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Data Maintenance and Troubleshooting

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Anthony Conte
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Overview

This guide covers maintaining data integrity, restoring missing items, and troubleshooting common issues in FireCAD projects.

Routine Maintenance

Deleting Orphaned Records

Orphaned records are database entries for entities that no longer exist in the drawing:

  1. Type ATDELETE_ORPHANS
  2. FireCAD automatically:
    • Validates all segments and devices
    • Removes orphaned circuit devices, circuits, device types, and assembly configurations
    • Updates all labels

Run this periodically, especially after deleting entities directly in AutoCAD (bypassing FireCAD commands).

Cleaning Up Database Instances

If you experience database connection errors:

  1. Type ATCLEANUP_REPOSITORIES
  2. Orphaned SQL Server LocalDB instances are cleaned up

Resetting Conduit IDs

If conduit IDs become inconsistent or duplicated:

  1. Type ATRESET_CONDUITIDS
  2. All conduit IDs are cleared and recalculated
  3. Labels refresh automatically

Restoring Missing Items

Restoring a Missing Drawing

If a .dwg file is lost or corrupted but the project database still has the data:

  1. Type ATRESTORE_MISSING_DRAWING
  2. Select a template (.dwt) or drawing (.dwg) file as the base
  3. FireCAD recreates all devices and segments from the database
  4. Wirepaths are rerouted and labels regenerated

What gets restored: Devices, segments, circuits, connections What is NOT restored: Custom geometry, annotations, title block customizations

Restoring Missing Devices

If device blocks were accidentally erased but database records remain:

  1. Type ATRESTORE_MISSING_DEVICES
  2. FireCAD scans for discrepancies and recreates missing device blocks
  3. Devices appear at their original positions with original attributes
  4. Run ATVALIDATE afterward to verify integrity

Restoring Missing Segments

If wirepath segments were accidentally erased:

  1. Type ATRESTORE_MISSING_SEGMENTS
  2. Missing segment blocks are recreated from database records
  3. Run ATREROUTE_WIREPATHS to recalculate routing
  4. Run ATREFRESH_LABELS to update labels
Tip

If both devices and segments are missing, restore devices first, then segments.

Troubleshooting Decision Tree

Symptom Action
Missing drawing file ATRESTORE_MISSING_DRAWING
Devices disappeared from drawing ATRESTORE_MISSING_DEVICES then ATVALIDATE
Segments disappeared from drawing ATRESTORE_MISSING_SEGMENTS then ATREROUTE_WIREPATHS
Orphaned database records ATDELETE_ORPHANS
Corrupted metadata/XData ATUTILS_CLEAR_ALL_XRECORDS then ATVALIDATE
Incorrect conduit IDs ATRESET_CONDUITIDS
Database connection errors ATCLEANUP_REPOSITORIES
Labels not displaying correctly ATREFRESH_LABELS or ATREFRESH_LABELS_FULL
Wirepath routing is tangled ATREROUTE_WIREPATHS
Design rule violations ATDESIGN_ASSISTANT
Need to restart wirepaths ATDELETE_ALL_SEGMENTS then ATAUTO_DRAW_CIRCUIT_WIREPATH

Standard Troubleshooting Sequence

When data integrity issues arise, follow this sequence:

  1. Validate — Type ATVALIDATE to sync drawing with database
  2. Clean up — Type ATDELETE_ORPHANS to remove orphaned records
  3. Check design — Type ATDESIGN_ASSISTANT to identify remaining issues
  4. Fix issues — Address each problem identified
  5. Revalidate — Click Recheck in the Design Assistant to confirm fixes

Clearing XRecords (Last Resort)

If metadata is severely corrupted:

  1. Type ATUTILS_CLEAR_ALL_XRECORDS
  2. All FireCAD metadata is removed from drawing entities
  3. Immediately run ATVALIDATE to rebuild metadata

Use this only as a last resort — it removes all FireCAD extended data from the drawing.

Deleting All Segments (Fresh Start)

If segment data is severely corrupted and needs a complete restart:

  1. Type ATDELETE_ALL_SEGMENTS
  2. Confirm the destructive operation
  3. All segment entities and database records are permanently removed
  4. Circuit connections remain intact
  5. Type ATAUTO_DRAW_CIRCUIT_WIREPATH to redraw all wirepaths

Label Refresh Options

Command Speed Use When
ATREFRESH_LABELS Fast (~100ms) Labels need recalculating, data hasn't changed
ATREFRESH_LABELS_FULL Slower (~3-5s) Database data has changed, need full reload

ATREFRESH_LABELS_FULL is automatically used after operations that create new data (restoring drawings, rerouting wirepaths, duplicating drawings).

Tips

  • Run ATDELETE_ORPHANS after any session where you deleted entities directly in AutoCAD
  • Always validate (ATVALIDATE) before generating reports
  • Back up important drawings before running destructive operations
  • The Design Assistant provides the most comprehensive view of project health
  • When in doubt, the sequence Validate → Delete Orphans → Refresh Labels resolves most data consistency issues

Quick Reference

Task Command
Delete orphaned records ATDELETE_ORPHANS
Clean up database instances ATCLEANUP_REPOSITORIES
Reset conduit IDs ATRESET_CONDUITIDS
Clear XRecords (last resort) ATUTILS_CLEAR_ALL_XRECORDS
Delete all segments ATDELETE_ALL_SEGMENTS
Restore missing drawing ATRESTORE_MISSING_DRAWING
Restore missing devices ATRESTORE_MISSING_DEVICES
Restore missing segments ATRESTORE_MISSING_SEGMENTS
Fast label refresh ATREFRESH_LABELS
Full label refresh ATREFRESH_LABELS_FULL

What's Next

FireCAD is the industry-leading AutoCAD add-in for fire alarm system design — from circuit layout to wire routing to code-compliant reports.
Learn more and get started at getfirecad.com →

Inspect Point Integration — Fire alarm system device lists and bill of materials can be pushed directly from FireCAD into Inspect Point, eliminating manual data entry and ensuring every device is ready for inspection scheduling and ongoing asset management.
Learn more here →

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