Define Content or Transparency Rule

This topic describes the COS query editor that opens when you create or edit a content or transparency rule via the Drawing Views dialog or the Visualization and changes pane.

  • Define Content Rule – This editor defines a query that selects objects to show or hide.

  • Define Transparency Rule – This editor defines a query that selects objects to be drawn as transparent.

These rule editors are similar to the standard COS Query editor but have fewer settings. In the editor, each sub-rule functions as an additional filtering step; when the query is run, the sub-rules are executed from top to bottom, and each sub-rule refines the result by updating the selection and, as a result, the visibility state of the objects.

Note: Transparency rules cannot make hidden objects visible. Ensure that content rules do not hide objects that should be made transparent.

Setting

Description

Content rule

Transparency rule

  • No rule – Select this option to remove the existing rule.

  • Define query for visible objects – Select this option to define the rule.

Copy Rule from Another View

This button opens a menu with the following commands:

  • Copy from another view – Copies the rule from a view in the same document.

    1. Select Copy from another view.

    2. In the view selection dialog, click the name of the drawing view from which to copy the rule.

    3. The standard query editor opens. Edit the copied query as required, and click OK.

    4. The rule editor reopens. Select Preview to make sure the query includes the required objects, and modify the query if needed.

    5. Click OK to apply the query to the drawing view.

  • Copy from view in another drawing – Copies the rule from a view in a different document.

    1. Select Copy from view in another drawing.

    2. In the Manage Drawings dialog, select the document and click OK.

    3. In the view selection dialog, click the name of the drawing view from which to copy the rule.

    4. The standard query editor opens. Edit the copied query as required, and click OK.

    5. The rule editor reopens. Select Preview to make sure the query includes the required objects, and modify the query if needed.

    6. Click OK to apply the query to the drawing view.

Import Rule (from COS or file)

This button opens a dialog with the following commands:

  • COS – Imports the rule from a project query stored in COS.

    1. Select COS.

    2. Select the query from the object browser, and click OK.

    3. Select Preview to make sure the query includes the required objects, and modify the query if needed.

    4. Click OK to apply the query to the drawing view.

  • File – Imports the rule from a private query (.qsr) in the project directory.

    1. Select File.

    2. Select the query from the file list, and click OK.

    3. Select Preview to make sure the query includes the required objects, and modify the query if needed.

    4. Click OK to apply the query to the drawing view.

Object types

Select the object types to which to apply the rules defined in the query.

For example, select Piping and clear the other types to select only piping objects with the rule.

Include objects fulfilling any of the following

In this section, define one or more sub-rules that allow specific objects to be displayed in the drawing view.

For example, specify a rule that selects objects whose system name is Water. If Object types is set to Piping, only piping objects that belong to the Water system are selected by the query.

Exclude objects fulfilling any of the following

In this section, define one or more sub-rules that prevent specific objects from being displayed in the drawing view.

For example, specify a rule that selects objects whose modification time is not within two weeks. If Object types is set to Piping and only the Water system is included, only piping objects that belong to the Water system and have not been recently modified are selected by the query.