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ACE 2013 Snap/wiring help

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Message 1 of 8
wmmurphy
934 Views, 7 Replies

ACE 2013 Snap/wiring help

I am new to AutoCAD, and this program has the worst implementation of snap and wiring I have ever used, and it's been very difficult to get around the many issues suffered. Often times, I manually scoot segments, or just move points so that it appears connected. This is very troubling to me.

 

Issue 1: I get illogical S patterns that don't make sense between two points.

 

This has to do with the relay icon. It's just a circle with two points slapped on it. I am merely trying to add a wire to connect two relay icons, which are both rotated 90 degrees.

 

So, first I have grid snap on (at 0.125, x and y), then I align the two icons vertically.

Next, I hit the wire button, and connect the two relays. Note that this wire is crossing over a few other placed wires. It makes the proper gaps, but I am getting a wacky S pattern as opposed to a direct line with gaps. If they are aligned, then why is this happening? I have tried deleting and redrawing the parts with snap on/object snap on. It does not work. What's going on?

 

Issue 2: The snap is not absolute.

 

Lets say an object is placed in there, with the snap feature off. If I turn snap back on, and then move or scoot the part, then the object isn't snapping to my grid. It's going inbetween the grid lines. This is bizarre. Can I change a setting to ensure it snags onto my grid?

 

Issue 3: Not getting a gap.

 

When drawing wires, there are times when a gap isn't automatically created. So, I figure I just have to manually select the lines, and place in the desired gap. But then I'm getting a message saying that the space is constrained, when there is plenty of space there. I'm talking an inch in every direction. What's going on?

 

Please help me understand why alignment is so counter intuitive in this program, and what I can do to fix these annoying behaviors.

 

Thanks,

 

Billy

 

7 REPLIES 7
Message 2 of 8
testsubject
in reply to: wmmurphy

Bill,

 

First off, welcome to the forums. If you could attach a copy of the drawing you are having trouble with, one of us can look it over and possibly help you. The way snap is utilized has changed with release 13 (ACAD overall, not just ACADE) and is taking everyone a litte while to get used to.



Bob Hanrahan
Ace User since 1998
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Message 3 of 8
wmmurphy
in reply to: testsubject

Right now I've attached a file with the "S shape" I mentioned, using quadrant snap on it. Perhaps you can tell me what I'm misunderstanding with this.

 

Thanks for the effort.

 

- Billy

Message 4 of 8
testsubject
in reply to: wmmurphy

Billy,

 

The answer to your initial question is that you are using the wrong symbol for the vertical relay coils.

 

The whole answer is a little more complicated.

 

The drawing properties show that you are set up for vertical ladders which will give you horizontal rungs. This sets the default insertion of components to horizontal IF there is no wire present. All the coils on this drawing are horizontal coils (HCR1) not vertical coils (VCR1). The ones on the left can be HCR1.

 

To get a vertical coil, you first have to draw the wire, then insert the coil on the wire not at the end. This will force ACE to insert the vertical coil.

 

I also noticed that you have three switches which are actually one switch with three poles. There is a special way to draw these that depicts this. The first one is a parent and the other two are children.

 

Now that that has been said, ACE works best if you use ladders. This requires re-thinking how your schematics will look. I recommend looking at the samples that came with the software and try to follow those. As you mentioned, you are a beginner. ACE is not something you can just jump in on and do well. I would recommend taking one of the week long courses and learn how to use the software effectively. It will save you time and a lot of headaches from trying to figure it out on your own. Trust me on this.



Bob Hanrahan
Ace User since 1998
If this answered your question, please click on "Accept Solution"
Message 5 of 8
wmmurphy
in reply to: testsubject

I had no idea that AutoCAD was so finicky.

 

So then if I take a horizontal relay and rotate it 90 degrees (and rotate the attributes), it won't behave like a vertical relay? I have to be that specific?

 

Also, thanks for the pointer on my 3PDT switch. I didn't know I could generate that automatically!

 

I'll thumb through some Autocad official training guides I just borrowed from a coworker to increase my proficiency a little bit.

 

- Billy

 

*edited a typo

Message 6 of 8
testsubject
in reply to: wmmurphy

That is correct. It is because of how ACE handles the wire terminations on the component. There are special hidden attributes in the component that direct ACE on how to terminate wires and if you just rotate the symbol, these do not work. That is why I recommend that you get some training. This is not like just sitting down and drafting a drawing. It really requires re-thinking how you draw.

 

Hope that makes it clear as mud... Smiley Wink



Bob Hanrahan
Ace User since 1998
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Message 7 of 8

I understand your answer on the coils.  How about the scooting wires to grid that have previously been placed without snap-to-grid on?  It seems like it wants to snap to even intervals from where the wire originally was not to the grid lines.  When I grab a wire that is just to the left of a grid line, I can turn snap-to-grid on and scoot to any position just to the left of another grid line but not to the grid lines themselves.

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Message 8 of 8

Unfortunately, the scoot command scoots "relative" to the original location 😞

So, I'm using normal AutoCAD STRETCH, with a combination of OSNAP and SNAP to stretch stuff "back to snap".

 

I'm working an a tool the fixes this... Have a look at this: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-electrical-forum/automatic-masking-of-footprints-and-balloons/...

 

Hopefully.. Soon available in Autodesk app store 🙂


Trond Hasse Lie
AutoCAD Electrical and EPLAN expert
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