Learning to draw piping plan

[vanderloo5]

I'm having a hell of a time trying to draw a gas piping plan. Although I've found dozens of tutorials on youtube and Lynda.com,
I'm just not able to get the pipe to draw continuous like in the illustrations.
I'm able to draw one length of pipe and that's it. same with the placeholder tool.
I need to draw an ortho pipe plan and plot in 3d.
Can someone get me going in the right direction. literally.
Thank You

[CADastrophe]

You probably just have to set up the Pipe Type's Routing Preferences, which can be found under its Type Properties. Routing Preferences configure the default Pipe Fittings that will be used in the applicable situation, and without Pipe Fitting Families assigned, one cannot draw continuous Piping.

[vanderloo5]

Thanks but I keep setting up the routing preferences and I go in and try to draw the pipe and can't get past one length still, and when I go back into routing preferences, none of my settings stayed put. Everything is back to "None". Even though I hit apply. And I have every fitting family loaded as well.
Could use a good beginner video tut. These pipes are tricky little bastages!

[HermanS]

It could also be that your pipe settings (Manage>MEP Settings>Mechanical Settings>Pipes - Angles) are constrained to certain degrees only. Do you get a no-access sign at any angle after your first segment has been drawn?

[HermanS]

Aaah, sorry vanderloo5 , I only read your post properly now. Could you send us an image of the fitting types that refuse to be applied to your pipe type routing preferences?

[vanderloo5]

I finally figured it out. Well, somewhat. This piping stuff is complicated.
Now I'm trying to figure out how to tag pipes in a 3d view.
I loaded the pipe size tag and, for whatever reason, 3/4" pipe tags as 1", (which I assume is OD and I would rather display pipe ID).
But more importantly, I need to label pipe run lengths individually. I ran across a video illustrating this earlier but I can't find it.
I'll post in another thread but I need to tag pipes in a 3d view, (if possible), with lengths.

[Jmhanby]

Thanks but I keep setting up the routing preferences and I go in and try to draw the pipe and can't get past one length still, and when I go back into routing preferences, none of my settings stayed put. Everything is back to "None". Even though I hit apply. And I have every fitting family loaded as well.
Could use a good beginner video tut. These pipes are tricky little bastages!

Could you please let me know how you figured this out? I am having the same issue and can't for the life of me figure it out!

Why is it after I post a question I find the answer? LOL I was changing the size and not changing the actual fitting! Hope this can help someone else!

Now to figure out why the fittings are gray and not black like the pipes!