Autosnap

[Anonymous]

My autosnap settings keep changing while I'm drafting. I have certain running object snaps, but when I am in a command, some other snaps activate and some of the ones I have running don't. I just can't figure out why this is happening! It seems this has only started happening within the last couple of months, but it hasn't been as much of a pain as it is now becoming.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks.

[dougmcalexander]

When creating circuit diagrams with AutoCAD Electrical it is best to turn off all running OSNAPS. If you have a running OSNAP of Endpoint and you insert a symbol, it may jump to the endpoint of the wire. Electrical turns on any applicable OSNAPS it needs when it needs them. It may over-ride OSNAPS you have set in order to avoid wires or components snapping to undesirable locations that could create an issue with the database.

The only time I advise using OSNAPS is when drafting the graphics for a new symbol. Keep in mind that Electrical is a separate application, once sold separately under the name Wiring Diagram. It was designed as an add-in for AutoCAD, rather than a stand-alone application, so the interface would be more familiar looking and the files could be maintained in .DWG format.  It just so happens that clicking the icon to start AutoCAD with the Electrical add-in does not disable standard AutoCAD commands that are not controlled by the Electrical database manager.  Underneath Electrical is a fully functional AutoCAD, not an OEM kernel.  It is up to us to discipline ourselves to use commands from the Electrical menus until we are familiar enough with the nature of Electrical's functionality to know when it is safe for us to manipulate our drawings with standard AutoCAD functions. Early versions of the software didn't turn off OSNAPS at all, so it was up to us to know when and when not to use them.  It was emphasized in training for us to turn off OSNAPS.  Later versions began to turn off running OSNAPS that could interfere with an Electrical command.

The best rule-of-thumb I can offer you is to only use running OSNAPS when you are drafting symbol graphics, adding a wipeout region to a footprint, or perhaps when laying out out a panel.  But when on schematic pages, turn off OSNAPS.