D-Tools Cloud now features robust "Interconnects" functionality, enabling you to quickly create connections between devices within a project. The connections include detailed connection specifics, such as the connector, wire, signal type, and signal flow, along with their corresponding directions.
The connection diagrams created using this functionality can help you visualize the connectivity and signal flow between the devices, and provide detailed connectivity diagrams to installers, thus reducing manual errors and project delays.
No specific enablement is required to use this functionality. It is integrated into the Visual Quoting experience on Cloud.
Here are a few things that can help you get started with using the functionality.
Know the Interconnects interface
You can access the Interconnects functionality from the Visual tab in the left navigation menu of a quote. Once you have some devices in the quote, preferably mapped to the locations and systems, you can use the Interconnects functionality.
The "Connection view" is where you can visually connect the devices using the Interconnects functionality.
To go to Connection view, click the "Visual" tab, click the "Layout" tab in the top-right corner, and click "Connection."
Initially, you will see the devices placed on the plan view displayed without any grouping. You have the option to group the devices by system, location, phase, or category.
In this view, you will connect devices and build a connection diagram.
Configure Drawings settings
All the preliminary settings for using the Interconnects functionality are located under "Settings > Drawings" in the left navigation menu. All of these come with some standard industry defaults.
Here are the settings.
Signal type
A signal type defines the type of signal that is carried in the connection between devices. For example, Audio, Control, Data, or Power.
Connection type
A connection type defines the category of the connection between devices. For example, a Microwave in the RF category or Wi-Fi in the network data category.
Terminal
A terminal defines the connector used in the connection between the devices, for example, the BNC connector for a video connection.
I/O
An I/O is a combination of a signal, a terminal, and the direction of the signal. Once defined at the device level in the catalog, any product added to a quote comes with its I/Os.
Connection ID format
A connection ID format is a syntax that is used to assign a unique connection ID to every connection between devices. This makes it easy to identify connections between the devices.
Check out this collection of articles if you want to know more about these settings.
Add I/Os for products
To use the Interconnects functionality effectively, consider creating CSV files with the I/Os of the devices you use most; one CSV file per device. You can then upload the CSV file to the relevant device in the Cloud catalog.
Check out this article for more details.
Once uploaded, the devices come with the I/Os specified in the quote, making it easy to connect devices in the Connection view.
If you want to use the Interconnects functionality without adding I/Os in the catalog, you can add them manually or via CSV upload when connecting devices.
You can then sync the I/Os to the device in the catalog, and the I/Os are for future use.
Create connection diagrams
A "Connection Diagram" is the visual representation of interconnected devices.
To start creating a connection diagram, first connect two devices. Click the first device, hold the CTRL key on the keyboard, and click the second device. You will see a line drawn between the devices.
From here on, you can specify the connection details, such as the terminals used on both devices, the type of signal flowing between them, the direction of the signal, and the cable used for the connection.
You can use the Match I/O feature to match I/Os automatically, and even clone I/Os to save time.
Once the devices are connected, you will see the I/O details of both devices in the connection panel.
Now, you can connect other devices and specify their connection details.
Check out these articles for more details.
Once you have completed all the required connections, you can see a summary of all connections and even download the details offline.
Check out this article for more details.
You can also view the diagram in different views, save it, and download it as a PNG or PDF file.
Check out this article for more details.
Manage connection diagrams
All the connection diagrams you have created in a quote will be saved in the "Overview > Drawings > Interconnects" tab in the quote.
You can save diagrams as new views with specific groupings and filters, each with custom names.
You can duplicate diagrams as new instances.
You can add these diagrams to the proposal.
