How powerful is Visio? - D-Tools Forum

AE Engineer · 02-17-2009, 07:50 PM

In todays AV/networking market, more and more devices are becomming single chassis with interchangable parts. That is a great thing for us integrators, since we do not have to buy large, bulky items like switchers and servers constantly to keep our customers up to date.

The problem is on the engineering side. Currently, when using visio and d-tools, I create card slots in my blade server and, for instance, my Crestron DM switcher. Then I create an output port called Card plug in. That way I can show where the cards are plugged in and I do not have to constantly change the I/O lists for the server or switcher based on the cards that are installed.

Is visio powerful enough to go with the flow? Shouldnt the I/O data for the Crestron DM switcher be able to be gathered from the I/O list of the cards attached to your project? I think that the drawings would be better on my end, if, when I drag the switcher onto the drawing, the I/O was created from the attached cards I/O list and populated correctly, showing a singular device instead of one central device with up to 10 cards attached to it.

Does anyone follow me? I assume that most of you users out there simply change the I/O list once you drag the switcher onto the drawing. There are approximately 100 items in my database currently that have interchangeble cards and chassis with open card slots. Since the equipment has changed and adapted to the newest technology, shouldn't visio do the same. If it can, can someone out there demonstrate how to change coding to allow the I/O lists to be populated based on other devices in the proposal?

JordanC · 02-18-2009, 03:06 PM

I just add the cards to my system with their specific i/o configuration such as you do. When I go to draw them, I use a 'hold' box stencil for the chassis, and add my cards. Not sure if that makes sense. LMK and I will send you an example.

AE Engineer · 02-20-2009, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by JordanC

LMK and I will send you an example.

Do you need my email address? Or are you going to post here?

timw · 02-20-2009, 10:41 PM

I take the Chassis schematic block and scale it to fit my cards schematic blocks so all the card blocks are shown, "encased" in the, "parent block" and then just generate a generic shape(rectangle) that signifies which slot each respective card schematic block is in....I think this only works well when your pages are separated by signal discipline...ecspecially with the, "multi-signal" DM cards.

Hope this helps