Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bruce Trevena,
Plant Solutions Consultant,
Cadgroup Australia,
November 2014
Plant 3D - System Tools & Variables
CONTENTS
GENERALINSTRUMENTROTATE
Sets whether inline instrument can be rotated
ON OFF
SLINENOZZLEERASE
Sets whether nozzles are erased when connected slines are erased
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
SLINEORTHO
Sets whether ortho is turned on when sline is activated and whether corner
points are implied
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
Does not turn on ortho when sline is activated. Corner points are not
0 implied
VGRIPS
Controls the display of vertex grips.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Drawing
Initial value: 0
Displays all vertex grips except the first and last points. Set VGRIPS
to 1 to alter sline arcs
Displays all vertex grips. Set VGRIPS to 2 if you want to enable grips
on the first and last points of a line so that you can shorten line
segments
COMPRESSPROJECT
Compresses and defragments the cached drawing data that accumulates while project
drawings are modified.
Access Methods
Command entry: compressproject
Summary
Compresses the drawing data, which is constantly updated as you work on project
drawings. To optimize the data cache and improve the program performance, you can
do a periodic project compression.
For compression to succeed, the project cannot be locked by another designer. If the
project is locked, the compression process is halted.
PLANTAUDIT
Audits and repairs project data and drawing synchronization errors.
Access Methods
Command entry: plantaudit
Summary
If a Plant object is not found in the project database, it is erased from the drawing.
List of Prompts
The following prompts display if synchronization errors are found.
Updated cache connection data for part <handle>
Erased component <handle> not linked to project database
PnPLOCALDATACACHEPURGER
Running this executable purges your local cache.
Access Methods
Command entry: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD Plant 3D 2013\
PnPLOCALDATACACHEPURGER.exe
Summary
Plant 3D uses a local cache to hold drawing and object data. This is done to streamline
graphic performance. As the cache file increases in size and reaches a maximum, older
contents are deleted. Fatal errors, power outages and illegal procedures such as
SAVEAS can lead to corruptions in the cache file and it is good practice to purge this
local cache from time to time (once a week).
CATALOGUE BUILDER
AutoCADPlant3DCatalogBuilder.exe
PLANTBENDENABLEALLPIPETYPES
Enable bends for all types
ON OFF
PLANTCOGVALIDATIONSWITCH
Enables weight validation.
0 Off
PLANTCONNECTIONMARKER
Toggles the display of the disconnect marker.
Type: Switch
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 0
PLANTCONTENTFOLDER
Displays the shared content catalog folder.
(Read-only)
Type: String
PLANTDEFAULTLAYER
Sets the piping layer to use when using automated layer assignments and
the layer cannot be determined.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 0
Sets the layer to use when the automated layer name cannot be determined. For
example, if you are naming layers by line number and change the line number to
unassigned.
An empty value (setvar "PLANTDEFAULTLAYER" "") will use the current layer.
PLANTDYNTOOLPALETTE
Loads the dynamic pipe spec tool palette from
the current spec.
Access Methods
Command entry: plantdynamictoolpalette
Summary
You can enable or disable the dynamic pipe
spec tool palette.
List of Prompts
The Dynamic Pipe Spec Tool Palette is currently
<enabled>.
PlantDynamicToolPalette [Enable/Disable]:
Enable
Displays the current spec in the tool palette.
Disable
Do not use the dynamic tool palette. You can create and customize a static
piping component tool palette using the spec viewer. This behavior is
compatible with AutoCAD Plant 3D 2011.
PLANTERRORLEVEL
0 1 2
PLANTINSULATIONDISPLAY
Controls whether insulation is displayed on AutoCAD Plant 3D piping
objects.
Type: Switch
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
PLANTINSULATIONMODE
Controls whether insulation is displayed on AutoCAD Plant 3D piping
objects.
Type: String
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: simplifiedFull
PLANTFITTINGSTICKFACTOR
2.0000
PLANTGRIPEDITMODE
Controls whether inline fittings are constrained to move within the current
pipe segment or if they move to other connected pipe segments in the
network.
Summary
You can control whether the inline fittings can be moved only within the current pipe
segment or if they can be moved along the connected network to other pipe segments
as well.
List of Prompts
PLANTLOCKFADECTL
Fades locked piping in the 3D model.
Type: Switch
Initial value: 0
PLANTLOCKPOINTOFSUPPORT
When on (1), pipe supports that are copied or moved retain their point-of-support. The
point-of-support is where the pipe support connects to structure. For example, if the
support is copied to pipe that is lower in elevation, the support rod of a hanger support
increases in height.
Not all pipe support types have a point of support. For example, hangers and stanchions
have a point-of-support.
This variable can also be set with the Lockpointofsupport option of
plantpipesupportmove.
Type: Switch
Initial value: 0
PLANTMAXBENDANGLE
Specifies whether pipe bends can be used up to 90 or 180 degrees.
Type: Real
Initial
90
value:
PLANTOFFSETCONNECT
Controls whether AutoCAD Plant 3D attempts to connect piping when
snapping to a pipe connection and using pipe offset while routing.
Type: Switch
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
PLANTPORTDISPLAY
ON OFF
PLANTSELECTCOGSWITCH
Plantshowconnectedcenterline
ON OFF
PLANTVALIDATEDEMANDCLOSE
CLOSEWAIT
PLANTPCFUNICODE
Creates Unicode PCF files.
Type: Switch
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
Multi-byte characters are supported in ACSII PCF files using escape sequences, but this
restricts the number of characters supported and can affect formatting.
PLANTPIPESILHDISPLAY
Sets the display of the pipe silhouettes.
Type: Switch
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
PLANTPLACEHOLDERDISPLAY
Toggles the display of the Placeholder Part glyph.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
0 On
1 Off
PLANTPROPMISMATCHDISPLAY
Toggles the display of the property mismatch markers.
Type: Switch
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 0
PLANTROUTEBEND
Creates pipe bends while routing pipe.
Type: Switch
Initial value: 0
PLANTSAVEDETAIL
Sets the detail of the proxy graphics when Plant 3D objects are viewed in
AutoCAD or Navisworks without object enablers.
Type: Switch
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
Low detail. Sets proxy graphic detail to use lines. This setting reduces
0 the size of the DWG file when saved.
PLANTSLOPETHRESHOLDANGLE
Specifies the angle below which piping is treated as sloped.
Summary
You can specify the angle that identifies what piping is treated as sloped and what is not.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 5
On. Piping over this value is considered sloped. Piping over this value
1-45 is considered angled. The default angle is 5 degrees.
PLANTSPECNOTIFY
Checks for spec file updates when the drawing loads, and on a time interval.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
On. Checks for spec file updates when the drawing loads, and on the
1 time interval specified by the plantspecnotifytime system variable
PLANTSPECNOTIFYTIME
Sets the time interval that spec files are checked for updates.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 2
0 Checks for spec file updates only when the drawing loads
Sets the time interval (in hours) that spec files are checked for
1-4 updates. The first check is made when the drawing loads
PLANTSPECUPDATECHECK
Checks for changes made to spec files that are in use in a drawing.
Access Methods
Summary
You can check for changes to a pipe spec that is used in a 3D model. If changes are
discovered, you can update the model.
NoteThis command can run automatically by setting
the plantspecnotify and plantspecnotifytime system variables.
See Also
Update a Spec in a Plant 3D Model
PLANTWELCOMEENABLED
Displays the Welcome Screen
Setting to 0 will prevent the opening of Plant 3D Welcome Dialogue, a
address the issue of Plant 3D freezing on the Welcome Screen.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 0
0 Off
PLANTWELCOMENEWPROJECT
Displays the New Project button on the welcome screen.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 0
0 Off
PLANTWELDDISPLAY
Toggles the display of connection markers.
Type: Switch
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 0
SYNCSTYLESMODE
Sets how project drawings synchronize with the project database.
Type: Bitcode
Initial value: 42
The setting is stored as a bitcode using the sum of the following values:
Turn this variable off (0) to improve performance. Set all bits (63) to update P&ID, 3D
Model, and Ortho drawings when they are opened, and if the project is modified in
Project Setup. The default (42) synchronizes open P&ID, open 3D Model, and Ortho
drawings if the project is modified in project setup.
PLANTORTHOHIDDENLINEMODE
Specifies whether hidden lines are shown and whether they are shown for piping only or
for all plant objects.
Access Methods
Ribbon: Ortho Editor tab Output Appearance panel Hidden Line Piping
Command entry: plantorthohiddenlinemode
List of Prompts
Specify the display mode for hidden lines when creating Ortho drawings
[Nohiddenlines/hiddenPipingonly/Allhiddenlines]:
Nohiddenlines
Pipes behind other pipes are hidden.
hiddenPipingonly
All pipe lines show (default).
Allhiddenlines
All pipe lines and other objects behind pipes or objects show.
PLANTORTHOMATCHLINEMODE
Specifies whether matchlines are generated on plan view orthos.
Access Methods
Ribbon: Ortho Editor tab Output Appearance panel Matchlines
Command entry: plantorthomatchlinemode
List of Prompts
Enter new value for PLANTORTHOMATCHLINEMODE <ON>:
Enter OFF or ON to toggle the generation of matchlines on plan view ortho drawings.
The default is ON.
PLANTORTHOPAPERCHECK
Displays an overlaid preview of the paper size in relation to the selected ortho view
scale.
Access Methods
Ribbon: Ortho Editor Output Size panel Paper Check
Command entry: plantorthopapercheck
Summary
You can see whether the current scale setting is appropriate and make changes to the
scale before placing the view in the ortho drawing.
Use the scale drop-down list on the ribbon to make adjustments. The preview reflects
your changes.
List of Prompts
PLANTORTHOSHOWOPENPIPESYMBOL
Cycles through the open pipe symbol modes in ortho drawings: no cut-pipe symbols
shown, only symbols on pipes or components cut by the OrthoCube shown (default),
symbols on open-ended pipes as well as pipes or components cut by the OrthoCube
shown.
Access Methods
Ribbon: Ortho Editor tab Output Appearance panel Cut Pipe Symbols
Command entry: plantorthoshowopenpipesymbol
List of Prompts
Enter new value for PLANTORTHOSHOWOPENPIPESYMBOL <1>:
0 = shows no symbols on pipes cut by the OrthoCube.
1 = shows symbols on pipes or components cut by the OrthoCube (default).
2 = shows symbols on open-ended pipes as well as pipes or components cut by the
OrthoCube.