Create openings and fixtures from smart symbols

The attributes of the smart symbols and components are highlighted in different colors in the Create openings and fixtures from smart symbols dialog box. Component attributes are gray; smart symbol attributes are green.

In the case of both of the unhighlighted columns, i.e. Fixt. parameters for fixtures or Opn. parameters for openings, you can find a button for setting parameters and a check box in each line of these two columns. PLANBAR automatically selects this check box as soon as you define settings in the associated dialog box.

You can create fixtures in two ways.

Use Creation type = Library to specify whether you want to take the fixture directly from the Allplan office path, Allplan project path, Allplan private path, a Manufacturer catalog, or an Article catalog. Select the fixture directly from the respective folder for the Allplan office path, Allplan project path or Allplan private path options. For the Manufacturer Catalog or Article Catalog options, you need to select the corresponding Catalog, Class, Subclass where required and the Article.

Once you have made your selection, you can now see a Preview showing the selected fixture in relation to the smart symbol. This preview adapts immediately to changes (rotation and move) in the dialog box. So, you can see at once whether the fixture is placed correctly.

Go to Rotation and enter the settings for the position of the fixture in relation to the smart symbol. Here you can either select the check box for Rotate walls about x-axis by -90°, or you can manually define the rotation about the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis if the check box is deactivated.

Under Movement, the movement of the fixture in relation to the smart symbol is specified. Firstly, you must specify whether you want to Calculate or Match the reference point of smart symbol. When you select the Calculate option, the reference point of the smart symbol is then re-calculated. When you select the Match option, PLANBAR uses the unchanged reference point of the smart symbol as the basis.

Using the x-direction, y-direction and z-direction options, you can move the new reference point of the fixture (calculated or matched) in relation to the reference point of the smart symbol.
If you select Creation type = Smart symbol, you can create a fixture from the smart symbol itself. Then select the required symbol fixture as well from the Fixture Catalog.

There are two types of creation available to choose from for openings.

Use Creation type = Library to select whether you want to take a fixture directly from the Allplan office path, Allplan project path, Allplan private path, a Manufacturer catalog, or an Article catalog. Select a shaped fixture here to create an opening. Select the fixture directly from the respective folder for the Allplan office path, Allplan project path or Allplan private path options. For the Manufacturer Catalog or Article Catalog options, you need to select the corresponding Catalog, Class, Subclass where required and the Article.

Once you have made your selection, you can now see a Preview showing the selected fixture in relation to the smart symbol. This preview adapts immediately to changes (rotation and move) in the dialog box. So, you can see at once whether the fixture is placed correctly.

Go to Rotation and enter the settings for the position of the fixture in relation to the smart symbol. Here you can either select the check box for Rotate walls about x-axis by -90°, or you can manually define the rotation about the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis if the check box is deactivated.

Under Movement, the movement of the fixture in relation to the smart symbol is specified. Firstly, you must specify whether you want to Calculate or Match the reference point of the smart symbol. When you select the Calculate option, the reference point of the smart symbol is then re-calculated. When you select the Match option, PLANBAR uses the unchanged reference point of the smart symbol as the basis.

Using the x-direction, y-direction and z-direction options, you can move the new reference point of the fixture (calculated or matched) in relation to the reference point of the smart symbol.
If you select Creation type = Parameters, you can select the required symbol fixture from the Fixture Catalog to begin with.

Here you must specify the shape of the opening to be created. You can choose between the Rectangle based on center , Rectangle , Circle based on center and Circle options.

Depending on the selection you make, you can then define the following: If you choose Rectangle based on center or Rectangle, you can define the offsets to the left, right, top and bottom measured based on center or from the min-max box. If you choose Circle based on center or Circle, you can define the radius measured based on center or from the surrounding min-max box.

Note: You cannot select the entries for Fixt. parameters and Opn. parameters at the same time. If you try to do this, PLANBAR displays a warning.

You can customize the columns and lines of the dialog box to suit your requirements.

Right-click the header to open a dialog box for selecting the groups and attributes to be visible. Select the columns (attributes) you want to display and choose the attributes by which you want to group the lines (groups).

C stands for collision number, E for architectural element or precast element and S for smart symbol.
You can show or hide the elements of a group by clicking Close group or Open group. By clicking Select all elements in group, you can select all elements belonging to the group.
You can show or hide columns by selecting the corresponding attribute. Right-click the header and select the attributes to be displayed or faded out in the dialog box shown.
Right-click a column in the header to sort the attributes in ascending or descending order. The attributes for the other columns are then resorted as well.
Click the filter icon to hide values from a column. If the filter of a column is active, the filter icon changes to .

Other buttons used to edit the dialog box can be found in its footer.

Click the Zoom in on selected objects button to zoom into the element(s) selected in the table.
Click Edit favorite catalog to create a new favorite catalog or edit an existing favorite catalog. This is done in the Favorites for smart symbols dialog box in which the required rules are defined.

You get a new favorite catalog when you select the Not selected entry in the Select favorite catalog selection menu. If you have already created favorite catalogs, go to Select favorite catalog in the selection menu to select an existing favorite, which you can then read and edit.
You can use Load favorite based on the selected favorite catalog (*.MEPFavoritesMap.xml) to automatically load favorites for the selected rows. PLANBAR scans the favorite catalog currently selected in the Select favorite catalog selection menu for each smart symbol. As soon as an entry in the favorite catalog meets the corresponding condition, PLANBAR reads and loads the settings of the favorite referenced. The Fixt. parameters or Opn. parameters column in the dialog box shows the name of the selected fixture or smart symbol.