SYNTAX FOR PDMS

Query Syntax:

Q ANG Query angle of a component.

Q ATT Query attributes of the current element.
Q ABOP Query arrive bottom of pipe.
Q LBOP Query leave bottom of pipe.
Q ATOP Query arrive top of pipe.
Q LTOP Query leave top of pipe.
Q CATREF Query PDMS catalog name of an item.
Q CREF Query connection reference. (ex. Q cref of a tee and you will get the name of
the branch connected to P3 of that tee)
Q SPREF Query PDMS specification name of a component.
Q REF Query PDMS reference number.
Q INSU Query insulation thickness.
Q ISPEC Query insulation type.
Q HREF At branch level this will give you the head connection reference.
Q TREF At branch level this will give you the tail connection reference.
Q LSTUB Query component’s leave tube spec. and size. (at component level)
Q HSTUB Query pipe head tube spec. and size. (at branch level)
Q HCONN Query head connection of current branch.
Q TCONN Query tail connection of current branch.
Q HPOS Query branch head position.
Q TPOS Query branch tail position.
Q POS Query position of CE.
Q POS WRT/* Query position with respect to world.
Q POSS WRT/* Query position of position start of steel member with respect to world.
Q PT Query branch tail information.
Q HT Query branch head information.
Q PA Query component arrive point.
Q PL Query component leave point.
Q ORI Query orientation of item.
Q IDP@ Gives you information on selected point.
Q MODE Query direction mode. (forward or backward)
Q REF Query PDMS unique reference number for CE.
Q LOCK Query if lock flag is on or off.
Q PA PL Query component arrive and leave points.
Q PH PT Query branch head and tail information.
Q MEM Lists members under current element.
Q DETREF Query component detail text.
Q PSPEC Query pipe spec. at branch and pipe levels.
Q NAM Query name of current element.
Q OWNER Query owner of current element.
Q HIST Query history of current element. You will receive numbers.
Q SESSUSER Query last user to work on element history query was taken on. Ex. Q
SESSUSER 54 (number taken from history query)
Q SESSDATE Query last date element was worked on. Ex. Q SESSDATE (number taken
from history query)
Q HSTU At branch level gives head start tube size and spec.
Q LSTU At component level gives leave start tube size and spec.
Q PL BOP Query component’s bottom of pipe at p-leave.
Q PL TOP Query component’s top of pipe at p-leave.

Commonly Used Commands:

CE Current element.
BY Used to move (by <direction> <distance> Ex. by s 12’)
FOR Sets you in forward mode. (is not indicated anywhere)
BAC Sets you in backward mode. (is not indicated anywhere)
CONN Connects CE to previous component in members list.
NEX CONN Brings you to next component in members list then connects
it to previous component.
1CONN Connects first component in branch to branch head when in forward mode or
branch tail when in backward mode.
CONN TO NEXT Connects CE to next component in members list.
CONN NEXT Connects CE to previous component then brings you to next
component in members list.
FCONN Forces a connection between 2 incompatible connection types.

NEX FCONN Forces a connection between 2 incompatible connection types.

SAM Brings you back to a previous selected item.
SET Sets a marker and * brings you back to marked item.
END Brings you to current element’s owner.
NEX Brings you to the next item of members list.
PREV Brings you to the previous item in members list.
REO Reorder members before or after other members in group. (Ex. reo 1 aft 2,
reo 4 bef 2)
GOTO ___ Brings you to item or attribute listed after command. (Ex. goto catref – brings
you to catalog reference name)
SAVEWORK Self explanatory.
CH CE Runs a data consistency check on current element.
LAS MEM Returns to previous member.
HCONN OPEN Sets your branch head to open.
TCONN OPEN Sets your branch tail to open.
HCONN CLOSED Sets your branch head to closed.
TCONN CLOSED Sets your branch tail to closed.
VAR1NAM Sets variable at items so that they can be manipulated. (variable numbers
available are 1 – 20)
INCLUDE $V1 Moves an item previously set with a variable to another place in members list.
COPY $V1 Copies an item previously set with a variable number.
PIN1 AT CE Sets a pin at current element origin p-point. Pins can be set to any p-point.
Pins are available up to pin 10. (see intranet information for pins)
PIN1 BY N 1’ Moves pin in direction by distance indicated.
PIN1 DIR E Sets the direction of a pin. In this case to the East.
PIN1 DIST 3’ Moves a pin along set direction the distance indicated.
PIN1 AT IDP@ Places a pin at a specified point.

NOTE: Several commands can be combined into one line.

Example:

PIN1 AT CE DIR E DIST 3’ Creates pin at current element points it in direction indicated then
moves it by distance indicated.

ORI AND P3 IS U Orients given p-point in direction indicated.

ORI P1 IS E AND P3 IS U Orients given p-points in direction indicated.

CONN PH TO FIR MEM Connects branch head to first member of branch.

CONN PT TO LAS MEM Connects branch tail to last member of branch.

CONN PH TO PT OF ID@ Connects a branch head to tail of another selected branch.

CONN PT TO PH OF ID@ Connects a branch tail to head of another selected branch.
CONN TO ID@ Connects component or branch to item selected.

CONN PH TO P3 OF ID@ Connects a branch head to the third p-point of a component.

(Ex. to the branch of a tee)

NEW ELB CHOO ALL Brings up options for creating new component.

CONST DIST PL TO PA OF NEX Gives the distance from p-leave of CE to p-arrive of next
component in members list.

CONST DIST IDP@ TO IDP@ Gives the distance between two specific points selected.

CONST DIR PI1 TO PI2 Gives the direction of pin1 to pin2. Direction can also be
constructed from p-points.

CONST DIST PIN1 TO PIN2 Gives distance between 2 pins.

NEW PIP COPY $V1 Copies pipe assigned to variable number 1.

NEW BRA COPY $V1 Copies branch assigned to variable number 1.

Move Commands:

MOVE U THR NEX Moves component in specified direction through next component.
MOVE U THR PRE Moves component in specified direction through previous component.

DIST 4 FROM PL Moves CE given distance from p-leave of component.

DIST 4 FROM PL TO PA Moves given distance from p-leave of previous component to p-arrive
of CE.
BY N 2’ E 3 WRT/* Moves CE designated directions and selected distances with respect to
world orientation.

Misc. Syntax:

ROTA BY 45 ABOUT PIN1 THRO PIN1 Rotates CE 45 degrees around Construction Pin 1.(PIN1 at
CE to place pin at desired location)
ADD ALL WITHIN VOL CE 3’ Adds to drawlist all items within designated area of
current element.
BOP ONTO U “ELEVATION” WRT/* Example: BOP ONTO U 145’ WRT/*
Sets the bottom of pipe.
ALPHA REQUEST CLEAR Clears input/output request window.
$Q Lists available syntax options when typed in after a command.
The syntax options available for use with selected commands
are listed. Example: BY $Q Lists syntax that be used with the
BY command.
MOVE (PT OR PH) BY (DIR) (DIST) Example: MOVE PT BY E 500
To move PT or PH at branch level.
MOVE (PT OR PH) PLANE (DIR) THR ID@ Example: MOVE PT PLANE E
THR ID@ Moves a PH or PT in indicated direction along a plane to the
indicated item.
MOVE (PT OR PH) PLANE (DIR) THR (DIR) (COORD) Example: MOVE PT PLANE E THR E 500
Moves a PT or PH in indicated direction along a plane to
indicated coordinate.
 SYNONYMS

Synonyms are short words that perform a command and are useful for quick input.

Synonyms are good only for the current PDMS session.

The synonym name or word, which is comprised only of letters is placed between
$S and a =.

The replacement text (command) is comprised of all text between the = and the carriage return.

A synonym can have another synonym in the replacement text.

$S NB = NEW BOX Set “NB” to create a new box.

$S NBV = NB XLE 2’ YLE 2’ ZLE 3’ Set NBV to create a new box (called by the synonym
“NB” and define the volume attributes.

$QS Queries all defined synonyms.

$SK Deletes all defined synonyms.

$S NB= Deletes and redefines the specified synonym to nothing.

You can create synonyms for syntax which are similar to 2 key lisps in autocad, from a pulldown
menu in PDMS also.

1) In the PIPEWORKS module in design go to UTILITIES.

2) Choose PIPEWORKS from the lower half of the pull down a menu box will
come up.
3) Choose the CONTROL pull down.
4) Choose DEFINE.
5) In the HEADING BOX give your synonym a new.
6) In the DESCRIPTION BOX give your syntax a description.
7) In the COMMAND BOX enter the syntax command.
8) Choose the ADD button and then the SAVE button.
9) After you SAVE the menu box should close and reopen.
10) When it reopens you should have a NEW PULL DOWN WITH THE NAME YOU CHOSE.
11) PICK the new pulldown and go to town.

You can add as many syntax commands under this heading as you wish.
or you can create a new one for each syntax command every time you load from macros you just
need to repeat steps 1-3 and choose LOAD instead of define.
 Construction Commands:

Construction quantities are displayed in the command input and output readout area.
• DISTANCE
• DIRECTION
• ANGLES
• POSITION
The construction commands can use combinations of P-Points and or mapping pins. These
quantities can be written into variable for later use.

Construct Distance Commands:

The CONSTRUCT DISTANCE command allows you to measure the distance between two design
points.
• 2 P-Points or Pins
• A P-Point of Pin and the closest point on the line or plane.

CONS DIST IDP@ TO IDP@ The measured distance between the two
selected points is displayed.

CONS DIST IDP@ TO PLANE IDP @ The distance from the first nominated point to a plane
PERMENDICULAR to the second point is displayed.
CONS DIST PIN2 TO PLANR PIN1 Measured distance between the intersection of direction of PIN2
and a perpendicular plane passing through PIN1.

Pin2
MEASURED
DISTANCE

Pin1

CONS DIR PIN 1 TO PIN 2 The direction from PIN 1 to PIN 2 is displayed.

CONS DIR PIN 1 TO P4 OF IDBOX@ The direction from PIN 1 to the specified P-Point is
displayed.

Construct Position Commands:

The CONSTRUCT POSITION command allows you to calculate the coordinated of a design element,
P-Point or pin.

CONS POS P3 The coordinate at P3 of the current element is displayed in world coordinates.
(Ex. E100’ N50’ U40’)
 To Create an Alpha Log to Text Pad:

TYPE: ALPHA LOG/FILE LOCATION AND NAME.TXT

When finished with the file….

TYPE: ALPHA LOG END

Then bring file up in Text Pad and edit.