AutoRouter Control Dialog

For routed pipes/cables, Re-Route tells the router to re-calculate the routes for the listed line while Don’t Re-Route maintains the current routes.

AutoRouter Control Dialog.

The <Ctrl> and <Shift> keys can be used in conjunction with the mouse to select multiple pipes that can then be dragged and dropped into the other Route or Re-Route panes.

Setting	Description
Unrouted Pipes/Cables	You can select what pipes to route by moving them back and forth between the Route and Don’t Route lists.
Routed Pipes/Cables	Or, you cn select the Re-Route and Don’t Re-Route lists for currently Routed Pipes/Cables.

Selection Options

In the Selection Options section of the AutoRouter Control dialog, you can select pipes and/or cables to be routed in manners other than moving each pipeline or cable into the Route column.

Pipeline Networks

Setting	Description
Add necessary pipes / Add branching pipes	Because many pipes tend to be inter-connected, your can dictate how much of a network is routed by selecting the Add necessary pipes and/or Add branching pipes check boxes. Frequently, one pipe needs to be routed before another pipe can be routed. Add necessary pipes ensures that pipelines that are necessary for the placement of selected pipes (i.e., pipes from which the selected pipes branch) are added to the Route column as well. If you move a pipe to the Route column and has not selected a pipeline that is part of the original pipe’s connectivity, the program alerts you that additional pipes need to be added to the Route list. It is strongly recommended that the you keep the Add necessary pipes box always selected.
Add branching pipes	Add branching pipes is how you request that pipelines that are routed from lines in the Route column are added as well. The router will prompt you with all the pipelines that branch from the selected pipelines and request confirmation to add these additional lines to the Route column.

Setting

Description

Add necessary pipes / Add branching pipes

Because many pipes tend to be inter-connected, your can dictate how much of a network is routed by selecting the Add necessary pipes and/or Add branching pipes check boxes.

Frequently, one pipe needs to be routed before another pipe can be routed. Add necessary pipes ensures that pipelines that are necessary for the placement of selected pipes (i.e., pipes from which the selected pipes branch) are added to the Route column as well. If you move a pipe to the Route column and has not selected a pipeline that is part of the original pipe’s connectivity, the program alerts you that additional pipes need to be added to the Route list. It is strongly recommended that the you keep the Add necessary pipes box always selected.

Add branching pipes

Add branching pipes is how you request that pipelines that are routed from lines in the Route column are added as well. The router will prompt you with all the pipelines that branch from the selected pipelines and request confirmation to add these additional lines to the Route column.

Because cables cannot be connect to other cables, necessary and branching options are not appropriate.

Fenced Pipes

Setting	Description
Add fenced pipes/cables	If you are interested in routing only a select region of a model, a fence can be drawn around that area. After opening the AutoRouter Control dialog, by only selecting the Add fenced pipes/cables check box, pipelines connected to something contained within the fence will be moved to the Route column. You can select to Add fenced pipes/cables in addition to other pipelines of interest.

Pipelines and/or Cables

Setting	Description
Include Pipelines / Include Cables	You can include or exclude pipelines and cables from the AutoRouter Control dialog using the Include Pipelines and Include Cables check boxes.

Routing Options

There are two other aspects of routing that the you can control from the AutoRouter Control dialog: pipeway routing and free space routing speed.

Setting	Description
Route Pipeways	You can choose to only route in free space. However, if the router has determined that a pipeline or cable should be routed on the pipeway, only a single line representation of the free space route for that route will be placed. Tip: It is strongly suggested that you always route pipeways.
Auto Re-Route	When this option is selected pipes that are successfully routed will automatically be re-routed when the layout changes. There is no need to re-open the AutoRouter Control dialog. Pipes will be re-routed after most, but not all, move and edit operations. Note: All pipes that were initially routed will be re-routed even though the layout change may affect only a few pipes.
Free Space Routing Search Control	You can select the extent to which the router will search for a free space route. A longer, more extensive search will generally produce a better free space route because the program has more time to find a short and interference-free path. The numeric range on search control is `0` to `200`, with `0` being the least amount of search.