ConnectCAD - Device URL to manufacturer website/datasheet

[Ross McLee]

Hi,

One for @Conrad Pand Co....

 

Would it be possible to add a URL field to the Device symbol definition (and perhaps others) which you can populate with a link to the manufacturer's data sheet or website perhaps?...

Might be handy when creating reports to link to the website for further information, installation manuals etc..

 

Cheers,

R

 

 

[Conrad Preen]

Hi Ross

 

Yes that's a nice idea. I have implemented something similar - a "Google it" button that we use internally which searches for <make> + <model>. The only problem that I can see with your suggestion is that the internet is a very dynamic place and things move around a lot. I suspect that it would keep someone extremely busy just checking and updating all the URLs. We are quite a small team taking care of ConnectCAD, we just manage to create the illusion that there are a lot of us by moving around very fast🤣 🤣🤣.

 

Conrad

[Ross McLee]

hahahah... just don't stop swimming - you'll drown like sharks! 🙂

 

The URL field would be user entered and manually edited. So no need for you guys to maintain.

I have a similar auto google search cell in my spreadsheets which creates a google search it concatenates the make and model into a search string URL too. Works a treat!

 

just an idea😉

 

R

[jcogdell]

Hi Ross

 

Although we don't have a dedicated URL field in ConnectCAD devices you can use the Hyperlink tool from the Dims/Notes tool-set to add them into your devices, which can then be saved into your favorites for future use.

 

[Ben3B]

Hello ? I'm new in vwx and connectcad .

I'm looking for something similar, (I wanna give the pdf schematic and worksheet to the commercial team and they just have to click on link to find the device ;) )

So I  tried with the hyperlink tools , that works well, but How can I have that link in my worksheet ? 

 

thanks guys

[Ross McLee]

Hi @ben59,

You could create a report..

Tools...Reports...Create A Report.

In the columns selection, Select from "Records" in the first drop down, and choose "hyperlink" in the second drop down.

Then select the elements you need to display in your report (I just select all of them) and then delete columns I don't need.

 

Admittedly there is no association between devices and the hyperlinks you have included, but, it is a start i guess.

 

Hope this helps and good luck with this massive learning curve!

R

 

 

 

 

[Conrad Preen]

4 hours ago, Ross McLee said:

good luck with this massive learning curve!

 

I've got to admit you have me worried, Ross. If ConnectCAD seems like such a mountain then I would really like to know where you are getting stuck so I can "flatten the curve" as it were...

 

Conrad

[Ross McLee]

@Conrad Preen,  LOL - Don't be worried!

 

ConnecCAD isn't so much of the learning mountain. More that Vectorworks platform as a whole - it is very different from my AutoCAD past experience (I bet you hear that a lot).

 

Having got used to a way of working, change is always tricky to adopt.

 

The things I struggle with are...

• Where/what is the link between ConnectCAD and Spotlight?
• Setting up a workflow and platform environment that works for everyone so that we can work as a team. Sharing files, tools, scripts, symbols.
  • Creating a workspace, shortcuts, menus that we share
  • Crating and sharing a set of device symbols quickly and easily
• Help files and training videos often don't go into much detail (just concepts) or don't give real life examples
• I still don't get how to edit a device that I have multiple instances of (e.g. I need to add an extra input to an LCD because I have decided to use a different model) - I have to do it to each one individually (or do it once then copy paste it, then renumber/name them so they are unique).
• Loudspeakers - I need to keep track of how many and where they go and what speaker channel they are on, but don't really want to draw a few hundred of them
• Matching devices shown in a schematic and on a layout drawing, assigning them rooms (E.g. on my schematic I know "LCD 58" belongs in the board room, because I am drawing the board room schematic, but when I run Update "Rack Layout" I have LCD 1-100 and I have to remember where each one belongs)  - I know you were looking into adding only update selected devices.
• Keeping drawings tidy and in the right classes (most of the time this is dealt with in ConectCAD but outside that, It can get messy and difficult to maintain
  • I have lots of scripts now which select all ???? and then I make sure they are in the correct class
• Matching up real world information in schematics and layouts. Installed power and data provision (by the electrical contractor) I still haven't come up with the best way to do that.
• Synching between Devices and Equipment Items change. sometimes I end up with orphaned Equipment Items because I have renumbered my schematics.
• Text sizes making them legible on different paper sizes at different scales
• Putting an LCD on a wall using the Spotlight TV tool uses a symbol for every different size of screen, based on an old LG model. In AutoCAD I created single dynamic block that had a lookup table in it, which had make, model, length, depth, width, VESA mount size and offset. I would simply add a new make and model to my library block and everyone used the same block each time. There wasn't a huge list to choose from. The block had plan, section and elevation (2D) based on the dims in the lookup table.

All of these things take time to accommodate and find a way of working. I get that... but if it isn't out of the box and it requires some kind of scripting and extensive knowledge of how VW works then it becomes a bit of a "mountain" 🙂

 

I appreciate the efforts you; the rest of the VW team; and forum contributors put in to keep the wheels oiled too.

 

I'll be joining the open house next week and look forward to hearing more about where VW is going. As I have mentioned to Tom White, we would be more than happy to get involved in beta testing.

 

Rgds,

Ross

 

 

[Ben3B]

14 hours ago, Ross McLee said:

Where/what is the link between ConnectCAD and Spotlight?

thats a good question 😉 I bought connectcad in order to dont have to make the job twice ...if I but stuff with socket (computer, device,screen speaker, amplifier...) in my drawing, I would retrieve it on connectcad schematic , and make the connection in it , and print report and schematic plot ...

 

18 hours ago, Ross McLee said:

Admittedly there is no association between devices and the hyperlinks you have included, but, it is a start i guess.

Yes that's what I see... 😞 so this is not usefeul and the links in the report aren't hyperlinks but just url ... 

So Ill try to export it as excel , insert the hyperlink, and import it back , but If I understand well, because there is no link between the hyperlinc and the object, next time I add it in a plot, the link wont be add... 

So I ll try and come back 🙂

 

thanks!