OpenPlant uses schema files to defined content and behavior. These files reside in the “schemas” folders. These “schemas” folders are located in the system and workspace folders. For OPPID the behavior schemas are located C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\PowerPID (SELECTseries *)\PowerPID\schemas. The content schemas are located in the Workspace projects . OpenPlant Modelers and PowerPID share content schemas: Properties, Tagging...

One of the many productive attributes of OpenPlant PowerPID and MicroStation in general is the Task Navigation toolbox. Task Navigation allows for logical grouping of tools and placeable components. For OPPID this grouping pertains to process component placement: Equipment, Pipelines, Valves, and Instruments… The Task Navigation definitions for OPPID are located in the PIDProjectSymbols.dgnlib . After opening the DGNLIB, select Workspace->Customize...

The item browser can be used for a wide range of actives: viewing, grouping and editing. To view relationships, turn the “Group related Items by relationship type” check box on. This can aid in determining what types of relationships a specific component has. OpenPlant PowerPID has a mass property update feature that can be used from the Item Browser. This feature allows properties to be updated quickly from similar or different component...

Hello all, I was reviewing the directory structure for OpenPlant PowerPID as well as reviewing some of the "How To" Wiki post and noticed that some of the post were written some time back. In some of the post the full file name of the schema was given. I got to thinking that to a new user this may lead to confusion because the schema file names change as the schema's are updated. For example - in SelectSeries 3 the file name of the main...

Hello all, I felt it necessary to make known the proper method of mapping properties in PowerPID to fields in the Plant Project Database tables. For the most part this is a straight forward exercise using the Bentley Class Editor and load in the mapping database after loading the OpenPlant_PID schema however for newly added properties the process may not be so clear. In my example I will add a new property to the EQUIPMENT class. I have added this...

Hello all, I was just checking my RSS feeds from the Ask Inga Be Community and found a cool tip in regards to setting default attributes. I was thinking how could this be applied in an OpenPlant PowerPID session. The tip from Ask Inga - Hold down the ALT key at the same time simply pick on the in drawing element and the default attributes will be set to match that component. These include Color, Line Style, Line Weight and others. In a PID drawing...

TagSet annotation is now supported with the release of OPPID SS4. This enhancement allows for cell base formatting of annotation. This is useful for Equipment description annotation. To find out more visit this BE Community wiki post

Hello all, Recently I was trouble shooting an issue with OpenPlant PowerPID and the Bentley Plant Project Database. For the life of me I could not figure out why all connectivity had been lost. After digging around, testing etc. I discovered a variable in OpenPlant PowerPID had been inadvertently set to an improper value. The user in question had accidentally edited the ACTIVE_ALTERNATEREPOSITORY_PLUGINID from inside an OpenPlant PowerPID session...

Hello all, The newest release of Bentley's OpenPlant PowerPID (Version 08.11.09.26 Select series 4) is chocked full of new features and many existing features have been enhanced. Did you know? You can now right click on an off page connector and follow that connector to the "other page" and the system will also update the run properties between the pages? Performance has been increased during a copy and more performance increases are...

Keeping track of OpenPlant schema changes is difficult and tedious at best. Bentley Class Editor provides a differencing utility to achieve this. Class and property differences are color coded to highlight changes. These changes can be merged and saved. To learn more visit this BE Community post .

I just recently had a conversation with one of our Services guys who was trying to get Bentley Navigator to install silently. We had some trouble with it as it appears that the old way of doing it has changed a bit. We were able to get it to work by using the same process that is described on the Technote - Installing MicroStation V8i Silently . I wanted to let anyone else out there know how to get this working. To run a general silent install for...

I recently had a user run into an error when installing AutoPLANT SS3 on a 64-bit environment. He kept getting the following error during the install process - Error 1911. Could not register type library for file C:\Windows\SysWOW64\msxml4.dll. Contact your support personnel. Abort Retry Ignore AutoPLANT delivers the MSXML SP2 from Microsoft with our installer which installs this file. I had the user try installing this without AutoPLANT, which also...

The best way to manipulate OPPID components is to use handles. Handles are represented by on-screen interactive graphics when an element is selected. They are most often represented in the form of a box at key points on a selected component. On lines, an arrow is added to the handle to indicate the direction in which the line can be moved. Handle manipulation can affect components with relationships: Pipe runs and Valves, Pipe Runs and Equipment,…...

OpenPlant applications use regular expressions to format properties and in particular Tag Numbers . Google uses the same expression language for its search engine. Formulating expressions can get quite complicated. “Ask the Experts“ have offered recordings on this topic (thx Tony). A good (and free) resource for testing expressions can be downloaded at http://www.radsoftware.com.au/regexdesigner/ or do a Google search on “regular...

It is best practice to use Grid and Snap locks when drafting. Not doing so can cause cells to arrange incorrectly (off grid) or lines to not be orthogonal. MicroStation offers several ways to set Locks. File menu: Settings->Locks-Full, Tools->Tool Boxes (Ctrl+T) or from the Status Bar icons (panel at the bottom of MicroStation). I like using the Snap and Grid icons on the Status bar. Using the Locks dialog could clutter the screen.

Hello all, A significant difference between AutoPLANT PID and OpenPlant PowerPID is that OpenPlant PowerPID can create both DGN and DWG deliverables. This is not a "Save as" but a real DWG format. Like the DGN format the data persist between the PID and the project. So if you have a need for a DGN or a DWG deliverable one tool can be used to create them in lieu of using two or more different PID design tools. Like the DGN format the DWG...

All data needed for syncing to a database repository is contained in an OPPID drawing, no exchange is needed. OPPID drawings can be copied/renamed/moved without creating an exchange formatted drawing. Simply copy an OPPID drawing from one project to another, open and sync. To accomplish this in APPID, an exchange drawing is required.

I would like to point everyone to this BE OPPID site. We cover customization, how to and variable explanations. A majority of the posts are word documents. Any improvements/enhancements/corrections ( not that there are any mistakes :) ) will be review, applied and credited to the document! Link to OpenPlant OPPID solutions

Recently, I was working with a user on an issue with a Project when I had him run Integrity Checker. When we attempted to open the report that was made, the Integrity.xml file, it showed up like this in Internet Explorer - It turns out that the reason why it appeared this way was because the xml file was missing a line that points it to the xsl file (which is placed into the same location as the xml file). This line needs to be inserted into the second...

Dear Friend, I am Using Bentley's V8i Series Select 1product, Now I have switched it to Autocad 2008 to Autocad 2011, But I am not able to see Autoplant Menu on screen, Could anyone of you suggest simple solution for this? Regards, Vijay Patil, Biopharmax

Hi Everyone, This week we have a few new offerings for you. First and foremost is News of the upcoming Bentley Plant User Group meeting coming up in early October, Biloxi, MS. In attendance will be Bentley Product Managers for Both OpenPlant and AutoPLANT. There will also be classes by the guys in Professional Services. Not to mention that most of us in Plant SELECTSupport will be there for at least one day as well. So bring your questions and we'll...

Hi Everyone, I hope you like the newly updated Plant Design and Engineering Communitiy. Much work went into organizing it more efficiently so things are easier to find when browsing. With the release of OpenPlant I have been busy uploading relevant technotes and FAQs. Here is all of the latest information on OpenPlant: OpenPlant Wiki ---- OpenPlant feature showcase Match Properties - This feature allows a User to match the properties of an existing...

Even if i select upper-right Orientation in Project Admin\Isometrics\Setup, it does not change the iso?

Cannot connect to project in OpenPLANT PowerPID P&ID drawings. The problem is that the drawing continues to work offline and never can be connected to any project database Error Message Received: Working Offline You are working offline. Changes will not be synchronized with the Plant Project database. Cause: Project Administrator's Integrity Checker has been turned on. Solution: Turn off Integrity Checker in Project Administrator. 1. Open...

8/9/2007 - Golder Paste Technology, a subsidiary of Golder Associates in Seattle WA has purchased several copies of Bentley AutoPLANT. Jason Dagget, IT manager of Golder Paste Technology said about the purchase "We decided to go with Bentley AutoPLANT over other options because of the scope and breadth of their product offerings. When is came down to it, Bentley AutoPLANT is the most respected and recognized plant design software in the world...