Exporting Drawings

7.7 Exporting Drawings

Click the "Export Drawing" button in the toolbar, and in the pop-up dialog box, you can choose "Export Plan CAD File" or "Export Electrical System Diagram".

7.7.1 Exporting Flat CAD Drawings

Select 'Export Flat CAD File' and set the 'Export Settings' first:

Settings is divided into four modules: Optional data, Optional layer, Post settings, and Generate CAD layout viewport extents.

1)Optional data

The user can check the export item according to the demand. See the following table for the name and meanings of the layer of each export:

classification	layer name	Description
Array and strings	Array_XX	Array
	Array_XX_name	Tag of Array
	Array_XX_str	PV string
	Array_XX_strname	PV string Tag
	Array_statistics	Count Table of Array
	Array_pitch	Pitch and Clear pitch of Array
	Array_slope_tilt_azimuth	Array base slope, Nom. tilt and azimuth
	Terrain_slope	Information of Terrain faces where Array is located
	Terrain_slope_along_array_width	Terrain slope along array's width
	Array_virtual_module_str	The array is connected in series with photovoltaics according to PV module Combine
	Array_virtual_module_strname	The array is Tag according to the photovoltaic string of PV module Combine
	PV_module	PV module
	SU_Line_Array	Array Projection outer frame line (Parallelogram)
	SU_Line_PV_module	PV module Projection outline (Parallelogram)
Pile position and coordinates	Array_center_name	Center coordinates of Array
	Pole	Pile position
	PoleName	Post coordinate
	Pole_bridge	In tray support Pile position
	Pole_bridgename	Post coordinate of in tray support
	Soft_pole	Flexible Rack Pile position
	Soft_pole_angle	Angle of wire rope of flexible Rack
	Soft_pole_bolt	Flexible Rack Bolts Pile position
	Soft_pole_bottom_elevation	Column bottom elevation of flexible Rack
	Soft_pole_side	Pile position of End pile of flexible Rack
	Soft_pole_code	Flexible Rack Pile position Tag
	Soft_pole_name	Flexible brace post coordinate
	Soft_pole_length	Pile length of flexible Rack
	Soft_pole_length_type	Pile position of flexible Rack is Tag according to Pile length
Cable	Module_index	The array is based on the Tag of the internal PV module in the photovoltaic string of PV module Combine
	Module_to_string	The array is connected to Connection inside the photovoltaic string according to the PV module Combine
	Cable1	Thin cables (String Cable)
	Cable1name	Thin cables Tag
	Cable2	Thick cables (L1 devices Cable)
	Cable2name	L1 devices Cable No
	Cable3	Thick cables (L2 devices Cable)
	Cable3name	L2 devices Cable No
	Cable485	Communication line Cable
	Cable485name	Communication line Cable No
	Cable_MV	MV cable
	Cable_MVname	MV cable Tag
Medium voltage connection diagram	MV_point_link	Medium voltage connection
Cable route	Trench	Cable route
	Trenchname	Cable route Tag
Avai. & Restr. & PV Zones	Available_area	Available area
	Restricted_area	Restricted area
	PVarea	Range line of PV zone
	PVareaname	PV zone information
Shadow area	Shading_range	Object shadow range
	Array_shadow_XYZ_ABC	The Projection shadow blocking shape of the Array in the front row versus the Array in the back row at ABC Time on Date XYZ
	Terrain_shadow_0m_XYZ_ABC	After adjusting the Height above ground of the Array to 0m, the shadow of the Array on the Terrain at ABC Time on Date XYZ
	Terrain_shadow_XYZ_ABC	Shadow of Array on Terrain at ABC Time on Date XYZ
Cable Laying	Cable_laying1	Thin cables Cable Laying Mark
	Cable_laying2	Thick cables Cable Laying Mark
	Cable_laying_bom	Statistics of cable laying materials
Grounding	H_grounding_main	Grounding Gird - main Grounding Gird
	H_grounding_main_trans	Grounding Gird - Containerized Transformer Grounding Gird and connection line between Containerized Transformer Grounding Gird and main Grounding Gird
	H_grounding_array_to_main	Connection line between Grounding Gird - Array and main Grounding Gird
	H_grounding_arrays	Grounding Gird - Array and Array connection line (Overhead)
	H_grounding_arrays_ground	Grounding Gird - Array and Array connection line (grounding)
	H_grounding_point1	Connection point between Grounding Gird - Array and main Grounding Gird
	H_grounding_point2	Grounding Gird - connection point between Array and Array (grounding)
	H_grounding_point3	Grounding Gird - main Grounding Gird connection point
	H_grounding_road	Grounding grid - grounding wire passing through in pipe
	V_grounding	Vertical ground electrode
	V_grounding_name	Vertical ground electrode coordinates
	Grounding_txt	Count Table of Grounding material
Loss and radiation of Array	Loss and radiation	Radiation Loss of Array and radiation received by Array surface
Array pitch	Array_pitch	Pitch of Array
Assist analysis color	Terrain_color	Coloring faces coloring
Slope and hill-shading	Slope_and_hill-shading_color	Mountains and Hill-shading analysis coloring
Generate cable laying trench based on cable routing	Trench_back	The Generate Cable route according to the Cable routing is the PV cable Path laid along the back of the Array
	Trench_ground	According to the Generate Cable route of Cable routing, it is the Cable route of Buried laying
	Trench_road	According to the Generate Cable route of Cable routing, it is the Cable route laid through the path
Slope analysis Color	All_valid_Aspect_color	Aspect analysis coloring - for all mountains in available range
	Terrain_Aspect_color	Coloring of Aspect analysis - effective for Only slope analysis valid
	Terrain_Sun_Aspect_color	Aspect analysis coloring - effective for Both shading and slope analysis valid
	All_valid_Slope_color	Natural slope Analyze coloring - for all mountains in available range
	Terrain_Slope_color	Natural slope Analyze coloring - effective for Only slope analysis valid
	Terrain_Sun_Slope_color	Natural slope Analyze coloring - effective for Both shading and slope analysis valid
	All_valid_EW_slope_color	E-W slope Analyze coloring - for all mountains in available range
	Terrain_EW_slope_color	E-W slope Analyze coloring - effective for Only slope analysis valid
	Terrain_Sun_EW_slope_color	E-W slope Analyze coloring - effective for Both shading and slope analysis valid
	All_valid_NS_slope_color	Analyze coloring of N-S slope - for all mountains in available range
	Terrain_NS_slope_color	N-S slope Analyze coloring - effective for Only slope analysis valid
	Terrain_Sun_NS_slope_color	Analyze coloring of N-S slope - effective for Both shading and slope analysis valid
Fence	Fence_line	Fence
Thick cables shall be Mark separately when it is laid h	Cable2_trench	Thick cables (L1 devices Cable) laying Path
	Cable2_trench_name	Quantity and specifications Mark of Thick cables (L1 devices Cable)

Tips： To Export "Array Loss and radiation", analyze arrays shading loss needs to be carried out in the software first. ② To export "Assist analysis color", coloring faces needs to be performed first in create zones. ③ If it is necessary to export the layer related to cable, the necessary operate such as divide of block and combine shall be carried out in the software first.

2) Optional layer

In addition to the above layer, if you need to export Layer existing in other SU, such as Candela - coordinate origin, you can select a layer in the drop-down menu.

3) Post settings

It can only be used when "Pile position and Coordinate" is check in "Export Item", and the user can select check or not according to the demand.

4) Generate CAD layout viewport extents

(Under developing)

To export "radiation and loss", it is necessary to first perform array shadow occlusion analysis in the software, otherwise the corresponding data cannot be exported.

To export the 'auxiliary analysis color', auxiliary analysis needs to be performed in the region division first, otherwise the corresponding data cannot be exported.

Click 'Export' to bring up the save path selection dialog box, and the model data will be exported as a *. c2c file. This file can be generated in CAD using the CAD plugin provided with Candela3D (file name Candela3D_CD_plugin.dll) to create CAD drawings. The specific method is as follows:

(1) Create a new CAD file and load the plugin in CAD. Refer to the "CAD Plugin Loading" chapter for the loading method.

(2) Enter the gdwg command in the CAD interface, select the previously exported *. c2c file in the pop-up dialog box, click OK, and complete the import process.

The imported effect is shown in the following figure.

If the "origin coordinates" have been correctly set, the generated array will not be offset. Otherwise, check if the "origin coordinates" are set correctly.

7.7.2 Cable laying diagram

For projects that have completed the 'Cable Laying Statistics', after generating drawings using the GDWG command, the following prompt will pop up:

If "Yes" is selected, after setting the drawing scale, the software will use the layout function in CAD to generate cable laying diagrams for each power block separately.

Users can change the default frame according to their actual needs, and change the path to the following path in the loading folder of the CAD plugin (taking autocad2020 as an example) Autocad \ 2020 \ plugins \ Candela3D \ frame. Note that when replacing, it is necessary to keep the origin position of the frame unchanged.

If some cable paths are missing or there are redundant arrays, you need to adjust the outline of the "power block" in the dwg file model, and refresh it with the command "Update layout viewport in cad cable layout drawing" in the cad plug-in.

7.7.3 The length unit of imported and exported flat CAD drawings is feet, etc.

At this point, the export interface should select the corresponding length unit (such as feet), and at the same time:

1) Project Settings - When setting the origin, the length unit should also be set to (e.g. feet)

2) At the beginning of importing DWG, the "Options" should also be set to (e.g. feet)

7.7.4 Export Electrical System Diagram

Before exporting the electrical system diagram, the users needs to set the PV module model for the array in "Create Array" (specifically for reverse-imported projects).

Select "Export Electrical System Diagram", then configure the "Export Settings" as needed. After completing the settings, click the "Ok" button to apply the changes.

Click 'Export' to bring up the save path selection dialog box, and the model data will be exported as a *.json file. This file can be generated in CAD using the CAD plugin provided with Candela3D (file name Candela3D_CD_plugin.dll) to create electrical system drawings. The specific method is as follows:

(1) Create a new CAD file and load the plugin in CAD. Refer to the "CAD Plugin Loading" chapter for the loading method.

(2) Enter the ELECTRALSYSTEMDRAWING command in the CAD interface (or select "Generate Electrical System Diagram" from the CAD menu), select the previously exported *.json file in the pop-up dialog box, click OK to complete the import process, and the software will draw electrical system diagrams for each unit separately.

The drawn effect is shown in the following figure.

7.7.5 Exporting 3D CAD Drawings

Users can export the 3D model in SU - File menu - Export, select DWG format, and export. Please open the layers that need to be exported in the "Tag" toolbar on the right.

The exported CAD file like following:

7.7.6 Export "*.kmz" file to Google Earth

1) Please add geographic location, and the input latitude and longitude should be consistent with the origin latitude and longitude in the SU map.

2. Please close the "Flat Site" layer and open the "Elevated Site"laye;

3. Please use the "pencil" tool to find any point on the terrain surface, and draw two parallel lines along the positive and negative directions of the z-axis. Pay special attention to the intersection of the line along the negative direction of the z-axis with the "Location Terrain" layer;

4. Please select the models that need to be imported into Google Earth and put them into a group.

5. Please use the "move" tool (command: "M") to move the group from point to point ① to point ②;

6. Please close the "Elevated Site" layer and "Terrain" layer, and delete the line created in step 3;

7. Please click on "File" - "Export" -"3D Model" in the menu bar, select Google Earth files ("*kmz") to export Google Earth files, and open the file directly using Google Earth.

   The terrain accuracy created by contour lines is higher than that of the model in Google Earth , which may result in array s not fitting well with the terrain. Users can move the created group along the z-axis in SketchUp and observe it from a top view in Google Earth