Import Linked with/without Drawing (DWG) and PDF files (Excel)
In order to import linked elements through the spreadsheet, you need to populate your excel file according to the following information. If you would like to get a sample template of the excel file, please press the corresponding link.
It is possible to add Drawings, PDFs, Cast In Materials, Reinforcement, and Recesses to the imported linked elements, using the extended file with the four tabs in the excel file.
In Q1/2024 a new excel file is available with Note 1, Note 2, Note 3 & Note 4.
That excel can be downloaded here:
It is necessary to start adding information from Row number 2.
Fields that are marked with blue, are MANDATORY.
Fields that are marked with orange, are OPTIONAL. The software will either assign them automatically or leave the field empty in the database.
Floors, Building, and Phases need to be Pre-Defined in the Project Manager, before the import. The excel file will not create new phases, floors, or buildings and it will probably give an error.
If an error occurs, please check the log for more information. There is always a better description of why the import was not executed correctly.
On row 2, in the tables underneath, wherever there is a comment called "No.", it means that only numbers and NO letters are accepted.
For the number fields, you can add decimals according to your excel settings (not for IMPACT Sum though)
For IMPACT Factory and Division make sure that the name on the excel file is the exact same as the one in your database.
For Multiple Drawing Layouts/Prefixes make sure to separate them with this symbol (;)
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | IMPACT Element Mark | IMPACT Sum | IMPACT Overall Length | IMPACT Overall Width | IMPACT Overall Height | IMPACT Overall Area | IMPACT Overall Mass | IMPACT Group | IMPACT Time | IMPACT Cost | IMPACT Factory | IMPACT Division | IMPACT Building |
2 | Letter+No. | No. (without decimals) | No. | No. | No. | No. | No. | Letters/No. | No. | No. | Letters/No. | Letters/No. | Letters/No. |
| O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | IMPACT Floor | IMPACT No. of Strands | IMPACT Remark | IMPACT Product | IMPACT Volume | Drawing Name | Layout Prefix/Sufix | Revision Name | Revision Date | Planned Drawing date | Planned Production date |
2 | Letters/No. | No. | Letters/No. | Letters/No. | No. | Letters | Letters separated by ;(symbol) for multiple | Letters | Date Format DD/MM/YYYY | Date Format DD/MM/YYYY | Date Format DD/MM/YYYY |
| AA | AB | AC | AD | AE | AF | AG | AH |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Planned Delivery date | Planned Erection date | Erection Sequence No | Definition | Note 1 | Note 2 | Note 3 | Note 4 |
2 | Date Format DD/MM/YYYY | Date Format DD/MM/YYYY | No. | Letter+No. | Letter+No. | Letter+No. | Letter+No. | Letter+No. |
Import Linked
The information on the excel file should look like in the following picture.
Import Linked without Drawings.
.In order to import linked elements with the use of the spreadsheet above, then you need to follow the next steps:
Right-click on Element marks and select Import Linked (You can also select "Import Linked" from the Project Manager Menu)
Import/Update Element Marks and Elements
Select Source File(s)... / Select the excel file that you would like to import and press the "Import" button.
Elements should now be visible on your Project Manager
Import Linked with DWG and PDF files
The information on the excel file should look like in the following picture. The columns in blue are the ones added to the original spreadsheet. Download the sample excel file from the top of this page.
In order to import the elements from the spreadsheet above you need to follow the next steps:
Right-click on Element marks and select Import Linked (You can also select "Import Linked" from the Project Manager Menu)
Import/Update Element Marks, Elements and Drawings
Select Source File(s)... and Select Drawing Folder/ It is very important to select the folder with all the drawings included both in DWG and PDF format.
The drawing files in the folder should look like in the following picture (with respect to the example file).
If more than one layout is used in the dwg files (first picture below), then the drawing folder should look like the second picture below.
IMPORTANT: Different layouts should be included in the DWG file and not in the name of the DWG file. Different layouts should be included at the end or beginning of the name in PDF files in order to be imported into IMPACT. Revisions and Dates do not need to be included in the name of the files.
After pressing "Import" you can open the log and see if the drawings were transferred successfully. Note: If you are importing drawings with layouts, you might get a message saying "Demo_1.PDF no found". This can be ignored since the layout PDFs are imported. See 1 in the picture below.
After importing the files, the drawings and the corresponding layouts will be added under the "Drawings" tab in PM. In order to see the different layouts, you need to right-click on a drawing and press "Layouts".
Now you can right-click on the elements on the Model Viewer, "Open Drawings" and select one of the following options shown in the picture.
Opening PDF files will always allow you to select between the different layouts.
An alternative to the method above is that you can import elements through the Start tab in Project Manager. The process is the exact same
Import Linked with CIM, RC, and Recess
It is now possible to also import components such as Cast in Materials, Reinforcement, and even Recesses with the linked Excel import!
The new import contains 4 sheets as described below.
NOTE: The blue fields are mandatory and the orange fields are optional information.
Element Mark
Tab for importing elements with or without drawings like previously. but then 3 new tabs for importing components and more advanced geometry realized through recesses.
This field is more or less the same as mentioned above.
CIM
Under the CIM tab, you have the option to add Cast in materials in the elements.
Here you have to be aware that the CIM will react differently depending on the CIM type.
Here is a list of the CIM types and how they are treated in the database.
CIM type | Desctiption | Parameter |
A | End stop | Length or piece |
B | Wall tie | Piece |
C | Column top | Piece |
D | Electric box | Piece |
E | Electric | Length |
F | Column foot | Piece |
G | Girder | Length |
H | Lift hole | Piece |
I | LCIM | Length |
L | Lift | Piece |
M | Manual | Piece |
O | Opening | Piece |
R | Recess box | Length |
S | Bracing | Piece |
T | Endcap | Length |
W | Strands | Length |
X | Hanger | Piece |
Y | Dynamic CIM | Length |
Note: If the CIM name does not exist in the Impact database, a new one will automatically be created.
Reinforcement
Under the reinforcement tab, you can add reinforcement to the elements.
Reinforcement has 3 different types to take into consideration when adding reinforcement to the elements.
RcType | Description |
0 | Straight bar |
1 | Stirrup |
2 | Mesh |
Rctext is equivalent to the text that appears on the shop drawings
If the reinforcement is a part of a bigger construction part it can be listed under the column ConstructionPart.
Recess
To get more complicated linked elements you have the option to use recesses to create the shapes or close to the desired shapes.
There are 2 types of recesses
Type | Shape |
C | Circular |
R | Rectangular |
Placement of the recesses is controlled by X1, Y1, X2, Y2.
For type C use X1 and Y1 for the center of the recess (X2 and Y2 should be 0) and set the diameter
For type R use X1 and Y1 for the lower left corner and use X2 and Y2 for the upper right corner, the diameter should be 0.
Sides determine what side of the recess should be placed.
Side | Description |
1 | Front of the element |
2 | Top of element |
3 | Left side of element |
4 | Right side of element |
5 | Bottom of element |
6 | Back of the element |