Create devices from worksheet examples?

[TomBass]

Hi

 

I'm hoping to create multiple devices from a spreadsheet complete with their inputs and outputs etc etc. I think this should be possible using create devices from worksheet, but i can find any documentation of how the data needs to be formatted to correctly create devices. Is there an example worksheet to look at? 

 

thanks

[Conrad Preen]

Hi @TomBass

 

The command creates devices as defined in the Device Builder database. So all you need is a worksheet with columns containing the make, model and optionally the quantity, and name of the devices. The command is not fussy about the worksheet format - whatever it cannot guess, it will ask you. If there's a header row in the sheet it will attempt to assign columns. If the make and/or model in your sheet is not in the database a fuzzy match will be attempted that takes account of mis-spellings and abbreviations. These guesses are presented to you for approval in a second dialog. If the make/model are unknown then a blank device will be created.

 

If you know that the devices you want do not exist in the database then you can create them yourself in the Device Builder. Once created they will be kept in your user folder device database and will be used by Create Devices from Worksheet.

 

Don't forget to check out the Vectorworks help pages - lot's of useful stuff in there.

 

Conrad

 

[TomBass]

Ahh okay so you can't use the import to define new devices? That is quite annoying, I was hoping to skip the process of having to use device builder to create my devices, as i have dozens of new devices to add which do not exist in the database (or the db versions have incorrect data for my needs - specifically i need to differentiate between 12g 6g and 3g sdi). 

I guess I will have to manually create devices? It would be great if there was a way to define multiple devices in a spreadsheet and then import them all at once. 

 

thanks

[TomBass]

Also is there a way to contribute new devices that i build back into the central database? I'd like to do this if i'm going to go to the effort of building a load of stuff it would be nice if others could use these devices too.

 

[Conrad Preen]

@TomBass The device database is a tab-separated text file that you can open and edit in a spreadsheet. You will have to get your head around the format. If you create a device in the Device Builder and then look in the folder ConnectCAD_Data in your user path, you will find the file ConnectCAD Devices DB.txt. If you enter data in the same format it will be accessible to the Device Builder and Create Devices from Worksheet. Obviously we can't validate this data so you may break stuff. That is price you have to pay.

 

Regarding user contributions to the database, I very much appreciate your offer. We used to do it that way. Unfortunately not everyone was very careful about the data they entered so it became a bit of a mess. For now we have brought this in-house but of course I realise that we are in a fast-moving industry and we need to keep up. I have some ideas to fix this but they are still under wraps.

 

Conrad

[dogs_rule]

Conrad,

So when I create a device in device builder, I know it is being stored somewhere but I can't find where this info is located. I have opened the device DB and it's not in there. I want to eventually be able to make these devices available to others on our team. Would device builder be the wrong place to create these? Would it be better to do what is being talked about in this thread?

 

Thanks,

 

Rick

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

8 hours ago, dogs_rule said:

Conrad,

So when I create a device in device builder, I know it is being stored somewhere but I can't find where this info is located. I have opened the device DB and it's not in there. I want to eventually be able to make these devices available to others on our team. Would device builder be the wrong place to create these? Would it be better to do what is being talked about in this thread?

 

Thanks,

 

Rick

Hello Rick,

 

Devices created in the device builder are saved in the user folder\Plug-Ins\connectCAD_Data\ConnectCAD Devices DB.txt. If you send this file to your team or you move it to a workgroup folder, everyone will have access to these devices.

 

Best Regards,

Nikolay Zhelyazkov

[CharlesD]

@Conrad Preen @Nikolay Zhelyazkov

 

Is creating a device from device builder the only way to get it stored into the User DB?

 

I have found Device Builder UI/UX too painful to work quickly. When making small edits to a device that is similar to an existing one I would rather edit it on the design layer. Is it possible to save this instance to the User DB? (Aside from editing the CSV?)

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

Hello @CharlesD,

 

I am afraid that currently there is no other way to do this apart from the ones that you have already mentioned. However, we have also thought about this so keep your eyes open for better ways to do this in the near future. 🙂

 

Best Regards,

Nikolay Zhelyazkov