Drawing runs

The two ways to lay in pipe, and when each one is the right one.

There are two drawing modes on the Utilities panel, and picking the right one is most of the speed.

Place Structures

For gravity systems. Click empty plan to drop a structure, and pipes connect automatically from the schedule data as structures land. Walk the line dropping manholes and the runs between them build themselves.

• Click empty plan - place a structure.
• Click an existing structure - draw a run out of it point by point, for bends and routed pipe.
• Double-click a structure - edit it.

Draw Runs

For pressure systems, and anywhere the pipe does not simply go structure to structure: systems that bend at fittings, curved or routed segments, and vector tracing.

Runs are drawn point by point, the same way as any other takeoff. Everything in Drawing a measurement and Snapping applies here too.

Snapping to what is there

Point Snap snaps pipe runs to existing vertices, and is on by default. It is what makes a run actually land on the structure it is supposed to meet rather than near it.

Before you draw

Pick the system first - runs you draw are added to the selected one. The panel has quick adds for the things you will reach for mid-takeoff:

• Add a pipe - one pipe into the current system, selected ready to draw.
• Add a structure - likewise.
• Add a stage - job-wide.
• Add a system.

For anything more than a quick add, Manage Utilities opens systems, stages, pipes and structures in one window. See The catalog.