Pipe networks - Horizontal bends on pipes without destroying profile view

[joar.bryhni]

Please make some null structures that only allows horizontal deflection of the pipe. No change in grade, pipe material or pipe size - and no mess in the profile view. As it is now, we can not model the pipes correctly or we have a huge cluttered mess in the profile view that makes it unreadable and worthless on a drawing. Should work like this: Right click on the pipe in plan view, and select Add horizontal deflection point or something. Place these horizontal deflection points on the right places according to your detail manhole drawing. And voila, you have both a model and a useful plan profile drawing. As of now we would have to keep two parallell sets of the pipe networks; one super simple and inaccurate to get readable profile views, and one accurate for model / stake out data.

[troma]

What is the mess in profile view? Can you post a picture? I'm not sure what is exactly causing you problems.

[joar.bryhni]

Can't get a picture right now, but It's the profile view bands that makes me mad. I forgot to mention that. Problem is with the pipes entering and exiting a group of manholes. In reality you need a few horizontal bends to separate the pipes enough to make room for the manholes in the ditch, connect to the manholes from the desired direction etc. And then you have all these unwanted elevations, pipe material and dimension entries in the band - they come at every horizontal bend point even if there is no grade change and pipe matr and dim is the same. No value to the profile view band, and actually a lot of work to keep the grade the same through them when changing the overall grade for a stretch of pipes. Better to have a null structure object that allowed horizontal deflection, but no change in grade, matr and dim. And didn't show up in the band. These horizontal bend points are often only a few meters apart, and all the entries in the band from trying to model the pipes correctly makes the band unreadable on a drawing. So then you instead make a very simple model which is no good for 3d visualization, clash control or stake out. Just because you need to deliver a plan profile drawing with readable bands on the profile view.

[troma]

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@joar.bryhni wrote:
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Better to have a null structure object that allowed horizontal deflection, but no change in grade, matr and dim. And didn't show up in the band.

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I like that idea.  How about having structures that you can lock certain properties on:

1. Max No. of connected pipes
2. Allow grade change
3. Allow horizontal deflection
4. Allow pipe diameter change

etc.

So, then you could set up a:

Valve: #1=2, #2=NO, #3=NO, #4=NO

Reducer: #1=2, #2=YES, #3=NO, #4=YES

Bend: #1=2, #2=NO, #3=YES, #4=NO

Grade change: #1=2, #2=YES, #3=NO, #4=NO