Welcome to Paladin® DesignBase™

This document covers the system requirements for DesignBase. It explains how
to get help and support using the product, and describes the documentation set.
Ten Tips for Getting Started
1. What are ActiveShapes? The building blocks of your DesignBase drawings. Based on
proven Autodesk technology, ActiveShapes are grouped into catalogs and have a wide variety of
intelligent custom behavior.

2. What are catalogs? Groups of related ActiveShapes. You can create your own catalogs of
frequently used ActiveShapes, or add ActiveShapes to existing catalogs.

3. What is a drawing object? An umbrella term for anything you can add to a DesignBase
drawing: ActiveShapes, geometry, groups, text blocks, OLE objects, and ActiveX objects.
(ActiveX objects are controls, such as check boxes or buttons that allow you to automate tasks.)

4. How is geometry different from ActiveShapes? Geometry is the set of drawing objects you
create with the drawing tools–lines, polylines, arcs, elliptical arcs, splines, rectangles, circles, and
ellipses. You can add geometry to catalogs, or use it to create ActiveShapes.

5. What is the Content Explorer? A browsing window for your catalogs. You can switch
between open catalogs, open more catalogs, and drag drawing objects to and from catalogs.
Display and hide using F8.

6. What is the Property Window? A tabbed window that shows the properties of selected
drawing objects. Display and hide using F9. You can change properties that govern drawing
object position, size, formatting, and behavior.

7. How do I add text to an ActiveShape? Just click in the ActiveShape and type. Most
ActiveShapes are designed to have text. You can also use DesignBase’s Back Annotation
Feature to bring job file and analysis specific text automatically back to your ActiveShapes.

8. I clicked an ActiveShape in the catalog and clicked in my drawing. Where's my

ActiveShape? You have to drag ActiveShapes into the drawing.

9. Some connected ActiveShapes come apart and others don't. Why?

ActiveShapes connect with plugs and sockets. Some plugs are designed to pull away from
sockets when you move the plugged ActiveShape and some are not.

10. Why do I have to base a new drawing on a template? The template determines the
catalogs of ActiveShapes that will open with your drawing, and other settings such as page size.
If you don't want any specific ActiveShapes or settings, use the Blank Drawing template.
Welcome to Paladin® DesignBase™

Getting Help
Help is available from the following sources when you are using DesignBase:

Documents CD
Online Help

Power Analytics Technical Support

If you run into problems with your DesignBase, you can contact Power Analytics Technical
Support via the following:

• Phone: (858) 675-9211 8am-5pm PST

• Fax: (858) 675-9724 24 hours
• Web: Complete and submit the form on Power Analytics’ website:
http://poweranalytics.com/technical_support.php

Networking:

DesignBase is designed to operate in a networked environment. A Windows 2000/2003 or

Windows XP server may be used to manage licenses. An automatic installer and the Flexlm
License Management system manage the DesignBase software. FLEXlm™ is a network licensing
system that lets you use DesignBase licensed software products.

Currently, Paladin License Server Manager is not compatible with Windows Vista. The server
must be Windows 2000/2003 or Windows XP. The software can be accessed from workstations
running Windows Vista.

DesignBase supports Single Machine licenses and Floating licenses.

• A Single Machine license lets you use DesignBase software on the workstation where the
license is installed.

• A Floating license lets you use DesignBase software on any workstation on the same
network. TCP/IP is required.

License Borrowing:
The DesignBase licensing system now supports license borrowing. When client computers are
configured to use a Paladin License Server, users can check out a license for a period of time
and use the DesignBase software while disconnected from the network the license server is
attached to.

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Welcome to Paladin® DesignBase™

DesignBase – PDF Documents

User’s Guides
Please note that you have a Documents CD, which contains all DesignBase user’s
guides in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Make sure you check our web site at
www.poweranalytics.com for the latest program and user guide updates.
• If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Viewer, please go to the Adobe web site at
http://www.adobe.com to download this free application.

Document Name Document number

Welcome_to_DesignBase5 M-12-DB-INS-X-003-01.pdf
What is new in this release DB5 M-12-DB-INS-X-004-01.pdf
Quick_Start R-12-DB-INS-X-001-01.pdf
Installation Guide R-12-DB-INS-X-002-01.pdf
BuildSingleLine.pdf R-12-DB-INS-X-003-01.pdf
Toolbar_Functions R-12-DB-INS-X-004-01.pdf

DesignBase User’s Guides (Note: These manuals are provided

in html5 format)
Program Version

File Name
WC1. LOADER (Document) ............................................................................................. DB5.0

WC4. EDITOR ..................................................................................................................7.65.00

WC6. SHORT CIRCUIT ANALYSIS PROGRAM ANSI/IEC/IEEE & ............................7.00.00

PROTECTIVE DEVICE EVALUATION/Classical/ANSI/IEC,1-P & 3-P

WC14. AC & DC SYSTEM PROTECTIVE DEVICE COORDINATION ..........................6.60.00

WC15. BUILD Devices ......................................................................................................7.65.00

WC19. SCHEDULES ..........................................................................................................2.91.00

WC21. NEC WIRE SIZING ................................................................................................3.00.01

WC22. SHORT LINE PARAMETERS ...............................................................................6.01.00

WC24. BARE WIRE SIZING ..............................................................................................3.00.00

WC25. GENERATOR SET SIZING ...................................................................................1.00.01

WC28. AC & DC ARC FLASH EVALUATION .................................................................6.80.00

WC29. ADVANCED POWER FLOW (ADPF) ..................................................................6.50.00

WC30. SINGLE-PHASE SHORT CIRCUIT CALCULATION ..........................................5.00.00

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WC31. ADVANCED SINGLE PHASE POWER FLOW (ADPF) ......................................4.20.00

WC32. ADVANCED MOTOR STARTING ........................................................................4.35.00

WC33. IMPORT/EXPORT TO/FROM EXCEL ..................................................................1.30.00

WC34. IMPORT PSS/E ......................................................................................................1.20.00

WC35. AUTO ONE-LINE ...................................................................................................1.15.00

WS104. CABLE PULLING ..................................................................................................4.20.00

WS105. ADVANCED POWER CABLE AMPACITY ..........................................................5.50.00

WS110. ADVANCED SUBSTATION GROUNDING ..........................................................4.80.00

WS111. SHIELDING ............................................................................................................1.00.00

WS113. INDUCTION MOTOR PARAMETERS .................................................................5.70.00

WS114.SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR PARAMETERS .........................................................2.95.01[

WS115.SAG & TENSION.....................................................................................................1.10.00

WS117.TRANSMISSION LINE PARAMETERS ................................................................[3.10.00

WS121.LOAD FORECASTING ..........................................................................................3.10.00

WP200.AD. HARMONICS ANALYSIS ...............................................................................5.20.00

WP205. DC SHORT CIRCUIT CLASSICAL & IEC 61660 .................................................6.10.00

WP207. DC LOAD FLOW ...................................................................................................[6.60.00

WP208. BATTERY SIZING .................................................................................................5.35.00

WP210.CAPACITOR SIZING .............................................................................................4.20.00

WP215. AC VOLTAGE PROFILE ........................................................................................5.20.00

WP216. RELIABILITY WORTH ASSESSMENT ................................................................[5.30.00

WP220.SHORT CIRCUIT IEC 363 .....................................................................................5.70.00

WP222.AC/DC LOAD FLOW ..............................................................................................5.20.00

WP225.ADVANCED TRANSIENT STABILITY ANALYSIS .............................................5.35.00

WP350.EMTAP “ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSIENT” ....................................................3.20.00

WE227.DISTANCE RELAYS .............................................................................................5.00.00

WE229.VOLTAGE STABILITY & CONTINGENCY ANALYSIS ......................................2.25.00

WE231.PSO (POWER SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION) .............................................................3.20.00

NEW UNBALANCED POWER FLOW ............................................................................1.00.00

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Welcome to Paladin® DesignBase™

These manuals are provided within the confines of the Power Analytics Corporation Software License Agreement and are
covered by the Copyright section therein. DesignBase users are permitted to print and copy these files as necessary for
use with their licensed software. However, these files are not to be loaned, leased or transferred outside of the
corporation, or by the individual, to whom DesignBase is licensed.