Example: To Use Description Key Parameters to Create a Full Description

Note: The following paragraphs are intended to help you understand this example. They do not provide a complete overview of description keys. For general information about description keys, see About Description Keys. Before beginning this example, you should complete the example that shows you how to create a basic description key. For more information, see Example: To Create a Basic Description Key.

When you create a point, the description you enter at the command line is the raw description for the point. The raw description can consist of one element, such as UP5A, or of more than one element, such as UPNO 104. The leading element in a raw description is compared against description key codes during description key matching. The remaining elements in the raw description are called parameters. You can use parameters to create a full description for all points that match the description key.

In this example, you will create a description key that translate a raw description in the form UPNO <pole number> to a full description in the form U_POLE <pole number>. For example, the field (raw) description UPNO 104 will be translated to the full (drawing) description U_POLE 104.

In the raw description UPNO 104, UPNO is used to match the description key code and 104 is the first parameter.

Example: Using description key parameters to create a full description

1. In Toolspace, on the Settings tab, right-click the Description Key Sets collection. Click New.
2. For Name, enter Format_Example. Click OK.

   A description key set named Format_Example is created.

3. Right-click Format_Example. Click Edit Keys.

   The DescKey Editor is opened. If you cannot see the DescKey Editor, click at the top of the Settings tab to display the Panorama window.

   If you cannot see the column headings mentioned in the following steps, use the column headings context menu to display or expand the column headings. You display and hide the columns in the DescKey Editor the same way you display and hide the columns in a list view. For more information, see To Work With Toolspace List Views.

4. In the DescKey Editor, click in the first cell under the Code column heading, and enter UPNO for the code.

   The code will match any raw description whose leading element is UPNO.

5. Under both Point Style and Point Label Style heading columns, select the check boxes. Verify that the Standard style is specified.
   Note: The Standard point label style displays a full description for the point.
6. Click in the cell under the Format column heading, and enter U_POLE $1.

   $1 refers to the first parameter in the raw description. This format will translate the raw description “UPNO 104” to the full description “U_POLE 104.” For more information, see Description Key Format Reference.

7. Under the Layer column heading, select the check box, click in the cell and create a layer named UP_LAYER. A point created using this description key will be placed on the UP_LAYER layer.
8. Clear the check boxes under all other column headings.
9. Close the DescKey Editor.
10. If you have multiple description key sets defined, move the Format_Example description key set to the top of the search order. For more information, see To Change the Description Key Sets Search Order.
11. Click Home tabCreate Ground Data panelPoints menuPoint Creation Tools.
12. In the Create Points dialog box, click to expand the dialog box.
13. Expand the Points Creation collection and specify the following settings:
    • For the Prompt For Descriptions, select Manual. For more information, see To Edit the Default Point Creation Settings
    • For the Match on Description Parameters ($1, $2, etc.) select True. For more information, see To Control Whether Raw Description Values Are Interpreted as Parameters During Point Creation.
    • For the Disable Description Keys, set the value to False.
14. From the Miscellaneous command list, select Manual.
15. Pick the location for a new point.
16. Follow the prompts. When you are prompted for the description, enter UPNO 104.

    The point is drawn using the full description derived from the description key, U_POLE 104.