Plant 3D - equipment converted from an xref. No snaps available.

[BHampshire]

This error seems to only affect plant 3d 2019 and 2021. Using 2017 it was possible to convert an xref to plant equipment and still have grips available. This error is also intermittent in nature. It is possible to have the equipment have snap capability sometimes, but I have not yet worked out what the reason for this is.

Attached an xref and try converting to equipment. See if you can still snap it to it. If you experience this issue please email Autodesk Customer Support customersupport@autodesk.com and quote CaseNo:16906143 to raise the priority of this issue. Thanks for reading.

[h_eger]

Dear @BHampshire ,

can you please tell me the place in the Plant 3D documentation where this working method is described!
I've been in the Plant 3D team since 2007 and have been working with Plant 3D since 2009, but I don't know this way of working.
Doesn't make sense either and is no longer supported since the 2017.1 update.

Not everything that is possible with AutoCAD can be used in Plant 3D, please note this.

[BHampshire]

Hi @h_eger ,

You're quite right, it is no longer in the Plant 3D documentation as a working method. But this method does work sometimes, not all of the time though. It isn't as if it has been removed from the product deliberately and properly otherwise it would surely not work at all or at least fail all of the time rather than being an intermittent issue?

All the best,

Brendan

[h_eger]

Dear @BHampshire ,

all AutoCAD functions that are not described in Plant 3D can work but do not have to work.

It is up to you to use such working methods with all the advantages and disadvantages
I would go the way that Plant 3D supports.

[BHampshire]

Hi @h_eger ,

I'll pick my battles, perhaps not wisely, but I'd rather see this functionality remain in the package than to lose functionality from it. Autodesk get away with a lot, this is one I don't want them getting away with.

Thanks for your advice!

All the best,

Brendan

[h_eger]

Hi @BHampshire ,

[Tomislav.Golubovic]

I'm in the same boat, I've been working with Plant3D since its inception in 2010 and never been able to convert the XREF. You have to do it in the Equipment model, XREF that to the piping, THEN you can connect to the nozzles. Unless I misunderstand your issue?

[BHampshire]

Hi,

I would like to return to the way of xrefencing in an equipment model such as a pump and then convert the xref to plant 3d equipment. This workflow allows us to be able to update the equipment models as we get vendor information without having to open the whole equipment layout, it's possible to just a single equipment item. With having masses of equipment layouts each for different areas or floors it's hard to see how the file size would remain workable once full detail design is reached. We been able to convert xrefs into plant equipment since 2010 up to 2017, but then the functionality become flaky in 2019 and 2021. I believe that it's still possible to convert xrefs as pipe supports, just not equipment.

All the best,

Brendan

[Anonymous]

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-plant-3d/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles...

[Tomislav.Golubovic]

You convert the equipment inside the XREF..... the only thing I can think of is that you've been selecting the XREF, then right clicking on it and saying "Open XREF" then you add the nozzles where you need to, then close the XREF.

Otherwise the functionality has been the same for years. Make an Equipment model, insert your blocks or make Equipment and then XREF that to the piping.