Assign
- Last UpdatedNov 14, 2025
- 4 minute read
This tab is for specifying the tests and order in which they are to be performed during automatic assignment of an owner discipline to a clash.
The tests can check the relative Priority, Class and/or Discipline of each element of pairs of clashing elements. The tests can also check a number of 'Discipline Assignment Rules'. The testing process proceeds test-by-test until a result indicates the owner discipline of the clash. The testing process then assigns the owner discipline to that clash and continues by testing the next clash.
In the Priority and Class tests, the owner discipline is set to the element with the higher 'Order'. These Orders are as set at the Priority and Class tabs, respectively.
The Element Discipline test is normally the last of the sequence and consequently is used when none of the other tests have produced an owner discipline. If the discipline of each clashing element is the same, that discipline is set as the owner. If the disciplines are different, the discipline default (as set at the Discipline) is used. Typically, this is 'UNALLOCATED'.
Each Rule in the Discipline Assignment Rules consists of a number of 'Rule Expressions'. Rule Expressions, which are formed of certain keywords, literals and regular expressions (wildcards), are described under Notes on Rules and Rule Expressions. The first discipline with a Rules whose Rule Expressions all evaluate true becomes the owner discipline, by default. Alternatively a setDiscipline keyword operator may be used in a rule expression to assign the owner discipline to that of one element or the other, or even to a third unrelated discipline.
A comment is created showing details of the discipline assigned and the Rule which matched is automatically attached to the clash and/or clash group record. This comment appears in the Comments section of the Clash Report and on the Comments tab of the Clash Group Properties form.
Note:
Assignment Rules may be complicated and time-consuming to develop. A simple method
of testing is available to avoid a (very lengthy) Re-Computation option, which may
reveal further modifications to the rules are required. The test facilities are available
at the 'Clash Manager -Test Rules' form, which is accessed by means of the Test button. The new configuration does
not need to be saved prior to using the test facilities.
The names and purposes of the items on the tab are as follows:
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Order of Application |
For selecting which tests are to be performed and the order (from top to bottom) in which they are carried out. The checkbox against the test is checked, if the test is to be part of the sequence. The records show the name of the tests. 'Assignment Rules' means 'Apply the Discipline Assignment Rules'. |
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Up and Down |
For setting the sequence of records as displayed from top to bottom of the pane and hence the sequence of the tests. |
Discipline Assignment Rules pane containing:
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Discipline Assignment Rules pane showing a hierarchy with Discipline as the primary nodes which, when expanded, display the applicable Assignment Rules |
When an Assignment Rule is highlighted, its rule syntax is shown in the lower pane. A Popup Menu is available (mouse right-click) with options of Edit, Add and Delete. This is used to edit an existing rule name, add a new rule, or remove an existing rule. |
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Up and Down |
These are used to reposition the highlighted rule in the hierarchy and hence determine the sequence (from top to bottom) in which the rules are applied. |
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Test |
Leads to the Test Rules Form. |
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Lower pane showing a list of Rule Expressions under Element, Attribute and Value headings |
The listing shows the syntax of the Assignment Rule that is highlighted in the upper pane. Popup Menus (mouse right-click) are available from the three components of the Rule Expressions. (Note that the current options are omitted from the editing options of the displayed menus and that the Esc key can be used to abort the entry in an in-place options box.) |
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The Element Popup Menu options are: Editing options - @element-1, @element-2, @general Add Rule Delete |
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The Attribute Popup Menu options are: Editing options - @discipline, @class, @priority, etc, and @gtype Edit - leads to in-place editing options box Add Rule Delete |
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The Value Popup Menu options are: Edit - leads to list-of-values Add Rule Delete |
Example of Assignment Rules
In the above illustration of the tab, the order of the tests is Assignment Rules, Priority, Class and finally Element Discipline. The testing process is as follows:
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The Assignment Rules are applied. The first rule in which all Rule Expressions evaluate true is used to determine the owner discipline.
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If no Assignment Rule is satisfied, the Classes of the elements are checked. If the Classes are different, the element with the higher class determines the owner discipline. (The illustration shows this test disabled, because the checkbox is unchecked.)
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If the Classes are the same, if the Priorities of the clashing elements are different, the element with the higher priority determines the owner discipline. (The illustration shows this test disabled, because the checkbox is unchecked).
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If the Priorities are the same, the Element Disciplines are checked. If the Disciplines are different, the default discipline, typically 'UNALLOCATED' becomes the owner discipline. Otherwise, the discipline common to both elements becomes the owner.
Note:
It is useful to apply the tests, even if the discipline of both clashing elements is the same, because the owner discipline highlighted in the Clash Report may well represent the element that must be moved to resolve the clash, based on the relative priorities or classes of the elements.