SI4 - Equipment I/O - D-Tools Forum

TouchToBegin · 06-08-2007, 02:16 AM

I am just getting started with the software, so my database is pretty low.
I am adding equipment as I do estimates. For items that I have to add in from scratch, what is the impact of not fully loading up the input and output?

If I only add I/O for what I plan on using this job, I can ofcourse go back and add more I/O for other jobs should I need it, but what does that do to existing drawings which have the equipment in question as part of the layout?

TIA.

**Kevin Mikelonis** · 06-08-2007, 05:02 AM

Originally Posted by TouchToBegin

I am just getting started with the software, so my database is pretty low.
I am adding equipment as I do estimates. For items that I have to add in from scratch, what is the impact of not fully loading up the input and output?

If I only add I/O for what I plan on using this job, I can ofcourse go back and add more I/O for other jobs should I need it, but what does that do to existing drawings which have the equipment in question as part of the layout?

TIA.

Data in the project is isolated from data in the database, so shortcutting the data now will not be a problem if you add to the data later.

If you need to add to the data later to make it more complete, that will be good for projects created after the data is further refined.

Best practice - Take the time to create a solid I/O ftable complete for every item you put into your datbase initially.

Think in terms of category and type rather than Mfg and Model.

If you build 1 solid piece of data for each CATEGORY and TYPE, then you can add new items by copying existing items in the database and you solid I/O table will copy as well. It may need modification, but items of the same CATEGORY and TYPE have very similar if not identical I/O tables even if the MFG and MODEL are different.

This will carry your I/O tables forward through your other database items in a very consistent way.

For an example of solid I/O signal and terminal namings and order, visit our forum at www.processdsg.com/forum

See the discussion area ant the thread on 'database management'

06-08-2007, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by TouchToBegin

I am just getting started with the software, so my database is pretty low.
I am adding equipment as I do estimates. For items that I have to add in from scratch, what is the impact of not fully loading up the input and output?

If I only add I/O for what I plan on using this job, I can ofcourse go back and add more I/O for other jobs should I need it, but what does that do to existing drawings which have the equipment in question as part of the layout?

TIA.

From my experience, if you add to an item, any projects that the item was used in previously will retain their information... they don't automatically update themselves to your masterdatabase.

However, if you want them to, you can mass select them (or you can select one item), right click it, and select "refresh". This will replace it with whatever changes you have made in your mastertable.

TouchToBegin · 06-09-2007, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin Mikelonis

Data in the project is isolated from data in the database, so shortcutting the data now will not be a problem if you add to the data later.

If you need to add to the data later to make it more complete, that will be good for projects created after the data is further refined.

Best practice - Take the time to create a solid I/O ftable complete for every item you put into your datbase initially.

Think in terms of category and type rather than Mfg and Model.

If you build 1 solid piece of data for each CATEGORY and TYPE, then you can add new items by copying existing items in the database and you solid I/O table will copy as well. It may need modification, but items of the same CATEGORY and TYPE have very similar if not identical I/O tables even if the MFG and MODEL are different.

This will carry your I/O tables forward through your other database items in a very consistent way.

For an example of solid I/O signal and terminal namings and order, visit our forum at www.processdsg.com/forum

See the discussion area ant the thread on 'database management'

Great advice, thanks.