📖 Complete Documentation

Everything you need to master FB Optic Assist v2.3.15

🎥 Video Tutorials

📺 Watch and learn! These step-by-step video tutorials will guide you through every feature of FB Optic Assist. Follow along in order for the complete workflow, or jump to specific topics you need help with.

Step 0

Tool Overview & Interface

Introduction to the FB Optic Assist interface, opening the tool panel, and understanding the main sections.

Steps 0.5 & 0.55

Placing Poles and Spans

Learn how to import pole locations from KML files, configure block settings, and place pole spans connections.

Step 0.56

Measure & Update Buried Spans

How to measure buried cable spans and update span information for underground installations.

Steps 0.6 & 0.7

Import Handholes, Flowerpots & Pedestals

Import underground infrastructure elements including handholes, flowerpots, and pedestals from KML files.

Step 0.8

Cable Placement

Draw fiber optic cable routes, match cable properties, and place both aerial and underground cables.

Step 0.9

Terminal Placement

Place terminal blocks at house locations, copy templates, and configure terminal labels with addresses.

Step 0.95

Terminal Imports & Export

Track terminals, manage strand counts, and export terminal data to Excel with BP numbers.

Step 1.0

Quality Cable Check

Verify cable placements, check for quality issues, and ensure your fiber design meets standards.

Steps 1 & 2

Import & Match Addresses

Import addresses from KML and Client CSV files, run the matching algorithm, and export results.

Step 3

Place Street Names

Select streets from matched addresses and place street name labels with customizable formatting.

Step 4

Placing House Numbers

Sequential house number placement, multi-unit building support, and layer management.

💡 Pro Tip: Watch the videos in order for the best learning experience. Each step builds on the previous one to create a complete fiber optic design workflow.

🚀 Getting Started

FB Optic Assist is a powerful AutoCAD plugin designed specifically for fiber optic cable design professionals. This guide will help you get up and running in minutes.

What You'll Need

Two Ways to Use the Plugin

🎨 GUI Mode (Recommended)

Modern dockable interface with visual controls. Perfect for most users.

  • Click-based workflow
  • Visual feedback
  • Data persistence
  • Organized sections

⌨️ Command Mode

Traditional AutoCAD command-line interface. For power users.

  • Type commands directly
  • Script-friendly
  • Faster for experts
  • Automation-ready

💾 Installation

Step 1: Download the Installer

After subscribing, download FBOpticAssist_Setup_v2.3.15.exe from the download page.

Step 2: Run the Installer

Double-click the installer and follow the prompts. The installer will:

  • ✅ Automatically install .NET 8.0 Runtime if needed
  • ✅ Install the plugin to: C:\Program Files\FB Optic Assist\
  • ✅ Configure AutoCAD 2026 to load the plugin automatically

Step 3: Activate Your License

On first run, you'll be prompted to activate:

  1. Open AutoCAD 2026
  2. Type FBACTIVATE in the command line
  3. Enter the email you used when subscribing
  4. Wait for activation confirmation
✅ Success! You'll see the "Address Tools" button appear in the Add-ins ribbon tab.
💡 Pro Tip: The plugin loads automatically on AutoCAD startup. Use ADDRESSGUI to open the main interface.

🎨 GUI Overview

Opening the Interface

There are two ways to open the Address Tools window:

  1. Ribbon Button: Click "Address Tools" in the Add-ins tab
  2. Command: Type ADDRESSGUI and press Enter

Window Controls

Interface Sections

Section Purpose Key Features
0. Boundary Import project boundaries KML polygon import, georeferencing
0.5. Poles Import pole locations Block placement, auto-labeling
0.55. Pole Spans Connect poles with spans Aerial span lines, auto-connect
0.56. Buried Spans Measure underground spans Buried cable lengths, span updates
0.6. Handholes Import handhole locations Block placement, unique IDs
0.7. Flowerpots/Pedestals Import flowerpots & pedestals Block placement, labeling
0.8. Cable Placement Draw fiber optic cables Aerial & underground cables, property matching
0.9. Terminal Placement Place terminal blocks Copy templates, address labels
0.95. Terminal Tracking Track & export terminals Strand counts, BP numbers, Excel export
1.0. Quality Check Verify cable quality Cable validation, standards check
1. Import Addresses Load address data KML & Client CSV import
2. Match Addresses Compare addresses Smart matching, export results
3. Streets Place street names Layer management, property matching
4. Numbers Place house numbers Sequential placement, multi-unit support

📋 Complete Workflow

Follow these steps for a typical fiber optic design project. Steps are numbered to match the GUI sections.

Step 0: Open the Tool Interface

Launch FB Optic Assist:

  1. Open AutoCAD 2026
  2. Click "Address Tools" in the Add-ins ribbon tab, OR type ADDRESSGUI
  3. The dockable tool panel will appear
💡 You can dock the panel to any edge or float it as a window

Step 0 (cont.): Import Project Boundary

If you have a KML boundary file:

  1. Set coordinate system: Type GEOGRAPHICLOCATION
  2. In GUI Section 0, click "Import KML Polygon"
  3. Select your boundary KML file
  4. Choose layer name (default: IMPORT_KML)
✅ Boundary polygon appears in drawing

Step 0.5: Import Poles

Import pole locations from KML:

  1. In Section 0.5, set block name for poles
  2. Configure X/Y scales and label settings
  3. Click "Import Poles" and select your Poles.kml file
✅ Poles placed with unique IDs (POLE_0001, POLE_0002, etc.)

Step 0.55: Place Pole Spans

Connect poles with aerial spans:

  1. In Section 0.55, configure span line settings
  2. Click "Place Spans" for automatic placement, OR
  3. Click "Place Spans Interactive" to place one at a time
  4. Use "Continue Spans" to resume if interrupted
✅ Span lines connect poles on the designated layer

Step 0.56: Measure & Update Buried Spans

For underground cable sections:

  1. Use "Measure Buried Spans" to calculate underground distances
  2. Update span information with actual buried lengths
  3. Document underground routing for the design
💡 This is essential for accurate material ordering

Step 0.6: Import Handholes

Import handhole locations from KML:

  1. In Section 0.6, configure handhole block settings
  2. Click "Import Handholes" and select Handholes.kml
✅ Handholes placed with unique IDs (HANDHOLE_0001, etc.)

Step 0.7: Import Flowerpots & Pedestals

Import above-ground equipment locations:

  1. In Section 0.7, configure block settings
  2. Click "Import Flowerpots" for flowerpot locations
  3. Import pedestals separately if needed
✅ Equipment placed with unique IDs and labels

Step 0.8: Cable Placement

Draw fiber optic cable routes:

  1. In Section 0.8, select cable type (aerial or underground)
  2. Use "Match Cable Properties" to copy from existing cables
  3. Draw cable paths point-to-point
  4. Cables auto-calculate lengths with slack
💡 Use different colors/layers for different cable types

Step 0.9: Terminal Placement

Place terminal blocks at service locations:

  1. In Section 0.9, select or create terminal block template
  2. Click "Place Terminal" to copy and place at locations
  3. Configure terminal labels with address information
  4. Assign terminals to houses/buildings
✅ Terminals placed with address labels

Step 0.95: Terminal Tracking & Export

Track terminal data for documentation:

  1. In Section 0.95, start terminal tracking session
  2. Set strand counts for each terminal
  3. Assign BP (Building Point) numbers
  4. Click "Export Terminals" to save to Excel
✅ Excel file generated with all terminal data

Step 1.0: Quality Cable Check

Verify your cable design:

  1. In Section 1.0, run "Quality Check"
  2. Review any flagged issues or warnings
  3. Fix any cables that don't meet standards
  4. Re-run check until all issues resolved
✅ All cables validated and ready for documentation

Step 1: Import Address Data

In GUI Section 1:

  1. Click "Import KML" → Select your KML addresses file (KML or CSV format)
  2. Click "Import Client" → Select client addresses file (KML or CSV format)
✅ Status shows: "Imported X addresses" for each file

Step 2: Match Addresses

In GUI Section 2:

  1. Click "Match Addresses"
  2. Review results: "Found: X, Not Found: Y"
  3. (Optional) Click "Export Results" to save Excel file
✅ Street dropdown automatically populates with matched streets

Step 3: Place Street Names

In GUI Section 3:

  1. Select street from dropdown
  2. Choose layer (or create new)
  3. Set text height (e.g., 100)
  4. Set color (color picker or index)
  5. Click "Place Selected Street"
  6. Click in drawing where you want the street name
💡 Use "Match Properties" to copy settings from existing text

Step 4: Place House Numbers

In GUI Section 4:

  1. Select street from dropdown
  2. Select starting number from number dropdown
  3. Choose layer (default: NUMBERS_STREETNAME)
  4. Set text height (e.g., 50)
  5. Set color
  6. Click "Place Numbers"
  7. Click locations sequentially (low to high)
✅ Multi-unit buildings automatically show "X UNITS" below number

Final Step: Review and Export

Complete your design:

  • Verify all infrastructure is placed correctly
  • Check all cables and spans are connected
  • Verify all streets and house numbers are placed
  • Export terminal data and match results
  • Save your AutoCAD drawing
✅ Design complete and ready for review!

⌨️ Command Reference

GUI Commands

Command Description
ADDRESSGUI Open Address Tools window
ADDRESSGUIHIDE Hide window (data stays loaded)
ADDRESSGUITOGGLE Show/hide the window
ADDRESSGUIHELP Show GUI help information

Address Commands

Command Description
IMPORTKML Import KML address file (CSV format)
IMPORTCLIENT Import client address file (CSV format)
MATCHADDRESSES Compare and match addresses from both files
EXPORTRESULTS Export match results to CSV/Excel
LISTSTREETS Show all unique street names
PLACESTREET Place selected street name in drawing
PLACENUMBERS Place house numbers sequentially
CONTINUENUMBERS Resume interrupted number placement
NUMBERSTATUS View placement progress
ADDRESSHELP Display all address commands

📍 Terminal Tracking

Track terminals, assign addresses, and export to Excel with BP numbers and strand counts.

Terminal Commands

Command Description
STARTERMINALTRACK Start terminal tracking session
ADDTERMINAL Add a new terminal to tracking
SETSTRANDCOUNT Set strand count for terminal
PLACETERMINAL Place terminal block in drawing
SELECTTERMINAL Select existing terminal to edit
UPDATETERMINAL Update terminal information
APPLYTERMINALUPDATE Apply pending terminal updates
EXPORTTERMINALS Export terminal data to Excel
TERMINALSTATS Show terminal statistics
TERMINALHELP Display terminal commands help
TERMINALTRACKHELP Display terminal tracking help

Workflow

1. Start Tracking

Type STARTERMINALTRACK to begin a new tracking session.

2. Add Terminals

Use ADDTERMINAL to add terminals. Set strand count with SETSTRANDCOUNT.

3. Export Data

Use EXPORTTERMINALS to export all terminal data to Excel with BP numbers.

🔌 Cable Routing

Draw fiber optic cables with specifications, calculate lengths, and manage connections.

Cable Commands

Command Description
DRAWCABLE Draw fiber optic cable path
DRAWPOLECABLE Draw aerial cable between poles
DRAWUNDERGROUNDCABLE Draw underground/buried cable
ADDCONNECTION Add connection point (splice, termination)
CABLELENGTH Calculate cable length with slack
MEASUREBURIEDSPANS Measure buried span lengths
MATCHCABLEPROPS Copy cable properties from existing
CABLEROUTING Open cable routing interface
CABLEINFO Display cable command help

Cable Types

🔵 Aerial Cable

Use DRAWPOLECABLE for pole-to-pole runs.

  • Click pole → pole
  • Auto-calculates sag
  • Adds slack percentage

🟤 Underground Cable

Use DRAWUNDERGROUNDCABLE for buried runs.

  • Point-to-point routing
  • Conduit integration
  • Junction support

🏗️ Pole & Spans

Import poles from KML and create span connections between them.

Pole & Span Commands

Command Description
IMPORTPOLESPANS Import poles and spans from KML file
PLACESPANS Place spans between poles automatically
PLACESPANSINTERACTIVE Place spans one at a time interactively
CONTINUESPANS Continue interrupted span placement
SPANHELP Display span commands help

Workflow

1. Import Poles

Use the GUI Section 0.5 or IMPORTPOLESPANS to import pole locations from KML.

2. Place Spans

Use PLACESPANS for automatic placement or PLACESPANSINTERACTIVE for manual control.

3. Continue If Interrupted

Use CONTINUESPANS to resume span placement if you need to take a break.

🔄 Updates & License

Manage your license and keep your software up to date.

License Commands

Command Description
FBACTIVATE Activate your license with email
FBLICENSE View license status and details
FBVERIFY Verify license with server
FBINFO Show plugin version and info

Update Commands

Command Description
FBUPDATE Check for available updates
FBDOWNLOAD Download and install update

Automatic Updates

The plugin automatically checks for updates when AutoCAD starts:

💡 New in v2.3.13+: Direct in-app downloads! No need to open a browser - download updates directly from the tool with a progress bar.

🌍 Layout Extraction (US Only)

Extract parcel lines, roads, house numbers, and building footprints from public US GIS sources directly into your AutoCAD drawing.

🆕 NEW in v2.4! This feature establishes the base map that everything else aligns to - the recommended first step in your workflow.

Data Sources

Source Data Available Coverage
US Census TIGER Roads, boundaries Nationwide
OpenStreetMap Roads, buildings, addresses Worldwide (US focus)
County GIS Portals Parcels, addresses Major counties
ArcGIS Feature Services Various Where published

Quick Start

Method 1: Extract by Address

  1. Open the FB Optic Assist palette (ADDRESSGUI)
  2. In the Layout Extraction section at the top:
  3. Enter a US address (e.g., 1234 Main St, Phoenix, AZ 85001)
  4. Set the extraction radius in meters (default: 500m)
  5. Check which features to extract (Parcels, Roads, House Numbers, Buildings)
  6. Click 🔍 Extract Layout
  7. Wait for extraction (10-30 seconds)
  8. Click 📍 Place in Drawing

Layout Extraction Commands

Command Description
EXTRACTLAYOUT Extract by address (interactive)
EXTRACTLAYOUTBBOX Extract by coordinate bounding box
EXTRACTFROMPOLYGON Extract from drawn polygon boundary
PLACELAYOUT Place last extracted features
SETGEOREF Manually set georeferencing center
LAYOUTHELP Display help information

Layers Created

Layer Name Feature Type Default Color
GIS_PARCELS Parcel boundaries Green (3)
GIS_ROADS Road centerlines White (7)
GIS_ADDRESSES House number text Yellow (2)
GIS_BUILDINGS Building footprints Blue (5)

🚧 Buried Cable Spans

Automatically measure and label spans between blocks (handholes, flowerpots) along underground cable routes.

🆕 NEW Feature! Automatically calculates distances and creates labels with conduit count, pipe size, and installation method.

Label Format

100' - (1)1.25" - B

Workflow

Step 1: Prepare Your Drawing

  1. Draw a line/polyline representing your buried cable route
  2. Place blocks (handholes, flowerpots) along the line
  3. Blocks should be within 50 units of the line

Step 2: Configure Settings

In GUI Section 0.56 (Buried Cable Spans):

  • Set Layer Name (default: BURIED_SPANS)
  • Set Text Height and Color
  • Configure Conduit Count, Pipe Size, and Method
  • Optionally match properties from existing text

Step 3: Measure and Place

  1. Click Measure and Place Spans
  2. Select your cable line/polyline
  3. Spans are automatically measured and labeled

Commands

Command Description
MEASUREBURIEDSPANS Measure and label buried spans

🔍 Quality Check - Cable & PON Tracking

Track cable fiber usage, terminal assignments, and PON (Passive Optical Network) counts to ensure design integrity.

🆕 NEW Feature! Essential for ensuring PON counts don't repeat and fiber assignments are correct.

What It Tracks

Workflow

Step 1: Select Cable

Click Select Cable and select a cable polyline. The cable name and length are automatically extracted.

Step 2: Select Terminals (Optional)

Click Select Terminals and select terminal MText elements. Press ESC when done.

Step 3: Configure Fiber & PON

  • Set Total Fibers (cable capacity)
  • Set Used Fibers range (e.g., 1-12)
  • Set Dead Fibers (optional)
  • PON Start number (auto-increments)
  • Select Parent Cable if PON is shared

Step 4: Add & Validate

  1. Click Add Cable to add to the tracking list
  2. Click Validate PON to check for conflicts
  3. Click Export to Excel when complete
⚠️ CRITICAL: PON counts CANNOT repeat! Use the Validate PON feature to catch conflicts before finalizing your design.

✅ Address Validation

Validate addresses against multiple sources including property appraiser databases, USPS, and custom URLs.

Validation Sources

Source Description
Property Appraiser State/County property appraiser records
USPS US Postal Service address verification
Google Geocoding Google Maps address validation
State GIS State-level GIS databases
Federal Federal address databases
Custom Link Your own validation URL

Workflow

Using Address Validation (Section 2.1)

  1. Click Load Match Results to load addresses
  2. Select a Validator type from dropdown
  3. Select State, County, and City (if applicable)
  4. Click 🔍 Validate Addresses
  5. Review results and export if needed

Find Missing Addresses (Section 1.1)

Compare client addresses against terminal data to find addresses that haven't been assigned to terminals:

  1. Load Terminal File - Excel with terminal addresses
  2. Load Address File - Excel with client addresses
  3. Validate - Compare to find missing addresses
  4. Export Missing - Save list of addresses not found

📋 Terminal Tracking (Enhanced)

Enhanced terminal tracking with strand counts, BP numbering, and automatic ID lookup from match results.

Features

Workflow

Step 1: Start Tracking

  1. Set strand count per terminal
  2. Click Start Terminal Tracking
  3. Load Match_Results.csv (New or Continue existing)

Step 2: Add Houses to Terminals

  1. Click Add Houses to Terminal
  2. Select terminal MText in drawing
  3. Select house numbers one by one
  4. Press ESC when done with this terminal
  5. Repeat for each terminal

Step 3: Export

Click Export to Excel to save with columns: STRAND, 1ST ADDRESS, BP, ID, SERVICE ADDRESS, UNIT

Commands

Command Description
STARTERMINALTRACK Start terminal tracking session
ADDTERMINAL Add houses to a terminal
EXPORTTERMINALS Export tracking data to Excel
TERMINALSTATS Show terminal statistics

📦 Infrastructure Import

Import poles, handholes, flowerpots, and pedestals from KML files with automatic unique ID assignment.

Supported Infrastructure Types

Type GUI Section ID Format
Poles 0.5 POLE_0001, POLE_0002, ...
Handholes 0.6 HANDHOLE_0001, HANDHOLE_0002, ...
Flowerpots 0.7 FLOWERPOT_0001, FLOWERPOT_0002, ...

Configuration Options

Workflow

  1. Select or type block name (or click "Select Block from Drawing")
  2. Configure scale and layer settings
  3. Click Import from KML
  4. Select your KML file
  5. Blocks are placed at georeferenced coordinates

⌨️ Complete Command Reference

Layout Extraction Commands

CommandDescription
EXTRACTLAYOUTExtract by address (interactive)
EXTRACTLAYOUTBBOXExtract by coordinate bounding box
EXTRACTFROMPOLYGONExtract from drawn polygon
PLACELAYOUTPlace extracted features
SETGEOREFSet georeferencing center
LAYOUTHELPDisplay layout help

Cable Routing Commands

CommandDescription
DRAWCABLEDraw fiber optic cable path
DRAWPOLECABLEDraw aerial cable between poles
DRAWUNDERGROUNDCABLEDraw underground/buried cable
ADDCONNECTIONAdd connection point
CABLELENGTHCalculate cable length
MEASUREBURIEDSPANSMeasure buried span lengths
MATCHCABLEPROPSCopy cable properties
CABLEROUTINGOpen cable routing interface
CABLEINFODisplay cable help

Pole & Span Commands

CommandDescription
IMPORTPOLESPANSImport poles and spans from KML
PLACESPANSPlace spans automatically
PLACESPANSINTERACTIVEPlace spans interactively
CONTINUESPANSContinue interrupted placement
SPANHELPDisplay span help

Terminal Commands

CommandDescription
PLACETERMINALPlace terminal block
SELECTTERMINALSelect terminal to edit
UPDATETERMINALUpdate terminal info
APPLYTERMINALUPDATEApply terminal changes
STARTERMINALTRACKStart tracking session
ADDTERMINALAdd houses to terminal
SETSTRANDCOUNTSet strand count
EXPORTTERMINALSExport to Excel
TERMINALSTATSShow statistics
TERMINALHELPDisplay terminal help
TERMINALTRACKHELPDisplay tracking help

Address Commands

CommandDescription
IMPORTKMLImport KML address file
IMPORTCLIENTImport client address file
MATCHADDRESSESCompare and match addresses
EXPORTRESULTSExport match results
LISTSTREETSList unique streets
PLACESTREETPlace street name
PLACENUMBERSPlace house numbers
CONTINUENUMBERSResume number placement
NUMBERSTATUSShow placement progress
ADDRESSHELPDisplay address help

License & Update Commands

CommandDescription
FBACTIVATEActivate license
FBLICENSEView license status
FBVERIFYVerify license
FBINFOShow plugin info
FBUPDATECheck for updates
FBDOWNLOADDownload update

GUI Commands

CommandDescription
ADDRESSGUIOpen Address Tools window
ADDRESSGUIHIDEHide window
ADDRESSGUITOGGLEToggle window
ADDRESSGUIHELPShow GUI help

✨ Feature Guides

Address Matching

The address matcher uses intelligent comparison to match addresses from two sources:

Flexible Unit Matching

The system recognizes equivalent unit formats:

Multi-Unit Building Support

When placing house numbers, multi-unit buildings are automatically detected:

Single Unit

1347

One line of text showing address number

Multi-Unit

1347 5 UNITS

Two lines: number + unit count

Property Matching

Copy formatting from existing drawing elements:

  1. Check "Match Properties" checkbox
  2. Click "Match Properties" button
  3. Click existing text in drawing
  4. Settings automatically update (height, color, layer)

Session Persistence

Your data stays loaded throughout your AutoCAD session:

🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

❌ Error: "File must contain 'ID' and 'ADDRESS' columns"

Solution:

  • Open CSV in Notepad
  • First line should be: ID,ADDRESS,UNIT
  • Column names must be in the first row
❌ Error: "License verification failed"

Solution:

  • Check your internet connection
  • Verify your subscription is active
  • Run FBACTIVATE with your email
  • Contact support if issue persists
❌ Problem: Commands not responding

Solution:

  • Check command order: IMPORTKML → IMPORTCLIENT → MATCHADDRESSES
  • Restart AutoCAD
  • Verify .NET 8.0 Runtime is installed
❌ Problem: GUI window won't open

Solution:

  • Type ADDRESSGUI in command line
  • Check if window is hidden off-screen
  • Check AutoCAD console for error messages

Getting More Help

💡 Tips & Best Practices

Address Formatting

✅ Best Format:
1347 E POLK ST PHOENIX AZ 85006

Include: Street number, direction, street name, city, state, zip

File Preparation

Workflow Optimization

Performance Tips

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Q: Do I need an internet connection to use the plugin?

A: Yes, the plugin verifies your license on startup. An offline grace period of 7 days is allowed for occasional connectivity issues.

Q: Can I use the plugin on multiple computers?

A: Your subscription is linked to one computer. Contact support@fiberopticworld.io to transfer your license to a different computer.

Q: What happens if my subscription expires?

A: The plugin will stop working. Your drawings remain intact, but you won't be able to use plugin features until you renew.

Q: Are my drawings safe?

A: Yes! The plugin only adds standard AutoCAD entities (lines, text, blocks). Your drawings are fully compatible with standard AutoCAD.

Technical Questions

Q: Why use CSV instead of direct Excel files?

A: CSV is a simple, universal format that's fast to parse and has fewer compatibility issues. Excel can easily export to CSV.

Q: Can I edit placed elements?

A: Yes! All placed elements are standard AutoCAD objects. Edit them with standard AutoCAD commands (MOVE, COPY, ERASE, etc.).

Q: What coordinate systems are supported?

A: The plugin works with any coordinate system AutoCAD supports. Set it with GEOGRAPHICLOCATION or MAPCSASSIGN before importing KML.

Billing Questions

Q: How does the 3-day trial work?

A: Download and use all features free for 3 days. Credit card required. After 3 days, you'll be charged $50/month unless you cancel.

Q: Can I get a refund?

A: Yes! We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. Contact support@fiberopticworld.io if you're not satisfied.

Q: Do updates cost extra?

A: No! All updates and new features are included in your subscription at no additional cost.

Ready to Get Started?

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