There are no software restrictions to prevent you from modifying a live catalog; however, we do not recommend this as you may be editing something that another user is accessing simultaneously. Ideally, all catalog changes should be made at the beginning of a project before modeling begins. Because this is not always possible, we recommend that you create a "live" and a "test" catalog database. You should make all changes in the test catalog and verify the changes in a test model. After the changes are verified, an administrator should select a convenient time to have all users stop modeling, create a backup, and then use copy and paste to move the changes from the test catalog to the live catalog.
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Establish databases for catalog and model:
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New Customers - Create catalog database from scratch or from templates, with or without bulkloading sample reference data.
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Existing Customers - Upgrade existing catalog and model databases
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Copy databases with the Backup Command and Restore Command. All reference data changes should first be made in the test catalog and then moved into the production catalog when appropriate. Using these commands will copy all changes from the test catalog into the production catalog.
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Use Tools Menu > Options Command in the Catalog task to define short codes, units of measurement, and piping specification unit of measurement in both databases. Currently, these settings cannot be copied from one database to another.
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Create and modify any part classes, interfaces, and properties in the test catalog.
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You cannot copy and paste part classes, interfaces, or properties from one catalog to another. You must use the Backup Command and Restore Command to move this data into the production catalog. See Fully restore an existing model from backup in the Project Management Help.
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If the production catalog is an almost empty catalog, you must create at least one cableway outfitting cross-section in the production catalog prior to restoring the test catalog to the production catalog. See Define Cableway Specifications and Define Cableway Shapes.
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If you create part classes, run the Generate Views Command to re-generate all of the database views in the test catalog.
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Create and modify other reference data in the test catalog.
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The Catalog task provides direct review and edit of the following types of reference data:
Common
Select Lists
Interfaces and Categories
Cableway and Cable Tray
Conduit
Equipment
Equipment Components
Modules
Piping (both model and specification rules)
Standard Nozzles
Structure
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Limitations: The following reference data must be defined by bulkloading workbooks. This data is read-only in the Catalog task:
Cable
Catalog Filters (Editing done through Filter Manager in all tasks)
Hangers and Supports
HVAC
Interference Rules
Labels
Naming Rules
Piping Manufacturing
Reports
Shapes
Space
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If you modified cable, HVAC, or other reference data through Microsoft Excel workbooks, use the Bulkload Utility to add those changes to the test catalog database. Use either:
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Delete and replace mode - To replace the contents of the database with the contents of the selected workbooks.
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Append mode - To add contents of the selected workbooks to the catalog.
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Use Tools > Check Data Command and Tools Menu > Verify Consistency Report Command to validate changes in the test catalog.
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Check Data Command - A command that interactively verifies the relationships between the data you enter into the editable grid against other data in the Catalog database.
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Verify Consistency Report Command - A report that compares piping specifications to Catalog data and verifies whether the piping commodities, piping specialties, and instruments in the Piping specification for a model are consistent with the data in the Catalog so that the required components can be created in the model.
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In Project Management, run the Synchronize Model with Catalog Command against the test model. This command globally updates the model database with all catalog changes, including properties and symbol changes, and optionally regenerates the database views.
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Verify the catalog changes by placing objects in the test model database and reviewing any To Do List entries generated by the Synchronize Model with Catalog Command command. If necessary, repeat steps 4 through 9 to make corrections.
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At an appropriate time, lock production users out of the production catalog and model.
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Create backups of the catalog and model databases for both test and production.
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Bulkload new and verified part classes from your test catalog into the production catalog.
Do not substitute the production catalog with the test catalog. The test catalog is for testing purposes only. Backing up the test catalog is for the sole purpose of future testing.
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If you created new part classes, use Windows Explorer to copy symbol files from the test SharedContent share to the production SharedContent share.
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If you did not create new part classes, copy and paste reference data changes from the test catalog into the production catalog.
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Select Lists - You must copy select lists into the production catalog before copying other reference data that requires those select list values. However, if you only update textual values in existing select lists, you can copy those changes at any time.
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Parts - Part classes and their associated interfaces and properties must exist in the production catalog before you can copy the parts.
Data
Copy/Paste Granularity
Cable Tray Parts
All at once.
Cable Tray Specifications
Individual or all specifications at once. You must copy parts data separately. You must copy shapes data separately if you copy individual specifications.
Cableway Specifications
Individual or all specifications at once. You must copy parts data separately. You must copy shapes data separately if you copy individual specifications.
Cableway Shapes
All at once.
Conduit Commodity Material Control Data
Individual or all at once.
Conduit Parts
All at once.
Conduit Selection Rules
All at once.
Conduit Specifications
Individual or all specifications at once.
Equipment Insulation
All at once.
Equipment Parts
All at once.
Equipment Component Parts
All at once.
Piping Bolted Joint Parts
All at once.
Generic Dimensional Data
All at once.
Piping Insulation
All at once.
Piping Parts
All at once.
Pipe Bending Data
All at once.
Piping Commodity Service Limits Data
All at once.
Piping Specification > Instruments
All at once.
Piping Specification > Multiport Calve Operator Data
All at once.
Piping Specification > Notes
All at once.
Piping Specification > Piping Commodity Material Control Data
All at once.
Piping Specification > Piping Commodity Procurement Data
All at once.
Piping Materials Classes
Individual or all piping specifications at once. You must copy parts data separately.
Model Options
All at once.
Model Rules
All at once.
Valve Operator Material Control Data
All at once.
Tap Property Data
All at once.
Valve Operator Parts
All at once.
Select Lists
Individual or all select lists at once.
Structure Objects
All at once.
Structure Materials
All at once.
Structure Shapes
All at once.
Structure Plates
All at once.
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If you modified cable, HVAC, or other reference data through Microsoft Excel workbooks, use the Bulkload Utility to add those changes to the production catalog. Use either:
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Delete and replace mode - To replace the contents of the database with the contents of the selected workbooks.
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Append mode - To add contents of the selected workbooks to the catalog.
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Use Tools Menu > Check Data Command and Tools Menu > Verify Consistency Report Command again to make sure that all changes were copied from the test database to the production database.
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In Project Management, run the Synchronize Model with Catalog Command against the production model. This command globally updates the model database with all catalog changes, including properties and symbol changes, and optionally regenerates the database views.
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Verify the catalog changes by placing objects in the production model database and reviewing any To Do List entries generated by the Synchronize Model with Catalog Command.
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Document reference data changes per your company or project guidelines.
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Allow users back into production catalog and model.