IRM has a feature that allows the user to route a Cable by selecting starting and ending points in a graph of connected Pathways, providing an easy way to route Cables over the shortest available path through a network of Pathways.
Below are some basic rules and main points based on which this feature works, along with corresponding sample screenshot images.
Auto-Routing Cable through connected Tray and Duct Pathways using the "Route to exit point" option
In order to auto-route a Cable or Cable Set through connected Pathways, one of the Cable's vertices needs to be placed at the desired starting point of the Pathway.
On release of the mouse button, a popup context menu appears, displaying several Cable routing options, as displayed in the screenshot image below. If the Route to exit point from option is selected, it expands to a list of available Pathways to route through:
Selecting the Route to exit point from option and the appropriate Pathway puts the user in a special Cable -auto-routing mode.
Move the cursor to where you want to exit the tray system and click at that point and then select the Use as Exit Point menu option and select the pathway where the auto-route will end.
When the user clicks the Pathway to exit, the Cable is automatically routed over the starting Pathway, via any intermediate Pathways, and to an exit point of the Pathway to exit such that the total length of the Cable is minimized (i.e. the shortest path without leaving the connected Pathways is taken).
Auto-Routing Cable through Duct Pathway using "Route to exit point" option
If the Pathway to exit is a Duct Pathway, the exit point is the far end of the duct.
Auto-Routing Cable through Tray Pathway using "Route to exit point" option
If the Pathway to exit is a tray, the exit point is the nearest point on the tray to where the user clicked:
After the automatic routing is completed, the Cable routing operation continues normally.
In general, when auto-routing mode is just entered, if an attempt is made to select an incorrect Pathway, or any point not eligible for routing, a warning is displayed and selection is cancelled. Pathways that are excluded from route finding have at least one of the following conditions met:
the Fraction Occupied property value is 1 or more (that is, the Pathway is full), or
the corresponding Pathway Type property Over Fill is set to false and the Fraction Occupied property value is higher then the value specified in the max Utilization property specified for the corresponding Pathway Type (that is, the Pathway has been filled past its allowable limit)
If no Pathway route to the Pathway to exit is available due to any of these restrictions, the user is shown an appropriate warning and is back to normal routing, able to select another Pathway entry point.
The auto-routing mode can't start if user selects an overfilled Pathway as the entry point. An appropriate warning is generated and user is back to normal routing, able to select another Pathway entry point.
Once this routing mode is initiated, all Pathways connected to the selected entry point are highlighted in bright colors ranging from green to red showing Pathway utilization and Cable limit.
An orange color for showing filled or overfilled Pathways that are allowed to be overfilled.
A red color indicates the Pathway is at capacity, either by utilization or by Cable count and is not available for routing.
TIPS:
Routing mode supports zooming with the mouse wheel, which is much more convenient compared to Pan & Zoom controls, especially considering that zooming is relative to the cursor and thus allows to zoom into any area.
Pathway connection points are visualized as a circle drawn using same style as the Pathway line.
Cable routing puts a black circle where a Cable enters the Pathway, which is a useful disambiguation for rerouting mode, so that it's easier to know which direction routing should go (reroute mode always goes from end A to end B).
When attempting to assign Cable(s) to a Pathway, make sure you reroute the Cable(s) over the Pathway first, before trying to assign.
