Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD

Overview: Basic Procedure for Creating Asset Symbols

Creating asset symbols includes the following steps:

1. From the Navigator in CAD, drill down to the application and process that outlines the procedure for creating the desired asset symbol.
2. From the Navigator in CAD, choose the appropriate Set XX command, such as Set Rooms or Set Equipment. This sets the current layer to the appropriate asset layer for the particular type of asset symbol.

Note: You can also set the drawing's current layer to the appropriate asset layer by running the Archibus / Asset / Set Asset Layer command from the Ribbon. This is useful if you are working with assets of one asset type and want to switch to working on a different asset type in the same drawing without selecting a process or application on the Navigator in CAD.

3. Add polylines and blocks to the prototype layer.using:
1. AutoCAD's block and polyline commands and editing features
2. If you want to add an entity based on an existing standard, click the Archibus / Asset Graphic /Insert Asset command.
• If you want to add an entity based on an existing standard and there is an asset symbol in the drawing that has that standard, you can copy the existing asset symbol to create a new one. This copies the standard information, but does not assign a primary key. See Creating New Asset Symbols by Copying.
4. Convert the drawing item to an asset symbol using one of the following commands:
• Archibus / Asset / Number
• Archibus / Asset / Edit Data
• Archibus / Asset / Edit Data Multiple

For a discussion of when to use each of these commands, see Adding Intelligence to Drawings: Which Method to Use?

When you process the Archibus Edit Data and Number commands, the drawing tools catalog the item to create an asset symbol. This entails:

• Passing the provided values to the database server program so the database server program can generate a record in the appropriate asset table.
• Moving the drawing entity from the prototype layer to the asset symbol layer.
• Registering the record's primary key, table name, and standard (if specified) as extended entity data in the asset symbol.
• Generating and displaying asset text.

Seeing Changes Made from the Drawing  in the Database

Suppose Archibus's current view presents the Equipment asset table, and in the Archibus Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD you edit the drawing so that you update the Equipment asset table. When you task-switch to Archibus, the view will not show the change to the Equipment table until you run the Requery command, which instructs Archibus to requery the database and update the view's display.

Note that you do not need to save the drawing to have Archibus present the updated database table; drawing edits affecting the database are immediately written to the database and are visible as soon as you open a view presenting the table or requery the current view.