| What is the Project Management article about? | It explains how projects are created, organized, edited, exported, imported, and linked with drawings in the HELIOS 3D database application. Project Management is the central starting point before layout planning, electrical planning, evaluation, or output generation can begin. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is Project Management used for in HELIOS 3D? | It is used to organize PV planning projects in an editable folder structure, maintain project master data, manage project directories, create or edit drawings, and define which drawing provides project-relevant evaluation data. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where is Project Management located in the HELIOS 3D structure? | It belongs to the HELIOS 3D database application under the Database Application area. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Why is Project Management important before starting PV layout work? | A project and at least one correctly assigned drawing should exist before layout planning, electrical planning, or output generation can be started. The project record connects master data, directories, DWG files, drawings, and evaluation data. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What can I organize in Project Management? | You can organize project folders, project records, project directories, drawings, DWG files, layout variants, planning stages, and project-related evaluation data. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Can I create projects directly in a specific folder? | Yes. Select the desired folder in the folder structure first, then right-click in the project list and choose New… to create the project in that folder. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which command creates a new project? | Right-click in the project list and select New…. This opens the dialog for creating a new project. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Insert Copy… do? | Insert Copy… inserts a copy into the project list and opens the same dialog used for creating or editing a project. The project name must be changed, but linked records such as drawings are not copied. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does copying a project also copy its drawings? | No. The article states that the copy does not include records linked to the original project, such as drawings. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Edit… do in the project list? | Edit… opens the dialog for modifying the settings of the selected project. It uses the same dialog as project creation. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What happens when I delete a project? | Delete removes all selected projects and the data they contain, including all associated drawings, without an additional prompt. This can permanently affect the project database and file structure. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check before deleting a project? | Make sure that the project is no longer required and that all required DWG files, exports, and backups are available. Deleting a project should only be done by users who understand the consequences. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What do Cut, Copy, and Paste do? | They work like the standard Windows clipboard functions. Cut copies an element to the clipboard and removes it when pasted, Copy copies an element, and Paste inserts the copied or cut element. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Refresh do? | Refresh updates the project list. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Select Folder from Selected Record do? | It selects the corresponding node in the folder structure tree for a selected project when projects from multiple nodes are displayed in the current view. It also refreshes or filters the project list. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Open Project Directory do? | It opens the project directory of the selected project in Windows Explorer. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What are the project comparison commands used for? | They open dialogs for comparing evaluation lists either across several projects or for the selected project. The article marks these comparison commands as “out of order”. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is Project Export/Import used for? | Project export and import are used to transfer project data between HELIOS 3D databases or work environments, for example between workstations, departments, support teams, or separate installations. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check before importing a project? | Check whether the target database already contains projects, drawings, components, or article data with similar names or identifiers. After import, review the project structure, drawing references, and project information. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What files are generated by a project export? | The export generates a ZIP file containing the drawings and an XML file containing the project structure and configuration. Both files belong together. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which file do I select when importing a project? | Select the XML file. The corresponding ZIP file must be stored in the same folder and must not be renamed independently. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What happens if the ZIP file is missing during import? | If the ZIP file is missing, renamed, or stored in another folder, the import may not be able to restore the complete project content. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Are component and article data fully imported automatically? | Not necessarily. Component and article data embedded in DWG files may require additional manual steps after import. After opening an imported drawing, verify whether the required component and article information is available in the local HELIOS 3D database. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What is shown under Additional Data for a selected project? | The Additional Data area below the project list contains several tabs for the selected project. The article mentions that the Master Data and Record Info tabs mainly provide an overview and need no further explanation. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I decide before creating a project? | Decide where the project should be stored in the folder structure and which project directory should be used. A clear project number, project name, and directory structure help keep drawings, exports, evaluations, and support cases traceable. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which project information is useful for PV projects? | The project record should contain enough information to identify the site, customer, project manager, and planning context. This improves reporting, drawing management, and project comparison. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which project fields are available when creating a project? | The article lists fields such as Project Number, Project Name, Project Type, Country, Location, Project Manager, Customer Number, Prototype Drawing, and Directory. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How long can the project number be? | The project number can contain up to 32 characters unless project numbers are managed automatically by the system setting Automatically manage project number. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How long can the project name be? | The project name can contain up to 64 characters. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Is the project type mandatory? | No. The project type can be selected from a list, but the article marks it as optional. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Is the country mandatory? | No. The country can be selected from the country list, but the article marks it as optional. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Is the location mandatory? | No. The location field is optional. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Is the project manager mandatory? | No. The project manager field is optional and can contain up to 64 characters. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What is the Customer Number field used for? | It lets the user select a customer from customer management. The article marks this field as optional. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What is the Prototype Drawing field used for? | It allows users to select a prototype drawing that will be suggested by default when creating a new drawing. This can speed up drawing creation by providing a predefined drawing basis. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Who should maintain prototype drawings? | The article states that available prototype drawings and their exact content depend on the local HELIOS 3D configuration and should be maintained by an administrator or responsible CAD coordinator. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What is the Directory field used for? | The Directory field is used to change the path for the project directory. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the Drawings tab used for? | The Drawings tab is used to create and manage drawings for the selected project. Drawings are the working files in which PV layout, terrain-related planning, array placement, and electrical planning are carried out. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Can one project contain multiple drawings? | Yes. A HELIOS 3D project can contain one or more drawings, for example to distinguish between layout variants, planning stages, or discipline-specific files. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does creating a drawing entry immediately create the DWG file? | No. Creating a drawing entry in the database does not necessarily create the DWG file. The DWG file is created when the drawing is launched from HELIOS 3D. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is required to start a drawing with the HELIOS 3D palette? | HELIOS 3D requires a program configuration for the corresponding Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D version. The setup is described in the installation guide. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which fields are mandatory in the drawing master data? | The article states that the only mandatory field in the dialog is Drawing number, and that Drawing number and Filename are the required fields. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What is the Drawing Number field used for? | The drawing number typically corresponds to the drawing name without the file extension. If Set Drawing Filename Equal to Drawing Number is enabled, the filename is automatically populated. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What is the Description field used for in drawing master data? | It allows users to enter a description for the drawing. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which file type is relevant for drawings? | The article states that the only relevant file type option is AutoCAD Drawing. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does the Filename field contain? | If Set Drawing Filename Equal to Drawing Number is enabled, the filename matches the drawing number plus the file extension. This is the default setting. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What are Drawn by and Inspected by used for? | These fields are used to enter the names of the drafter and the inspector. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is a reference drawing? | A reference drawing is the drawing that transfers its parts list information to the project when a new parts list is generated. It provides official project values such as project area, project wattage, number of arrays, number of panels, and inverter count. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Why is the reference drawing important? | Only the designated reference drawing transfers parts list information to the project record. If the wrong drawing is selected, project master data may show outdated or unintended values. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check after generating or updating a parts list? | Check whether the project record shows the expected project area, project wattage, number of arrays, number of panels, and inverter count. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What information is shown for created or edited drawings? | The article lists creation date, most recent DWG modification date, file size, check-out date and time, and the computer and user from which a drawing was checked out. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the check-out/check-in workflow used for? | It is used when drawings are stored on a remote server or network location. Checking out a drawing copies it to a local working directory for faster editing, and checking it back in updates the server version. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where are checked-out DWG files copied locally? | The article gives the local path C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\25\Projects\Project name. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Why should I use check-out/check-in for remote DWG files? | It helps avoid performance problems with large DWG files over slow network connections and supports controlled editing in multi-user environments. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I do if a newly created drawing does not appear as a DWG file in the project directory? | Start the drawing from within HELIOS 3D. The DWG file is created only when the drawing is launched from the application. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if the HELIOS 3D palette does not appear when opening a drawing? | Check whether the correct Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D program configuration is available for the installed version. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if project wattage, project area, arrays, panels, or inverter counts are missing? | Check whether a reference drawing is defined and whether the parts list has been generated from that drawing. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if project import fails? | Verify that the selected XML file and the corresponding ZIP file are stored in the same folder and have not been renamed independently. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I do if opening or saving drawings on a server is slow? | Consider using the check-out/check-in workflow for remote DWG files. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
