CAD (DMS-LMS) Extension

Accordant Location CAD (DMS-LMS) Extension

The Accordant Location system can connect to a local CAD installation (either AutoCAD or ZwCAD) and allow CRE-based content to be synchronised with web-based data. Even though the CAD
installation is on a private network, it can access and share remote drawing files via standard HTTP traffic. There is no need for VPNs or specialist network configurations.
Using this extension, the Cad system can:

  • Create top-copies of floor-based drawings (Masters) and attach them to an estate.
  • Define and Measure Space and Room-base information.
  • Automatically number / name objects of interest, such as Desks or Filing cabinets.
  • Create managed Cad Symbols and share them with other users.

DMS-LMS is also integrated with the Accordant online Move-Manager. This allows ‘what-if’ project based drawings (Schemas) to be created and managed. Each Schema is a managed ‘copy’ of a
Master drawing. This copy can be radically altered, without affecting any live data.
Users can use the Publish drawing feature to create a series of printable documents which can be organised into a ‘Drawing Can’. This feature encouages printable data to be left in the public domain,
removing the need for ‘expert’ CAD users to be on call to print drawings.

Overview

The Accordant Location Cad Extension is essentially two distinct modules integrated together: DMS and LMS.

What is DMS?

DMS stands for ‘Document Management System’. DMS allows users to create managed drawings, upload them onto a remote Accordant Locator ‘share’ and then update them with full version control and roll-backs. DMS is the corner-stone of Accordant Locator. It solves the major problems of CAD input into a CRE system:

  • Top-copy version control
  • Credential-based access to drawings
  • Drawing history / access documented
  • World-wide access to drawings

Because DMS utilises the Windows Internet (WinINet) application programming interface, it is LAN independent and can access central drawings from anywhere in the world. The basic rule is: if you can get the Google home-page up in Windows Internet Explorer, you can access DMS.

What is LMS?

LMS stands for ‘Location Management System’. LMS is a toolkit which allows the creation of intelligent, postcode-style griding system which understands the flow of a building. It will attach, as a CAD symbol Attribute, a unique number / named label to each object of interest. Typically Desks or staff positional spaces are ‘Located’, but any Cad Symbol can have a Location. Many users track Conference tables, Filing cabinets, Security doors, and CCTV Cameras. the only rules are that Locatable objects must be visible in 2 Dimensional space and not on-top of other Locatable objects.
Locations (Cad Symbol Object with an Attribute code attached) are automatically published on the online system when the drawing is uploaded (checked-in). Locations then become the ‘main-currency’ of the Accordant Location system, allowing external information to be attached, such as Employees and Assets, Departmental ownership and GOP connections.
The LMS toolkit also allows the space framework of a floorplate to be defined.
The Space framework is a series of Polylines on specific layers (SPLANS). This allows users to define:

  • The Gross and Net Internal space for a floor
  • Vertical Penertration (Non-charagable space)
  • Fixed rooms and areas
  • Shared space

Each SPLAN, due to it’s nature of as a space boundary, owns Locatable objects (such as Desks). This relationship is used to determine accurate and fair space allocation for the owners of the Locatable objects. Accordant Locator uses this to automatically generate departmental allocation reports.