Structural Design
User Guide
SDNF Export/Import : External Mapping Files
The target package name must be as it appears in the data list, !!SDNFExtProgList (refer to External Packages for further information). The list is picked up automatically by the Export and Import forms.
You can specify which separator the interface uses to discriminate between fields. Refer to External Mapping File Separator for further information.
This file type is indicated by setting the !!SDNFProfSep variable to be !!SDNFBlockSep. Refer to AVEVA ABSI/SDNF Mapping File Converter for further information.
This is a tool to format the profile mapping files shared by the SDNF and ABSI interfaces and the AVEVA Bocad Steel from CSV files to a format for more streamlined use. It transforms input files, including formulaic entries into a block format where we know how big each field is. This makes the reading of the files much faster.
Input source file and external folder names. Transform source file -> external file in target folder
The translator saves the previous configuration settings in the first place it can find out of the folders pointed to by the environment variables AVEVA_DESIGN_USER, PDMSUSER, TEMP.
The conversion process can rely on other tables and files that are relevant to the external package. The External data folder is the folder that contains the converter related files, for example: the alle_prof.inp, profitab.inp and the generic.lis files for Bocad. For the converting of mapping files for other applications there is a recommended file structure to aid the conversion. We will have another folder with the profile lists and anything else we need. This is described in detail below.
When an element is exported, its material is determined by inspecting the :SDNFMGRADE attribute first, then the Description attribute of the SOLI element to which the MATR refers. If that fails, the user configurable mechanism is invoked. The text is then transferred locally to the :SDNFMGRADE attribute on the SCTN or PANE element. The text is then looked up in the Material mapping file to check that there is a translation into the SDNF file replacement text. The local material text is still exported.
When an element is to be imported, the SDNF file material description is looked up in the material mapping file and translated into the AVEVA E3D™ equivalent text string. Initially, this is copied into the :SDNFMGRADE attribute of the element before any attempt is made to rationalise the MATR. If a SOLI element with this material text is found, the interface is set the MATR to point to the correct SOLI element.
The interface assumes, by default, that this file exists in a folder below the %PMLLIB% search path, and that the starting point for database navigation is the current Model element under consideration, for example, a Section, a GENSEC or Panel.
Refer to User-definable Material Macro for further information.
Using the Profile Orientation Mapping File, you can define how the SDNF interface translates a profile from AVEVA E3D™ format into the SDNF Neutral File format on Export, or from it on Import. Details of how the Neutral File understands default orientations of certain profiles are available. Refer to SDNF - Structural Steel Detailing Neutral File Format for further information.
