Introduction

ClashManager provides high-level functions for PDS® interference checking. It has been developed to save time and money when clashes in a plant design have to be identified and solved.

ClashManager fully supports SmartPlant® Review version 5.0.1 or later, clashes can be examined directly in SmartPlant Review or MicroStation®. A new tool makes selecting viewing directions much easier while viewing in SmartPlant Review (ClashViewControlCube).

ClashManager is the ideal software to identify large numbers of incorrect clashes and to approve them automatically. This makes it far easier for the user to identify real clashes. Depending on project extent and program configuration the number of collisions which have to be examined can be reduced by the factor 10 to 50.

Filter functions and detailed configuration options allow a preselection of clashes before visual examination takes place. Thus the number of collisions in a project can be reduced to a level which enables the user to examine and handle the remaining real clashes in the viewer.

A tabular representation with a wide range of filter functions considerably facilitates the detection of incorrect clashes. A graphical viewer makes things even easier and offers the chance to intervene immediately.

The software is closely integrated with PDS, which means that the results can be written back to PDS, where they can be used further. Already configured test mechanisms are stored and loaded with the next test procedure of the project. This substantially facilitates the finding of new collisions in the planning process. Likewise it is possible to cancel all changes and to restore the original status for all clashes as well as to delete the list of collisions in PDS.

The envelope builder and interference checker may also be run directly from ClashManager. Parallel batch processing increases speed at file building.

Installation

Setup

Requirements:

Supported operating systems:
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows 7 or later
PDS Version 6.4 or later
MicroStation SE or later
Microsoft Excel 2000 or later
SmartPlant Review 5.0.1 or later

Uninstall

To uninstall the software, select Control panel from the start menu. Then on

Windows 7-10: in large or small icon view, click Programs and features. If you're using category view, under Programs, click Uninstall a program.
Windows Vista: in classic view, double-click Programs and features. In control panel home view, under Programs, click Uninstall a program.
Windows XP/2000: (Double) click the Add or remove programs icon.

Select the program you want to remove, and click Uninstall/Remove. Alternatively, right-click the program and select Uninstall.

Setup command line (for administrators)

The following command line options are supported by the installer:

/S:<<optional ini file>>

Allow an install to be run in silent mode. As a result, no screens or dialogs will be shown.

This command line option also has an optional INI file that can be passed containing session variable values. For example:

"C:\output\setup.exe" "/S:C:\setupvars.ini"

This will cause the session variables in the INI file to be used for the setup. The INI file should be in the format:

[SetupValues]

%AppFolder%=C:\Program Files\MyProduct

/U:<<XML config file>>

This command line option must be used when calling the uninstall program from the command line. This command also has an optional XML file that can be passed containing session variable values. For example:

"C:\Program Files\MyProduct\uninstall.exe" "/U:C:\Program Files\MyProduct\irunin.xml"

Licence

CAXperts software supports two types of licences:

Site licence (local)

Domain based licences are restricted to machines within a 5 miles (8 kilometres) radius at a specific geographic location (building) for which the licence key file was issued for. There is no limitation regarding the number of users or machines.

CAXperts will need your Current domain name to issue a licence file (.lic).

The licence file has to be stored on a local or network location accessible by the machine running the CAXperts product; a licence server is not required.

The location of the licence file should be defined on every machine with the CAXperts product installed, which can be done

Either by setting the environment variable
CAXPERTS_LICENSE_FILE=C:\Program Files (x86)\CAXperts\Licensing\
Or by setting the registry key
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FLEXlm License > Manager\CAXPERTS_LICENSE_FILE=C:\Program Files > (x86)\CAXperts\Licensing\

Multiple licence key file locations should be separated by semicolons (“;”).

If the licence key file location is not defined, “C:\Program Files (x86)\CAXperts\Licensing\” is used.

The licence key file may be renamed (including the extension). The CAXperts product will check the content of all files in the licence folder(s) for valid keys.

Changes to the key path (in the environment variable or registry key) are read during the next start of the CAXperts product.

Floating (server) licence

Floating licences require a FlexNET server (lmadmin or lmgrd) accessible by the machine running the CAXperts product. The licence key file is typically located on the FlexNET server machine. The licence key file defines the maximum number of seats which can be used at the same time.

Every running instance of the CAXperts software product will require one seat, no matter if the application is running multiple times on the same or different machine(s).

New instances can only be started as long as seats are available and the FlexNET server is accessible.

The location of the licence server must be defined on every machine with the CAXperts product installed, which can be done

Either by setting the environment variable
CAXPERTS_LICENSE_FILE=@YourServerName
Or by setting the registry key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FLEXlm License Manager\CAXPERTS_LICENSE_FILE=@YourServerName

Every computer name must be preceded by the @ symbol. Multiple licence server locations should be separated by semicolons (“;”).

YourServerName is the Windows computer name of the machine running lmadmin (FlexNET server). If lmadmin is running on a non-default port, the port number should be defined like this: port@ YourServerName.

Changes to the server path (in the environment variable or registry key) are read during the next start of the CAXperts product.

Borrowed licences

Licence seats can be borrowed for a period of time from the server and saved to the local machine. Once the seat has been borrowed the CAXperts application can be used without any connection to the FlexNET server.

To borrow a licence seat press the Borrow seat button, define the loan period (up to 7 days) and press OK. When the borrowed seat expires it gets automatically returned back to the FlexNET server.

The seat can be returned earlier by pressing the Return borrowed seat button.

Without a valid licence file the software will run in demo mode.

Envelope Builder & Interference Checker module

Envelope Builder

The envelope builder receives attributes of the elements from the database and generates envelope files (*.env). Calculation of envelopes is a requirement for collision detection.

Envelope files which are already up-to-date will be ignored during an envelope builder run. All other envelope files will be generated anew. This is especially useful for large projects (see also PDS documentation from Intergraph)

Choose all the models and interference areas in the Envelope Builder & Interference Checker window for which you want to generate envelope files. This is the colour mark-up for the processed items:

Green envelope files are up to date or batch process was successful
Yellow data is being updated at the moment
Red envelope builder process has finished unsuccessfully

You can drop a plain ASCII file with model and drawing names (separated by line breaks) onto the tree view to automatically tick the check boxes of these models/drawings. Wildcards (*, ?) may be used to define the model/drawing names in the ASCII file.

The Start button starts the envelope generation and interference checking.

In Intergraph Batch Manager, Disable Job Inflow while Running Job may not be ticked (if it is ticked it would block sending of several jobs at once):

Envelope Builder processes may work “parallel”. Run Limit is a program-defined limit, a legally defined limit is the amount of available licences. We recommend that you set the scheduling properties for the “pdclash_server” queue in Intergraph Batch Manager to a value of up to 60 parallel processes to speed up the envelope building.

The number of parallel processes is depending on the number of available PDS licences.

Setting of queue properties in Batch Manager/pdclash_server:

Interference Checker

The Interference Checker receives the attributes from the files created by Envelope Builder and calculates the collisions (see also PDS documentation from Intergraph).

PDS collision detection after envelope generation can be activated by ticking the Run Interference Checker checkbox. Only if both processes are finished successfully for all elements, an effective analysis in ClashManager is possible. The Selected areas switch limits the Interference Checker run on the areas selected. If Complete project is switched on, the check-up of the whole project can be very time-consuming.

File

Select PDS project

Load settings from file

Load/import options from a configuration file.

Save settings to file

Save/export options to a configuration file.

Switch to approval module…

Click on Switch to approval module… to view and approve/unapprove clashes (see chapter Approval module below)

Most recently used projects

Shows the most recently used projects which can be loaded directly (if still available).

Exit

Terminates ClashManager.

View

Event window

Toggles the display of the event window.

Tools

Report status of envelope files for selected models

Generates an Excel report for all selected models with envelope file status (green – up to date, yellow – not up to date, red – envelope file is missing).

Clean history of all clashes in PDS

Cleans the Clash History Table (pdtable_135). This speeds up loading and saving of clashes in ClashManager.

Clash Review History Information (pdtable_135): One record per clash is created when it is reviewed after a run. Each time this clash is reviewed using ClashManager, the record in pdtable_135 is updated. If the same clash is present on the next run of Interference Checker, a new record is created in pdtable_135 with the same unique_clash_id. If a clash is never reviewed using ClashManager, no record will be created for this clash.

Delete all clashes from PDS

Deletes all clash entries from PDS database. This is only required in the event of errors in PDS and should usually not be needed by the user.

Options

You should also make the following settings in Intergraph Batch Manager:

'Disable Job Inflow while Running Job' in properties of 'pdclash_server' queue may not be ticked
'Run Limit' in scheduling properties of 'pdclash_server' queue should be increased. The number of parallel processes is depending on the number of available PDS licences!

If the job is not responding and the timeout is reached, the Envelope Builder or Interference Checker process will be killed automatically.

Once a clash is found, it will always belong to the design area or project marker file in which it was found. It is therefore important to use either the 'Complete project' option or the 'Selected areas' options consistently for the life of a project.

Please refer to Intergraph PD_Clash User's Guide for additional information.

Privilege manager

The Privileges manager allows you to lock functions for specific users/groups. The assignment of privileges is based on the Windows (domain) users and groups. This means that you do not have to establish a new privileges management system.

Group and user rights are linked by an OR operation: If a group has a certain privilege in ClashManager, every user in this group will have this privilege, even if this privilege is not explicitly stated in the settings for this user.

The access rights are stored in an Access database (ClashManager.mdb). This is located in the proj_file directory. The privileges are thus the same for all the projects in a proj_file.

Access to the Access database should be controlled using the Windows access rights.

Privilege manager is not available when the user works in offline mode of ClashManager (offline mode means that ClashManager has no connection with the PDS database of the project reviewed).

The default setting is “Allow” for every user and group.

Language

You can use the Language menu command to switch between languages at any time. You do not have to restart ClashManager. The most recent language setting is saved automatically.

Language editor

The Language editor allows you to translate the interface into other languages or to modify the existing translation tables.

Select source language
Select target language

Select the source and target language. You can then translate the individual items. If the required target language does not exist, you can add it by clicking the "Add" button. Save the completed translation by clicking the Save button.

Help

Opens the ClashManager online documentation (Contents tab).

Index

Opens the ClashManager online documentation (Index tab).

Search

Opens the ClashManager online documentation (Search tab).

Update licence

See Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference source not found..

About

About shows version and copyright information about the software.

Command line mode

The ClashManager Envelope Builder & Interference Checker module can also be started from command line. To do so, use the following syntax:

------------------------------------------------------------

CAXperts ClashManager

------------------------------------------------------------

Command line arguments for ClashManager.exe:

/Mode mode - Running modes:

APPROVE - Approval module

CHECK - Envelope Builder and Interference
Checker module

/CMD control_file.cmd - Path to the control file.

If control file is not defined, last

control file will be used.

/Project project_name - PDS-Project name.

If project name is not defined, last

project will be used.

/Config config_file.ini - Configuration file.

If not defined, last configuration file
will be used.

/batch - If defined Envelope Builder and

Interference Checker will be run in
batch mode

Example:

ClashManager.exe /Mode check /CMD control_file.cmd
/Project project_name /Config config_file.ini /batch

Approval module

The main window consists of

menu bar
tool bar
list of clashes
log
status bar

There are three modes to load a list of clashes:

from PDS
from an Access database (project schema available)
from an Access database (project schema not available = “offline mode”, also displayed in the window caption)

In offline mode, only Save to Microsoft Access database is available; additionally Show clashes in MicroStation, Automated generation of SmartPlant Review session and Privileges Manager will not be available.

The main window shows all clashes in the selected PDS project. The Approve and Unapprove buttons on the tool bar assign the corresponding status to the selected clashes.

The columns review_comment and action_discipline may be edited by the user.

To select more than one clash at once, press down the Ctrl key or Shift key like in Windows Explorer while clicking on the rows.

Order of columns

Column order may be changed by dragging & dropping column headers (left mouse button).

Sort

If you click on a column header, the list will be sorted depending on this column. Click once more to toggle between ascending and descending sort.

Filter

The yellow row is for entering filter conditions. The conditions may be selected from combo boxes or also be directly entered. All lines that do not match the conditions will be hidden.

Example: selecting Piping in column discipline_a and Piping in column discipline_b shows clashes between piping elements.

The filter can be reset byclearing the filter field.

Group

You may drag & drop column headers to the dark grey area above to group by these columns. The order may be also changed via drag & drop.

Example: Use models (model_a) as first group and discipline (discipline_a) as second one.

More useful collision filters and sorts:

Filter by status: Unapproved
All approved clashes (usually a large number) will be hidden.
Filter by type of clash: If not already set in the approval filter, you could filter by “Hard-Hard”, most “real” collisions are of this type.