Best Practice for Creating and Sharing Vendor Valve Catalog with Block-Based Geometry in AutoCAD Plant 3D

[nandaS7AUH]

I would like to share my approach for handling vendor specific valves in AutoCAD Plant 3D and get confirmation on best practices.

For each project, I create vendor valve 3D models and convert them using PLANTPARTCONVERT with block-based graphics and ports. I then add these components to a separate catalog named VendorValves and include them in the pipe spec using Custom – AutoCAD DWG block-based graphics. This allows me to select vendor valves directly from the spec and place them in the model, which works correctly on my system.

To make this reusable for the team, I store the catalog and geometry in a shared Dropbox location that is accessible to all users. The folder structure is as follows:

Dropbox
Public
Plant3D_Content

Inside Plant3D_Content:
Catalogs folder containing VendorValves.pcat and the auto created VendorValves folder
Geometry folder containing the valve 3D DWG files (example: Gate valve 3-inch buttweld.dwg)

Other users are able to see the VendorValves catalog and add the valve into their spec successfully. However, when they try to place the valve from the tool palette into model space, the component does not appear.

I would appreciate guidance on whether this overall approach for managing vendor specific valves is aligned with Plant 3D best practices, and what considerations are important when using block-based DWG geometry and shared content folders in a non-server environment.

Thanks in advance for any insights.
@Ruffy8585 @@h_eger @AndyDavisArkance @DVaquand @Michiel.Valcke @Tomislav.Golubovic 

[h_eger]

@nandaS7AUH ,

do I understand your workflow correctly: you upload your edited Plant 3D content folder to Dropbox, and your users then integrate the custom 3D valves from Dropbox into their pipe specs?

[AndyDavisArkance]

Hi,

When modelling in Plant 3D, the fundamental requirement of block-based fittings is that the catalog folders are stored within the user's Shared Content Folder path (usually in the CatalogSupportFolders folder) and are accessible.  Access to the .pcat files and original 3D DWG files is not required when modelling.

Regards,

Andy

[nandaS7AUH]

Yes that is correct.

I have created a custom Plant 3D content folder inside Dropbox instead of using the default location (C:AutoCAD Plant 3D 2022 Content). I am using this Dropbox folder as the Shared Content Folder so that other users can access the same custom valves.

[h_eger]

@nandaS7AUH ,

What path did you use in the Modify Shared Content Folder?

[nandaS7AUH]

I can't view or edit that.

but this my catalog location

[nandaS7AUH]

Hi Andy, @AndyDavisArkance 

Thank you for the clarification.

My requirement is as follows:

1. I would like to maintain a separate catalog specifically for vendor valves.

2. This catalog should be accessible to all users via Dropbox.

3. Each user should be able to add the vendor valves from this catalog into their own specs.

4. The setup should work correctly during modelling without path or geometry issues.

Could you please advise the recommended workflow or folder structure to achieve this when using Dropbox as the shared environment?

[h_eger]

Could you please show me the system requirements for AutoCAD Plant 3D Spec Editor where Autodesk states that Dropbox is allowed for the content folder?

[nandaS7AUH]

Thank you for pointing that out. I am not aware of any official Autodesk documentation stating that Dropbox is supported. We are currently using Dropbox internally, but I understand this may not be the recommended approach. Could you please clarify the officially supported method for sharing content across users?

[h_eger · Accepted solution]

No support via PM!

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-share-the-A...

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Working-with-the-s...

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-edit-the-Au...

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Mapped-Network-Dri...

[Tomislav.Golubovic]

I use the following personally:

Whatever content I make on one machine, its Content Path is on the server. I also have a copy on two cloud drives, OneDrive and Dropbox. I also have a batch file to copy the content from the cloud drives to the laptop default Content folder (C:\).

For clients, I push all content to live on the server. That way everyone sees the content without having to copy files around. When working remotely, they have a VPN, which can be slow but it still works.