Favorites for smart symbols

Create openings and fixtures from smart symbols function

Tip: Regardless of the project size, it is definitely worth spending some time and effort defining favorites for fixtures and openings and creating one or more favorite catalogs based on the smart symbol attributes. This saves you a lot of clicks.

Using the Condition column, you can analyze attributes or enter them manually by means of the formula editor. To select the formula editor in Allplan, double-click in the cell or click the Open formula editor icon, which appears as soon as you select the cell. A formula expression applied to a component results in TRUE or FALSE. If the result of the formula expression is TRUE, the program applies the corresponding condition to the component. Otherwise, PLANBAR ignores the condition.

You can use Path to keep the paths to the favorite files for the individual entries variable by using a selection menu. This means the MEP favorite catalogs can also be used in future versions of the program, without needing to adjust the paths. You can choose from the Standard, Office, Private, Project and Fixed path options here.

• If one of the first four options is selected in the Path column, you can assign a file to the respective subfolder (ETC, STD, USR\LOCAL or PRJ). Only the path and file name relative to the Path column will then be displayed in the Favorite column. If you select a file here that is not located in the subfolder set in the Path column, an error message will appear.
• If the Fixed path option is set in the Path column, you can select a file from any folder. The full path and file name will then be displayed in the Favorite column.

Note: The existing paths will remain the same even if the program version is updated. The Fixed path option is always available in the Path column. This also applies even if the file is located in one of the other 4 possible paths.

Use Fixture or Opn to specify whether the selected condition applies to a fixture or an opening. You can only select either the Fixt. check box or the Opn. check box.

Use the Favorite column to define the path of a favorite file including the reference to a fixture, the rotation and move of the fixture or the reference to a smart symbol. You can enter the path of a favorite file for a fixture (*.mepfix) or smart symbol (*.mepopng) manually or you can click Select favorite file to select a favorite.

Note: You can create or edit favorites (*.mepfix) or (*.mepopng) in the Fixture or Opening dialog boxes you can access from the Fixt. parameters or Opn. parameters columns in the MEP assistant.

The other buttons in the dialog box are as follows:

• Open file: Opens a file in the Favorites - office folder.
• Save file: Saves the entries or changes made in a favorite file. When you enter a new name for the file, PLANBAR saves the entries to this new file. The File name line is highlighted in yellow. When you point to this line, you can see the text Data has changed, which indicates that you have changed existing entries.
• Copy selected lines
• Delete selected lines <ENTF>
• Move selected lines up
• Move selected lines down

Note: Make sure all assignments are unique in the favorite catalog. If PLANBAR finds ambiguous entries (so if several lines meet the condition defined for a smart symbol), PLANBAR always uses the first entry!