The Loops folder of the Domain Explorer enables you to navigate to a loop number, tag number, or CAD block in a graphical way resembling the Windows Explorer. You can expand or collapse the levels to view the existing loop numbers, tag numbers, and CAD blocks. The Loops folder shows you at a glance the graphical representation of the relationships that exist among the loops, instruments, and blocks.
To perform an action, right-click the Loops folder or an item and then click a command. Note that the software uses various icons beside a folder or item to indicate the status of a folder or an item, for example a view-only item, a claimed item, an item that belongs to As-Built, and so forth. For the full list of the item indicators, see Item Status Indicators in the Domain Explorer. For a detailed explanation of the tree view, see Working with the Domain Explorer.
The software arranges the items in three levels based on the relationship among them.
Level 1: Loops
This is the highest level in the Loops folder. This hierarchy level contains all the loop numbers existing at the current highest
plant hierarchy level. Loops are indicated with the 
icon.
Loops contain tag numbers, which in turn contain blocks. For each loop, on the shortcut menu, you can click New to add instruments. Also, you can assign documents to loops. These documents are associated with drawings that you generate for the loop. Loops can display annotations which refer to the generation method you assigned for
that loop, for example, C indicates a CAD method, M indicates a manual method (intended for generation without using Smart Instrumentation options).
Level 2: Instruments, Loop Blocks, and Documents
Instruments
The second hierarchy level contains all the instrument tag numbers that are associated
with the existing loops. Instruments are shown as 
.
If you use a CAD application to generate loop drawings, under instrument tags, you
can add instrument blocks using the following block assignment methods:
Block-tag assignment — Allows you to assign a block to a tag number manually, using the shortcut menu command Associate Blocks with Tag Numbers.
Block-instrument type assignment — Allows you to assign a block to the instrument type, and, thus, assign this block to all the tag numbers that belong to this instrument type. To perform this operation, on the Actions menu of the Loop Drawings Module window, click Block-Instrument Type Assignment.
Loop Blocks
If you use a CAD application to generate loop drawings, at the second level of the
Loops folder hierarchy, you can assign CAD drawing blocks to the loop. Loop blocks are indicated with the 
icon.
In the Domain Explorer, you create and manage loop blocks in the Drawing Block Types > Loop Block folder.
Documents
The second hierarchy level contains all the documents that are associated with the
loop drawings you generated. Documents are indicated with the 
icon.
The software assigns a document number to a loop on loop creation. However, in the Loops folder, the software only displays a document number after generating a drawing for
a loop. You can view and modify document numbers using options of the Loop Drawing List dialog box, which you can open using a shortcut menu command.
Level 3: Instrument Blocks and Control System Tags
Instrument Blocks
Instrument blocks, which are used in a CAD loop drawing generation, are the lowest level in the Loops folder hierarchy. The displayed blocks are those blocks that you associated with the instrument tag numbers according to the method of association. The block icons that the software displays depend on the block assignment method:
-
— Indicates blocks associated with instrument tags manually. At the instrument level, on the shortcut menu, click Actions > Associate Blocks with Tag Numbers.
-
— Indicates blocks associated with a specific instrument type to which the instruments
belong. On the Actions menu of the Loop Drawings Module window, click Block – Instrument Type Assignment.
You create and manage instrument blocks in the Drawing Block Types folder of the Domain Explorer, where the instrument blocks are indicated with the 
icon.
Control System Tags
Control system tags appear at the lowest level of the Loops folder hierarchy, under
instruments. You manage control system tags in the I/O Assignment window. In the Loops folder, you can only update the control system tag properties. Control system tags are shown as 
.