Datalinks Window

The Datalinks window is used to view all the Datalinks available for a selected drawing. It can also be used to assign Datalinks to Templates and Seed Files. To access the window:

• Select a drawing from the Drawings List, then click Show Datalinks on the List Tools - Drawing tab.

• Or select the drawing and select Datalinks for Selected Drawing from the Reports grid.

• Or right-click on a drawing in the Drawings List and click Show Datalinks on the menu that is then displayed.

The Datalinks window is then opened which shows all Datalinks available for the selected drawing.

Note:
Datalinks are created based on the current drawing type (for example, Termination, Single Line, Schematic or Installation Detail Diagram) and the current engineering data assigned to the AVEVA Electrical object type. A complete set of Datalinks is not available to each drawing until the engineering data is complete (e.g. the equipment terminations or Installation Detail Template is finished).
The project-specific properties that may be setup in the Electrical Engineer module are available as Datalinks.

The Datalinks are grouped by type (e.g. Project Data, Drawings List, Equipment List Data, Load List Data etc.). To view the Datalinks in a group select the '+' box to the left of the type name:

The example above shows Datalinks for the Drawings List Data group. If the Datalink {DWGNO} is placed in a AutoCAD Template or Seed file, when a drawing using the Template or Seed File is updated or created, the drawing number value of the drawing (‘00-85002’ in this case of this drawing) will be automatically added to the drawing. For more technical information about Datalinks refer to Datalinks - Further Information.

Depending on the type and content of the drawing, the list of Datalinks types will include types listing Datalinks for, for example, each supply, compartment, busbar and so on included on the drawing. For example:

Some Datalinks will not have a value listed for them because the value is only retrieved and assigned when a drawing is updated or created. These are called Dynamic Datalinks, and they are grouped into their own Datalink types in the window. For example:

Datalinks for Project Data, Drawing Data and Drawing Revisions are always the same regardless of drawing type being generated (whether the drawing is based on a Template or Seed or whatever the drawing type). However, the Revision Datalinks always end in a number corresponding to Revision history sequence (example: {RevNo1} is always earliest Revision, {RevNo2} is the second earliest etc.).

Assign Datalinks to Templates and Seed Files

Datalinks can be copied from this Datalinks window directly into the AutoCAD symbols (blocks) used as Templates for diagrams and/or title blocks used as Seeds. To copy a Datalink select one (click on the Datalink) and use the Ctrl + C keys to copy to the Windows clipboard. Then select the AutoCAD Datalink text box and paste the Datalink value into the appropriate Attribute row.

Datalinks can also be copied by 'drag and drop' selecting one (click in the white space immediately to the left of the Datalink field) and dragging the Datalink into an AutoCAD Datalink field and dropping it (release the mouse button). Checking the Always on Top option may be helpful when using the drag and drop method.

When copied to an AutoCAD attribute, the Datalink is stored within the Block inside AutoCAD. Blocks (including Datalinks) may be copied within an AutoCAD drawing file or between drawing files using standard AutoCAD commands (copy, insert etc.), any Datalinks will remain within the copied blocks and drawings. This means Datalinks can be setup for typical blocks which can then be copied to create new Templates without having to assign Datalinks to those blocks again.

Refer also to Assign Datalinks to Templates and Seed Files.

Exporting Datalink Details

To export details of the drawing’s datalinks, right-click on the grid and use the required Export to Excel option on the right-click menu:

These are standard Excel export facilities as described in the Common Functionality User Guide.

Note:
Details of datalinks from multiple drawings may also be exported to Excel spreadsheets. Refer to Export Datalinks to Excel for details.