Any way to show same terminal strip twice? [AutoCAD Electrical]

[BlaiseW]

I am making two drawings which both need graphical represenatations of a number of terminal strips.

One is a panel layout, and one is a wiring diagram layout. Regular panel footprints have the ability to show up as both (from Schematic Insert window).

The terminal strip editor is limited as any attempt to insert a duplicate of a previously created strip with more info (ie. wire numbers etc.) will remove the strip from the panel layout. In other words, inserting a terminal strip for the wiring diagram will remove it from the panel layout drawing.

Is there any way to duplicate a terminal strip where the second one shows wire info? If not, is there a way to easily disassociate the terminal strip in the panel layout it's schematic info?

@BlaiseW 

The topic title has been edited to improve findability by @alina.balkanskaia. Original: Any way to show same terminal strip twice?

[Icemanau · Accepted solution]

When I have to show both, I do the wiring one first and have the wires showing. I then do a CTRL-SHIFT-C and copy the terminal strip to the second location. Once there I select all the blocks at once and blank the INST, LOC, TAGSTRIP and WIRE information via the properties tool. This then gives me a strip that just shows the terminals, their number and which does not associate with the schematic or panel layout.

The only problem with this is of course client driven changes that add terminals. It means you have to repeat the process if any terminals are added.

Regards Brad

[KOBI1912]

im using a DWG REFRENCE

_XATTACH

[BlaiseW]

Well it's messy but it'll have to do. Thanks for the help.

[dougmcalexander]

You can copy the strip like Brad suggested and use the Special Explode tool on the Conversion Tools menu tab to convert to "dumb".  You can window-select all symbols and then press Enter on your keyboard (or right-click your mouse).  This strips out hidden attributes and converts visible attribute values to text.  Another option is to copy to a different drawing that is set to Reference Only.  But like Brad said, if changes are later made, you must re-copy from the "smart" strip and replace the dumb strip, or the strip on the Reference Only drawing if you chose that method.

[BlaiseW]

Hi Doug. The problem with that method is that I want to take BoM information from the panel layout which is the 2nd sheet I'm copying to. The 1st sheet with my wiring diagrams is where the original will be. The terminal footprint tool is a bit finicky: when I want to update a strip, sometimes the terminals with the "wiped" info show up, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the tool will insist on updating the "wiped" strip in the panel layout, and sometimes it won't show the terminal numbers for the strip I've pulled from the wiring diagram.

[dougmcalexander]

You choose which strip you execute the special explode against. I usually put the original on the panel layout, just like you do. I then copy the original strip, scale it up for a detail, and special explode the scaled copy. You could also insert the scaled copy into a different drawing that is set to Reference Only. You won't need to special explode in this case.

[electricman1]

I usually do a CTRL-SHIFT-C and paste as a block. Blocking the copied terminail strip has obvious benefits. The blocked parts shouldn't be picked up in a BOM report.

[testsubject]

If your titleblock resides in paperspace you can xref the first drawing into the second and then zoom in for detail. this allows you to turn on and off different layers between the two drawings and an added benefit, the second drawing automatically updates with the first. I have been doing this with my panel layouts for years.

[kc8akw]

Editorial comment, here.

I am really partial to the Terminal Block Editor, except for one, small, point. The terminal blocks come out in tabular form instead of graphical form. After many iterations with our panel shop, we came across a format that looks as though it will work for them. Accepting a table, however, is difficult to get past some of these guys, as well as by our engineers. If I could have an enlarged view of the terminal blocks, along with the additional information (manufacture and part number) instead of the tables, our guys would be happy. I suspect that this same thing would solve BlaiseW's desires, as well.

[ccad2509]

The way that I have solved the awful tables in acade is as follows

Its long winded but worth the effort

Don’t use the table insert but save the table information as a excel spread sheet

Set up a layout formatted the way you like it in respect to visually looking to what you want

the information should be in rows

set up the user attributes in the project even though it’s limited to 12 you can edit the  WDA file to add extra I’m up to 20

Now create a new symbol with your user attributes mapped into it

this symbol will represent one row of infomation to appear on you  layout

Go back to your layout and place row upon row of your new special symbols

Once you have your template fully populate with these special symbols

You copy these pages to create a template section I use the sub folder command in project manager

I have terminal block layouts /plug and socket assemblies/ cable assemblies sub sections with 100 blank forms set up in each section

Now from here you export these template pages using the "to spreadsheet" command

The spreadsheet will have the user attributes in columns

With a bit of knife and forking you can put the information you previously exported out of acade in the report section

You then use the "from spreadsheet" command and all your information will map into the drawing templates you set up

It takes time and effort but now my client has European standard forms in his project which makes the panel shop very happy

Hope this makes sense as I’m not allowed to post examples

[dougmcalexander]

The default is graphical so you should be able to insert the strip as it appears in the panel in 2D. You have to click to change to tabular style. I add jumpers as separate blocks, after inserting the strips. The jumpers are preloaded with MFG and CAT attributes filled in. Copy the terminal strip to an open area on the panel layout drawing and scale up for a detail. Use the Special Explode command to strip the data out, so this strip doesn't get counted twice on the BOM. Another option is to copy the strips to a terminal block detail drawing and set the drawing type to For Reference Only.

[miles.nicholson]

For me, the XREF clip method is the best methodology as the xref will update if the terminal strip updates.

[KOBI1912]

WE USE THE SAME WAY

BUT I DID RAISE THIS POST

HOPFULY TO SOLVE OUR SAME PROBLEM WHEN CHANGE ARE MADE TO HAVE UPDATE.

[alina.balkanskaia]

@miles.nicholson hello! Glad to see you in Autodesk Community! 😀

It is good that you find the old topic and it is interesting for you. If you would like to discuss some new questions once, please, start the new topic of the Forum. Thank you for your collaboration!