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Defining Cabling Paths

Choose USE_PATH optional highways, REQUIRE_PATH forced corridors, or stay-out keep-clear volumes so Cabling Auto Routing follows published curves and avoids keep-clear geometry.

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.

Stay-out zones are separate: they are named quilt features on the harness skeleton, not a logical-file attribute. They apply to all Auto Routing operations on that harness.

Run the command from Cabling Auto Routing. File types: Cabling Auto Routing Files. How curves are sampled: Routing Profiles.

USE_PATH

REQUIRE_PATH

Stay-out

Role

Optional highway

Forced corridor (or via)

Keep-clear volume

Defined by

Logical USE_PATH (or the Use Path tree node)

Logical REQUIRE_PATH (or the Required Path tree node)

Harness-skeleton feature named STAY_OUT_*

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.

N/A — every matching feature is collected.

Flags

None. A token is a curve name or wildcard.

WHOLE / TOUCH / SPAN=a:b and FORWARD / BACKWARD / ANY.

None. Closed quilt of any sketch shape (not rectangle-only).

Scope

Per cable

Per cable

All Auto Routing operations on the harness.

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.

No nodes removed.

Same curve twice

Redundant (still optional).

Allowed, with different flags (for example span, then later touch).

N/A — each STAY_OUT_* feature is one zone.

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.

  • Stay-out — keep-clear volumes. Auto Routing removes sample points that fall inside those quilts. Applies to every route on that harness.

Syntax (quick)

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Names 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.

Stay-out is a surface-extrude quilt on the harness skeleton named STAY_OUT_1, STAY_OUT_2, and so on. See Stay-Out Zone Definitions.

In this section

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.
  • Stay-Out Zone Definitions — Stay-out zones keep Cabling Auto Routing from placing route nodes inside keep-clear volumes on the harness skeleton.