In the demanding world of plant design, marine engineering, and construction modeling, efficiency is everything. AVEVA Everything3D (E3D) Design stands as an industry-standard software for complex 3D modeling. However, relying solely on manual point-and-click operations to build structures, route pipes, or manage attributes can lead to project bottlenecks and human error.
: Primarily used for simple command sequences and legacy macros.
: Sets the physical paper dimensions (e.g., SIZE A1 PORTRAIT ).
Notepad++ (Recommended for line numbering and syntax highlighting) VS Code (Excellent for advanced PML development) Step 2: Syntax and Structure aveva e3d macros
define macro CreateVerticalVessel(!!vesselName is STRING, !!height is REAL, !!diameter is REAL) -- Ensure we are in the Design Application IF (MODULE NE 'DESIGN') THEN return error 1 'You must be in the Design module to run this macro.' ENDIF -- Create the Equipment Element NEW EQUI /$!!vesselName PURPOSE 'VESS' -- Create the Cylinder Body NEW CYLI HEI $!!height DIA $!!diameter ORIENTATION Y IS UP -- Position the cylinder relatively POSITION E 0 N 0 U 0 -- Add a top dish cap NEW DISH DIA $!!diameter RAD ($!!diameter / 2) HEI ($!!diameter / 4) POSITION E 0 N 0 U $!!height ALPHA REQUEST -- Refresh the structural graphics endmacro Use code with caution. Advanced PML2: Building Custom GUIs
Before running a macro that modifies 500 members, add Q LIST temporarily to your macro. This just lists what would happen without actually changing the database.
For complex tools, you should convert your macro logic into a (Dialog box). But for 90% of daily automation—creating ladders, standard equipment, pipe supports, or drawing borders— E3D Macros are the most efficient tool in your belt. In the demanding world of plant design, marine
Altering element attributes like positions ( POS ), orientations ( ORI ), or descriptions ( DESC ). 4. How to Create and Run a Simple E3D Macro
Civil and structural teams frequently require exact coordinates of equipment foundation bolts. A macro can extract the global coordinates ( POS IN WORLD ) of all anchor point sub-elements and output them directly into an Excel-compatible CSV file. 7. Best Practices for Writing Robust Macros
Mastering AVEVA E3D Macros: The Ultimate Guide to Design Automation : Primarily used for simple command sequences and
An advanced, object-oriented programming language that supports complex logic, user-defined objects, and Custom User Interfaces (CUIs/Forms). Core Components of an E3D Macro
to create custom UI buttons and forms. This turns your scripts into professional tools that anyone on your project can use with a single click. Ready to automate your workflow?
To make your macros more dynamic and interactive, you can use advanced PML features: Programmable Macro Language - AVEVA™ Documentation
-- Conditional check example IF (!bore GT 100) THEN PML REBIP 'Using heavy duty specification' ELSE PML REBIP 'Using standard specification' ENDIF Use code with caution. How to Create and Run Your First Macro Step 1: Write the Script