AutoCAD Plant 3D and PID API

Extend your design and documenting capabilities

Built on the AutoCAD® software platform, AutoCAD Plant 3D® and AutoCAD P&ID® bring modern design to plant designers and engineers. AutoCAD P&ID software allows you to create, modify, and manage schematic piping and instrumentation diagrams. AutoCAD Plant 3D adds 3D models, including piping, equipment, support structures, generation of isometric, and orthographic drawings. AutoCAD Plant 3D includes the features of AutoCAD P&ID.

View Plant 3D documentation View P&ID documentation

SDKs and tools

The AutoCAD® Plant 3D® ObjectARX® SDK provides development tools for both AutoCAD Plant 3D and AutoCAD P&ID software, and enables you to extend the features of the ObjectARX SDK for AutoCAD.

Licensing

Before installing ObjectARX for AutoCAD Plant 3D, you should first download ObjectARX for AutoCAD SDK. Complete the ObjectARX SDK license agreement to get started.

View Plant 3D SDK license agreement

Plant SDK overview

The Plant 3D SDK includes an API to extend the AutoCAD API and provides you with a way to:

Query and control P&ID schematic and project information.
Control the AutoCAD Plant 3D model.

AutoCAD P&ID API

The AutoCAD P&ID API is a subset of the Plant 3D SDK.
To create programs for AutoCAD P&ID, avoid referencing Plant 3D-only interfaces.
Plant 3D-only interfaces are identified in the Plant 3D SDK reference guide included in the SDK.

Requirements

To successfully utilize the APIs documented in this guide:

You should be familiar with ObjectARX and the .NET managed wrappers for ObjectARX.
You will be working with both the ObjectARX SDK for AutoCAD and the Plant 3D SDK.

SDK integration

The Plant 3D SDK is formatted similarly to the ObjectARX SDK, so it is possible to simply overlay the Plant 3D SDK onto a pre-installed ObjectARX SDK.

Code samples

Source code samples that show you how to use the AutoCAD Plant 3D SDK are included with the SDK. They are located in the Samples folder under PnID, Piping, and Common. The Docs subfolder in the Plant SDK contains a developer guide, plantsdk_dev.chm, and a reference guide, plantsdk_ref.chm.

Community and support

Whether you're an experienced AutoCAD Plant 3D and P&ID user or just starting out, this is a good place to ask questions, share tips, connect, and learn from others.