Overall conduit length, end to end including fittings???

[Anonymous]

Is there an easy way to do this? I would like to be able to "Select connected branch" on a conduit and have it give me an end to end length.

Thanks.

[Martin__Schmid]

There is not a built-in easy way to do this, however, it would be easy to do in the .NET API, and then it would be easy to do in AutoCAD MEP.

The attached ZIP file contains a sample Visual Studio Express project that defines a command ConduitRunLength

To use this, launch AutoCAD MEP, and then use the command NETLOAD
Browse to the file in the ZIP AME2010ConduitRunLength.dll under AME2010ConduitRunLength\AME2010ConduitRunLength\bin\Release\

Now, you can enter the command ConduitRunLength, select a conduit, and it will tell you the length.

Note... this is just a sample, and was put together quickly... you may run into some issues with it with custom (or other) elbow types. If it runs into an issue, it should write to the text window "Could not compute length of elbow".

However, when it works, the full output should be something like this:


Command: ConduitRunLength

Pick Conduit Segment:
4.00 inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 11063 Length 625.103880379972
4.00 inch Diameter 60.0 degree Conduit Elbow EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 11062 Arc 20.943951023932 Total 20.943951023932
4.00 inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 11061 Length 517.437849747132
4.00 inch Diameter 105.0 degree Conduit Elbow EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 11060 Arc 36.6519142918809 Total 36.6519142918809
4.00 inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 11059 Length 859.185492543177
4.00 inch Diameter 90.0 degree Conduit Elbow EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 11058 Arc 31.4159265358979 Total 31.4159265358979
4.00 inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 11055 Length 384.062755422756
TOTAL LENGTH = 2474.80176994475

[Anonymous]

That would probably work for what I am doing, except when I run that command, Autocad kind of sits there looking stupid for a second like it is thinking, then hard crashes and says there is an unknown presentation version (or something like that, the error message disappeared before I could copy it)

Going down the right path though, thanks!

[Martin__Schmid]

You're welcome to tinker with the Visual Studio project to see if you can determine what is going on. The application was written on the .NET Framework 3.5... you may need to update the framework on your machine (using Windows Update).

Alternatively, I made modifications to target this to .NET 2.0, so you may try the attached.

[Anonymous]

Hey Martin, over the past few months this has become very useful, is there any chance you can update it to work in 2011 or tell me what I can do to make it work? Right now it works GREAT in 2010, but causes 2011 to crash hard.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

What language was used to create this? C? 

[Anonymous]

Martin, any chance you could try to update this work with 2011? I have no idea how to modify what you have done.

Right now it works perfect with 2010, crashes 2011 and can't compute the length of elbows if I open a 2011 drawing in 2010.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

AMAZING Martin!!!  Your my conduit hero!!! I tried this in MEP 2010 and it works perfectly...I to would love to see this available for MEP 2011. 

I would love to see this expanded to do the following:

- Ask for start of run (depending on where you select it gives you that length than provides the rest of the info)

- Provide unique tag identifiers

- Be able to select a parallel run

- Option to be able to have the information stored & scheduled

- Create a similar cabletray routine

[Anonymous]

and also:

- have an option to be able to change output units (current units are inches)

thanks again!!

[Anonymous]

Sadly, I think we have been abandoned!

[Anonymous]

This add-on is a step in the right direction.  I hope Autodesk expands on this to provide the electrical construction community with the tools we desperatly need.

Please Martin you're our only hope...

[davidclark70]

I agree, this is a great tool!  With the wish list that Optimus listed previously it would be HUGE!

There are lots of goodies for ductwork, real world electrical construction gets left behind.......

[Anonymous]

MARRRRRRRTINNNNNNN where are you?

[Martin__Schmid]

Hi all-

Sorry... the old forum system used to always email when there were replies to threads I had posted to... don't know if there are new settings, or what, that I'm not aware of, but I only seem to get notified on new(er) threads.

One of my colleagues notified me of your query here... I'll take a look...

[Martin__Schmid]

Mike-  How did you get this to work on 2010?

I recently had another app where a user reported: "then hard crashes and says there is an unknown presentation version (or something like that, the error message disappeared before I could copy it)".  The issue in that case was the user had the file on a network drive instead of on the local machine.

Here are a couple of URLs explaining why this is the case

http://blog.jtbworld.com/2009/03/fatal-error-unsupported-version-of.html

http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/through_the_interface/2009/11/updated-version-of-screenshot...

[Anonymous]

I'm very happy to see that you are still around Martin.  I think we are all looking forward to seeing your program expanded

[Martin__Schmid]

C#

[Martin__Schmid]

There is nothing (that I am aware of) that should cause it to crash in 2011... it works fine for me.  Are you getting any error messages/warnings, etc.. ?

[Martin__Schmid]

The issue with 2011 vs. 2010 elbow length computations is that elbows from the 2011 catalog are a bit more complex.  In 2010, there was a single radiused sweep that defined the elbow segment.  In 2011, the catalog parts have the sweep + a straight segment at both ends.

[Martin__Schmid]

This has been updated to take into account 2011's conduit elbow definitions... I don't know if all elbows are built with the same parameters... but you should get a message if something isn't computed.

There is another command as well: ConduitRunLengthAll

This will provide a summary of all runs.. the 'All Runs' section is simply a summary of what is above.. you can copy/paste this into a text file, then open in Excel if you like.

Command: CONDUITRUNLENGTHALL

Run: 121B6
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 121B6  Length 360.357791026609
2.50 Inch 22.58 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 121B5  Arc 4.1381579189416  Total 14.6381579189416
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 121AF  Length 416.149124100865
2.50 Inch 94.49 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 121AE  Arc 17.3161416066243  Total 27.8161416066243
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 121A8  Length 516.895921453864
2.50 Inch 2.38 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 121A7  Arc 0.436186524991999  Total 10.936186524992
TOTAL LENGTH = 1346.7933226319

Run: 121A1
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 121A1  Length 342.605840599857
2.50 Inch 100.32 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 12187  Arc 18.3854982374804  Total 28.8854982374804
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 12186  Length 269.790987598795
2.50 Inch 94.31 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 12185  Arc 17.2826342771603  Total 27.7826342771603
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 12184  Length 334.294590036683
TOTAL LENGTH = 1003.35955074998

Run: 12188
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 12188  Length 342.605840599857
TOTAL LENGTH = 342.605840599857

Run: 12183
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 12183  Length 1341.82076882816
2.50 Inch 100.32 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 12182  Arc 18.3854982374804  Total 28.8854982374804
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 12181  Length 269.790987598795
2.50 Inch 94.31 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 12180  Arc 17.2826342771603  Total 27.7826342771603
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 1217F  Length 334.294590036683
TOTAL LENGTH = 2002.57447897828

Run: 12160
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 12160  Length 705.211881199358
2.50 Inch 100.32 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 1215F  Arc 18.3854982374804  Total 28.8854982374804
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 12158  Length 269.790987598795
2.50 Inch 94.31 Deg Bent Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Elbow 12157  Arc 17.2826342771603  Total 27.7826342771603
2.50 Inch Conduit EMT Set Screw US Imperial
Segment 1214E  Length 334.294590036683
TOTAL LENGTH = 1365.96559134948

All Runs:
121B6,1346.7933226319
121A1,1003.35955074998
12188,342.605840599857
12183,2002.57447897828
12160,1365.96559134948