HVAC Specification form
- Last UpdatedSep 15, 2025
- 8 minute read
The HVAC Specification form enables users to build a specification without having to commit the information to the database until the content is ready.
When creating a new specification, it is good practice to also define its standard and minimum component length settings for when the specification is used by the HVAC Gap Manager application. For more information about standard and minimum length settings, see Component lengths for HVAC Gap Manager.
Specification section
The Specification section shows the World and Name information for the current specification.
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Current Element |
Replaces the specification with the specification that is currently selected in the Catalogue Explorer. |
Working Data section
The Working Data section includes feedback on the state of the specification and buttons for creating and loading files.
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Shows that no unsaved changes have been made on the form. |
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Shows that unsaved changes have been made on the form. |
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Load from File |
Select to load HVAC Specification form data stored on a file. |
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Save to File |
Select to save the current data on the HVAC Specification form to a file. |
Spec Blocks section
The Spec Blocks section includes details for specification blocks and buttons for adding and removing blocks.
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The specification block Type is selected from a list of options. The Description value can be entered as text. |
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Add New Block |
Select to add a new specification block. |
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Delete Block |
Select to delete the selected specification block and all its content. |
Note:
When comparing to piping components, a specification block can be considered the same
as a Heading.
Reference Data tab
The Reference Data tab is used to populate the selected specification block with reference data.
When a reference category is selected to populate data to a new specification block, data columns in the Spec Block Rows section are automatically enabled and filled for every property defined in the category data set. This includes for example sizes such as branch width and height on a threeway, the branch shape on a branch connector, the angle on a bend, and the specific type on a bend.
Column data is filled for the following properties, as appropriate for the particular component GTYP:
• SHAP component shape, RECT, CIRC or OVAL
• AARR arrive or owner width for a sub component
• BARR arrive or owner height for a sub component
• SHAB second shape for TRNS or branch shape for HVBRCO
• ALEA leave width
• BLEA leave height
• ABRA branch width
• BBRA branch height
• ANGL angle
• RISE riser flag for bend, TRUE or FALSE
• STYP specific type
If the reference category selected to populate reference data also includes STDE text detail data, the Detail box and the Detail column under Spec Block Rows are automatically filled.
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Current Element |
Select to select an element that is selected in the Catalogue Explorer as the reference data source. |
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Search |
Select to search for reference elements. |
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Generate Spec Components |
Select to populate the selected CATE catalogue element to the current specification block. |
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Set Catalogue Reference, Set Detail Reference, |
Select to populate the currently selected rows with the selected SCOM catalogue, STDE text detail data, or CMPD component property data. |
To select which Category, Detail, and Component Data reference data to include in the specification block, select the reference elements in the Catalogue Explorer and then select the Current Element button.
To populate the specification block with the selected Category reference data components, select the Generate Spec Components.
To populate the currently selected rows in the specification block with the selected Catalogue, Detail, and Component Data reference data, select the Set Catalogue Reference, Set Detail Reference, and Set Component Data Reference buttons.
When a new row has been inserted from the Spec Block Rows section, the row can be updated with a SCOM element selected from the Catalogue list. The column data is automatically shown and added in the same way as when populating data from a selected reference category.
Rename tab
Use the Rename tab to rename specifications and specification components (SPCOs). Any changes made on the specification form must be saved before renaming can be applied. When renaming is applied, any related SELE selector objects are also automatically renamed.
For information about naming rules for automatic naming of specification components, refer to 4.3 Rules for automatic naming and coloring.
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Rename |
Specification |
Select to rename the selected specification. |
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Specification Components |
Select to rename components that belong to the selected specification. |
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Rows |
All |
Select to rename all components in the specification. |
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Selected |
Select to rename the components that are currently selected in the specification block rows section. |
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Component Naming |
Auto Name All |
Select to rename all components using the auto name settings. |
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Auto Name Unnamed |
Select to rename only components that have no name using the auto name settings. |
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Replace Text |
Select to replace specific parts of component names using the Replace and With boxes. |
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Select to apply the renaming settings. |
To replace a specific part of the name, enter the part you want to replace in th Replace box, and the part you want to replace it with in the With box.
If the specification Name box is edited, the Rename tab is automatically opened, and the Replace and With boxes are automatically populated according to the edit. The name in the Name box is then reverted to the old name until the settings are manually applied.
For information about how to rename individually selected specification components, see the Rename components in the specification block rows section later in this topic.
Spec Block Rows section
The content of the selected specification block is shown in the Spec Block Rows section. Each specification block can have a different set of columns.
When a specification block is created, and the type for that block is selected from the dropdown list, the set of data columns are automatically configured to show only relevant optional data columns. Which optional columns are shown can be manually set under Optional Columns.
The information in the Detail and Component Data columns depend on which reference STDE detail text and CMPD component data is selected in the Reference Data section. You can also double-click a cell and then type in the data, and copy cell data to the clipboard and then paste it to other cells.
Clear a checkbox in the Optional Columns section to open a Confirm dialog. Select Yes to remove the column.
If a removed column is added back, the column data is automatically populated if the related property has been defined in the category data set.
Where possible, the information from the CATE element has been added to each entry of the specification block. In the example above it is the Duct Shape and Duct Width 1 values. Each row represents one specification component.
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Insert Row Below |
Select to add a new row below the selected row. |
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Delete Rows |
Select to delete the selected rows. |
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Validate Content |
Select to verify that the data on the HVAC Specification form is complete and can be written to the Specification if required. |
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Write Data to Specification |
Select to verify that the data on the HVAC Specification form is complete and write the data to the specification. |
If a data content validation fails, the affected rows are highlighted in red with a warning icon. The Validation Messages section is shown with information about what is wrong or missing.
When writing the data to the specification, if the data is not valid, an Error dialog is shown. The HVAC Specification form is highlighted, and the Validation Messages section is shown with information about what is wrong or missing. This ensures that only valid data can be stored in the specification.
Specification block navigation and edit menu
When the specification blocks have been populated, a menu can be accessed by right-clicking on an SPCO.
The available menu options depend on what elements are included in the selected SPCO.
The menu can include the following options:
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Navigate |
Catalogue Component |
Select to go to the related SCOM element in the Catalogue Explorer. |
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Detail Text |
Select to go to the related STDE element in the Catalogue Explorer. |
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Component Data |
Select to go to the related CMPD element in the Catalogue Explorer. |
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Specification Component |
Select to go to the related SPCO in the Catalogue Explorer. |
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Find |
Current SPCO |
When the Current Element is an SPCO, select to search the form content, and if found, select the row with that SPCO. |
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Cut |
Select to cut out the selected specification rows to the clipboard. |
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Copy |
Select to copy the selected specification rows to the clipboard. |
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Insert Copied Rows Above |
Select to insert cut or copied specification rows above the selected row. |
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Insert Copied Rows Below |
Select to insert cut or copied specification rows below the selected row. |
Rename components in the specification block rows
Individual specification components can be renamed by entering a new name in the Name column. The name is not automatically validated, so that the name can be copied to other cells and edited, before validation is started manually or started automatically when the data is written to the specification.
