Adding elements from tool palettes

[trebol_147262]

I'm trainee engineer. In the company where I am, they use AutoCAD Plant 3D. They use other specs than the default ones (like DIN11851, ISO 1127). When we create a new project we define the path of those specs in another folder. Then, when we are in 3D Piping and Routing Pipes, in the tool palettes there appear only some elements, in my case, elbows, pipes and reducers. Other elements appear only by name (without preview), but when clicked, they don't appear in model space. We have a remote server with AutoCAD Plant 3D and we have no problem.

[kevindstewart9]

It sounds like the issue is that the spec catalog isn’t being fully read by your local setup. When only some components (like elbows, pipes, reducers) appear with previews and the rest only by name but won’t insert, it usually points to missing or incorrect spec file paths, or a problem with the PlantContent folder. On the remote server, the paths and catalogs are set correctly, which is why everything works.

A few things you can check:

1. Make sure your local project spec folder is fully synced with the server (all .spec and .catalog files present).

2. Confirm the Spec File Paths in Project Setup are pointing to the correct folder.

3. Check that your AutoCAD Plant 3D has access to the PlantContent folder (sometimes permissions or missing blocks cause the “no preview/no insert” issue).

4. If the spec was customized, verify that the parts were built correctly in the Spec Editor and saved before loading into the project.

If previews and insertion work fine on the server but not locally, it’s most often a path or content synchronization issue, a bit like how Hypic Pro needs all its assets properly linked before features unlock.

[Michiel.Valcke]

@kevindstewart9 if you generate an AI answer - please say so.