Custom Cable parts

[Ben3B]

@Scott C. Parker in the coffee break https://university.vectorworks.net/mod/overview/view.php?id=7637 at about 45'' You speak about cable part, and then explain that vector is looking in the user file then workgroup and then vector file , and it takes cable part from file with the same name . ( I dont remember where But I also read something like that from @Pat Stanford)

So i edited my multi cable file (delete all the imperial that I don't need), record it in my workgroup.
Then open the cable part manager update it .
all my change appear but also all the part I don't need 
I tried to record the file in my user file, but I 've the same result ,
I tried to rename the file in vector folder with , but I 've the same result ,
the only way I've found is to move the file , then it works as I want 
I miss something or don't understand well ? 

 

 

Thanks ! 

 

[Scott C. Parker]

On 11/26/2024 at 12:04 PM, Ben3B said:

Then open the cable part manager update it .
all my change appear but also all the part I don't need 
I tried to record the file in my user file, but I 've the same result ,
I tried to rename the file in vector folder with , but I 've the same result ,
the only way I've found is to move the file , then it works as I want 

I think what's happening is that when you update the cables via the cable manager, it reads all files in the cable folder. It doesn't care what the names are; it looks inside all the VW files present. This is why you had success when you moved the unwanted file instead of simply renaming the file. 

What happens when you choose the file name you have created using the Use Cable Set dropdown in the cable preferences dialog? The dropdown will show all the possible files. Once you set the set to be used, all cables should pull from only that file. 

[Ben3B]

in the spotlight menu, cable preference, metric is checked
But in the cable part manager imperial are still listed 

Is a way for they don't appear as choice ?

Edited December 11, 2024 by Ben3B

[jcogdell]

The only way to stop them appearing completely is to delete the imperial cable part libraries.
Cable part sets are intended to enable you to have both the metric and imperial parts available without needing to delete either from the library. The cable tool will only use the parts availble in the cable set when configuring the cable runs and ignore the others.
If you want to filter them out of the cable parts manager, try filtering by Metric, then only the metric cables will be visible

[LiteDoctor]

On 12/12/2024 at 1:05 AM, jcogdell said:

Cable part sets are intended to enable you to have both the metric and imperial parts available without needing to delete either from the library. The cable tool will only use the parts availble in the cable set when configuring the cable runs and ignore the others.

 

I have not found this to be true. I created a Cable Set for Christie Lites (using their 4', 8', 16' etc lengths). With the Christie Set chosen in Cable Prefs and only the Christie set checked in the Cable Parts, the Cable Tools are still creating a generic "Socapex-19 US" cable when making connections. And those multi cables do not appear in any Cable Reports.

 

Connecting from a Breakout to individual lights *does* use the Christie True1 Jumpers I created. I've attached both my test file and the Cable Parts Cache for you to see.

 

SP Cable Tools.vwx CablePartsCache.xml

[jcogdell]

@LiteDoctor
I'll take a look, it sounds like something odd is happening as the cable sets a specifically designed to control the cable parts available to the cable tool

[LiteDoctor]

18 hours ago, jcogdell said:

@LiteDoctor
I'll take a look, it sounds like something odd is happening as the cable sets a specifically designed to control the cable parts available to the cable tool

 

I figured it out this morning. The Socapex cables I created were using the wrong Connector, which confused the program so it defaulted to a generic cable.

[Ben3B]

On 12/12/2024 at 10:05 AM, jcogdell said:

The only way to stop them appearing completely is to delete the imperial cable part libraries.
Cable part sets are intended to enable you to have both the metric and imperial parts available without needing to delete either from the library. The cable tool will only use the parts availble in the cable set when configuring the cable runs and ignore the others.
If you want to filter them out of the cable parts manager, try filtering by Metric, then only the metric cables will be visible

Yes this what I understand, but this is not the way it happens 

Even If I check metric in spotlight pref, I can see imperial onces in the cable part settings 


the only way I'v found is to move the file outside of the default cable tools folder ;)
 

 

[jcogdell]

20 hours ago, Ben3B said:

Yes this what I understand, but this is not the way it happens 

Even If I check metric in spotlight pref, I can see imperial onces in the cable part settings 

I think I know where the misunderstanding is,
The set choosen in the cable preferences doesn't affect the parts available in the cable parts manager, it only affects the cable tool when it draws the cables.
If you don't want to see the imperial parts in the manager, use the filter at the top of the manager dialogue and enter metric. Then only the metric parts will be displayed in the Manager.

You can of course delete the imperial parts from the default library if you want but the library will be reset everytime Vectorworks is updated.