About diagram parsing for data modeling

The process detects, extracts, and maps asset tags, file references, symbols, and connections from engineering diagrams to create a structured knowledge graph. The parsing flow differs based on file characteristics: Rasterized files support tag detection and mapping through text recognition and are limited to the Tag detection workflow. Vectorized files support tag detection and mapping, symbol detection and library matching, connection tracing between symbols, and full detection workflow across all tabs.

Public preview: In CDF, the Full diagram parsing option provides access to advanced parsing features across four tabs: Tag detection, Symbols, Merge, and Connections.Only the first page is parsed. If your multi-page PDF contains critical information on subsequent pages, consider splitting the file before parsing.

This diagram illustrates the parsing flow for vectorized files:

Core concepts

Understanding these foundational concepts helps you work effectively with diagram parsing:

Concept	Definition
Connection	A visual relationship between symbols, represented by lines or pipes in the diagram. Connections map how assets interact in your operations.
Diagram	A single page of a parsed file containing all detected symbols and their connections. Each diagram is created using a specific library.
Geometry	One of the many possible visual compositions of a symbol. Each geometry is defined by SVG paths that help the algorithm recognize different visual styles.
Instance	A detected occurrence of a symbol in the diagram. A single symbol can identify multiple instances based on the number of matching vectors found during the parsing process.
Library	A CDF project-specific collection of symbols used to detect objects in engineering diagrams. You must select a library before running a parsing job.
Merge	The process of linking detected tags and symbols that represent the same physical entity in the knowledge graph.
Symbol	A blueprint that defines how to detect a particular type of equipment, such as a valve, instrument, or pipe. Each symbol contains one or more geometries.
Tag	A text annotation detected in the diagram that identifies an asset or file reference. Tags can be linked to existing resources in CDF.
Template	A read-only set of symbols available by default in every CDF project. Templates provide a starting point for diagram parsing without requiring custom symbol creation.

For Full diagram parsing (public preview), the following list clarifies terminology and deletion behavior.

A symbol in the library is the reusable definition. Each detection on a diagram is a matched instance you verify on the Symbols tab.
When Merge refers to entities, it means those diagram items as a single unit.
Deleting a library or symbol removes related detections across every diagram file the library is used on. Confirmation dialogs summarize the impact before you confirm deletion.
For deletion workflows, see Manage symbol libraries.

Last modified on May 12, 2026

About contextualization

Parse diagrams

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​Core concepts

Core concepts