concept
Defining Cabling Paths
Choose USE_PATH optional highways or REQUIRE_PATH forced corridors so Cabling Auto Routing follows published curves.
Logical XML or Neutral Wire Format can tell Cabling Auto Routing which published skeleton curves a cable is allowed — or required — to use. There are two attributes. They look similar in the file; they do different things when Auto Routing builds the path.
Run the command from Cabling Auto Routing. File types: Cabling Auto Routing Files. How curves are sampled: Routing Profiles.
Role | Optional highway | Forced corridor (or via) |
Comma order | Does not matter. Auto Routing may use any subset, either direction, or skip a curve. | Visit order. Auto Routing only fills the gaps: FROM → R1 → R2 → … → TO. |
Flags | None. A token is a curve name or wildcard. |
|
Empty | No optional highway. Straight FROM→TO unless REQUIRE_PATH is set. | No forced corridors. Auto Routing (if USE_PATH is set) or a straight splice. |
Same curve twice | Redundant (still optional). | Allowed, with different flags (for example span, then later touch). |
When to use which
USE_PATH — trays, networks, and other geometry the cable may ride. Typical AutoCAD Electrical “use this network” data.
REQUIRE_PATH — clips, must-follow ducts, ordered waypoints. Use flags when the cable must travel a specific direction or only part of a curve.
Both — REQUIRE_PATH splices the forced pieces; USE_PATH remains the optional highway Auto Routing uses in the gaps.
Syntax (quick)
texttrueNames match published-geometry curves (prefix stripped), case-insensitive, with * wildcards. Both lists also drive which path curves get copied into the harness skeleton.
The Auto Routing tree shows a Use Path node and a Required Path node per wire. You can add or remove names there independently of the logical file. Under Settings:, Route with Path is on by default so routes follow a required path when one exists.
In this section
USE_PATH Options — optional highway, empty-list behavior, skeleton copy, GUI vs logical file.
REQUIRE_PATH Options — coverage, direction, ordered multi-curve, rejected tokens.
Related
In this section
- USE_PATH Options — USE_PATH lists optional published curves Cabling Auto Routing may ride as a highway.
- REQUIRE_PATH Options — REQUIRE_PATH lists forced corridors and vias Cabling Auto Routing must visit in order, with coverage and direction flags.