Simple Wires Help - Getting Started: /manual/docs/getting-started.html - Projects Dashboard: /manual/docs/projects.html - Sharing Projects: /manual/docs/sharing.html - Drawings and the Start Page: /manual/docs/drawings.html - The Drawing Editor: /manual/docs/editor.html - Functional Blocks and Ports: /manual/docs/blocks.html - Master Library: /manual/docs/equipment-library.html - Warehouses: /manual/docs/warehouses.html - Racks and Rack Panels: /manual/docs/racks.html - Drawing Cables: /manual/docs/cables.html - Off Sheet Pointers: /manual/docs/off-sheet-pointers.html - Shapes, Text and Images: /manual/docs/shapes-text-images.html - Page Setup and Drawing Settings: /manual/docs/page-setup.html - Printing and Exporting: /manual/docs/print-export.html - Project Data Grids: /manual/docs/project-data.html - Signal Types: /manual/docs/signal-types.html - Drawing Revisions: /manual/docs/revisions.html - Teams: /manual/docs/teams.html - Billing and Plans: /manual/docs/billing.html - Your Account: /manual/docs/account.html - Themes and Appearance: /manual/docs/appearance.html - Keyboard Shortcuts: /manual/docs/keyboard-shortcuts.html - FAQ and Troubleshooting: /manual/docs/faq.html # Project Data Grids The **Project Data** menu opens grids that collect data from every drawing in the project: the equipment you have placed, the cables you have drawn, and a bill of materials. Use them to check the design, find an item, and export lists to Excel. The grids read the saved drawings. When you open a grid, Simple Wires saves the drawing you are working on first. | Menu item | Grid | |---|---| | **Project Data > Equipment** | [Equipment](#equipment) | | **Project Data > Cables** | [Cables](#cables) | | **Project Data > Bill of Materials** | [Bill of Materials](#bill-of-materials) | | **Project Data > Signal Types** | See [Signal Types]({{< relref "signal-types" >}}) | | **Project Data > Drawings and Revisions** | See [Drawing Revisions]({{< relref "revisions" >}}) | A grid replaces the drawing and hides the side panes. To go back to a drawing, choose it from **File > Open**, or click **Show Me** on a row. ## Working with the grids The Equipment, Cables and Bill of Materials grids share the same tools. {{< screenshot name="project-data-grid-tools" alt="The Cables grid with the group panel, search box, export button and filter row labelled" >}} **Sort** : Click a column header to sort by that column. Click it again to reverse the order. **Filter** : Type in the filter row just below the column headers to show only matching rows. Each column has its own filter cell. **Search** : Type in the **Search...** box at the top right to find rows that contain the text in any column. **Group** : Drag a column header into the bar above the grid (**Drag a column header here to group by that column**). Rows are grouped under each value of that column; click a group row to expand or collapse it. Drag more headers to group within groups. To remove a grouping, drag the header back into the header row. **Resize columns** : Drag the edge of a column header. **Page** : Use the page numbers at the bottom of the grid to move between pages, and the page size selector to show 30, 50 or 100 rows per page. **Export to Excel** : Choose **File > Export to Excel**, or click the **Export all data** button at the top right of the grid. Your browser downloads an Excel file named after the project, such as *Project Name Cables List*. ### Show Me The Equipment and Cables grids have a **Show Me** button at the start of each row. Click it to open the drawing that holds that item. Simple Wires centers the block or cable on screen and selects it. {{< screenshot name="project-data-show-me" alt="A drawing opened from Show Me with the matching block selected and centered" >}} ## Equipment **Project Data > Equipment** lists every block in every drawing of the project, including racks and rack panels. Each row shows: | Column | Contents | |---|---| | **Action** | The **Show Me** button. | | **Manufacturer** | The block's manufacturer. | | **Model** | The block's model. | | **SysName** | The block's system name. | | **Alias** | The block's alias. | | **Location** | The block's location. | | **Drawing Name** | The drawing the block is on. | {{< screenshot name="project-data-equipment" alt="The Equipment grid grouped by Drawing Name" >}} ### Editing the equipment list If you can edit the project, you can correct equipment details in the grid instead of opening each drawing. 1. Click a **Manufacturer**, **Model**, **SysName**, **Alias** or **Location** cell. 2. Type the new value. 3. Press Enter or click another cell. The change is saved to the drawing straight away. The cables connected to that block pick up the new text, so the Cables grid and cable data stay in step. If someone has that drawing open, their copy updates. You can't edit **Drawing Name** here. To rename a drawing, see [Drawings and the Start Page]({{< relref "drawings" >}}). ## Cables **Project Data > Cables** lists every cable in every drawing, with the full detail of both ends. The grid is read-only; change cables in the drawing. Each row includes: - **Drawing Name**, **Cable No**, **Signal Type** and **Length**. - The cable type: **Cable Manu** and **Cable Type**. - The From end: manufacturer, model, system name, alias, location, port name and port connector. - The To end: the same details for the destination. - **Is Off Sheet Pointed** and **Is Off Sheet Pointed Right**. {{< screenshot name="project-data-cables" alt="The Cables grid showing From and To columns for several cables" >}} A cable that runs between drawings through [off sheet pointers]({{< relref "off-sheet-pointers" >}}) appears twice, once for each drawing. Both rows have **Is Off Sheet Pointed** checked. The row for the destination drawing also has **Is Off Sheet Pointed Right** checked. To list each cable once, filter **Is Off Sheet Pointed Right** to unchecked. The grid opens ungrouped each time. ## Bill of Materials **Project Data > Bill of Materials** counts what the project needs. The grid is read-only and opens grouped by **Item Class**. Each row shows **Manufacturer**, **Model** and **Item Count**. {{< screenshot name="project-data-bom" alt="The Bill of Materials grid grouped by Item Class with Equipment, Cable Types, From Connectors and To Connectors groups" >}} | Item Class | What is counted | |---|---| | **Equipment** | Blocks, racks and rack panels with **Count in BOM** turned on, grouped by manufacturer and model. Off sheet pointers are never counted. | | **Cable Types** | Cables grouped by cable manufacturer and type. If you have entered cable lengths, **Item Count** is the total length; a cable without a length counts as 1. | | **From Connectors** | The connector at the From end of each cable, grouped by connector name. | | **To Connectors** | The connector at the To end of each cable, grouped by connector name. | A cable that runs through off sheet pointers is counted once. The Bill of Materials is built fresh from the saved drawings each time you open it. ### Why rack panels are missing from the BOM Rack panels are placed with **Count in BOM** turned off, so they don't appear under **Equipment** until you turn it on. Blocks and racks are placed with it turned on. To include a rack panel: 1. Open the drawing and select the rack panel. 2. On the **General** tab of the right pane, turn on **Count in BOM**. 3. Save the drawing, then open **Project Data > Bill of Materials** again. The same checkbox removes any block from the count. A block also needs both a manufacturer and a model to be counted. See [Racks and Rack Panels]({{< relref "racks" >}}).