3D SymbolDesigner Readme

Copyright 2002 CAXperts GmbH
All Rights Reserved

Version Information

Content

This file contains information that is not covered in the on-line Help. It contains sections on the following topics:

• What's New
• General Notes
• Troubleshooting
• Limitations
• New Features
• New Fixes
• Open Problems

What's new

Version 6.2 contains additional features:

• Writeback parameters are available now, i.e. you can do e.g. volume calculations and write the result back to a SmartPlant 3D parameter.
• Hanger and support parts contain now template projects.

Please have a look on http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924074/ on how to use earlier versions of Excel, PowerPoint, and Word to open and save files from 2007 Office programs.

General notes

3D SymbolDesigner includes extensive on-line documentation. The 3D SymbolDesigner "Ready Reference" guide is your primary source of information about 3D SymbolDesigner. This guide is available as Help (*.chm) and PDF files.

Installation

SmartPlant 3D must be installed and running on your computer. Additionally, Microsoft Excel and .NET Framework 2.0 must be installed. We strongly recommend to install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats if you are using Office XP or 2003 and want to save/open files in the new Office 2007 .xlsx format.

Troubleshooting

CAXperts products provide error information in several different ways. 3D SymbolDesigner either prints messages or displays dialog interfaces to report errors. Additionally, 3D SymbolDesigner logs events and errors to a log file (3D SymbolDesigner.xml) in your temporary directory.

In general, always use these facilities, when applicable, to troubleshoot problems. In addition to these recommendations, the following troubleshooting information addresses error conditions you may encounter. Please read the following section to resolve these common problems.

General

Limitations

General

• OS: Microsoft Windows XP; Microsoft Server 2003; Microsoft Windows Vista; Microsoft Windows 7
• Microsoft Office XP, 2003, 2007 or 2010
• When using Windows XP, Service Pack 2 is highly recommended
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 has to be installed (already included with Windows Vista and 7)

Windows XP and Vista

• "Run As..." is not supported. Running 3D SymbolDesigner using the "Run As..." option will bring up error messages

SmartPlant 3D

• Visual Basic export is supported for piping, equipment and equipment component symbols only.
• Visual Basic classes for support symbols may be also exported but have to be included manually in support assemblies.
• Automated bulkload template generation is supported for equipment symbols and custom instruments only
• Integrated bulkload works with SmartPlant 3D 6.0 only, for >6.1 a trouble request was filed

New features

Following is a list of new features included with this release of 3D SymbolDesigner.

06.02.124.12044

• Additional .NET export capabilities (alpha).
• Faster formula calculation.

05.02.00.05

• H&S assembly template export.
• SmartNozzles for equipment symbols.

04.03.00.02

• Faster treeview rendering

04.01.00.02

• Support for central symbol share (new feature in SmartPlant 3D 2009 SP1)
• Add attribute definitions via context menu

03.03.00.00

• Circle graphical primitive
• Extruded solid can be based on b-splines instead of polygons using the addtional BSplineDegree node
• The former semisphere is now a spherical segment which can also be used to model domes
• Rotational solid: the user defines a polygon or b-spline which gets rotated about an axis
• Assembly features: partclasses, conditions, joints, configuration index calculator
• Part objects are additional symbols added to the project which can be used for building assemblies

02.02.00.41

• Visible subnode for all primitives: if the subnode is <>0, the primitive will be displayed in SmartPlant 3D

02.02.00.32

• Additional connectors: cable, cable tray, conduit, elbow piping, foundation, HVAC and hanger.
• Geometry helpers show dimensions of primitives in 3D SymbolDesigner
• Bulkload sheets for Custom Instruments and Custom Specialties
• Text parameters
• For loops (e.g. for ladders and stairs)
• Automated generation of a BMP picture as symbol icon

02.01.50.00

• Parameter names are now checked against Config.xls in the 3D SymbolDesigner data subdirectory.
• Full support for custom instruments.
• OLE drap&drop is now allowed for xls, xml, raw and txt files.

02.01.03.00

• Added export of custom instruments symbols and bulkload sheets.
• Changed pan/scroll of views by scrollbars to pan/scroll by click & drag.
• Changed rotate of views by scrollbars to rotate by click & drag.

02.01.00.00

• Improved parser: Formulas are solved now up to three times faster.
• 3D SymbolDesigner program starts significantly faster.
• "Rename" item in context menu.
• Catalogue nodes may now have different captions and key names.

02.00.01.00

• 3D SymbolDesigner now includes a refresh button for the tree view in the SmartPlant 3D wizard: The catalogue structure will be dumped to the file ComponentTree.xml in the 3D SymbolDesigner data directory and then displayed in the tree view (Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 needed).
• "Save as" dialogue on closing.
• Field "Name" is locked in tree view now but may be changed using the left column in the list of variants.
• Render mode may be selected by toolbar icons instead of the former drop-down list.
• New toolbar items: semi-transparent and raster render mode.
• Scroll/pan with scroll bars is now dependent on the zoom level.
• Additional checks if parameter names collide with physical units or reserved words.

02.00.00.27

• Automatic update for 3D SymbolDesigner 1.0 tree nodes: Missing attributes will be added. Note: the "physical quantity" attribute stays unlocked for old nodes to sustain compatibility with older symbols

02.00.00.14

• CSG union introduced; improved display in virtual machines

02.00.00.13

• Performance improvements; right-click formatting for values; graphical display of nozzles; edges and points export; true datum point; smaller export files; customisable unit conversion

01.00.00.36

• 3D SymbolDesigner locks automatic bulkload tab when version of SmartPlant 3D is not able to do automatic bulkload. When compiling DLLs the accessibility of DLLs needed is checked beforehand.

01.00.00.24

• Toolbars support docking

New fixes

Following is a list of new fixes included with this release of 3D SymbolDesigner.

06.02.123.11346

• Solved: Regression error: PortIndex is spelled PortInde (missing x).

06.02.122.11327

• Solved: Eccentric transition element gets wrong placement if L1 is not L2.
• Solved: DT4x4 gets wrong namespace in code.

06.02.07.11158

• Solved: Graphical display and parameter values are out of sync.

06.00.74.11027

• Solved: Catalogue reader is broken or slow.
• Solved: s is missing in SmartNozzle function name.
• Solved: Set is missing in ControlPoint function.
• Solved: When running additional debug information, some lines stop the compiler run.

05.02.20.10348

• Solved: Common views are functional but invisible.

05.02.02.10271

• Solved: Naming problems with mixed ports on EQP.

05.02.00.06

• Changed: Bulkload sheet generation (added/removed some columns to meet changes in SmartPlant 3D)

05.01.00.01

• Solved: Zoom is jumping when symbol is panned or scrolled.
• Solved: Rotation doesn't get replaced by HandWheelAngle where needed.
• Solved: Empty support port values in Bulkloadsheet templates for Hangers and Supports.

04.02.00.01

• Solved: Visible node does not work for some points in points export mode.

04.02.00.00

• Solved: Problem with position and rotation of hanger connectors.
• Solved: Problem with ForLoops and Unions regarding transformation propagation.
• Solved: Additional output for unions not needed.

04.01.00.04

• Solved: Problem with position of ForLoop objects in 3D SymbolDesigner graphics.

04.01.00.03

• Solved: Problems with node names when renaming many parameters at once.

04.01.00.01

• Changed: Added new type for CablePorts.

03.03.01.08

• Changed: Angles for spherical solids are now between 0° and 360°.

03.03.01.07

• Solved: Line function is broken.

03.03.01.05

• Solved: Import from GeometryExtractor does not support " as unit type.

03.03.01.04

• Solved: Several issues when updating projects from version 2.2 and earlier.
• Solved: Rectangular torus doesn't render if R1 <= L1/2

03.03.01.03

• Solved: GeometryExtractor crashes when exporting PDS 7.1 equipment models.
• Solved: ORACLE database connection is broken

03.03.01.02

• Solved: Select interface first doesnt filter for attributes in this interface.
• Solved: ORACLE database input boxes are locked

03.03.01.01

• Solved: Switching to ORACLE in options menu ends software if ORACLE is not available.

02.02.00.55

• Solved: First row missing in PipingSpeciality and CustomInstrument bulkload sheet.
• Solved: Wrong error message about missing VisualBasic compiler during compilation.

02.02.00.54

• Solved: Compatibility issues with pre-2007 versions of Microsoft Excel.

02.02.00.53

• Solved: Foundation port/piping port combination problem.

02.02.00.51

• Solved: all regional settings limitations. 3D SymbolDesigner uses decimal point for number input and display.

02.02.00.50

• Solved: Modal help forms block software main window.

02.02.00.49

• Solved: Missing variable declaration for text attributes in exported code.

02.02.00.47

• Solved: Transition elements are rotated by 90° compared to SmartPlant 3D.

02.02.00.46

• Solved: Nozzles cannot be deleted when a symbol runs on SmartPlant 3D 7.

02.02.00.41

• Solved: Change dimension error appears on allowed changes; error message occurs when the symbol is placed on second try.
• Solved: Ghost nozzles appear in SmartPlant 3D but disappear when F5 is pressed; aspects other than SimplePhysical are not modelled correctly

02.02.00.32

• Solved: nOutputs is too large for EQP
• Solved: NPDUnitType does not allow text input
• Solved: All button texts are hidden on Chinese systems
• Solved: Datumpoints can be renamed
• Solved: DatumPoints cannot be rotated
• Solved: Only one DatumPoint appears in SmartPlant 3D after export
• Solved: 3D SymbolDesigner doesn't run on Windows Vista and Office 2007
• Solved: ArcTan/ArcCos/ArcSin not fully implemented
• Solved: Version number of symbol is not exported to SmartPlant 3D

02.01.00.00

• Solved: Drag & drop to and from unions doesn't work properly

02.00.01.00

• Solved: It is possible to enter non-unique parameter names
• Solved: Deletion of UV vectors doesn't work
• Solved: Using arrow-keys when editing parameter names doesn't work
• Solved: Display flickers if more than one project is open at once
• Solved: Display of union values is not possible before the project was saved

02.00.00.30

• Solved: "Dim arrPoints2() As Double" statement is missing when edges are exported to SmartPlant 3D

02.00.00.29

• Solved: Nozzles in "Union" node cause trouble when exported to SmartPlant 3D

02.00.00.28

• Solved: Small input box sometimes looses focus

02.00.00.25

• Solved: Black/flickering screen when opening old (version 1.0) models

02.00.00.23

• Solved: Problems with graphics in Virtual Machines

02.00.00.14

• Solved: Operator primitive needs manual corrections in exported source code

01.00.00.28

• Solved: Some icons look grainy or cannot be displayed

01.00.00.27

• Solved: Wrong mapping of occurrence attributes, HandWheelAngle/Rotation for VB export

Open problems

• Integrated bulkload doesn't work in SmartPlant 3D 6.1 and higher