Insert Asset command

Command: AFM_ASTINS

Purpose:This command enables you to select assets in the database and insert block symbols in the drawing representing those assets.

How to access this command: Select ARCHIBUS/Asset Graphic/Insert Asset from the ARCHIBUS tab on the Ribbon, or run the command from the command line.

The Insert Asset command places entities on the current asset layer's prototype layer so that you can convert the items to asset symbols. Use this command to insert either a block or a polyline at the specified insertion point by selecting an item from a standards table of the appropriate asset type. The current layer determines the asset type you insert; in ARCHIBUS, you can override the current layer's asset type by running the ARCHIBUS/Asset/ Set Asset Layer command.

The command uses the dimension and/or block information in the standards table to generate a drawing entity; accordingly, the inserted drawing entity stores its standard as extended entity data (until the item is cataloged).

Procedure: Asset Inserting

To insert an asset:

Select the Asset Layer: Make an asset layer the drawing's current layer; this specifies the asset type for the items you are adding to this layer. For example, select the Set Rooms task to asset insert rooms, or Set Equipment to asset insert equipment.When you select these commands the asset layer for the entity's asset type is automatically set to the current layer.
Select the command: Click ARCHIBUS/Asset Graphic/Insert Asset from the Ribbon.
A dialog box presents all of the values in the standards table of the appropriate asset type. The asset type you set in step 1 dictates the standards table from which you choose items to insert.
Select a standard: From the Select Values dialog select the kind of asset you want to insert. If the asset type has no defined standards, you receive a message informing you that this type of asset cannot be inserted.
Select the insertion point: After selecting the standard to insert, the command prompts you to specify an insertion point and angle. The command places a polyline's lower left corner and a block's insertion point at the point you specify. Since the inserted item stores its standard as extended entity data, it displays it as asset text. See How the Insert Asset Command Uses Standard Information to Create the Asset Symbol.
Select an angle: You are prompted to specify the angle. Either rotate the newly inserted asset to the desired angle, or type in an angle at the command line prompt.
To insert another asset for this asset type, press Enter. The Select Values dialog presents the values in the standards table for the asset type. Select a standard and repeat steps 3 and 4.
Convert the Inserted Entity to an Asset Symbol: If the asset type is numbered, you must data number or data edit the inserted entity to link it to a record. For auto-numbered asset types, the Insert Asset command automatically generates a primary key, creates a record for the entity, and links the entity to the generated record.
Note: An inserted item’s extended entity data holds the standard only until the time the item is cataloged as an asset symbol; once it is cataloged, the system consults the linked record to determine the standard for displaying asset text.

How the Inset Asset Command Uses Standards Information to Create the Asset Symbol

The ARCHIBUS/Asset Graphic/ Insert Asset command inserts a block or polyline according to the information specified by the standard and the layer's asset type; the asset type dictates whether to represent the item with a block or a polyline. Therefore, the information you provide in the standards table affects how the Insert Asset command inserts the entity. See Defining Standards for Asset Symbols.

With a block and dimensions specified, the command scales the block according to the dimensions.
With only a block specified, the command inserts the block as defined.
With only dimensions specified for an asset type that requires a block, the command inserts UNIT.DWG and scales it according to the dimensions.
With only dimensions specified for an asset type that requires a polyline, the command inserts a polyline and scales it according to dimensions.
With an area value specified, the command inserts a square polyline, whose sides measure the square root of the specified area. If the standard documents both area and length and width dimensions, the command ignores the length and width dimensions and inserts a square polyline of the specified area.