How does the substitution work

[Thomasbatson]

I am an electrical user and mostly manage that for my work.  We are wanting to use Plant 3D so I've downloaded and use.  I am new, have created a PID just for function and has been good.  I really wish there was a manual or something for cad managers, something that describes how things work, not simply that they do something but how and what is being done in the software.  Anyway, I was wondering (as a new user) how does the substitution work?  I am comfortable with dynamic blocks but it doesn't seem like that.  I mean, where does the substitution symbols pull from and how does it work?  Where are the dwg's the ones in 

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2021\PLNT3D\SymbolLibrary?

Thank you.

[Tomislav.Golubovic]

One of the properties in the symbols is "Subsitution" and the value is True or False. P&ID as you found out doesn't use Dynamic Blocks, so you'll have to make the symbol and then make it True or False if you want it to be included in the substitution.

[Thomasbatson]

I did see that flag and kind of looked into some of those other fields in setup.  But how is that substitution list displayed?  Like, can I add to that window? Then when you select from the substitution how does it select the block you want?  I'm just curious as to how this software does what it does. Thanks

[Tomislav.Golubovic]

When you select the valve, a small (upside down) triangle will appear near it, and that's the floating "palette" for the substitution of that valve.

[Thomasbatson]

I see that, thanks.  I am wondering how the software works, behind the scenes.  What is actually going on, where those substitution images come from, how those buttons are configured and programmed to take the symbol and replace it, is the folder path I mentioned the correct one.  I guess I'm not sure how else to put it but hopefully someone has in depth information that would help explain that.  Thank you.

[Tomislav.Golubovic · Accepted solution]

Its all done from Project Setup. You need to have a block assigned to that class of item, and when its Substitution is set to ON, then it appears in the flyout. You don't need to do anything else other than use Project Setup to maintain the blocks.

[Thomasbatson]

That might have been the part I was missing, I didn't realize simply by assigning a block to that class would make it show in the substitution list.  Ok, I think that gets me further anyway.  Most of my experience is with ACADE and I am very comfortable with that management, just not this yet. Thanks.