When you print the spec fields and their meanings to pdf using the print driver I had, it jumbled many words – Hence I copied it here for my own and your reference – I added a few columns for a colleague s well to add more electrical context than the piping-centric docs would naturally give. The AutoPLANT Component Use column is originally from Bentley (this is my attempt at getting over any copyright concerns – this is NOT my work but Bentley’s)
The spec gen help is OK, but it does not have an ‘overview’ feel. Here is a link to someone who already put together an article with links to good information. Unfortunately, the picture links don’t link his pictures and diagrams.
Note: ** indicate that the field will affect the system ID for the component
| # | Field Name | Specs asked for … |
What should be asked for | AutoPLANT Component Use |
| 1 | MEAS_UNITS | It is usually MM | This field is used to set the unit values; “IM” for imperial, “ME” for metric, “MM” for mixed metric, and “DN” for DIN. (Mixed metric specs have the main size in imperial units and all other dimensional data in metric units. DIN specs have the main size in metric millimeters, but other measurements could be in meters.) The subdirectory (IMPERIAL, METRIC, MMETRIC, or DIN) for the resulting SpecGen catalog and spec must match the field meas_units. | |
| 2 | COMP_LEN** | Yes | Should be >1. This is a key word used often throughout the Bentley .ebs codes – it should not be 0 if you follow the code but >1 and used for the main component length or main dimension. If you don’t use it, then put a 1 in there anyway. FOr example, it is used by the routine at_Component_determineOriginForInline … so it is kind of key. | This is not listed in Bentley help. Read prev. column though! |
| 2 | MAIN_SIZE** | Yes | Yes. Seems to be conduit size. Cannot be empty – most likely why it duplicates with hub size | Cannot be empty. The main size field is generally the nominal size of a component but is also used as the large size for reducing fittings or valves, and the header size for tees, etc. |
| 3 | RUN_SIZE** | “True OD” for the appropriate run nominal diameter. The run size of a component is generally the smaller size of a reducer, for instance. (The RUN_SIZE field is not present in all SpecGen tables.) | ||
| 4 | BRAN_SIZE** | “True OD” for the appropriate branch nominal diameter. The branch size of a component generally refers to the branch of a tee or cross, for instance. (The BRAN_SIZE field is not present in all SpecGen tables.) | ||
| 5 | GTYPE** | Yes | Cannot be empty. This is the parent class designation of a component class and sometimes referred to as the “General Type”. Use the SpecGen popup table to set the appropriate class. | |
| 6 | STYPE** | This field refers to the child class designation of a component class and referred to as the “Sub Type”. For instance, some child classes of valves are gate, check, ball, plug, etc. Use the SpecGen popup table to apply the appropriate designation. | ||
| 7 | RED_1 | This is typically the nominal size for the run of a component. Pick an appropriate value from SpecGen popup table IMPERIAL or METRIC otherwise leave this field empty. (The RED_1 field is not present in all SpecGen tables.) | ||
| 8 | RED_2 | This is typically the nominal size for the reducing branch of a component. Otherwise leave this field empty or pick an appropriate value from SpecGen popup table IMPERIAL or METRIC. (The RED_2 field is not present in all SpecGen tables.) | ||
| 9 | END_COND_1** | Yes | This is an end condition which we don’t use. Leave it as TC – a directive to AutoPLANT on how to treat a connection to the next piece. We don’t use this unless we connect it to a piece of conduit which we are not doing at this time. | Leave empty or pick an appropriate value from SpecGen popup table END_COND.DBF. For flanges use “FL”, for other components use “SCF”, “SWF”, “FL”, and “BW” for types threaded, socketwelded, flanged, and welded, respectively, etc. |
| 10 | END_COND_2** | For flanges use “SCF” for threaded, “SWF” for socketwelded, or “BW” for weld neck and “SOF” for slip-on or the appropriate end type for all other components, otherwise leave empty. If this field is empty then AutoPLANT will use the END_COND_1 field to set the end type of the second port and the remaining component ports, if any. | ||
| 11 | END_COND_3** | See END_COND_2 above. | ||
| 12 | FACING_1 | Use this field for flanges or flanged components only. Use the lookup tables to assign the appropriate facing type. | ||
| 13 | FACING_2 | If this field is empty then AutoPLANT will use the FACING_1 field to set the facing type of the second port and the remaining component ports, if any. | ||
| 14 | FACING_3 | See FACING_2 above. | ||
| 15 | TRIM_1** | Use this field to input the valve trim information. | ||
| 16 | TRIM_2** | If this field is empty then AutoPLANT will use the TRIM_1 field to set the trim type of the second port and the remaining component ports, if any. | ||
| 17 | TRIM_3** | See TRIM _2 above. | ||
| 18 | SCHEDULE** | Leave this field empty for flanges or pick an appropriate value from SpecGen popup table SCHEDULE. Currently AutoPLANT will only use one or the other in generating the BOM report. | ||
| 19 | RATING** | Generally this field is only applied to flanges and valves except in the case of small bore components, which may be assigned ratings. Leave this field empty or pick an appropriate value from SpecGen popup table RATING. | ||
| 20 | MATERIAL** | A single value as chosen by the user for each invocation. | ||
| 21 | MANU_FACT** | Leave this as is | This field contains a three character abbreviation of the component’s manufacturer. | |
| 22 | OPTIONCODE** | This is a SpecGen field used to designate a component as a default spec item. This field is either blank or set to one (1). The number one (1) being the default spec flag. This means that if the user has selected the default spec item flag in the component properties dialog box, then AutoPLANT will look for the spec default item of each subsequently placed component. | ||
| 23 | LONG_DESC | Yes | This SpecGen component description field is eighty (80) characters long. The user may enter the appropriate description for each component. | |
| 24 | SHORT_DESC** | Yes | This SpecGen component description field is twenty (20) characters long. The user may enter the appropriate description for each component. | |
| 25 | WEIGHT_DRY** | We could enter this if you know it. | Enter the components weight in this field. | |
| 26 | REV** | Currently this field is always set to “0.0”. | ||
| 27 | SYS_ID | WE DO NOT fill this in. This is machine generated | Cannot be empty. Unique SpecGen identifier assigned automatically at component generation time. Do not try to edit this field. | |
| 28 | SORT_CODE | SpecGen non-valve tables and the values used, respectively are; BOLT=16, CROSSES=15, ELBOW=4, FAB_FIT=13, FLANGE=2, FLGJOINT=0, GASKET=8, GEN_COMP=-1, MISC_FIT=5, MTUBE=13, NOZZLE=18, OLET=7, OPERATOR=18, ORIFICE=12, PIPE=16, REDUCER=6, SPACER=13, STRAINER=13, SWAGE=5, and TEE=6. Values used in the eight SpecGen valve tables are: 12 for VALVBW and VLVCNTBW; 9 for VALVFL, VLVCNTFL, and VLVRELFL; and 16 for VALVSCSW, VLVCNTSC, and VLVRELSC. | ||
| 29 | SHOP_FLD | Set to -1.00 for SpecGen table GEN_COMP. Set to 2.00 for SpecGen tables FLGJOINT, GASKET, MTUBE, SPACER, STRAINER, VALVBW, VALVFL, VALVSCSW, VLVCNTFL, and VLVCNTSC. Otherwise, the value is set to 1.00. | ||
| 30 | PIECE_MARK | This field uses a different FoxPro user function for each table to automatically compose this value, typically using values from fields GTYPE, STYPE, MAIN_SIZE, and RED_1. This function is not under user control. | ||
| 31 | ALT_P_MARK | This field is generally blank in all the spec tables. | ||
| 32 | CATALOG** | Yes | Keep it to a short name for now. Supplier Name | This field is used to input the catalog manufacturer name used to compile the component data. |
| 33 | TAG** | Yes | For lights, this is used as a physical options field in the drawing routine. | This field is used to input the catalog figure number used to compile the component data. |
| 34 | PIPE_OD_M** | “True OD” for the appropriate main nominal diameter | ||
| 35 | PIPE_OD_R** | “True OD” for the components run (smaller in the case of reducers, etc.) nominal diameter | ||
| 36 | THD_ENG_M** | If END_COND_1 is “SCF” or “SCM then enter the appropriate value based on the components size, type etc., otherwise leave empty. (Field THD_END_M is not present in all SpecGen tables.) | ||
| 37 | SKT_DPTH_M** | If END_COND_1 is “SWF” or “SWM”, then enter the appropriate value based on the components size, type etc., otherwise leave empty. (The SKT_DTPH_M field is not present in all SpecGen tables.) | ||
| 38 | THD_ENG_R** | If END_COND_2 or END_COND_3 are “SCF” or “SCM then enter the appropriate value based on the components size, type etc., otherwise leave empty. (The THD_END_R field is not present in all SpecGen tables.) | ||
| 39 | SKT_DPTH_R** | If END_COND_2 or END_COND_3 are “SWF” or “SWM”, then enter the appropriate value based on the components size, type etc., otherwise leave empty. (The SKT_DTPH_R field is not present in all SpecGen tables.) | ||
| 40 | OFF_SET | “True OD” for the appropriate main nominal diameter | ||
| 41 | COMP_INDX | This is a component id which is used for component identification. This is generated by concatenating the values of the following fields:Catalog = GTYPE;STYPE;MAIN_SIZE;RUN_SIZE;BRAN_SIZE;END_COND_1;END_COND_2;END_COND_3;FACING_1;FACING_2;FACING_3;TRIM_1;TRIM_2;TRIM_3;SCHEDULE;RATING;MATERIAL;MANU_FACT;”Spec = “GTYPE;STYPE;MAIN_SIZE;RUN_SIZE;BRAN_SIZE;END_COND_1;END_COND_2;END_COND_3;MATERIAL;OPTIONCODE;” | ||
| 42 | MAT_GRADE | This field specifies the grade of the material. The Material field specifies the material specification for the component and the Mat_Grade field specifies the grade for the material. | ||
| 43 | AUDIT | The value of this field is set to 0 when a new record is added to the catalog. This means that the component has not been checked or tested as yet. Once the component is tested by the testing department this value is set to 1. | ||
| 44 | MODULE_NAME** | This field specifies the Module which the component belongs to. This is generated by SpecGen and is based on the GTYPE and STYPE of the component. | ||
| 45 | CLASS_NAME** | This field specifies the Class which the component belongs to. This is generated by SpecGen and is based on the GTYPE and STYPE of the component. | ||
| 46 | NOTES | see field “EXTRA” | Generally this field is left blank. The user can add notes against the component using this field. | |
| FIXT_LEN | Yes | Not a standard field. This is a customized field for lighting and/or other components | ||
| FIXT_DIAM | Yes | Not a standard field. This is a customized field for lighting and/or other components | ||
| HUB_SIZE | Yes | seems to duplicate main_size. Not sure but lets keep it the same for now | Custom field for lighting – perhaps other uses elsewhere. | |
| MAIN_RADIUS | Yes | Custom field for lighting – perhaps other uses elsewhere. | ||
| LAMP_WATTAGE | Yes | A non-standard field for lighting/electrical. Self-Explanitory | ||
| EXTRA (PARTNUM and DIMENSIONSDESC) | I would like to see the company part number. We can make a custom field – but for now – lets use the notes. MNFG-PN: XXXXXXX Overall-Dimensions: H x W x D. | |||
| 47 | CATALOG_NAME** | Yes | Please use Custom-Elect-Cat | |