Symbol images for the catalog browser

[rhesusminus]

Hello Autodesk.

I've tried to read the help files to understand how the images used for a SYMBOL2D block in the catalog browser is created.

I notice the following:

• there's created a subfolder in the symbol library folder, called "Images", where it creates these images.
• The format is JPG, not PNG as we're used to.
• All images created for my symbols are just completely white.

So, what are the "rules" you have to follow, to create usable images for the catalog browser?

[drathak]

Is this after an uprgade?  What version?

[rhesusminus]

Forgot to mention, this is 2015. The catalog browser is a new feature I'm looking at.

[jalger]

Hi Rhesusminus,

I'm not Autodesk (,but I do work in the Reseller Channel).

The Images are generated based on the Symbol2D Column that was added to the Database, the symbols3D is what it shows when inventor accesses the catalog database.

The text in Symbol2D seems to look at the actual DWG in the symbol library, then it generates a JPeg of the dwg (I'm not sure why they needed to create a jpeg). the colour of your background seems to affect the outcome.

Not sure why you are seeing an all white background, maybe its not pointing to a block in the symbol2D Column?

Regards,

James

[rhesusminus]

Clicking the image inserts the correct symbol. I use black background.

[jalger]

Hi Rhesusminus,

Try Generating an image with Wblock or through the symbol builder and use that in the Symbol2D Column.

It was working for me when i did it that way.

Regards,

James

[rhesusminus]

Can I just use the png-files that the symbol builder create, or do I have to convert it to jpg?

Anyhow, I was really thinking about getting Autodesk to tell me the workflow here, and what they are thinking.

Manually creating jpg's for every symbol I create is "not an option" 😄

[jalger]

Well the Catalog Broswer is supposed to speed up the placement of components.

If you know the Catalog number or a general Description of the part your looking to place in it finds it Faster then placing a component and doing a lookup afterwards.

The reason its faster is because it puts the catalog data in when its dropped in.

So its like the footprint lookup database in a way. (but it doesn't have its own Database)

It seems to generate the JPEG on its own, I'm not sure if you can make use the png instead.

I think most of the symbols should work, I had to restart the program for the Database changes to showup,

but I was able to add the symbols. 

I hope this helps,

James

[mathalekar]

The catalog browser images are generated on the fly and stored in respective lib folders. The mechanism to generate snapshot is similar to what it uses for drawing preview. Now the reason behind generating these snapshots is for performance in showing the preview images when using catalog browser. As a end user you do not really have to bother about format or type, background etc. as AutoCAD electrical does it's job silently for it's required function. These blocks are read from SYMBOL2D column if already there in the catalog assigned. If it is not there you have few very easy options to assign.
This mechanism is pretty similar for inventor and 3d file names are assigned in Symbol3d.

[rhesusminus]

Hi mathelkar.

WHen is the image-generation triggered? When "closing" edit mode in the catalog browser?

Will this regenerate all images, or just changed images?

How can I trigger a regeneration of all images?

Do you have any idea why I only get white background image, and in this case, just graphics that's not placed in layer 0? (see attached original symbol, jpg created by catalog browser and png created by the symbol builder)

[rhesusminus]

Thanks for reminding me that this hasn't been "solved" Autodesk 😄

Still wondering what happens here. As you can see here, the images in the catalog browser are pretty much useless as preview images.

So, is there another way to get better images? Write a script that generates the images?

[mathalekar]

Hello Trond,

The image generation is triggered when you access the record to select and use for insertion in the drawing. If the symbol assigned is something more custom symbol (or more like a small circuit) like, then i can see the symbol preview is not a good one like your. I shall take note of the case at my end and see if there is any workaround. You should be able to get preview if you generate preview and put it in images folder in libraries. It bit uncommon to us to practice & test this workflow to check viability.

[rhesusminus · Accepted solution]

Found the problem!

Layer 0 was set to color 255, not 7.

Kind of hard to see the difference between light grey and white on the dark bakground.

Changed the backgrund color to white to see if that made any difference, and THEN I suddenly saw the problem 😄