breaking pressure pipe issue

[CADmgrMike]

I'm trying to use the new pressure network tools and when I break a pipe, the piece of pipe downstream of the break disappears. That isn't what the help video shows should happen.

Any ideas on what I'm doing incorrectly?

Thanks.

[tcorey]

It works correctly for me. Are you sure you are selecting on a pipe. The little glyph is there when you pick?

Do you have the service pack for 2013 installed?

You're using the Break command from the Pressue Network Plan Layout toolbar, not the AutoCAD Break command? Try typing BREAKPRESSUREPIPE from the command line to be sure.

Tim

[CADmgrMike]

Yes i have the service pack installed and I'm using the "Break" icon in the plan layout ribbon for pressure pipe networks.

[CADmgrMike]

Does it work when if you break the pipe in the profile view?

When I try it, it crashes C3D.

[tcorey]

Yes, it works in profile view as well.

[CADmgrMike]

Yes I do have the service pack installed. I even tried it on another pc, and using the OTB template.

Nothing seems to work.

I attached an image of a simple network, before and after breaking the pipe.

[tcorey]

Does AutoCAD give you an error when it crashes? If not, check the Application log in your Event Viewer. Possibly it was logged there.

If that yields no further information, for expediency you might consider a repair install and, if necessary, a clean uninstall per TS45252 and a re-install. If you have customization, backup your customized files, do the install and try the function before restoring the customized files. You might gather important insight if the function works before applying customization but is broken after.

Tim

[tcorey]

I think I confused myself. When you break from plan view, it doesn't crash, but part of the pipe is missing. When you break from profile, it crashes.

And it happens on multiple computers.

Does this happen only in this one drawing or in all drawings?

Check the panorama for the pressure pipe network. Is the missing segment listed here? If so, can you change the style?

I looked at default layers and default styles being the issue, but no matter what I do, I can't get a segment to disappear when I break.

[CADmgrMike]

Ok. I figured out what is causing the issue, but not sure why or how I can solve it satisfactorally.

First a little background.

We install C3D, then open it with an icon that loads our custom profile and custom workspace.

If I open C3D with that icon, I have the issue.

If I open C3D with the OTB icon, using the OTB imperial template, it works fine.

Here's where it gets confusing.

If I open C3D with the OTB icon, set my custom profile to current, and create a new drawing using our custom template, it works.

If I open C3D with our custom icon, set the OTB profile to current, and create a new drawing using the OTB template or our custom template, it doesn't work.

How could a simple desktop icon be causing the issue? They both say the same thing except for what profile and workspace it loads.

[david.zavislan · Accepted solution]

This means that your custom profile is missing something or it has some path values set incorrectly.   How did you create your custom profile?   We usually start with a copy of the default profile, <<C3D_Imperial>>, and add our custom configuration to it.

[CADmgrMike]

I think you're correct. I think I'll do the same thing with our template drawing also.

Lesson learned: When migrating to a new version, recreate custom profile and template drawing.

Kind of a pain in the patootie, but oh well....

Thanks for the  help.

[klugb]

Anyone figure out exactly what part of the profile it doesn't like?

We always start with the "C3D_Imperial" and copy then modify it for our setup. I also noticed you have to close and re-open C3D with the changes before testing.

So, right now it looks like we have to make one edit, close out, re-open, test break pipe issue:

• If it works then make the next edit and repeat.
• Or if it's broken then we know which setting/change it is.

I was hoping to streamline the testing of this issue.

Thanks

[taneum]

We are using Civil 3D 2014 and I am having the same issue.  Broke the pipe and one of the pieces of pipe just dissapears downstream.  I started with the Civil 3D 2014 Imperial Icon and we make custom settings from there.  Why would the pipe just disappear?

[CADmgrMike]

I'm fighting the same situation again with 2014.

This time I started with the OTB profile and template drawing and made all my changes

It works fine at that point.

When I open the software with an icon that uses the custom profile and workspace, then it doesn't work.

This is getting real frustrating!!!

[Aurpul]

Ok, So I was having the same problem, where I would have my pipe cut or break but only get one pipe where it should have two. Other problem i was getting with this was not being able to draw new pipes to work around this issue. Extremely fustrating, anyway.

I figured out what was causing my problem. The catalog for my pressure network, I had made changes to my custom catalog earlier in the week to fix some label issues that didnt pan out anyway. Turns out AutoCAD didnt like me making those changes, once I contacted IT to restore my catalog back to before i made my changes, everything works as it should now. I am able to break my pipes and draw new pipes again. I don't know if this will help anyone else but worth a shot. Have a good one.

P.S. Another issue I was having when trying to figure out what was wrong was it would not let me break my pipes in profile view, it would fatal error everytime I attempted it. After restore catalog, breaking in PV works now.

[CADmgrMike]

Yes. I should have posted my solution to this issue earlier.

A couple of things that are not well documented with pressure networks

1. A parts list can only reference one sql part catalog.

2. The part catalog location is pc based, not drawing based like gravity catalogs.

3. If the part list in the drawing can not find the location to the catalog, you can't add fittings to your network and breaking pipes will make one side disappear.

I had inadvertently changed the catalog location on my pc different from the parts list and therein created my problem.

One of the things I've done is name the parts list the same as the catalog name so then I know what catalog I'm working with.

ex: PVC-PUSH ON parts lists is looking at PVC-PUSH ON part catalog (I copied the catalogs to a central location and renamed them)

[Aurpul]

Well good to know, and certainly a lesson learned. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I'm having this same issue.  It's exactly as described earlier in this thread.  Pipe breaking works or doesn't work depending on which icon I use to launch C3D: my custom one or the OTB Metric one.  Launching from the OTB icon and then switching to my custom profile post-launch doesn't cause an issue.

Did anyone figure out what exactly is the problem with customized profiles?

I see later in the thread it talks about modifications to the pressure part catalog and matching them to a parts list.  However, even if I path to the OTB catalog on C: and use the OTB NCS template I still have the pipe breaking issue when using my custom profile.

Is there any further insite on this issue?

[CADmgrMike]

In the attached picture, I highlighted the catalog location the the parts list is looking for.

The catalog that your pipe network is using must be located there, the same name, and you must have "write" access to that folder.

Don't ask me why you need "write" access to a catalog you are just pulling from????

If for some reason IT doesn't give you "write" access, it won't work either.

Also don't forget the catalog location is a drawing variable, not pc variable, so it needs to be set correctly for every drawing.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the response.  However the read/write access to the catalog doesn't seem to make a difference in this case.

Actually I think I found the answer.  It appears that the difference in the profiles is which template c3d launches into (ie the QNEW variable).  If it launches with a template that doesn't have pressure network part lists setup properly then the pipe breaking problem shows up....even if you switch to a different template after launch (such as the OTB NCS tempalte).  However if I change the QNEW variable in my custom profile to a template that has pressure network part lists setup then the pipe breaking issue dissapears.