The PDS 3D software supports a variety of applications. All the supported applications use a common interface that is controlled by the PD Shell program. This ensures consistency across applications and minimizes the amount of time required to learn the product. The PDS 3D modules provide a simple user interface through extensive use of forms. The modules also provide an on-line Help capability for easy access to information while working in the product.
The PDS 3D software uses available nucleus tools such as MicroStation and FORMS. It supports standard software such as NFS, NQS, and RIS required to set up data across a network. This design facilitates the use of non-PDS tools such as relational databases and third party software.
The PD_Shell Environment and all batch jobs in the PDS 3D products interface to Intergraph’s Network Licensing System.
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PD Shell
The PD Shell program provides access to the various functions that are associated with the PDS 3D Modules. You can access the Plant Design System Environment form by
Double-clicking the PD_Shell icon on Windows NT workstations.
This executes a control script that defines all of the environment variables that are needed to run the product, and it identifies the location of the product files. These files can be located on the workstation or a server on the network. See pds.cmd in the Project Administrator Reference Guide for more information on this file. The script also activates the Plant Design
System Environment form.
This form identifies the active project(s) and provides access to all the PDS functions.
Options
Schematics Environment — Provides access to the PDS 2D modules that are used to
create and modify piping and instrumentation diagrams, process flow diagrams, and instrumentation database records.
2. Environment
PD Shell
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Piping Designer — Activates an interactive command environment that is used to
create piping and in-line instrumentation in the model; revise existing model graphics and database information; and verify the integrity of the data in the model.
Electrical Raceway Environment — Provides access to the Electrical Raceway
module, which provides an interactive environment that is used to create and revise raceway models and access raceway utilities.
Piping Design Data Manager — Provides access to a set of options that are used to
verify the integrity of the graphic and database information that is associated with a model.
Piping Model Builder — Enables you to create piping graphics from a nongraphics
environment. This module is used with PD_Design to create an accurate 3D model of the piping network.
Pipe Support Designer — Activates an interactive command environment that is used
to create pipe supports in the model, and revise existing pipe support model graphics and database information.
Pipe Stress Analysis — Activates a set of forms that are used to extract information
from piping models for input to third-party pipe stress analysis products.
Interference Manager — Activates a set of forms that are used to check for
interferences among project models and to control approved interferences.
Isometric Drawing Manager — Activates a set of forms that are used to extract
isometric drawings from piping models and to review or plot the created isometric drawings.
Drawing Manager — Activates a set of forms that are used to create and manipulate
drawings and drawing views; provide access to the interactive graphics environment for drawings; and provide access to a plot manager and vector hiddenline manager.
DesignReview Integrator — Activates a set of forms that are used to extract
information to form label files for use in DesignReview and to review data from a DesignReview session.
Report Manager — Activates a set of forms that are used to create and revise report
format files and report on information in a project including Material Take-Off reports.
Project Administrator — Provides access to a set of forms that are used to create a
project, create and revise project files, define project seed data, and control the project.
Reference Data Manager — Provides access to a set of forms that are used to control
the reference data for a project including Piping Job Specification data, Graphic Commodity Data, Alphanumeric Commodity Data, Standard Note Library, Label Description Library, and Piping Assembly Library.
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Other Fields
User ID — Used for access control. This field also sets the Review User ID for use in
the Interference Manager module.
If access control has been defined, you must key in a valid user ID as defined by your system manager to gain access to the projects. Refer to the Access Control Manger in the Project Administrator (PD_Project) Reference Guide, for more information on using access control.
If access control has not been defined, no entry is required for this field.
Password — Key in the password for the specified user ID.
Project List Field — Displays the defined projects for the network and allows you to
select the active project. The system lists all the defined PDS projects (2D-only, 3D- only, and 2D & 3D). An error is displayed if you select an option that is incompatible with the active project. For example, if the active project is a 2D-only project, you cannot access the the Interference Manager module.
If access control has been defined, only those projects for which you have some level of access are displayed.
Message Area — Displays prompts and messages that are associated with the active
2. Environment
PD_Shell Form Conventions
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PD_Shell Form Conventions
The following Conventions describe how to respond to the various buttons, lists, and prompts that make up the environments. The display size of forms and dialog boxes in the non- Microstation graphics environment are independent of the size of the workstation’s display system. Most forms contain the same basic features: buttons, fields, text, and other gadgets. In general, anything you find on a form is called a gadget.
Selecting Options
You move through the PD Shell forms by selecting function buttons or other gadgets from the form. Select means to place the screen cursor (which appears as an arrow) on top of a screen gadget and press <D>.
For most of the forms with scrolling lists, you can double-click on a row to select and accept the data in that row. This performs the same action as selecting a row (which highlights) and then selecting the Accept button.
You use the select action to select functions, access other forms, activate data fields, toggle buttons, select from lists, scroll through data displayed on the screen, and so on.
The following summarizes other basic actions you use in the environments:
Enter — When keying in any data in a key-in field, press the <ENTER> or <Tab> key for the data to be entered into the system. You can also press <ENTER> or <Tab> to move through a set of key-in fields.
Delete — If you make a mistake while keying in text, press the <Delete> key to erase character(s) to the left of the cursor.
Common Tools on the PD Shell Forms
There are many gadgets in the environments that are common to most or all of the forms. The following describes these tools.
Standard Commands
The PD Shell forms have a set of standard buttons in the upper right corner of most of the form windows. The available commands vary from form to form depending on the type of operation.
The Help button activates on-line Help for the active form. Help remains active until you delete the Help window.
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The Shell button exits the active form and returns control to the base manager that is associated with the active form. For most forms this returns to the Plant Design System
Environment form.
The Top button exits the active form and returns control to the top form of the active branch. The Cancel button cancels or exits from the active form. Control returns to the immediately preceding form in the hierarchy.
The Accept button accepts a selection or operation. Depending on the active form or option, the active form remains active so that you can repeat a similar operation or control returns to the preceding form.
The Restart button clears any key-in fields on the form that have values you can modify.
Scrolling List
Some screen menus have a scrolling list of projects or applications. You need to scroll a list only if more options are available than can be displayed in the window. To scroll a list, select the arrow buttons on the side of the list. The list scrolls up or down depending on which arrow you select.
The scrolling list has an arrow pointing up and an arrow pointing down. These arrows scroll lists line by line. There is a button that slides between these two arrows to indicate your position on the list. To page through the list, select the space above or below the sliding button. The list pages up or down
accordingly.
You can also select the slider and, while pressing <D>, slide the button up or down the bar. The items scroll through the window as you move the button. The size and position of the button on the scroll bar is an indication of the number of lines and the relative position within the list.
All commands that display a list of design areas or models order the list alphanumerically by the design area number or model number in ascending order.
In some forms with scrolling lists, you can double-click on a row to select and accept the data in that row. This performs the same action as selecting a row (which highlights) and then selecting the Accept button.
2. Environment
PD_Shell Form Conventions
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Key-in Fields
Screens that accept keyboard input have key-in fields. These fields are box- shaped and dark gray. You can select a key-in field and key in a new value. A bar cursor appears in the active key-in field. Key in your input, and press <Return>. To change a field, reselect the field and key in the new information. Key-in fields have a maximum number of characters depending on the item that is being defined.
If you select a key-in field for a code-listed attribute, the system activates a form that lists the code list values for the selected field.
MicroStation requires lowercase characters for the file specification and path name of all design files. Therefore, the system automatically converts any input for the file specification and path name of a design file (such as a model or drawing) to lowercase before loading into the Project Control Database.
Display-List Boxes
A display-list box is located at the end of some key-in fields. It lets you select data from a list instead of keying in information. For example, there is a display list associated with the Authorization key-in field shown. At the end of the field, there is a small box with horizontal dashes. When you select this display list box with the screen cursor, an associated list of valid input values displays. Select an item from the list to enter its value into the field.
Shift Left and Shift Right buttons
At the bottom of some key-in and display fields, there are two buttons marked with arrows. These buttons are called shift left and shift right buttons.
Often, you can key in more characters than a field display shows. Shift Left moves the text display to the front of the field; Shift Right moves the text display to the end of the field.
Toggle
A toggle field on a screen menu enables you to select one of two possible choices, one of which is always displayed. Place a data point on the toggle field to toggle between the two choices.
Roll-Through List
A roll-through list shows one choice at a time of a list that can be several items long. Place a data point on the roll-through list to scroll through the available options. The option displayed is active.
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Standard Window Icons
When using this software in the CLIX environment, you can press <D> along the edge of a form or any area not occupied by a button, key-in field, or other gadget, to display a box of icons. You can manipulate form windows just like any other workstation window. The following list defines the available window icons.
Collapse/Restore Repaint Pop-to-bottom Modify/Resize Pop-to-top Restore Size
Batch Processes
When you install the PDS 3D applications, the system creates the necessary batch queues for that application. Refer to Loading PDS Products in the Project Administrator Reference Guide for a listing of the batch queues.
PDS 3D uses these batch queues to allow you to continue working in the environment while the system processes a request. Many of the batch processes can be delayed for submission at a specified time.
When you submit a batch process the system sends an electronic mail message to the mail path of the default login reporting the jobs completion status. The mail message also includes any error log information.
2. Environment
Help
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Help
On-line Help is a special feature of your application software. Help provides instant access to information from the application reference documents, such as command descriptions and explanations, prompt sequences, and much more.
There are several avenues you can take to find information about a command or subject. For instance, Help provides
A table of contents that lists subjects by topic and subtopic (in a hierarchy).
An alphabetized index of every command or subject that has been documented for the software.
A glossary to help you become familiar with product-specific terms.
The ability to move up, down, back, and forth through Help by using cross-references and links to primary and secondary commands.
The ability to quickly search through Help for information on a specific subject or command.
When you first select Help, the Help Table of Contents is displayed in a pop-up window. Select a topic from this list or select a command from the menu to display an article in the pop-up window.
Whenever possible, PDS Help is context sensitive. For example, if you select the help icon for a given form, Help that is specific to that form is displayed.
The Help window has buttons that you can use to manipulate either Help or the window itself as follows:
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Scroll Bar — Moves up or down in an article that is displayed in the Help window. Help Command Buttons — Enable you to move around in the Help file.
Cancel or File > Exit — exits Help and closes the Help window.
Operating Sequence
1. Select the Help button from the command window or form.
If you select Help while using a command, help on the active command is displayed. If no command is active, the table of contents is displayed.
2. Use the command buttons or scroll bar to move around in Help. — OR —