How to route cables from a single project on multiple workstations

Introduction

From time to time you may need to share the workload on a Cable routing job. As we all know, every cable's route can effect the filling of your raceway and hence the routing jobs are not easily split and completed without causing later conflict.

For example; person 1 fills a tray and person 2 also fills that same tray therefore one of the two must re-route.

Procedure

This instructional provides a step by step process for taking a batch of cables from an original installation of CS to a second installation of CS and then routing those cables. This is followed by returning the cables to the original CS and resolving any conflicts.

Copy the project to the second machine
1. Ensure all of the cables, in the batch you wish to route are in the CS database AND are Terminated to the desired (and modeled) devices/panels.
  
  Cables should all have good catalog data for routing purposes, e.g Manufacturer , catalog number, OD, Cablefactor, bendradius, power number etc.
2. Close the original CS while you copy the project.
3. Copy all models (dwgs).
4. Copy prj, database and all files from the project folder.
5. Ensure paths on the second installation match so the project will run OK and produce compatible results.
  
  The PRJ file contents contain paths that can be edited to suit the new project installation.
  
  The DSN contents can be edited to suit your new dsn and database paths.
6. Check the INI file Setup/Preferences settings are identical (Routing pages. Ensure metric/imperial is set. Library paths are identical).
Run the project in the new CS location
1. Route the cables.
2. View and check the cables.
3. Fix any routes that need it and the model. Send any model fixes, as they are made, to the original project owner so they can incorporate these without delay at least enter a new route name in the ROUTE column.
4. Reroute & check cables as required.
5. Lock the cables when correct.
Transfer the locked cables back to the original DB
1. Close the original CS while you work on the locked DBF files (which already contain the cables).
2. In the RCABSCH DBF file of the original project, ROUTE column , paste the route names for the routes you have made in your RCABSCH DBF file.
  - If the cable was called MYCABLE, the route is probably called MYCABLE_ROUTE.
  - The RCABSCH file should already have records in it for your batch of cables, however EST_LEN and ROUTE columns will be blank and you need to, at least, enter the ROUTE column.
  - You must also ensure the “details” column does not say “No Route Found” as this will block the new route from loading from the DBFs.
3. Open the CABLEROUTE DBF file of the original project.
4. From your CABLEROUTE DBF file, Select the routes you have made and paste all of the rows into new records on the end of the CABLEROUTE DBF file of the original project.
  
  Note: the ROUTE column of the CABLEROUTE DBF file must match the ROUTE column of the RCABSCH DBF file.
5. Run up CS on the Original workstation.
  
  During start up the new routes will be loaded and linked to the cables. The cables will show the "routed" icon (but will not show as "locked").
6. Select the NEW cables in CS and use the right button to LOCK them ALL.
7. After locking use "File Menu->Recalculated lengths and fills" to get the latest lengths and fill set in the original CS system.
8. Check that the new cables have not over filled any trays by examining the "Fill Information" column on the raceway segments list.
9. If there are conflicts in the raceway filling then you may need to reroute some cables in the original installation.

How to route cables from a single project on multiple workstations

Introduction

Procedure

See also