Enable Pipe Tool to create 'Ring Mains'

[Jeremy Best]

Submitted on behalf of a user:

 

A 'ring main' is a circular section of pipe. It enables water to flow in both directions from the entry point around the ring to any outlet pipes it feeds. The Pipe Tool does not support the creation of ring mains. 

 

Currently, if you finish a shape by clicking on the starting point with the Pipe Tool, the last section is made invisible. You cannot create a closed shape. This means that the total length of pipe shown in the OIP excludes this last section. 

 

This means that this closed shape… 

 

Becomes this open shape… 

 

Can closed shapes be enabled with the Pipe Tool? 

 

 

Cheers, 

Jeremy 

[Scott Lebsack]

@Jeremy Best The program is unable to create/calculate a "Looped Main" (US term) at this point. This also effects pressure loss calculations which are reduced in a looped main install. Our current workflow to approximate a looped main as closely as possible, is to create a closed polygon. at the midway point (opposite the point of connection), remove a very small section of that edge so that your user has a small opening opposite of the point of connection. Once this is done, they can right-click select Create Object from Shape>Irrigation Pipe from object, then connect the other network elements to this mainline. I think that is as much help as I'm able to offer now.

[Jeremy Best]

Hi @Scott Lebsack and thank your helpful reply. I'll pass your suggested workflow on to the user. 

 

I've realised I should have worded my final sentence/question differently. The user - and surely others - would like Looped Mains supported, so my final question should have been, 'Can this be added to the official Wishlist of desired functionalities?' 

 

Thanks! 

Jeremy 

[Piotr Karczewski]

@Jeremy Best,

I and couple of guys have gathered in Focus Group  around Vectorworks Irrigation tool improvements.

One of the whish list was a possibility to create closed shapes or double side connected drip line.

I'll add Your good point to our discussion, but can't promise anything - we're just users who shares our ideas with Vectorworks developers.