Construct Graphics Commands

From SysCAD Documentation

This sections shows the Construct Graphics Commands in SysCAD 9.2. Refer to Graphics Commands in 9.1 for SysCAD 9.1.

This is a subset of the graphics commands which are used to draw and manage SysCAD flowsheets. Note that SysCAD must be in the Edit mode (stopped) for most of these commands to be accessed. Please also see Manipulating Graphics for more discussion.

Other related commands are:

• Graphics Commands in 9.2
• Insert Graphics Commands
• Edit Graphics Commands
• Delete Graphics Commands
• Animation Commands

Contents 1 Load Drawing 2 Construct Unit 3 Construct Link 4 Construct Tie 5 Construct Symbol

Load Drawing

Command Path Graphics, Construct, Load Drawing

This is used to load an existing drawing into the active Graphics Window. The normal work flow for this command is as follows:

• Have the required drawing file in the DXF format. This can be created in any CAD package and then saved in the dxf format.

• Open a New Graphics window in SysCAD.

• Load the drawing into the Graphics window using the Graphics, Construct, Load Drawing command.

NOTES

• If the user does not open a new Graphics window before using the Load Drawing command and the active Graphics Window already contains SysCAD models prior to loading a drawing, all the existing graphics entities will be discarded, but the mathematical models will be NOT be deleted. Thus creating some homeless models. To reattach the mathematical model/s to some graphics, use the Construct Symbol command.

• Be very careful when you use a dxf file created in another SysCAD project. SysCAD will recognise all of the tags in the dxf file and will attempt to reconnect these tags to models in your project. Therefore, this is only recommended when you actually already have models in your project with identical tags that you want to represent with the new dxf file.

• See Manipulating Graphics for further discussion.

Construct Unit

Command Button
Command Path	Graphics - Construct - Unit
Short Cut Key	Ctrl+U

This command is mainly used when you have imported a DXF drawing into the Graphics Window. You use this to convert existing graphics, from the imported DXF drawing, into a SysCAD unit instead of using the Insert Unit command to insert a unit together with the associated graphics. Please also see Manipulating Graphics.

To construct a unit using existing graphics do the following:

1. Access the Construct Unit command (using the command button, path or short cut key),
2. Choose the required unit type (as in Insert Unit) from the construct unit dialog box.
3. The mouse cursor will display TAG. You can click on the DXF drawing's unit name and use it as the model tag if present, otherwise click where the tag name is going to be.
4. The mouse cursor will now display GRF. Choose the graphics to represent the unit by clicking on them with the mouse button.
   • The selected line/s will turn magenta.
   • Group selection is allowed by using the Iwin (In window) or Cwin (cross window) buttons at the bottom of the dialog box. These allow you to draw a selection box around all the graphics required and use them as the graphics symbol.
   • Note: If you make a mistake you can click on the unwanted graphics again to de-select it.
5. Click OK on the Construct Unit dialog box to accept the unit, otherwise you can start again by press the Cancel button or hitting the Esc button on the keyboard. These actions will close the dialog box.

NOTE:

1. Graphics Name tag positions: If existing text string is present in the dxf drawing, you may use it for the unit name tag. However, you must select the tag when it asks for it, thus when the mouse cursor displays TAG. Doing so, the name tag will remain at its original position. Otherwise, if you select the name tag when it is asking for graphics (GRF), SysCAD will still use the text string for a name tag but will also try to reposition the tag so that its starting point is centred on the graphics symbol.

Construct Link

Command Button
Command Path	Graphics - Construct - Link
Short Cut Key	Ctrl+K

This command allows you to represent a link using an existing DXF drawing, as with constructing a unit.

To construct a link:

1. Choose the units to be connected, as with Insert Link.
2. Select existing name as the link tag, if it exist, otherwise click where the tag name is going to be.
3. Select the graphics as in Construct Unit.
   • Note If you make a mistake, you can click on the unwanted graphics again to de-select it.

Please see Construct Unit for note on Graphics name tag positions.

Construct Tie

Command Button
Command Path	Graphics - Construct - Tie

This allows you to insert a tie into the existing CAD lines:

1. Select the command
2. Click on each of the intersecting lines.
3. This will automatically break the lines and insert a tie point at their intersection.
4. You can then construct links to the tie as required.

Construct Symbol

Command Button
Command Path	Graphics - Construct - Symbol

This command allows you to attach an existing unit model to some existing plain graphics.

1. Type in the name of the existing model,
2. Assign it to some unused graphic entities.

Please also see Manipulating Graphics.