Translate PDMS source files - Intergraph Smart Interop Publisher - Help

Smart Interop Publisher can translate AVEVA PDMS and E3D .rvm + .att or .datal files so that each property label display is converted to a standard one for all target applications. Use your AVEVA PDMS or E3D authoring tool to export the 3D model data files (.rvm/.att/.datal) with sufficient details, and then translate these files in Smart Interop Publisher.

Requirements and Considerations

• Smart Interop Publisher only supports .rvm files exported in binary mode.

• When exported with Representation ON and INSULATION/OBSTRUCTION values are between 12% and 87%, Smart Interop Publisher:

  • Translates obstruction objects in .rvm files created from PDMS 12.0 SP5 or later and E3D 2.1 as transparent. Otherwise, all obstruction objects are translated and displayed as solid graphical objects.

  • Supports aspects for piping and equipment.

• Smart Interop Publisher only supports Cyrillic (Windows 1251) encoding. You must use Windows codepage-based fonts. 

• Smart Interop Publisher allows you to translate PDMS models with multiple attribute (.att) files in the same folder as the PDMS source file.

• Review supported properties. See Supported PDMS Cross-section Properties.

• Review the source .att files that contain Level (LEVE) and Obstruction (OBST) tags. Using custom mapping, you can specify an aspect using these tag values for equipment objects. See Map PDMS Equipment to Aspects.

Export the Data Files

The steps below summarize the workflow for creating 3D model files exported from AVEVA PDMS. The exported 3D model files can then be added and translated in Smart Interop Publisher.

1. Create the .rvm output file name with the path and extension. For example, in the AVEVA application, select Utilities > Export > Create.

2. Ensure that you select the Binary option that is supported by Smart Interop Publisher.

3. Select the sites to export.

4. For the Rule Class, select User Defined Export Rules to add new color rules for the .rvm (binary only) file.

   1. Define the color rule class name and description.

   2. Define the rule for the component that requires a color.

   3. Define the rule description to identify the component.

   4. Define the color index number for each object type.

   5. Insert the new rule and then repeat to add as many color rules as required. The new rules display in Rules Class.

      For more information, see your AVEVA PDMS documentation.

5. Make sure REPRESENTATION is ON and INSULATION/OBSTRUCTION values are between 12% and 87% to display aspects for piping and equipment objects, and to translate obstruction objects as transparent.

6. Ensure that the resulting .rvm file and its associated attribute (.att) or .datal file have the same base file name so that Smart Interop Publisher can create the label database (.mdb2) file during the translation process.

• For Smart Interop Object generation, only enhanced .att files with ports data generated by a customized ATT dump macro are supported.

• There should be a one-to-one correlation between the graphic objects in the .att (if multiple .att files are not generated), or .datal files and the .rvm file. The property information of all the graphic objects that are in the .rvm file should be present in the .att or .datal file to achieve a correct grouping of graphic objects.

Export the PDMS .att File with Customization

1. Locate the MACRO. The default path for the MACRO is:

   C:\AVEVA\Plant\PDMS[Version Number][Service Pack]\PMLLIB\reviewinterface\forms

   Version Number = your PDMS version number.
   Service Pack = the service pack number (if any) for the PDMS version. Example for PDMS version 12.1, Service Pack 4:

   C:\AVEVA\Plant\PDMS12.1SP4\PMLLIB\reviewinterface\forms

2. If you require TUBI objects to be created as individual objects with attribute data, locate the TUBI information in the MACRO under Loop through the list of elements and add '--' for the comment in the following four lines as shown in the example:

   

   You must edit the MACRO (cdxattdump.pmlfrm) to add TUBI and other information such as port direction and connection. Otherwise, the software skips TUBI information by default.

3. To get additional attribute data in the .att file such as APOS, LPOS, P1DIR, P1CONN, and CATREF, add ATTL (!ATTL.append(‘’)) entries as shown below to append the required properties.

   

   The CATREF property on the Pipe Components is used to create the Customized PortCatRef property on pipe ports. The Customized PortCatRef property is then mapped to the End Standard property.

4. To export the .att file:

   1. Select Utilities > Export > Dump Attributes.

   2. Enter the output file name with the path and extension (.att only). This file name should be the same as the corresponding .rvm file name.

   3. To get multiple site .att files in a single .att file, select Database Elements under Export Attribute file.

Create Custom Mapping (Optional)

You can include new classes and properties, map any unmapped properties that you have added, and define unit of measure strings for property values using the customPDMSToR3DMapping.xls mapping template files.
-or-
Skip this section and use the default mapping provided with Smart Interop Publisher.

Custom Mapping Notes

1. Review the PDMSToR3DMapping.xls default mapping file to see the classes and properties that are currently mapped.

2. In the CustomMappingFiles folder, make a copy of the customPDMSToR3DMapping.xls file and place it in another location.

3. Edit custom mapping:

   • Modify property labels or add classes and properties. See Edit the custom mapping template file.

   • Specify an aspect for equipment objects. See Map PDMS Equipment to Aspects.

   • Define mapping for piping properties. See Map Custom End Standard Pipe Port Properties and Map Custom Pipe Properties.

   • Specify cardinal points for structure objects which is required in Smart 3D As-Built workflows. See Map Cardinal Point for Structures.

   • Use a hyphen (-) instead of a colon (:) when you enter any custom property names that originally have a colon in front of the name. This is because Smart Interop Publisher removes a colon in the front of a property name during translation and replaces it with a hyphen. For example, if you enter :Status, the resulting translation displays -Status.

   To display unit strings such as 'meters' or 'inches' with specific property values in the translated model, you can define the Units G column in the custom mapping file. See Set the units of measure (UoM) in custom mapping.

Translate the 3D Model Files

1. Click the Smart Interop Publisher icon on your desktop .
   -OR-
   Click Start > All Programs > Intergraph Smart Interop Publisher.

2. If you are not in the Projects View, click Projects.

   

3. Select or create a project to use in the grid.

4. Right-click the project, and then select Settings Menu > Project Settings Command.

5. Use the default settings, or make any required changes.

6. For Target Applications, select the Hexagon Asset Lifecycle Intelligence applications and third-party format to use. If you select a third-party format, verify that you have the required license. For example, you must have an IFC license to use the Industry Foundation Classes target.

   Selecting only the target applications you require can produce a faster translation time. Smart Interop Publisher only generates files required for the selected target.

7. Right-click the project, and then select the Translation Settings Command.

   Smart Interop Publisher displays the Translation Settings dialog.

8. Click New in the Select or Create Settings Group list, and type the name to use.
   -OR-
   Edit the Default translation settings group.

   

9. Click PDMS to display the PDMS options page to set up your PDMS translation, as you require. If you have multiple .att files associated with the source PDMS file, select the Read all attributes translation option, and ensure that the files all reside in the same source location.

10. Define the working units and scaling.

11. Set the Attribute Hierarchy contained in the .drv file used during .rvm and .att file translation.

12. To add any new HVAC, Cable Tray, and Conduit Specs:

    1. Click Add in the New box as shown in the following HVAC example:

       

    2. Type in the new spec name, and then click anywhere outside the box.

       Smart Interop Publisher adds the new spec to the list. The list shows the most recently added specs first.

13. To use custom colors:

    1. Click Use custom colors.

    2. Type a new Color Index number (an integer between 0 and 271).

       

    3. Type the RGB syntax in the form of three comma-separated values for red, green, and blue:
       r.r,g.g,b.b

       The RGB value is the percentage values for red, green, and blue. Because each range goes from 0 to 255, 100 percent is represented by the value 1, which maps to 255. For example, to designate the color blue, type in 0, 0, 1 to get 0, 0, 255. To designate the color white, type in 1, 1, 1 to get 255, 255, 255.

    4. Click Add .

       The software adds the new color to the list. The list display order is based on the color index number (lowest to highest).

14. Click Save when you finish defining translation settings. You can create different translation settings groups to accommodate different settings for your PDMS source files.

15. Click Models to go back to the Models View.

    

16. On the Source Files Grid, click Add , and then select the .rvm files to translate. The added files display in the grid.

17. Select the .rvm file to use in creating the Smart Model.
    -OR-
    Select multiple .rvm files. If you have data exported into separate .rvm/.att dataset files, you can combine them to generate a single Smart Model. This prevents losing any connection relationships at the file split boundaries.

    Use SHIFT+ or CTRL+ key combinations to select multiple source files.

18. Click Translate .

19. On the Translate Source File Dialog, type a name and location for the Smart Model.

20. For multiple .rvm files, click Yes to Combine multiple source files into a single Smart Model.

    

21. Select the Settings Group you defined earlier, or use the Default group.

22. If you used custom mapping, set the Mapping Options to Custom and select the Mapping Files Location of the custom files you edited.

23. Click Translate.
    -OR-
    To schedule the translation for a later time, click Schedule to open the Schedule Translate Dialog.

24. Open the Smart Models you created in the Intergraph target applications:

    • Open in Smart Review

    • Access a Smart Model in SmartPlant Foundation

    • Attach and review in Smart 3D

    • Open Smart Models and Drawings in Portal Applications

    • Convert to Smart Interop Objects (SIOs)

25. If you selected a non-Intergraph format target, open the model format file using your preferred third-party reader. For example, if you selected the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) format target, use your own IFC reader to review the resulting Smart Model .ifc file.