Autodesk 235B1-05A761-1301 - AutoCAD MEP 2010, User Manual, Page: 89 / 878

Then ... If you
want to ...
select the catalog, and click Move Up or Move Down as needed.
The order in which the catalogs are listed on the MEP Catalogs tab is also the order in which
they are listed during part selection during layout. reorder
catalogs
4 Under Style-Based Content Paths, for each type of content (electrical devices, electrical panels,
plumbing fittings, and schematic symbols), specify the folder that contains the content you
want available during layout. To do so, click the value for Path, and click . In the folder
selection dialog, browse to the folder, select it, and click Open.
NOTE The Shared Content Path specifies the location for generic part templates, primitives (limited
part models from which you can quickly build complete parts), and other configuration files required
by the software. It is shared in the sense that it is required by the software regardless of the specific
content packs (Global, U.S. Metric, and so on) you are using.
AutoCAD MEP includes part catalogs and content libraries, respectively, containing hundreds of
industry-standard parts and style-based objects. However, you can also create your own custom catalogs and
custom content. For more information, see
Customizing Catalogs on page 771, Customizing Catalog-Based
Content on page 641, and Customizing Style-Based Content on page 599.
IMPORTANT To facilitate the process of upgrading to a new version of AutoCAD MEP, add all of your custom
parts to custom catalogs; do not add custom parts to the catalogs provided with the software. When you upgrade,
this allows you to easily move your custom catalogs to the appropriate locations in your new installation (where
new versions of the catalogs provided with the software are located).
In the Options dialog, you specify the locations of the content (part catalogs and style-based content) you
need available during layout. If the content is stored on your computer, you specify local locations in the
dialog. If it is stored on a network because it is shared by multiple users, you specify network locations.
You can specify multiple part catalogs for a category. For example, you can specify the duct catalog provided
with the software and a custom duct catalog for the Duct category. However, if 2 parts in different catalogs
have the same ID or the same name, only the part in the catalog that is higher in the list will be displayed
during part selection (for example, when adding MvParts to a drawing or when selecting pipe fittings for a
routing preference definition).
Layout Rules
You can configure layout rules for system connections, the use of non-standard parts, and the display of
interferences between drawing objects.
Part Connection Rules
You can allow or prevent connections between dissimilar parts. In general, you do not want to connect
dissimilar systems. For unique design situations, however, you might want to allow such a connection or
be prompted on a case-by-case basis.
For example, you might be drafting a water supply layout where you define one system for cold water and
another for hot water. During layout, rather than having a third system for the main supply that enters the
building, you might draft the main supply pipe on the cold water system and connect to the hot water
heater that is a part of the hot water system. In this case, you would want to connect the hot water and cold
Initialization Preferences | 71