Exercise 4 Copying and Including Foreign Databases
8 Multiple Databases (MDBs)
To control what data a user can see, databases are grouped into Multiple Databases (MDBs). A project will contain at least one MDB. A database may be a member of any number of MDBs.
An MDB must contain all the databases that the user needs to access. i.e., for a Design user, the MDB must contain the databases which the user is going to work on. In addition, the MDB should contain all other Design databases with data in the same physical volume, which will ensure the accuracy of clash checking, in all other Design
Many users can access the same MDB. There are different ways of allowing access to MDBs, some options are described below:
One MDB per User. This method is now superseded. It was common practice before the advent of Multi-write databases. The DB with write access must be the first DB of that type (DESIGN, DRAFT, etc.) in the MDBs list of members. This option was suitable for large projects with many Update DBs and Users.
One MDB per Department. This is a common method of working it allows the System
Administrator to Group appropriate top level elements towards the top of the Design Explorer. In this case, the System Administrator must create the top level elements in the DB.
One MDB per Area. This is a common method of working on larger project with several areas. Adjacent Area databases may be included in the MDB.
One MDB with many users (This may be just one MDB). In this case, the System Administrator must create the top level elements in the DB. This option is often suitable for small to medium projects with few DBs and Users.
MDBs for special purposes. i.e., an MDB containing Piping data only for specific work e.g. Drawing Production.
An MDB may contain up to 1000 databases. All of these databases (known as the current databases) can be accessed at any time.
Databases can be transferred between current and deferred status at any time, so that a user can replace a current database by a non-current one to access a particular part of the design.
The Project Databases list shows all the databases in the project which are not in the MDB. The arrow buttons are used to add and remove databases from the MDB, either as current or deferred, and to change a database between the current and deferred lists.
An MDB can only contain one database with a given Database number. Two databases will have the same Database number if one has been created as a copy
Large lists of databases may create performance issues. This can be improved using the Rebuild Lists On / Off toggle. If this toggle is switched off then the lists are not rebuilt each time a database is moved; only when using the Apply or the Now button. The default is On.
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8.1
Creating MDBs
From the Admin elements form, select MDBs from the Elements pull down list, now click the Create button.
The Create Multiple Database form appears, Key in the Name PIPEF and the Description Forward Area Pipes MDB, select the PIPEF/DESIGN database from the Project Database section. Select the down arrow to move the project database into the Current Databases section.
The listing displayed in the Project Databases can be sorted by Name, Team, Type, Number,
Access or Description; Filters may also be applied to limit the selection available. Control and shift keys can be used to group database selections before transferring to the Current Databases list.
AVEVA Marine (12.1) System Administration (Basic) TM-2120
Holding the mouse over the Project Database section right click the mouse button and from the pop up menu click the Select All DBs. Using the down arrow move the highlighted Project Databases down to the Current Databases.
All of the Project Databases including foreign are moved across to the Current Database section, finally click the Apply button.
This process should be repeated until all the MDB s for the Project, are created.
8.2
Database Order in the MDB
The order in which the databases are included is very important, the users write access database should be the first in the list and the rest should follow in the order that they will be accessed. Frequently used
databases should be near the top of the list, also the display in the Design Explorer is controlled by the order
In the containing hull databases
ER1 and one in the other db named ER2, the system will look for the top level element before storing the model objects). Similarly for other hull objects e.g. SSOWLD, MOGWLD, etc. The system will look to store the objects below these world objects regardless of the database order in the MDB.
If the top level elements have not been created, the system may automatically generate them in the be available in
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The Insert option button is used to position the databases in a specified order. This can be done whentransferring them from the Project Databases list to the Current Database or Deferred Database lists. The same options can be used when transferring databases from the Current Database list to the Deferred Database list and visa versa.
For this worked example create a new MDB named ALL with description All Databases copy all the databases to the new MDB.
Select the ASSEMBLY databases to be re-ordered and defer them
Select Before below the Current Database list, select PIPEF/DESIGN in the Current Database list, the deferred databases will move above the selected DB when transferred back into the Current Database list.
Exercise 5 - Creating MDBs
Create the following MDBs
Name ALL Description All Databases.
Name CHULL Description Curved Hull Modelling MDB. Name DBPROMPT Description Hull Top Level Elements. Name HULLAFT, Description Aft Hull Blocks MDB. Name HULLFWD Description Fwd Hull Blocks MDB. Name HULLDES, Description Hull Design MDB. Name PIPEA, Description Aft Area Pipes MDB. Name PIPEF, Description Forward Area Pipes MDB.
appear in the Design Explorer after the mdb has been selected when starting an application.
It is advised that only the databases required are added to the MDB, as if too many databases are added then this could slow the response time.