Database Concept

Overview

VICUS Districts manages all reusable planning data - pipes, fluids, plants, heating curves, schedules - in databases with three levels: the built-in (read-only) program database, the persistent user database, and project-local elements that are stored in the project file. All database dialogs follow the same operating scheme: list with filter, editing area, buttons for creating, copying and moving between levels.

Opening

• Menu Databases - all database dialogs for direct editing
• from assignment dialogs (e.g. fluid or pipe selection): the same dialog opens in selection mode with the buttons Select and Cancel; a double-click on a row applies the element directly

Three Levels

Above the table, a color legend shows which level an element belongs to:

Level	Legend in the dialog	Storage location	Editable
Built-in database	Built-in elements	Installation directory	no (read-only)
User database	User DB elements	XML files in the user directory, independent of the project	yes
Project elements	Project elements	embedded in the project file (.vicus)	yes

Built-in elements are highlighted in color; their input fields are locked in the editing area. To use a built-in element as a template, create an editable copy via the copy function.

Operating the Database Dialogs

All dialogs have the same toolbar below the table:

Button	Function
Add	Creates a new element with default values. With a project open, a project element is created first; without a project, a user-DB element is created directly.
Copy	Duplicates the selected element - built-in elements can also be used as a template this way.
Remove	Deletes the selected user or project element.
Add to user DB	Moves a project element into the user database; dependent elements (e.g. referenced components) can be moved along on request.
Remove from user DB	Moves the element out of the user database back into the local project.
Reload user database	Reloads the user database from the directory and discards all changes made since program start.
Remove unused local elements	Deletes all project-local elements that are not referenced anywhere in the project.

On the right of the toolbar you filter the list: select the column in the selection box (default: Name) and enter the search text in the Filter field.

Exchanging Elements Between Projects

A dedicated import/export format is not necessary: when saving, VICUS Districts embeds all database elements referenced in the project into the project file. If the project is opened on another computer, these elements appear there as Project elements and can be permanently adopted via Add to user DB. The project file is thereby at the same time the exchange format for database elements.

Removing Duplicates

Menu Databases > Remove duplicates … searches all databases for duplicate entries. The dialog lists found pairs by database type and shows both elements side by side; fully identical pairs are highlighted in color, built-in elements are shown in bold. In the Differences area, a comparison shows the differing properties of both elements.

If a duplicate is removed while the project is open, this change cannot be undone - the undo history is cleared. VICUS Districts points this out before opening the dialog.

Network Databases at a Glance

The following databases are relevant for heat-network planning:

Menu entry	Content	Handbook page
Pipes …	Pipe cross-sections, insulation, U-values	Pipe database
Media/Fluids …	Heat-transfer media	Fluids and more databases
Plants …	Energy plants and transfer stations (incl. components)	Plant concept
Heat exchange of pipes …	Boundary conditions for the heat exchange of the pipes with the environment	Heat-exchange types
Heating curves …	Supply-temperature curves for network and building	Fluids and more databases
Schedules …	Daily and annual schedules for setpoints	Fluids and more databases

The fittings (pipe fittings) for the bill of materials do not have their own entry in the Databases menu; they are managed in the course of the bill of materials, see Fittings.

Notes

• In the program settings (section Directories), an alternative directory for the user database can be specified, e.g. a network drive for shared use within a team. When the software is closed, all user-DB elements are written to this directory. The button Reset to default values restores the built-in directory; both the change and the reset only take effect after a restart.
• New and copied elements initially remain project-local - deliberately adopt elements you want to use in several projects into the user database.

Related Topics

• Pipe database
• Fluids and more databases
• Plant concept