The Detail window contains the working space where you draw the isometric sketch. The window can contain the entire pipeline or, when zoomed in, just a detailed portion of interest. The window also contains an isometric grid of points. You can use the isometric grid as a guide when placing pipe and components.
Each time that you create a new pipeline or new system, the software opens a new Detail window in which you can design the layout of the pipe sketch. Every Detail window corresponds to a single sheet in the final isometric drawing. Using the commands on the Window menu, you can cascade or tile your active sketches to more easily navigate between them. The active window list displays an alphabetical list of open sketch windows below the commands on the Window menu. You can access another open sketch by clicking one of the sketch names on the list.
You can also double-click the sheet name in Pipeline Explorer, or right-click the sheet name, and then select Activate.
Smart Isometrics provides multiple views of the sketch that represents the pipeline model. A view is a visual representation of the data that composes the pipeline model and can be a simple line drawing or a 3D representation of the model, including all of its components. By manipulating model views, you can organize the information within the pipeline model to better understand the data.
SmartCursors
The shape of the cursor (or mouse pointer) gives you important feedback. As you move it around the drawing, it will change to reflect:
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The action you are performing (mode of operation).
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The object under the cursor.
When routing pipe and placing components, the cursor that appears depends on where the mouse is hovering in the sketch. For example, if you are placing a component and hovering over the middle of a section of pipe, then the insertion cursor displays; if you are hovering the mouse in white space and nothing can be placed, the fail cursor displays.
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SmartCursor |
Associated Placement Task |
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Place additional material on the section of pipe or the component directly beneath the cursor. |
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Insert a bend element at the end of a section of pipe directly beneath the cursor and then route away from the pipe. |
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Place pipe in whitespace directly beneath the cursor. When placing components, indicates the component will be placed at the end of a section of pipe. |
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No placement of selected object is allowed. |
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Place a new component into a section of pipe directly beneath the cursor. |
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Insert a tapping point in the pipe directly beneath the cursor. |
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Insert a tapping point in the component directly beneath the cursor. |
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Insert a branch element into a section pipe directly beneath the cursor and then route away from the pipe. |
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Insert a break in a section of pipe directly beneath the cursor. |
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Place an information item on the section of pipe or the component directly beneath the cursor. |
Sketch Colors
Smart Isometrics uses color to indicate the status of the sketch. If you use the default colors, a fully specified sketch is completely green. If you see any other colors in the sketch, it shows that some work is still to be done. You have the option to choose a color scheme for each state using the options on the Options dialog.
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Fully Specified Color |
Both direction and dimension are defined |
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Unspecified Color |
Both direction and dimension are unknown |
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No Length Color |
Direction known / Dimension unknown |
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No Direction Color |
Dimension known / Direction unknown |
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Ignored Tube Color |
Pipe to be ignored during drawing generation |