limits of the volume processed by the interference checker (example: Area_Volume_Low:-100,-250,-50 Area_Volume_High:150,30,120).
Plant Design System (PDS) Project Administrator (PD_Project) 103 Note: This option is only for use in combination with Area_Marker_File.
Sub_Proj_Number - Required information for new structural models. It is the structural subproject number of the FrameWorks Plus or ModelDraft subproject.(example:
Sub_Proj_Number:fw_proj1)
Note: This option is required when creating a new area in combination with Area_Desc.
Model_Number - A required 10-character piping model number of the model to be created (example: Model_Number:Model_A).
Model_Desc - A required 40-character description of the model to be created (example:
Model_Desc:Model A Description).
File_Spec - An optional 14-character file specification of the model to be created. If a value is not specified or the keyword is missing, the file specification defaults to the model number with the extension .dgn (example: Model_A.dgn).
Note: This option is not supported for structural models, because the file specification is defined in the subproject.
Path_Name - An optional 35-character directory path where the model file is to be created (example: d:\proj\models\). If this value is not specified or the keyword is missing, the default values as defined with the Model Setup option are used.
Note: This option is not supported for structural models, because the file specification is defined in the subproject.
Network_Address - An optional 26-character node name of the system on which the model file is to be stored (example: Network_Address:jwdoe_3). This value is not specified or the keyword is missing, the default values as defined with the Model Setup option, are used.
Note: This option is not supported for structural models, because the file specification is defined in the subproject.
DVCS_Desc - A optional 40-character Design Volume Coordinate System description. This entry is only used by piping and equipment models (example: DVCS_Desc:Design Vol Coordinate System of Model A).
Monument_in_DVCS - Optional easting, northing, and elevation values (separated by commas) of the center of the Design Volume Coordinate System (example:
Monument_In_Dvcs:100,100,100). This data is only used by piping and equipment models.
If the data is not specified, the Design Volume Coordinate System's monument defaults to the center of the model.
DVCS_Monument_in_Plant - Optional easting, northing, and elevation values (separated by commas) of the Design Volume Coordinate System monument in terms of the Plant Coordinate System (example: DVCS_Monument_in_Plant:200,200,100). This data is only used by piping and equipment models. If the data is not specified, the Design Volume Coordinate System's monument defaults to the center of the model.
Orientation_of_DVCS - An optional value indicating the orientation of the x-axis in a Plan View as defined by one of the following values:
East (the default value if not specified otherwise)
North An angle measured clockwise from the MicroStation X-axis (example:
Orientation_of_DVCS:45).
This data is only used by piping and equipment models. If the data is not specified, the East axis of the Design Volume Coordinate System is aligned with the x-axis of the MicroStation design file coordinate system.
Application_Type - A optional value indicating the discipline association for interference checking purposes. It associates the design model with a different discipline for reporting
104 Plant Design System (PDS) Project Administrator (PD_Project) clashes. The default is the discipline where the design model is created (example:
Application_type:Piping).
Model_type - For structural models only, the type of structural model to be created. Its value is set as follows:
sparse - Creates project control database information for a sparse model in the \MOD directory and creates the required files in this directory.
propagated - Specifies model_type=0 in pdtable_113. Running batch propagation on a file with this status results in a propagated-only model. This value creates an entry in the project control database for a propagated design file in the \FRZ directory.
both - Specifies model_type=2 in pdtable_113. This value specifies that while running batch propagation, the .prp file will contain the sparse model (a single line model) and a 3D model (the propagated model). This value creates a project control database entry for a propagated model in the \FRZ directory.
The only Model_Type value which actually creates physical files is sparse. This value, if the model does not already exist, executes the FrameWorks Plus cremod utility, which creates all 14 files in the FW+ project\MOD directory as well as a corresponding entry in pdtable_113.
The propagated and both values do NOT create physical files; they only create entries in pdtable_113.
Model_Status - An optional value for the model status from code list set 1605. This value is used to exclude models from being processed in PD_Clash.
The following is an example of a simple file used to create one piping models and one structural model that belong to the HUNTSVILLE site:
Discipline:Piping Area_Name:Piping_A Area_Desc:Piping Area A Model_Number:A2pipe1
Model_Desc:Piping Model 1 from ASCII File_Spec:A2pipe1.dgn
Area_Desc:FrameWorks Plus Area A Steel Sub_Proj_Number:fwproj1
Area_Marker_File:Yes
Area_Volume_Low:-100,-250,-50 Area_Volume_High:150,30,120 Model_Number:steel1
Model_Desc:Structural Model 1 from ASCII Model_Type:both
Path_Name:c:\users\acme\stproj1 Network_Address:pds_serv
Application_Type:Structural Site_ID:HUNTSVILLE
The following listing is an example of an ASCII file used to create structural models and project control database information.
Plant Design System (PDS) Project Administrator (PD_Project) 105 Discipline:Structural
Area_Name:AS1
Area_Desc:Frameworks Plus Area Steel Area_Marker_File:Yes
Area_Volume_Low:-100,-250,-50 Area_Volume_High:150,30,120 Sub_Proj_Number:fwproj1 Model_Number:steel1 Model_Desc: linear Model_Type:sparse
Application_Type:Structural Model_Number:steel1
Model_Desc:linear prp Model_Type:both
Application_Type:Structural
Before Using This Command
Create an ASCII file to define the models to be created using the specified conventions.
For structural models and areas, the FrameWorks Plus Project must have been created using the Project Administrator > Project Setup Manager > Insert FrameWorks Project command.
1. Select Create Model from ASCII File Option.
Select the Create Model from ASCII File option from the Create Options form.
The Create Model from ASCII File form is displayed.
2. Specify ASCII File Spec.
Type the information for the location of the ASCII file in the ASCII File Name, Directory and Network Address fields.
3. Submit Immediately or Submission is Delayed
106 Plant Design System (PDS) Project Administrator (PD_Project) Select Submit Immediately to begin processing the request as soon as you exit the form.
—OR—
Select Submission is Delayed to specify a time to process the request.
4. Accept the specified time.
Choose the Confirm button to accept the specified time.
The request is submitted to the batch queue PDcreate_model.
Note: For Piping and Equipment models created using this method, the tables in the Piping Design Database must still be created. Use the Create Database Tables option of the Project Environment Manager for this.