NEW ROOTS DEVELOPMENT
Home›Tool Guide›VDC Utilities›Pipes

Pipe Ref

Assigns a reference alignment to each gravity pipe run: grouping connected pipes and structures, projecting the run onto every alignment, and setting RefAlignmentId on the lowest-mean-offset qualifier so station-based labels stop reading ??+?? .

Command VDCPIPEREF · VDC Utilities tab › Pipes panel
Assigns a reference alignment to each gravity pipe run: grouping connected pipes and structures, projecting the run onto every alignment, and setting RefAlignmentId on the lowest-mean-offset qualifier so station-based labels stop reading ??+??.
Run projects onto every alignment; lowest mean |offset| that catches most points wins. Alignment RD-A (mean |offset| = 6.2 ft < reach 100) Crossing RD-B, 1 point only, disqualified Gravity run (union-find: shared structures = one run) StationOffset at start / mid / end of each pipe ASSIGN RefAlignmentId = RD-A on every pipe (+ structure)
Gravity run (pipes + structures)   Winning alignment   StationOffset projection   Disqualified crossing road

What it does

  • Group: connected pipes + structures form runs via union-find over the network graph, two pipes join when they share a structure; a branch keeps the whole tree in one run.
  • Score: every run is projected onto every alignment (StationOffset at each pipe's start / mid / end).
  • Qualify: an alignment wins only when most of the run's points project onto it, a crossing road touching one pipe never qualifies.
  • Assign: the lowest mean absolute offset qualifier within reach wins; RefAlignmentId is set on every pipe (and structure, optional) in the run.
  • Runs with no qualifier flag as WARNINGs, assign by hand or raise the reach.

Modes & settings

  • Preview (default): reports each run's winner + mean offset to the palette + CSV; writes nothing.
  • Assign: applies winners; parts already on the winner are untouched, a different existing ref survives unless overwrite is checked.
  • Max mean offset (reach): default 100 ft; a run farther than this from every alignment stays unassigned and flags.
  • Also assign structures: on by default. Overwrite existing: off by default.
  • Gravity networks only, pressure networks carry their own alignment association.
  • Settings at %APPDATA%\VDC\PipeRef\settings.json (env VDC_PIPEREF_SETTINGS).

Dialog

Pipe Ref dialog
Pipe Ref, VDCPIPEREF

When to use it

  • Right after building or importing a network, before styling station-based labels.
  • When structure labels read ??+?? because parts have no reference alignment.

How to run it

  1. Run VDCPIPEREF and press Enter for Preview; set the reach (max mean offset), structures on/off, and overwrite; click OK.
  2. Read the report: each run shows its winning alignment and mean offset; runs with no qualifier flag as WARNINGS.
  3. Run again -> Assign to apply. Parts already pointing at the winner never rewrite; different existing refs only change with overwrite checked.

Options

  • Max mean offset (ft): the assignment reach (default 100); a run farther than this from every alignment stays unassigned and flags.
  • Also assign structures: on by default - the run's structures get the same alignment.
  • Overwrite existing: off by default - hand-assigned references are respected.

Watch out for

  • Always Preview first on a drawing with hand-assigned references - the report shows exactly what Assign would change.
  • Gravity networks only; pressure networks follow alignments by design and carry their own association.
  • A run that straddles two roads scores against both - if the wrong one wins, split the network at the junction or assign that run by hand.

Related: Pipe QC · Pipe Table · Station Offset Table