PLC Tagging

[David_S_Barrow]

Why are the parametric PLC symbols not included in the TAG format for the project? For example I set the TAG to have the Location (%L) as a prefix and I would like the PLCs to follow the same format but they don't. I have had to edit the PLC database to change the Tag1 data.

[PatMurnen_Adsk · Accepted solution]

This is not my area of expertise so I am not sure of the reason for this. But, I will log this as a wish for a future enhancement. Maybe something like if it is left blank in the PLC database editor it follows the drawing properties. Otherwise, any value in the database will override the drawing property. Anyway, sorry for this inconvenience and I will make sure it is logged for consideration as a future enhancement.

Regards,

Pat Murnen

[dougmcalexander]

That would be a great solution Pat.  Customers who choose ladder style %S%N don't get the %S value in their PLC tag because the PLC tags are specified as %N in the PLC Database.  It's a pain to have to modify the PLCs when you want to use ladders that incorporate the sheet number as the first number of each rung.

[PatMurnen_Adsk]

Or a check box somewhere to use the drawing property instead of the value in the database might be even better. That way no change has to be made to the database. Anyway, I logged the issue.

Thanks,

Pat

[dougmcalexander]

Even better Pat! Love the checkbox approach!

[james_moore]

Was there any development on this?  I'm just about to change all the PLC%N references to PLC%S%N in my PLC modules data, and I would prefer not to.  Checkbox?  Leave blank?

[jseefdrumr]

I've been having to add the %S to every PLC that I've added to the database since I started with this software 4 years ago. So, probably no development was ever done on this.

[dougmcalexander]

I’m traveling, but when I get to my computer again I can post a lisp routine you can use to find and replace the default PLC tagging format in the PLC database.

[james_moore]

 Thanks Doug, that would be much appreciated. I had never considered accessing the database through LISP.   I'll have to experiment with that a little.

[dougmcalexander]

Download the attached zip file and unzip its contents to the Acade folder in the following path:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2020\Acade

Once the files are placed in the folder, follow the steps below:

1.  Make a backup copy of your ace_PLC.mdb file, located at: C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents\Acade 2020\AeData\en-US\Plc

2.  Start AutoCAD Electrical and open any drawing.

3.  Type Appload at the command line and press enter.

4.  Click Startup Suite and Click Add.

5.  Navigate to the folder where you unzipped and previously stored the two files.

6.  Select the ace_plc_mdb_find_replace.VLX file and click Open.

7.  Close the Startup Suite and Appload dialogs.

8.  Close AutoCAD Electrical and then restart AutoCAD Electrical.

9.  Open any project drawing.

10.  At the command prompt type ace_plc_mdb_find_replace and press Enter.

11.  Follow the prompts (it works very similar to find/replace in a word processor).

Each time you start AutoCAD Electrical, the ace_plc_mdb_find_replace application will be loaded and available for future updates, as necessary.

[dougmcalexander]

From the FYI department:  The main reason anyone would need to update the PLC database tag format field is if you have chosen to use the ladder line reference option labeled as "Sheet and Numbers", under Drawing Properties.  This method creates a line reference number (a.k.a. rung number) by merging the sheet number with the line numbers, so line reference 100 is actually sheet 1, line 00 (%S%N).  If you choose this option you must add the %S to the PLC tag format field for each module in the PLC database. 

The only thing you need to do to avoid this extra overhead is type the line reference number as 100, instead of 00.  If your first line reference is 100, and everyone at your company understands that to mean sheet 1, line 00, there is no need to edit the PLC database.  When you type 100 as the first line reference, you are including the sheet number as part of the %N value. For the next drawing you type 200 as the first line reference number, and so forth and so on for additional drawings.  Because of the requirement to update the PLC database  when choosing the "Sheet and Numbers" format, I encourage my clients to use the default line reference format of "Numbers Only".

For IEC designs, the tag letters are different (old was A, new is K) and the numbers might be based upon the sheet assignment or sequential.  In that case, you can either manually overwrite the automatically-assigned PLC tag and check the box labeled "Fixed", or you can use the attached LISP routine, as described above, to permanently change the PLC tagging format in the database.  Since I work on projects for various standards, mostly NFPA, IEC, AS, etc., I use the lisp routine to essentially toggle back and forth as I switch from one standard to another.  But again, I could just as easily replace the automatically-assigned tag with a tag of my choosing, and click "Fixed".

[james_moore]

Does this method/setting affect line numbering based on title block sheet data?  In other words, can I still renumber sheets and have their associated line numbers change automatically?

[dougmcalexander]

I assume you are referring to using the “Numbers Only” method  that I recommend.  Even if you renumber the sheets and it updates the line references, you must separately run the component retag, wire number update, and signal/cross reference update.  That is easily done using Project-wide Utilities.  And Project-wide Utilities includes an option to bump up or down the line references, like up or down by 100, for example.  So using %S to create line references is more trouble than it’s worth, in my opinion.

[james_moore]

Agreed, you still have to run other utilities to update component ID's & wire numbers.  But I have found with the workflow I use, I never have to edit line numbers at all.  If I'm setting up borders, I copy & paste the line# header blocks & let ACE update them when I use the title block utility with sheet renumbering options.  I don't want my users placing the ladders & numbers.  We'll get better consistency of placement across drawing sets using methods that already have such items placed, such as starting from a template border, or an entire page from a previous project.