In the fast-paced world of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), efficiency is everything. AVEVA Everything3D (E3D) has established itself as a premier solution for 3D design, but the true power of the software is often unlocked not just through its user interface, but through customization and automation.
Designing a plant involves thousands of click-heavy operations, such as naming hierarchies, shifting coordinates, or changing specifications. Macros turn a 50-click process into a single command.
: Run the macro by typing $M /C:\path\to\yourmacro.txt or simply the filename if it is in your search path. 3. Key Automation Concepts
In the complex world of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), efficiency and precision are paramount. is a market-leading plant design software, but to truly maximize its potential, design teams must leverage its powerful automation capability: AVEVA E3D Macros . aveva e3d macros
While PML's syntax is simple, the logic in a 50-line macro can be complex. Use ! at the start of a line to add comments. Good comments explain the "why" behind the code, not just the "what."
| Category | Example Command(s) | Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Q NAME , Q POS , Q ATT | Retrieve information about an element's name, position, or all attributes. | | 📝 Modify | NAME /newname , Desc 'text' , DELETE | Change the name, description, or delete the current element. | | 📁 File Management | $m MyMacro.pml , PML REHASH ALL | Execute a macro file or refresh the system's knowledge of all PML code. | | ⚙️ System & UI | !!CE , !this.gadget.val | Interact with the current database element or manipulate values on a custom form. | | 🗃️ Database | NEW BOX XLEN 10 YLEN 20 , Q EXTENT BTEX | Create a new 3D element or calculate the extent of a text string. | | 🔄 Control Flow | DO ... ENDDO , IF ... ENDIF , GOLABEL /FRED | Implement loops, conditions, and jumps in your macros for advanced logic. |
Sarah dragged the file into the E3D window. The screen flickered as the macro processed thousands of lines of data. Five minutes later, the model explorer refreshed. The pipes were perfectly aligned with the new steel. No clashes. No errors. She ran a final Simple Report to verify the new coordinates and exported an In the fast-paced world of engineering, procurement, and
Macros can run automated background checks to ensure all valves are oriented correctly, minimum pipe clearances are met, and required administrative attributes are filled out before a model is approved. Best Practices for Writing Production-Grade Macros
Modern versions of AVEVA E3D fully support the Microsoft .NET framework via the AVEVA Open API. This allows developers to use robust languages like C# to build complex, high-performance add-ins, integrate external databases, and build sophisticated WPF interfaces. Core Applications of E3D Macros
You forgot the exclamation mark ! .
An AVEVA E3D macro is a script or sequence of commands executed within the design environment to automate a specific task. Macros bridge the gap between manual UI interactions and high-speed data processing.
Querying the database inside a heavy loop slows down performance. Where possible, use collections ( COLLECT ) to gather your target elements into memory first, then process them efficiently. Conclusion
: An object-oriented upgrade that supports complex variables (Strings, Reals, Booleans, Arrays), control logic (IF/DO loops), and custom methods. Macros turn a 50-click process into a single command
Macros can automatically check if piping components match the centerline of connecting equipment nozzles. If an misalignment is detected, the macro can automatically adjust the pipe component's position or notify the user with an error report. 2. Batch Attribute Modification