PlantTools now support AutoCAD Plant 3D 2025.

PlantTools support AutoCAD Plant 3D 2020 - 2025 now.

Updated DevExpress controls and tools to version 23.2.4 in all PlantTools.
 

When retrieving information from the registry about the installed version we disregard ACAD versions which the installed PT don’t support.

E.g. a customer has 2025 installed, but the installed PTs support only 2019-2024.
 

When opening PS and closing it, another PS button will be added. This can be repeated multiple times.

We forgot to update the new digital certificate in the Setup.exe and Update.exe. This is necessary to let Windows and AutoCAD know, that our files are trustworthy.
 

PlantTools use common code which sometimes make it necessary to update all PlantTools at once even if there are no changes to a specific PlantTool.
 

PlantTools now support AutoCAD Plant 3D 2024.

PlantTools support AutoCAD Plant 3D 2019 - 2024 now.
 

We updated DevExpress controls and tools to the latest version 22.2.5 in all PlantTools.
 

The Log files are written into the %programdata%\ACPlant Consult\PlantTools\Log folder.

Existing log files will be moved from the old folder to the new folder.

For convenience there is a folder junction in the old location %appdata%\ACPlant Consult\PlantTools\Log

As part of the strategy to move all PlantTools settings into PlantProjectSetup, we started moving the common settings Language, DevExpress Skin, Update Check, and Proxy Settings into PlantProjectSetup and make it accessible through all Desktop PlantTools (PC, PDM, PR) and Plugins (PCD, PDM Plugin, PET, PL, PS, PSD).

Details can be found under: PlantProjectSetup
 

As part of the move of the common PlantTools settings (Language, DevExpress Skin, Proxy Settings) we also updated the Update Installer.

Details can be found under: Update Installer
 

The AutoCAD language code for French Plant 3D wasn't supported in PlantTools. This effected all PlantTools.
 

Making sure, that the PlantTools ribbons in AutoCAD Plant 3D use the current language.
 

The SymbolsPaletteCustomClasses.xml which is used for the PlantExpressTools SymbolsPalette was created by every PlantTool Plugin (PlantClashDetection, PlantDataManager. PlantLink, PlantSpecDriven, PlantSync) and not just be PlantExpressTools.
 

Some files had a wrong path to the Development Express DLLs in the PlantToolsCommon project, which potentially could could error for some controls. However, that apparently never became an issue.
 

To avoid issues with different build versions of PlantTools, we now force users to update all installed PlantTools to avoid any issues with shared files between PlantTools.

After installing one PlantTool and not updating others you will see the following dialog which allows you to individually download PlantTools or to download all available updates at once (green arrow).

The updates will be downloaded and stored in the download folder.

After closing the desktop PlantTools (PlantCenter, PlantDataManager, PlantReporter) or closing Plant 3D the downloaded updates will be installed automatically.
 

When opening a project where the MISC database doesn't exist you get an error.

This applies typically to old projects where the MISC database didn't exists from project creation on. Only when you added files or folders under 'Related Files' was the MISC database created.

The Plugins like PlantClashDetection, PlantDataManager, PlantExpressTools, PlantLink, PlantSpecDriven and PlantSync will create the file on project load.

PlantDataManager and PlantReporter show the following dialog as an info. The project will be loaded anyway.

If you extend the dialog you get information on how to create the MISC database.

PlantTools now support AutoCAD Plant 3D 2023.

PlantTools support AutoCAD Plant 3D 2018 - 2023 now.
 

We updated DevExpress controls and tools to the latest version 21.2.6 in all PlantTools.
 

The ACPAssetOwnership table in the ProcessPower.dcf (P&ID Database) isn't needed anymore and therefore will be removed. The relationships stored in that table between Placed Objects and Not-Placed Objects used in PlantSpecDriven as already stored
 

For example, Raster-Design uses relative URIs for the ribbons which caused a FATAL ERROR when hovering over a button in the Raster-Design ribbon.
 

With version 5.0 all PlantTools will be updated to that version. Because of shared resources and code is mandatory that all PlantTools on a machine are updated. If this is not the case the following dialog will appear and lists all the installed PlantTools on a machine and which ones require an update.

The PlantTools with the red arrow require an update. The dialog will appear until all PlantTools are updated to the required version.

The language of PlantTools can be set globally now. In the Plugins (PlantClashDetection, PlantDataManager Plugin, PlantExpressTools, PlantLink, PlantSpecDriven, PlantSync) you can select AutoCAD, English, or German. AutoCAD tells the PlantTools to use the AutoCAD language. If you change the setting, the PlantTools Plugins will change the language of the user interfaces and ribbons instantly.

If you select English or German in the Plugins, the Desktop Apps (PlantCenter, PlantDataManager, PlantReporter, MigrationTools and PlantProjectCreate will use this language.

If you select a language in one of the Desktop App Settings, all Desktop Apps will use this language and not the AutoCAD language.

When having multiple PlantTools Plugins (PlantClashDetection, PlantDataManager Plugin, PlantExpressTools, PlantLink, PlantSpecDriven, PlantSync) installed and they are set for different languages then Plant 3D crashed if the tooltips for the PlantTools ribbon buttons are supposed to be shown.
 

When installing PlantCenter, PlantDataManager, PlantReporter on a PC a a dialog informed the user about denied access when starting the PlantTools from the Desktop. PlantClashDetection, PlantLink, PlantSync, PlantSpecDriven had to be activated everytime Plant 3D was started, because the registration information couldn't be written either. This happened only when installing the PlantTool for the first time or after uninstalling previous installations. desktop shortcut.

When installing PlantClashDetection, PlantLink or PlantSync on a PC the setup asked whether to create a desktop shortcut or not. This happened only when installing the PlantTool for the first time or after uninstalling previous installations. However, non of these PlantTools need a desktop shortcut.
 

When switching between work spaces Plant 3D gets very slow all of a sudden. Also the memory consumption increases. For example when switching between "3D Piping" and "PID ISO" 10 times. In Task Manager you can see "Not responding". Eventually Plant will react and you can close it.

It looks like this:

If PCD, PDM Plugin, PET, PL, PS and PSD cannot acquire a network license when Plant 3D starts, the performance became very slow. This was due to the fact, that these PlantTools Plugins checked for a network license multiple times a second.

If no network license was available you get the next two dialogs.

Now these PlantTools check just on startup.

When starting Plant 3D a license of PlantSync was used even if the main dialog wasn't open.
 

We now support AutoCAD Plant 3D 2022.

The new "Project Compare" is included in PlantProjectManager also.
 

PlantTools trigger the "Update License" check of the network license in auxaliaLicenseServer service on your server.

auxaliaLicenseServer is checking the license every 15 min to ensure, that your license information (e.g. number of license, expiration dates) are updated automatically without your need for involvement.

There is no need to keep the auxaliaLicenseManager open.

If a PlantTools is started and it finds an older CADSTUDIOLicenseManager or auxaliaLicenseManager installed on the server, the following dialog shows up.

You can decide when you want to be reminded again. The maximum is 2 weeks. After that, you will have a maximum of another week, then another 4 days and so on. That gives you a grace period of 4 weeks till auxaliaLicenseManager must be updated. If you don't do this, you will be reminded every time the PlantTools is asking for a license.
 

We updated DevExpress controls and tools to the latest version 20.2.6 in all PlantTools.
 

We discontinue the support for AutoCAD P&ID 2016/2017 and AutoCAD Plant 3D 2016/2017.

Typically we only removed only one version when adding the newest AutoCAD Plant 3D version, but since hardly any customer is using AutoCAD P&ID 2017 or AutoCAD Plant 3D 2017 anymore we decided to cut off the two oldest versions. Another argument was, that there is no migration needed between 2018 and 2022 which makes it more convenient for customers t use those newer versions.
 

PlantTools will run run 14 days in trial period before they stop working.

Several dialogs informing about anything related to licensing (expiration dates, rental dates, issues with activation and more) have been improved to make it clearer what the dialog is all about.
 

We started to put more information in our Message Boxes to give you more background details to reduce support questions or the need to look into the online documentation.

Also, all dialog boxes have a number which helps with support.

When using F1 in PlantCenter, PlantDataManager, PlantReporter, MigrationTool, PlantCenter or any button in the PlantTools or PlantExpressTools ribbon we open our own browser window.