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project revision: Numbering cables and naming devices


Thomas K.

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Hello

unfortunately, a second variant has registered in a larger project. 
This currently results in two tasks for which we do not find the right solution.

 

One:
We need to renumber all cables. 
Unfortunately, the tool starts at the last assigned number. In our case at 2123... However, it is imperative that we start again at one. How can we realize this without redrawing all connections?

We already tried to set up a new Numbering-system without success. 

 

Two:
According to our customer's specifications, the device name should also include the name of the physical location. (roof, dimmerbeach stage left,...) We have already arranged all devices on layers in order to have a good overview.
Is it "automated" to include the name of the layer in the device name?
One possible syntax: name-location-number. (dimmer-roof-001)
Attempts with the numbering tool from ConnectCad as well as from Spotlight have unfortunately not resulted in any result. 
The ConnectCad functionality of Rooms is known, of course. and is also used to create rack views.
With almost 800 devices, we would be reluctant to go down the manual path...

 

 

Has someone already solved one or both problems and is willing to share their solution? I am happy about help.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

About the other request. The permutations of what customer may ask are limitless and we can only cater for the more likely ones. You can automate anything in Vectorworks / ConnectCAD using Vectorscript, Python or Marionette.

 

Conrad

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10 minutes ago, Conrad Preen said:

Hi Thomas

 

Maybe the Spotlight Numbering command would be a good friend to you here? Jim Woodward has put a guide to this in the Did You Know thread.

 

Conrad

Hi Conrad,

 

exactly not the way we are looking for. The syntax for our cablenumbers you can see here includes our prefix and a number for the signaltype plus the number.

1247089085_Bildschirmfoto2021-03-11um09_13_22.thumb.png.6675f0a0d3b0f72fb73e907d8ff0709e.png

 

How to achieve this via the spotlight numbering tool?

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@Kelzilla1000 

As Conrad mentioned, if you clear all cable numbers then the Number Cables command can still provide what you are looking for. But if that doesn't suit your needs, I think I can answer the part about how Spotlight Numbering could help. (Click on pictures to make them bigger)

 

The Spotlight Numbering tool is helpful in this situation because it allows you to add prefixes to the objects you are incrementing. Therefore, you could put "AVK_1_" in the Prefix field and your starting  number in the Start field and renumber the cables that are signal type 1.

1669755447_SpotlightNumbering.thumb.png.3246c270613c00e7ab26d596e259c309.png

 

There are (at least) two methods that I can see of making this happen. The first is to launch Spotlight numbering, fill in the info, and then start selecting the cables you want to renumber one at a time (all the cables that will have the same prefix). The preview window will show you what you are numbering each circuit. You then hit the checkbox in the toolbar when you are done numbering cables. This is a manual process and you have to select each cable individually (but at least you don't have to type the number!!). The second option is a little more automated. If you select the cables you want to renumber before launching Spotlight Numbering, then the Numbering Direction fields (greyed out in above picture) become active and you get to specify a direction (left>right, top>bottom, etc) and a start point. Spotlight Numbering will then auto-renumber all cables you selected before running the Spotlight Numbering command.

 

Advanced: To make the process even more automated, you can make VW select all cables with the same prefix in their name (which equates to all cables of the same signal type in your example) before you launch the Spotlight Numbering Command. To do this go to Tools>Custom Selection. Choose the "Select Only" Command and the "Execute Immediately" Option. Then click the criteria button. You want Field Value in the first box, Circuit>Number in the second box, "=" in the third box, and "your prefix" plus an asterisk in the last box (see picture below). This tells VW to select all cables whose Number is "AVK_1_anything else". When you click Ok, all cables (on ALL layers, so be aware of that) with the prefix AVK_1_ should be selected. You can then run the Spotlight Numbering command.

280292205_CustomSelection.thumb.png.7b8b3948211dc9043fd21c2ad9c66cc7.png890365510_CustomSelectionCriteria.thumb.png.df1a43289948364f450fd0dece450449.png

 

This workflow should help speed things up significantly.

Hope this helps.

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  • 5 months later...
  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Hello @kllovan,

 

Did you try this:

On 3/11/2021 at 10:36 AM, Conrad Preen said:

Hi Thomas

 

Well I just did a test and if I first de-number all the cables then both incrementing and generated sequences start from 1. Using Number Cables... that is.

 

Conrad

 

The command is under ConnectCAD->Drawing->Clear Cable Numbers.

 

Best Regards,

Nikolay Zhelyazkov

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3 hours ago, Nikolay Zhelyazkov said:

 

 

The command is under ConnectCAD->Drawing->Clear Cable Numbers.

 

Best Regards,

Nikolay Zhelyazkov

Hi @Nikolay Zhelyazkov

 

is there any way to get the "Clear Cable Numbers" and the "Number Cables" work across all visible Design Layers?

 

All circuits i need are activated via script across all DL. So how to manage this for the "inhouse" commands?

Let's say the command goes along the stacking order an from top to bottom on every visible DL

Sure it is possible via script, but...

 

Best

Thomas

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
32 minutes ago, Thomas K. said:

Hi @Nikolay Zhelyazkov

 

is there any way to get the "Clear Cable Numbers" and the "Number Cables" work across all visible Design Layers?

 

All circuits i need are activated via script across all DL. So how to manage this for the "inhouse" commands?

Let's say the command goes along the stacking order an from top to bottom on every visible DL

Sure it is possible via script, but...

 

Best

Thomas

 

Hell Thomas,

 

Unfortunately, Clear Cable Numbers is clearing the numbers in the active layer only. You can fill in an enhancement request for it to get updated to work for your workflow and we will look into it. The same goes for the Number Cables menu.

 

Best Regards,

Nikolay Zhelyazkov

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On 8/12/2021 at 1:56 AM, Nikolay Zhelyazkov said:

Hello @kllovan,

 

Did you try this:

 

The command is under ConnectCAD->Drawing->Clear Cable Numbers.

 

Best Regards,

Nikolay Zhelyazkov

@Nikolay Zhelyazkov yes. I tried this first. Unfortunately it still started at -065 no matter how many times I cleared it. Wanted it to start at XXX-001. When I used the Spotlight method, it would give me XXX-001 for the first one and then XXX-2 for the increment. Nothing I could do would match up the correct way. So I copied all after I cleared the numbers, pasted in place in another file. Deleted everything out of my current file. Then numbered cables in the new file. It got everything perfect. Then copied out of the untitled file back into the original file. 

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
22 minutes ago, kllovan said:

@Nikolay Zhelyazkov yes. I tried this first. Unfortunately it still started at -065 no matter how many times I cleared it. Wanted it to start at XXX-001. When I used the Spotlight method, it would give me XXX-001 for the first one and then XXX-2 for the increment. Nothing I could do would match up the correct way. So I copied all after I cleared the numbers, pasted in place in another file. Deleted everything out of my current file. Then numbered cables in the new file. It got everything perfect. Then copied out of the untitled file back into the original file. 

- It would be great if you can send me a test file which shows this issue. The file should be with circuit numbers and when you execute Clear Cable Numbers then Number Cables should not start from 1. If you can send me such file I will be able to see where the problem comes from.

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