Jennifer J.
How to select a wire gauge in AutoCAD Electrical 2011?
AutoCAD Electrical 2011's method for selecting wire gauges is not explicitly documented in the available resources.
Overview of project and drawing properties. Autodesk AutoCAD Electrical 2011
Autodesk AutoCAD Electrical 2011 is a powerful software tool that can help you to design, document, and manage your electrical projects. It includes a comprehensive set of features to help you complete your work quickly and efficiently. With AutoCAD Electrical, you can create accurate schematics, panel layouts, and reports.
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Drawing and Project
Properties
4
Overview of project and drawing properties
Use the Project Properties dialog box to define settings when creating a project.
Then have the settings used for new drawings or the settings added to the project. In the Project Properties dialog box, icons indicate whether the settings apply to project settings or drawing defaults.
Settings that apply to project settings and are saved inside the project definition file (.wdp).
Settings that are saved in the project file as drawing defaults. Drawing related data to add to the project when running the Add Drawing command is saved as Drawing Custom Properties.
199
Use the Drawing Properties dialog box to define settings for a new or selected drawing. These settings override the project properties set in the Project
Properties dialog box. If the drawing is part of a project, the project name displays in the dialog box. Otherwise, text displays indicating that the drawing is not part of a project, and drawing-related edit fields saved in the .wdp file are disabled.
You can specify settings for the project or drawing defaults, components, wire numbers, cross-references, styles, and the drawing format using either the
Project Properties or Drawing Properties dialog boxes. An overview of the available options for each tab are listed in the following section.
Settings
Project settings include:
■ Library and Icon Menu paths
■ Catalog lookup file preferences
■ Real-time error checking options
200 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Drawing settings include:
■ Drawing type and descriptions
■ IEC default values for the Project (%P), Installation (%I), and Location
(%L) fields
■ Sheet values for the sheet and drawing in addition to section or subsection codes
Components
Use this tab to:
■ Specify the way new component tags are created.
■ Switch between sequential or line reference based tags.
■ Set component tag options such as using combined Installation/Location tags or suppressing the Installation/Location tag on reports.
■
Display description text in uppercase.
Wire Numbers
Use this tab to:
■ Set the wire number format.
■ Switch between sequential or line reference based wire numbers.
■ Set wire number options such as hidden numbers, excluded numbers, or displaying numbers on a per wire basis.
■ Set up wire number layer options.
■ Define wire number placement: above, below, or in-line.
■ Define wire number leaders.
Cross-references
Use this tab to:
■
Define the cross-reference annotation format.
■ Set cross-reference options such as suppressing Installation/Location codes or using real-time signal and contact cross-referencing between drawings.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 201
■ Set component cross-reference display: text, graphical, or table. You can also change the display format setup from this dialog box.
Styles
Use this tab to:
■ Change default styles for arrows, plcs, fan-in/out markers, and wiring.
■ Add or remove layers from the layer list.
Drawing Format
Use this tab to:
■ Set the default orientation, spacing, and width values for any new ladders inserted on the drawing.
■ Specify the format referencing style: X-Y Grid, X Zones, or Reference
Numbers.
■ Set the scale factor used when inserting new components or wire numbers on the drawing.
■ Set the tag/wire number sort order.
■ Define and manage wire and component layers.
Set project or drawing properties
You can specify settings for the project or drawing defaults, components, wire numbers, cross-references, styles, and the drawing format using either the
Project Properties or Drawing Properties dialog boxes. The following steps are for setting project properties. To set drawing properties, open the Project
Manager, then right-click the drawing name and select Properties
➤
Drawing
Properties, or click the Drawing Properties tool.
1
Click Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
2
In the Project Manager, right-click the project name, and select Properties.
NOTE
You can also set project properties when you create a project. Create the project and click OK -Properties in the Create New Project dialog box.
202 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
3
In the Project Properties dialog box, select the tab to modify properties for.
4
Click OK.
Set project descriptions
You can specify descriptions for use in reports and title block updates. AutoCAD
Electrical supports an unlimited number of description lines.
1
Click Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
2
In the Project Manager, right-click the project name, and select
Descriptions.
NOTE
You can also set project descriptions when you create a project. Create the project and click Descriptions in the Create New Project dialog box.
3
In the Project Description dialog box, enter values for each line.The dialog box displays 12 description lines at one time.
Displays the first 12 description lines.
Displays the previous 12 description lines.
Displays the next 12 description lines.
Displays the last set of 12 description lines, where one of the lines has a value.
4
Select the
in reports
check box to include the description line in a report when the Project Lines Header is added.
5
Click OK.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 203
See also:
■
on page 1224
■
Map AutoLISP values to the title block
on page 1226
Project properties: project settings tab
Modify your project default settings for libraries, catalog lookup, and error checking. All information defined in this tab is saved to the project definition file as a project default.
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Libraries
Icon Menu File
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the project name, and select Properties.
Select the Project Settings tab.
Library and Icon Menu Paths
Select which schematic library, panel library, and icon menus to use.
To modify existing input fields in the tree structure, double-click the folder (for example, Schematic Libraries) and highlight the path to change. Then browse to the path of the schematic or base footprint symbol library to use for the project. You can also include a series of paths for AutoCAD Electrical to search in order.
You can include electrical, pneumatic, or other schematic libraries in the path.
NOTE
The symbol search path includes the User and Project folders (and potentially the AutoCAD search paths) before the paths listed here. In the Project Manager, right-click the project name, and select Settings to view the active search path for the project.
To use an icon menu for the project that is different from the default, enter the file name. This menu reference is saved in the project's .wdp file.
204 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Add
Browse
Remove
Move Up
Move Down
Default
NOTE
You can only specify one search path for the icon menu.
Adds a new entry into the libraries tree structure.
Browses for a folder to select a symbol library or icon menu from.
Removes the selected path from the libraries tree structure.
Moves the selected path up one spot in the libraries tree structure.
Moves the selected path down one spot in the libraries tree structure.
Brings the default paths from the environment file (WD.ENV) into the list box tree view for all search paths found underneath the highlighted folder.
Catalog Lookup File Preference
Use component-specific tables
Searches for the component name as the catalog table. If the component table is not found, the family name table is searched. If neither table is found, use the Catalog Lookup File dialog box to create a component or family table or select a different table.
Other File
Always use MISC_CAT table
Use MISC_CAT table only if componentspecific table does not exist
Defines a secondary catalog lookup file.
Searches only the MISC_CAT table. You can search other component tables if the catalog number is not found in the MISC_CAT table.
Uses the MISC_CAT table if the component or family tables are not found in the catalog database.
Options
Real-time error checking
Performs real-time error checking on the project to determine if duplications of wire numbers or component tags occur in the project.
An error log file is created for every project regardless whether you chose to display the real-time warning dialog box or not. The real-time warning is saved in
Overview of project and drawing properties | 205
Tag/Wire Number Sort Order
Electrical Code Standard
the log file named "<project_name>_error.log"and is saved in the User subdirectory. If a log file exists, the new content is added to the same file. A blank line separates one error record from another.
Sets the default wire numbering and component tag sort order for the project.
Sets the Electrical code standard used by Circuit
Builder. A three character suffix code is saved to the.wdp project file. The suffix is used when search-
ing for a specific table in ace_electrical_standards.mdb
Circuit Builder searches for a table using the following sequence:
1
Tables with the three character Electrical Code
Standard suffix.
2
Tables without a suffix.
3
Tables with an “NEC” suffix.
Catalog lookup file
It defines a secondary catalog lookup file to use.
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
On the Project Manager, right-click on the Project name and select Properties.
In the Project Properties
➤
Project Settings dialog box, Catalog Lookup File
Preference section, click Other File.
Single catalog lookup file
Specifies to use only one catalog lookup file. The file that is used depends on what was selected on the
Project Properties
➤
Project Settings dialog box.
206 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Optional: Define a secondary catalog lookup file for this project
Specifies to define a secondary lookup file for the project. Catalog lookup files provided with AutoCAD
Electrical include: default_cat.mdb, footprint_lookup.mdb, schematic_lookup.mdb, wd_lang1.mdb, and wd_picklist.mdb.
Defines a secondary catalog lookup file that functions as such:
■
For catalog part number selection, switches to a secondary catalog lookup file.
■
For BOM report generation, queries the secondary catalog lookup file when the target part number is not found in the default file.
Project properties: components tab
Modify your project default settings for components. All information defined in this tab is saved to the project definition file as project defaults and settings.
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Tag Format
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the project name, and select Properties.
Select the Components tab.
Component TAG Format
Specifies the way new component tags are created.
The tag consists of a minimum of two pieces of information: a family code and an alphanumeric reference number (for example, "CR" and "100" to yield a tag like CR100 or 100CR). Optionally, a component tag might contain a sheet number or some userspecified separators. If your format includes the sheet number %S parameter or the drawing number %D parameter, enter the values in the edit boxes in the
Drawing Properties
➤
Drawing Settings dialog box.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 207
Search for PLC I/O address on insert
Sequential
Line Reference
NOTE
AutoCAD Electrical provides a predefined format for you to use or you can enter your own
format using replaceable parameters
on page 236.
NOTE
The %N parameter is mandatory in any component tag format you define.
Searches for a connected PLC I/O module's I/O point.
If found, the I/O address value is substituted for the
"%N" part of the default component tag.
NOTE
This setting is saved in the MISC_FLAGS attribute on the WD_M block of the drawing.
Enter the beginning sequential number for the drawing. Sequential tags can continue uninterrupted from one drawing to the next if you assign the same beginning sequential number to every drawing in your project. As you insert components on any drawing of the project set, AutoCAD Electrical starts with the value you set and works its way up until it finds the next unused sequential number tag for the target component family.
NOTE
If you finish a drawing and move to the next, but return to the first drawing to add another component and sequential tag, a gap appears in the numbering sequence for that drawing. Use the
AutoCAD Electrical Project-wide Update/Retag tool to retag the whole drawing set.
Set up the unique format tag suffix list. Use this list to create unique reference-based tags when multiple components of the same family are located at the same reference location. (For example, three push buttons on the same line reference "101" could be labeled PB101, PB101A, and PB101B -- AutoCAD
Electrical does this using a suffix list of " ", "A", "B", and so on).
208 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Suffix Setup
NOTE
The component tag suffix is automatically added to the end of the tag. You can force AutoCAD
Electrical to insert the suffix character somewhere within the tag format. Use the Suffix position parameter, %X, in the component tag format (for example, %N%X - %F).
Displays the suffix list. The individual items in the suffix list are given in the row of edit boxes across the top of the dialog box. List suffix characters for duplicate family components on the same line reference or in the same zone (to keep tags unique). The suffix is added to the end of the component tag. To add it to the inside of the tag, use "%X" in the Tag
Format. Example:
%N-%F or %N-%F%X = suffix at the end (such as
101-CRA)
%N%X-%F = add to number, before family code
(such as 101A-CR)
Select from the default lists or manually enter your own suffix list in the row of edit boxes.
Component TAG Options
Combined Installation/Location tag mode
Uses the combined installation/location tag for interpreting component tag names. For example, -100CR relay contact marked with location code PNL1 is interpreted as being associated with a different relay coil than relay contact -100CR marked with location code PNL2. If this setting is not selected, both contacts are associated with the same parent relay coil,
-100CR.
Suppress dash when first character of tag
Suppresses any single-dash character prefix in an IEC tag that does not have a leading Installation/Location prefix. (For example, "-K101" dash is suppressed to
"K101" but "+LOC1-K101" remains unchanged.)
When switched OFF, it automatically adds a single dash character to an IEC tag that does not already have a single leading dash prefix. It also does not have a leading Installation/Location prefix. (For ex-
Overview of project and drawing properties | 209
ample, tag "K101" becomes "-K101" but "+LOC1-
K101" remains unchanged._
NOTE
This suppression takes place automatically in reports; and takes place graphically only when a component is inserted, edited, or retagged.
Format Installation/Location into tag
Specifies to exclude the Installation and Location code values as part of the tag when displaying. For example, if it is not on, a tag might show up as K16 in the Surf dialog box, but if selected the tag might show up +AAA-K16 (where AAA is the location).
Suppress Installation/Location in tag when match drawing default
Suppresses Location and Installation values on components if they match the drawing default values.
NOTE
Update cross-reference text using the Auto-
CAD Electrical Cross-reference command.
Suppress Installation/Location in tag on reports
Specifies to exclude Installation and Location values as part of the tag when displayed in reports.
Upon insert: automatic fill Installation/Location with drawing default or last used
Fills the Installation and Location edit boxes on the
Insert/Edit component dialog box. The attributes on the block with drawing default or last used values (if no drawing default).If not selected, these edit boxes and attributes are not filled in and are assumed.
NOTE
Avoid using a mixture of drawings in the project when using the Combine
Installation/Location Tag mode. For example, do not include some drawings with drawing-wide Installation or Location values and some without drawing-wide values. It can result in a disruption of the child and parent component relationship under certain circumstances.
Component Options
Description text upper case
Item Numbering
Forces description text to upper case.
Launches the Item Numbering Setup dialog box. The dialog box contains options for project or drawing wide item numbering, and per-part number or percomponent item numbering.
210 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Item Numbering Setup
Define the item numbering settings for the project.
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the project name, and select Properties.
Select the Components tab and click Item Numbering.
Item Numbering Mode
Item Assignments
Sets item numbering to either project-wide or perdrawing. This setting controls an Item Resequence and the “Next>>” buttons on any “Insert/Edit” dialog boxes.
Per-Component Basis
- allow item number assignment to the main catalog part number only.
Per-Part Number Basis
- allow item number assignment for each catalog entry on a component. It includes the main catalog part number and any multiple catalog part numbers.
NOTE
Item numbers cannot be assigned to part numbers based on ASSYCODE combinations.
Project properties: wire numbers tab
Modify your project default settings for wire numbers. All information defined in this tab is saved to the project definition file as project defaults and settings
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
Overview of project and drawing properties | 211
Format
In the Project Manager, right-click on the project name and select Properties.
Select the Wire Numbers tab.
Wire Number Format
Wire number tags can be sequential or reference-based.
Specifies the way new wire number tags are created. The wire number tag format must include the %N parameter that is the base sequential or reference-based value from the selection described. If your format includes the sheet number %S parameter or the drawing number %D parameter, enter the values in the edit boxes in the Drawing
Properties
➤
Drawing Settings dialog box.
NOTE
For reference-based wire number tagging, individual items in the suffix list are applied to the wire tags to keep multiple wires in the same reference location unique. These items are added to the end of the tag, but you can force
AutoCAD Electrical to insert the suffix character somewhere within the tag format. Use the Suffix position parameter,
%X, in the component tag format (for example, %X%N).
NOTE
AutoCAD Electrical provides a predefined format
for you to use or you can enter your own format using replaceable parameters on page 236.
Search for PLC I/O address on insert
Specifies to use PLC I/O address values for wires that connect to an addressed I/O point. This setting overrides both
Sequential and Reference-based tagging. New wires or wire renumbering on the current drawing show PLC I/O addressbased wire numbers automatically.
NOTE
Like component tags, AutoCAD Electrical uses the concept of a wire tag format string with replaceable parameters. The %N parameter must always be part of the wire format string. A typical format string can be just this %N parameter.
Sequential
Enter the starting sequential number (alpha, numeric, or alphanumeric) for the drawing. If you enter the same starting sequential number for every drawing of your wiring diagram set, AutoCAD Electrical confirms at insertion time that a new sequential wire number tag is not repeated on any other drawing.
212 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Increment
Line Reference
Suffix Setup
If you set DEMO1 to 100 and DEMO2 to 200, the wire numbers on DEMO1 start at 100 and wire numbers on
DEMO2 start at 200. If DEMO1 has more than 100 wire numbers it starts using wire number 200 and above.
DEMO2 would begin its wire numbers where DEMO1 left off (making sure that duplicate wire numbers are not assigned).
The default is "1". Setting it to "2" with a starting sequential of "1" would yield wire numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and so on.
Sets the wire number tag suffix. This list is used to create unique reference-based wire number tags for multiple wire networks. It begins at the same reference location (such as wire network beginning at a location per line reference number, X-Y grid reference, or X-Zone reference).
Displays a suffix list. List suffix characters for wire numbers beginning on the same line reference or in the same zone
(to keep wire numbers unique). Select one of the four predefined suffix lists or enter your own custom suffix list.
Wire Number Options
Based on Wire Layer
Assigns a different wire number format based on the wire layer.
Layer Setup
Overrides the default wire number format by using layer defined formats. Change the wire layer name, wire number format, starting wire sequence, and wire number suffix.
Based on Terminal Symbol Location
Specifies to use a wire number terminal on a wire network as the line reference value for calculating a reference-based wire number. For example, a wire network starts at line reference 100 and drops down and over on line reference
103. If a schematic terminal symbol carries the WIRENO attribute located on line reference 103, and this option is enabled, AutoCAD Electrical calculates a reference-based wire number using 103 instead of 100. If multiple wire number terminals exist on this network, the line reference value of the upper left-most terminal is used.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 213
Hidden on Wire Network with Terminal Displaying Wire Number
Specifies to hide the wire number automatically for a wire network that has a wire number-type terminal.
On per Wire Basis
Exclude
Specifies to assign a wire number for each wire rather than the default one wire number per wire network.
If using sequential wire numbers, specifies the wire number ranges to exclude. (applied to the %N part of the wire number tag format)
Syntax is <starting>-<ending> to show range (for example
1000-1499). Multiple ranges are allowed and must be separated with a comma or semi-colon (for example, 1000-
1099;2500-2599;). You can also use 2;4;6 or 2,4,6 for values not in a range.
Above Wire
In-Line
Gap Setup
Below Wire
Centered
Offset
Offset Distance
Leaders
New Wire Number Placement
NOTE
The Insert Wire Number tool does not take the current wire number setting
(in-line, above or below) into account when updating existing wire numbers. This setting is used only when inserting new wire numbers. Use the Toggle Wire Number
In-Line tool for flipping existing wire numbers among the three modes.
Places the wire number above the physical wire.
Places the wire number in line with the wire.
Defines spacing between the wire number and the wire itself.
Places the wire number below the physical wire.
Specifies to insert the wire number tags in the center of each wire segment.
Specifies to insert the wire number tags the specified offset distance.
Specifies a fixed, user-defined offset distance from the left or top of the first wire segment found on the wire network.
(This option is unavailable for in-line wire numbers) AutoCAD
Electrical places wire numbers on leaders when it determines that the wire number text bumps into something (it does not check
214 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
if the leader itself overlays another object). Select the method for inserting new wire numbers as leaders: As Required, Always, or
Never.
NOTE
This change does not affect wire numbers that are already present on the drawing.
Wire Type
Displays the Rename User Columns dialog box used for renaming User1 to
User20 header columns in the Set Wire Type, Create/Edit Wire Type, and
Change/Convert Wire Type dialog boxes.
Project properties: cross-references tab
Modify your project default settings for cross-referencing. Any new drawing files created within the project are saved with the project default settings for cross-referencing.
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the project name, and select Properties.
Select the Cross-References tab.
Cross-reference Format
Defines the cross-reference annotation format. One replaceable parameter,
%N, must always be part of the cross-reference format string. A typical format string might be the %N parameter. Use Same Drawing for on-drawing references and Between Drawings for off-drawing references. You can use the same format for both.
NOTE
AutoCAD Electrical provides some predefined formats for you to use or you can enter your own format using
replaceable parameters on page 236.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 215
Cross-reference Options
Real-time signal and contact cross-referencing between drawings
Automatically updates relay and wire source and destination symbols cross-referencing across multiple drawings.
NOTE
If this option is not selected, you are prompted to authorize the update. The target drawing is automatically opened and updated. You then return to the active drawing. Any unauthorized update is queued up in a Project Task List. To update the pending updates, click Project Task List on the Project
Manager.
Peer to Peer
Cross-references related components while using pneumatic features. Example: schematic -
➤
pneumatic.
Suppress Installation/Location codes when matching the drawing defaults
Suppresses IEC prefixes.
NOTE
Run the Component Cross-reference command to update any existing cross-referencing text.
Text Format
Table Format
Setup
Component Cross-reference Display
There are different styles of cross referencing AutoCAD Electrical supports:
Graphical Format
Displays cross-referencing as text with any string as a separator between references on the same attribute.
Displays cross-referencing using the AutoCAD Electrical graphical font or using contact mapping edit boxes while displaying each reference on a new line.
Displays cross-referencing in a table object, that automatically gets updated in real time, so you can define the columns to display.
Displays a dialog box for setting the display defaults for each component cross-reference display format.
Project properties: styles tab
216 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Modify your project default settings for various component styles. All information defined in this tab is saved to the project definition file as project defaults and settings.
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Arrow Style
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click on the project name and select Properties.
Select the Styles tab.
Specifies the default wire signal arrow style. Select from the four predefined styles or a user-defined style. You can override the default style setting at insertion time.
TIP
For instructions on how to add custom wire arrow styles, see
Add custom signal arrow styles
on page 1011.
PLC Style
Fan-In/Out Marker Style
Layer List
Add
Remove
Specifies the default PLC module style. Select from the five predefined styles or a user-defined style.
TIP
For instructions on how to add custom PLC module styles, see
Add a new PLC style on page 624.
Defines the default Fan In/Out marker style and the layers for wires going out of a Fan In/Out Source marker and those coming into a Destination marker.
TIP
For instructions on how to add custom Fan-In/Out marker styles, see
Add custom fan-in/out marker styles
on page 1023.
Lists the Fan In/Out layers.
Defines layer names as Fan In/Out layers.
Removes the selected layer from the defined layer list.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 217
Wire Cross
Wire Tee
Specifies the default mode of operation when wires cross each other: insert gap with no loop, insert gap and loop, or solid (no gap).
Specifies the default wire tee marker: none, dot, angle1, or angle2.
Project properties: drawing format tab
Allows you to modify your project default settings for drawings. All information defined in this tab is saved to the project definition file as a project default.
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click on the project name and select Properties.
Select the Drawing Format tab.
Ladder Defaults
Vertical/Horizontal
Specifies whether to create ladders horizontally or vertically.
Spacing
Specifies the spacing between each rung.
Default: insert new ladders without references
Sets the default for the Insert Ladder command. New ladders you insert do not have line reference numbering, by default.
Width
Multi-wire Spacing
Specifies the width of the ladder.
Specifies the spacing between each rung in multiwire phases.
218 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
X-Y Grid
X Zones
Format Referencing
Specifies the default referencing system. There are three modes:
All referencing is tied to an X-Y grid system of numbers and letters along the left-hand side and top of the drawing. Set the vertical and horizontal index numbers and letters of your drawing, spacing, and origin in the X-Y grid setup dialog box.
TIP
Use negative spacing values for Horizontal or Vertical to change the origin of the X-Y grid system to be other than the upper left-hand corner of the drawing.
Like X-Y Grid, but there is not a Y-axis. Set the horizontal labels, spacing, and origin on the X Zones setup dialog box.
TIP
Use a negative zone spacing value if you want the zone reference origin to be at the right side of the drawing.
Reference Numbers
Setup
Each ladder column has a column of assigned reference numbers.
Specifies how to display reference numbers -number only, numbers in a hexagon, the sheet and number values, and so on.
Scale
Feature Scale Multiplier inch/inch scaled to mm/mm full size
Sets the scale factor used when inserting new components or wire numbers on the drawing. To insert everything 25% bigger than normal, change the edit box value from 1.00 to 1.25. This change does not affect components and wire numbers that are already present on the drawing.
Select inch if your drawing is to use library symbols from the JIC1/JIC125 libraries or mm full size for the metric scaled symbol libraries. It adjusts the wire connection trap distance that determines whether closely spaced wire ends connector not.
Tag/Wire Number Order
Sets the default wire numbering and component tag sort order for the drawing.
Your selection overrides the project settings for sort order unless you select
No override.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 219
Layers
Defines and manages wire and component layers.
NOTE
No matter which layer is current, wires always go to a wire layer and components to component layers.
Drawing properties: drawing settings tab
Sets default values for a drawing.
Any drawing
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the drawing name, and select Properties
➤
Drawing Properties. Select the Drawing Settings tab.
Active drawing
Ribbon: Schematic tab
➤
Other Tools panel
➤
Drawing Properties drop-down
➤
Drawing Properties.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Drawing Properties
Command entry: AEPROPERTIES
Select the Drawing Settings tab.
Sets the values you enter for drawing description, project, installation, location, sheet, and drawing code. Sets the format for component tags, wire numbers, cross-references, PLC modules, signal arrows, ladders, and layers. Overrides the project properties set in the project Properties dialog box.
220 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Drawing File
Project
Description 1-3
For Reference Only
Specifies the project that the drawing is found in.
NOTE
If the drawing is not in any of the currently open projects, "Drawing not in open project" displays instead of the project name. If the drawing is in an open project but it cannot be edited, "Project not available for edit" displays instead of the project name. This alert displays when a project file is read only, locked by someone else, not checked out in Vault, or the folder where the project is located is read only. When the project is not open or available for edit, you are unable to assign a description for the drawing.
Specifies up to three lines of description text for the drawing file. The description displays in title block updates and custom drawing properties. The values are saved in the project .wdp file. Select from a list of predefined descriptions from the active project by clicking the arrow or select a description from the drawing by clicking Pick.
Indicates that the drawing is not included in tagging, crossreferencing, and reporting functions. If selected, the drawing is included in project-wide plotting and title block operations. This setting is saved in the project .wdp file.
Project Code
Location Code
IEC-Style Designators
Specifies IEC default values for the drawing, such as Project (%P), Installation
(%I), and Location (%L) fields. When you insert a component, the %I and %L default values are used if the Installation and/or Location values would normally be blank.
Installation Code
Specifies a project code for the WD_M block definition.
This value can be used as the replaceable parameter %P.
Specifies the installation code for the WD_M block definition. This value can be used as the replaceable parameter
%I.
Specifies the location code for the WD_M block definition.
This value can be used as the replaceable parameter %L.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 221
Drawing
Project
Displays a list of Installation or Location codes from the active drawing.
Displays a list of previously defined Installation or Location codes in the active project or from the Default.INST or
Default.LOC file.
NOTE
Avoid using a mixture of drawings in the project when using the Combine
Installation/Location Tag mode. For example, do not include some drawings with drawing-wide Installation or Location values and some without drawing-wide values. It can result in a disruption of the child and parent component relationship under certain circumstances.
Sheet
Drawing
Section
Sub-Section
Sheet Values
Component, wire, and cross-reference tagging use replaceable parameters in their format. If you reference the sheet number or drawing number in any of your tagging formats, then specify a default drawing-wide value to use.
Specifies the sheet number value for the drawing settings. This value can be used as the replaceable parameter %S.
Specifies the drawing number value for the drawing settings. This value can be used as the replaceable parameter %D.
Specifies the section value for the drawing file saved in the project definition file (.wdp). This value can be used as the replaceable parameter %A.
Specifies the subsection value for the drawing file saved in the project definition file (.wdp). This value can be used as the replaceable parameter %B.
Drawing properties: components tab
Apply a drawing-specific component settings that are maintained inside the
WD_M block of the drawing.
Any drawing
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
222 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the drawing name, and select Properties
➤
Drawing Properties. Select the Components tab.
Active drawing
Ribbon: Schematic tab
➤
Other Tools panel
➤
Drawing Properties drop-down
➤
Drawing Properties.
Tag Format
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Drawing Properties
Command entry: AEPROPERTIES
Select the Components tab.
Specifies the way new component tags are created.
The tag consists of a minimum of two pieces of information: a family code and an alphanumeric reference number (for example, "CR" and "100" to yield a tag like CR100 or 100CR). Optionally, a component tag might contain a sheet number or some userspecified separators. If your format includes the sheet number %S parameter or the drawing number %D parameter, enter the values in the edit boxes in the
Drawing Properties
➤
Drawing Settings dialog box.
NOTE
AutoCAD Electrical provides a predefined format for you to use or you can enter your own
format using replaceable parameters
on page 236.
NOTE
The %N parameter is mandatory in any component tag format you define.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 223
Search for PLC I/O address on insert
Sequential
Line Reference
Suffix Setup
Searches for a connected PLC I/O module's I/O point.
If found, the I/O address value is substituted for the
"%N" part of the default component tag.
NOTE
This setting is saved in the MISC_FLAGS attribute on the WD_M block of the drawing.
Enter the beginning sequential number for the drawing. Sequential tags can continue uninterrupted from one drawing to the next if you assign the same beginning sequential number to every drawing in your project. As you insert components on any drawing of the project set, AutoCAD Electrical starts with the value you set and works its way up until it finds the next unused sequential number tag for the target component family.
NOTE
If you finish a drawing and move to the next, but then later come back to the first drawing to add another component and sequential tag, a gap appears in the numbering sequence for that drawing.
Use the AutoCAD Electrical Project-wide Update/Retag tool to retag the whole drawing set.
Set up the unique format tag suffix list. Use this list to create unique reference-based tags when multiple components of the same family are located at the same reference location (for example, three push buttons on the same line reference "101" could be labeled PB101, PB101A, and PB101B -- AutoCAD
Electrical does this using a suffix list of " ", "A", "B", and so on).
NOTE
The component tag suffix is automatically added to the end of the tag, but you can force
AutoCAD Electrical to insert the suffix character somewhere within the tag format. Use the Suffix position parameter, %X, in the component tag format (for example, %N%X - %F).
Displays the suffix list. The individual items in the suffix list are given in the row of edit boxes across the top of the dialog box. List suffix characters for duplicate family components on the same line refer-
224 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
ence or in the same zone (to keep tags unique). The suffix is added to the end of the component tag. To add it to the inside of the tag, use "%X" in the Tag
Format. Example:
%N-%F or %N-%F%X = suffix at the end (such as
101-CRA)
%N%X-%F = add to number, before family code
(such as 101A-CR)
Select from the default lists or manually enter your own suffix list in the row of edit boxes.
Drawing properties: wire numbers tab
Apply drawing-specific wire number settings. These settings are maintained inside the WD_M block in the drawing.
Any drawing
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the drawing name, and select Properties
➤
Drawing Properties. Select the Wire Numbers tab.
Active drawing
Ribbon: Schematic tab
➤
Other Tools panel
➤
Drawing Properties drop-down
➤
Drawing Properties.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Drawing Properties
Command entry: AEPROPERTIES
Select the Wire Numbers tab.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 225
Format
Wire Number Format
Wire number tags can be sequential or reference-based.
Specifies the way new wire number tags are created. The wire number tag format must include the %N parameter that is the base sequential or reference-based value per the selection above. If your format includes the sheet number
%S parameter or the drawing number %D parameter, enter the values in the edit boxes in the Drawing Properties
➤
Drawing Settings dialog box.
NOTE
For reference-based wire number tagging, individual items in the suffix list are applied to the wire tags to keep multiple wires in the same reference location unique. These values are added to the end of the tag, but you can force
AutoCAD Electrical to insert the suffix character somewhere within the tag format. Use the Suffix position parameter,
%X, in the component tag format (for example, %X%N).
Search for PLC I/O address on insert
Specifies to use PLC I/O address values for wires that connect to an addressed I/O point. This setting overrides both
Sequential and Reference-based tagging. New wires or wire renumbering on the current drawing shows PLC I/O address-based wire numbers automatically.
NOTE
Like component tags, AutoCAD Electrical uses the concept of a wire tag format string with replaceable parameters. The %N parameter must always be part of the wire format string. A typical format string can be just this %N parameter.
Sequential
Enter the starting sequential number (alpha, numeric, or alphanumeric) for the drawing. If you enter the same starting sequential number for every drawing of your wiring diagram set, AutoCAD Electrical confirms at insertion time that a new sequential wire number tag is not repeated on any other drawing.
If you set DEMO1 to 100 and DEMO2 to 200, the wire numbers on DEMO1 start at 100 and wire numbers on
DEMO2 start at 200. If DEMO1 has more than 100 wire numbers it starts using wire number 200 and above.
DEMO2 would begin its wire numbers where DEMO1 left
226 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Increment
Line Reference
Suffix Setup
off (making sure that duplicate wire numbers are not assigned).
The default is "1." Setting it to "2" with a starting sequential of "1" would yield wire numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and so on.
Sets the wire number tag suffix. This list is used to create unique reference-based wire number tags for multiple wire networks beginning at the same reference location (such as wire network beginning at a location per line reference number, X-Y grid reference, or X-Zone reference).
Displays a suffix list. List suffix characters for wire numbers beginning on the same line reference or in the same zone
(to keep wire numbers unique). Select one of the four predefined suffix lists or enter your own custom suffix list.
Above Wire
In-Line
Gap Setup
Below Wire
Offset
Centered
Offset Distance
New Wire Number Placement
NOTE
The Insert Wire Number tool does not take the current wire number setting
(in-line, above or below) into account when updating existing wire numbers. This setting is used only when inserting new wire numbers. Use the Toggle Wire Number
In-Line tool for flipping existing wire numbers among the three modes.
Places the wire number above the physical wire.
Places the wire number inline with the wire.
Defines spacing between the inline wire number and the wire itself.
Places the wire number below the physical wire.
Specifies to insert the wire number tags the specified offset distance.
Specifies to insert the wire number tags in the center of each wire segment.
Specifies a fixed, user-defined offset distance from the left or top of the first wire segment found on the wire network.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 227
Leaders
(This option is unavailable for in-line wire numbers.) AutoCAD
Electrical places wire numbers on leaders when it determines that the wire number text bumps into something. It does not check if the leader itself overlays another object. Select the method for inserting new wire numbers as leaders: As Required, Always, or
Never.
NOTE
This change does not affect wire numbers that are already present on the drawing.
Drawing properties: cross-references tab
Apply a drawing-specific cross-reference settings that are maintained inside the WD_M block of the drawing. This overrides the project settings since cross-referencing commands look at the WD_M block as the definition for all referencing on the drawing during runtime.
Any drawing
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the drawing name, and select Properties
➤
Drawing Properties. Select the Cross-References tab.
Active drawing
Ribbon: Schematic tab
➤
Other Tools panel
➤
Drawing Properties drop-down
➤
Drawing Properties.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Drawing Properties
Command entry: AEPROPERTIES
228 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Select the Cross-References tab.
Cross-reference Format
Defines the cross-reference annotation format. One replaceable parameter,
%N, must always be part of the cross-reference format string. A typical format string might be just the %N parameter. Use Same Drawing for on-drawing references and Between Drawings for off-drawing references. You can use the same format for both.
NOTE
AutoCAD Electrical provides some predefined formats for you to use or you can enter your own format using
replaceable parameters on page 236.
Text Format
Table Format
Component Cross-reference Display
There are different styles of cross referencing AutoCAD Electrical supports:
Graphical Format
Displays cross-referencing as text with any string as a separator between references on the same attribute.
Displays cross-referencing using the AutoCAD Electrical graphical font or using contact mapping edit boxes while displaying each reference on a new line.
Displays cross-referencing in a table object, that automatically gets updated in real time. You can define the columns to display.
Setup
Drawing properties: styles tab
Apply drawing-specific component styles settings. These settings are maintained inside the WD_M block in the drawing.
Any drawing
Displays a dialog box for setting the display defaults for each component cross-reference display format.
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project Manager
Overview of project and drawing properties | 229
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the drawing name, and select Properties
➤
Drawing Properties. Select the Styles tab.
Active drawing
Ribbon: Schematic tab
➤
Other Tools panel
➤
Drawing Properties drop-down
➤
Drawing Properties.
Arrow Style
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Drawing Properties
Command entry: AEPROPERTIES
Select the Styles tab.
Specifies the default wire signal arrow style. Select from the four predefined styles or a user-defined style. You can override the default style setting at insertion time.
TIP
For instructions on how to add custom wire arrow styles, see
Add custom signal arrow styles on page 1011.
PLC Style
Specifies the default PLC module style. Select from the five predefined styles or a user-defined style.
TIP
For instructions on how to add custom PLC module styles, see
Add a new PLC style on page 624.
Fan-In/Out Marker Style
Layer List
Add
Remove
Defines the default Fan In/Out marker style and the layers for wires going out of a Fan In/Out Source marker and those coming into a Destination marker.
TIP
For instructions on how to add custom Fan-In/Out marker
styles, see Add custom fan-in/out marker styles on page 1023.
Lists the Fan In/Out layers.
Defines layer names as Fan In/Out layers.
Removes the selected layer from the defined layer list.
230 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Wire Cross
Wire Tee
Specifies the default mode of operation when wires cross each other: insert gap with no loop, insert gap, and loop, or solid (no gap).
Specifies the default wire tee marker: none, dot, angle1, or angle2.
Drawing properties: drawing format tab
Apply a drawing-specific format settings that are maintained inside the WD_M block of the drawing.
Any drawing
Ribbon: Project tab
➤
Project Tools panel
➤
Manager.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Project Manager
Command entry: AEPROJECT
In the Project Manager, right-click the drawing name, and select Properties
➤
Drawing Properties. Select the Drawing Format tab.
Active drawing
Ribbon: Schematic tab
➤
Other Tools panel
➤
Drawing Properties drop-down
➤
Drawing Properties.
Toolbar: Main Electrical 2
Menu: Projects
➤
Drawing Properties
Command entry: AEPROPERTIES
Select the Drawing Format tab.
Ladder Defaults
Vertical/Horizontal
Specifies whether to create ladders horizontally or vertically.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 231
Spacing
Specifies the spacing between each ladder rung.
Default: insert new ladders without references
Sets the default for the Insert Ladder command. New ladders you insert do not have line reference numbering, by default.
Width
Multi-wire Spacing
Specifies the width of the ladder.
Specifies the spacing between each wire in multi-wire phases.
X-Y Grid
X Zones
Format Referencing
Specifies the default referencing system. There are three modes:
All referencing is tied to an X-Y grid system of numbers and letters along the left-hand side and top of the drawing. Set the vertical and horizontal index numbers and letters, spacing, and origin in the X-Y grid setup dialog box.
TIP
Use negative spacing values for Horizontal or Vertical if you want to change the origin of the X-Y grid system to be other than the upper left-hand corner of the drawing.
Like X-Y Grid, but there is not a Y-axis. Set the horizontal labels, spacing, and origin on the X Zones setup dialog box.
TIP
Use a negative zone spacing value if you want the zone reference origin to be at the right side of the drawing.
Reference Numbers
Setup
Each ladder column has a column of assigned reference numbers.
Specifies how to display ladder line reference numbers - number only, numbers in a hexagon, the sheet and number values, and so on.
Scale
Feature Scale Multiplier
Sets the scale factor used when inserting new components or wire numbers on the drawing. To insert everything 25% bigger than normal, change the edit box value from 1.00 to 1.25. This change does not
232 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
inch/inch scaled to mm/mm full size
affect components and wire numbers that are already present on the drawing.
Select inch if your drawing is to use library symbols from the JIC1/JIC125 libraries or mm full size for the metric scaled symbol libraries. It adjusts the wire connection trap distance that determines whether closely spaced wire ends connector not.
Sort Order
Tag/Wire Number Order
Sets the default wire numbering sort order for the active drawing.
You can set sorting on a per-drawing basis and override the projectwide default setting defined in Properties
➤
Wire Numbers dialog box. For example, you can set the wire numbers to go in a reverse order from the I/O point on a PLC I/O drawing, but have the wire numbers going from left to right for non-PLC I/O drawings.
Define
Layers
Defines and manages wire and component layers.
NOTE
No matter what layer is current, wires always go to a wire layer and components to component layers.
X zones setup
Use this tool to insert the X grid labels for drawings that use X Zones for the
Format Referencing. You can also change other settings from here (such as origin) instead of going back into the Drawing Properties dialog box.
Ribbon: Schematic tab
➤
Insert Wires/Wire Numbers panel
➤
Insert
Ladder drop-down
➤
X Zones Setup.
Toolbar: Ladders
Command entry: AEXZONE
Your drawing must be configured for X Zones. Set the Format Referencing in the Drawing Properties: Drawing Format dialog box to X Zones.
Overview of project and drawing properties | 233
NOTE
You can also access this dialog box from the Project Properties or Drawing
Properties dialog boxes. Some options are not available when you access the dialog box through the properties dialog boxes.
Origin
Specifies the origin for the X Zone grid. Click pick to select the origin on the drawing or enter X and Y values.
NOTE
The Pick button is not available when accessed through the properties dialog box.
Spacing
Zone labels
Insert zone labels
Specifies the spacing between the grid columns. Enter the horizontal value.
(only available when accessed from the ribbon, toolbar, or menu) Specifies the labels for the grid columns. Enter the horizontal value. You can enter the first value only or a complete list. If you enter a list, separate the values with commas - such as "A, B, C, D."
(only available when accessed from the ribbon, toolbar, or menu) Specifies whether to insert the grid labels. If you select to insert the labels, enter the column counts.
X-Y grid setup
Use this tool to insert the X-Y grid labels for drawings that use X-Y Grid for the Format Referencing. You can also change other settings from here (such as origin) instead of going back into the Drawing Properties dialog box.
234 | Chapter 4 Drawing and Project Properties
Ribbon: Schematic tab
➤
Insert Wires/Wire Numbers panel
➤
Insert
Ladder drop-down
➤
XY Grid Setup.
Command entry: Ladders
Command entry: AEXYGRID
Your drawing must be configured for X-Y Grids. Set the Format Referencing in the Drawing Properties: Drawing Format dialog box to X-Y Grid.
Origin
Spacing
X-Y Format
NOTE
You can also access this dialog box from the Project Properties or Drawing
Properties dialog boxes. Some options are not available when you access the dialog box through the properties dialog boxes.
Specifies the origin for the XY grid. Click pick to select the origin on the drawing or enter X and Y values.
NOTE
The Pick button is not available when accessed through the properties dialog box.
Specifies the spacing between the grid columns. Enter the horizontal and vertical values.
Specifies the order that is used from the X-Y grid in determining the
%N part of the tag. If it is set to Horizontal, the horizontal values of the grid are used as the first part, and the vertical value as the second.
If Vertical is selected then the vertical values are used for the first part and the horizontal values used for the second. For example, you have
Horizontal values of A - F and Vertical values of 1 - 9 and it is set to
Overview of project and drawing properties | 235
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Key features
Create accurate schematics, panel layouts, and reports
Design, document, and manage your electrical projects
Comprehensive set of features to help you complete your work
Frequently asked questions
AutoCAD Electrical 2011 is a software tool that can help you to design, document, and manage your electrical projects.
AutoCAD Electrical 2011 includes a comprehensive set of features to help you complete your work quickly and efficiently.
You can use AutoCAD Electrical 2011 to create accurate schematics, panel layouts, and reports.
User questions
