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AutoCAD to AutoCAD Electrical

42 REPLIES 42
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Message 1 of 43
Justin2012
1267 Views, 42 Replies

AutoCAD to AutoCAD Electrical

My company will be transfering from AutoCAD to AutoCAD Electrical.

 

We currently have over 1000 part #s with their respective MFG & CAT that I will like to incorporate. Can someone tell me the best approach to transition these part #s from AutoCAD Electrical?

 

Your response is highly Appreciated.

 

Justin

42 REPLIES 42
Message 2 of 43
sonny3g
in reply to: Justin2012

First, make sure you know how the information in your database relates to how ACADE organizes the information in it's catalog database.  Second, break your catalog information down to categories that match the tables in the default.mdb and then use Excel to organize you part info to match the columns in the default.mdb.  Once that is done you can literally copy and paste the Excel worksheet into the default.mdb table.  If you good with queries or Access you can code some automation to do it for you.

 

Scott

Scott G. Sawdy
scott.sawdy@bluecoyotecad.com
Message 3 of 43
Justin2012
in reply to: sonny3g

Scott,

 

How does the queries or Access coding works? If you think it will save a lot of hassle please let me know so I can place a request for it .

After I've organized the catalog information in an excel format how do you recommend me incorporating this? I think clicking the "insert component" , "lookup"and add "new catalog" on each part # will take forever. Do you have another approach to get this done?

 Also how can I check to make sure I don't replicate a catalog # and if for example I want to include our company part # how will you suggest me doing this?

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.  

 

Message 4 of 43
sonny3g
in reply to: Justin2012

I don't know how to do the access coding.  As for the excel method, have you ever worked with excel where you copied data from one spreadsheet to another?  Basically you can do the same thing by going from Excel to tables in the default.mdb database.

 

Scott

Scott G. Sawdy
scott.sawdy@bluecoyotecad.com
Message 5 of 43
Icemanau
in reply to: sonny3g

As a suggestion, check the catalog database that comes with ACADE before you do anything. If the parts are common, ACADE may already have them listed in it's database.

 

You will have to check individual tables for the various types of compontents, PB for pushbuttons, CR for relays and so on.

 

Regards Brad



Icemanau (NNTP handle: Brad Coleman
AutoCAD Electrical User and IT Hardware Support

Message 6 of 43
Justin2012
in reply to: Justin2012

I think I understand how the ACE catalog works. My question is :

 

1) I think clicking the "insert component" ,"lookup"and then add "new catalog" on each part # will take forever. Do you know an easy way to add our part # into the CAT database?

2)  If I want to include our company part # into the catalog page so when I add a particular CAT # my company part # also show up. How will you suggest me doing this?

 

I am currently stuck. Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Justin

 

Message 7 of 43
ELE01
in reply to: Justin2012

I did the following procedure:

 

1. Make a copy of the default_cat mdb and save it in another folder

2. Open the default_cat mdb in access

3. Export the access tables to excel (write some code and do it at once to make it faster)

3. In excel modify the tables (delete what you do not need)

5. From access import the each table

6. Done

 

Be careful and make a backup to  your system before to start. If you do something wrong the system will become unstable and sometimes I had to restore it.

 

 

Good luck.

Message 8 of 43
Justin2012
in reply to: Justin2012

Please help me - If I want to include our company part # into the catalog page(i.e. secondary) so when I insert component  my part # also show up. How will you suggest me doing this?

 

Your response is highly appreciated.

 

Thanks!!!

Message 9 of 43
ELE01
in reply to: Justin2012

I did not understand your question, could you please elaborate more in detail what the problem is?

 

Message 10 of 43
Icemanau
in reply to: Justin2012

When you insert a part without your company's catalog number, click on edit.

 

In the Text Value box (down near the bottom), type "DESC1=<cat>". Make sure to remove the quotes and replace <cat> with the number you wish to come up.

 

This will fill in the DESC1 field with the aditional catalog number but you will lose a description line.

 

If you wish to keep the 3 description lines, you will need to go through the block library and edit every parent block to add an aditional attribute. If you go this way change the DESC1 in the Text Value box to read the same as the new attribute.

 

Regards Brad



Icemanau (NNTP handle: Brad Coleman
AutoCAD Electrical User and IT Hardware Support

Message 11 of 43
Justin2012
in reply to: Justin2012

I cannot locate "edit".

 

What I am asking is this, lets say I want to insert a PB , under parts catalog you see a bunch of part #s under different column field such as CAT, MFG, DESC, TYPE, STYLE, ETC

 

My question is how can I add another column, let say XYZ10, in this part catalog? Also, If I want all/some of the column fields to show in the "edit attribute" of the part # what do I need to do -  as you can tell when you insert a component, right click and "edit attributes" some of the part catalog column fields like "type", "style" does not show.

 

I hope I am clear. Thanks for the patience and hoping to hear from you soon.

 

Thanks,

Justin  

Message 12 of 43
algerj
in reply to: Justin2012

Hi Justin,

 

To use your Company part number in the Catalog (assuming you still use the MFG part number as the main Catalog number),

Simply pick one of the User fields, there are 3 of them for various reasons, just like internal company part numbers.

 

DO NOT MOVE ANY OF THE COLUMNS in MS Access, leave them where they are and you can re-name them. AutoCAD Electrical does not path to the name of the column it paths to the location of the column.  Therefore you can name the user1 field "Justin's Partnumber" and in reports it will show up as "Justin's Partnumber" , instead of User1.

That being said I usually tell people to rename the User1 field in the reports as a more reliable way, as it sometimes forgets the name that you give to the User field. After you put your part number into the user1 field, you can call it out in the report section.

 

Here is a simplified version of what I said, (or at the very least a more structured version) 

 

  1. Choose a User field that will be your company part number in ALL component tables. (i.e.. User1)
  2. Assign YOUR part number to the User1 Field. 
  3. Create a report format (.set file) calling in the user1 field (I'm making you build a standard report here)
  4. (best practice) Rename the user1 field in the report
  5. SAVE the report format 
  6. Generate the report from automatic reports by selecting your .set format.

If you have Questions, or need some screenshots for guidance let me know.

 

I hope this Helps,

 

James Alger

SolidCAD

 

Message 13 of 43
Justin2012
in reply to: algerj

Please send me the screenshot guidance.

 

Thanks!

Message 14 of 43
Justin2012
in reply to: Justin2012

In addition to sending the screenshot, please elaboarte on how I acn chnage the USER1 field in the part catalog to "JUSTIN PART#"?

 

Thanks again. !!!

Message 15 of 43
algerj
in reply to: Justin2012

Hi Justin,

 

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. (being part of a reseller sometimes I get swept up in other things...lol)

 

In any case here is a word document with steps and pictures to guide you along...

It is a high level overview for the steps, where I'm not going through all of the minor settings in the Bill of material report ( I'm assuming that you have used the tool before and that your looking for a nice way to add your company part number to the report). 

 

If you DO need more info let me know and I'll remake the doc with more details into the nitty gritty of the steps. 

 

I hope this helps,

 

Regards,

 

James Alger

SolidCAD

Message 16 of 43
Justin2012
in reply to: algerj

Dear James,

 

So I guess I have to go through ACCESS to add the"JUSTIN PART #" as a new part catalog field? If that's the case where do you recommend me saving the new part catalog data so I can access it when creating my schematic (I don't want to nessd up anything)? Your screenshot example was very helpful. Please do same for this if possible.

 

Thanks for your time nad cooperation

 

Justin

 

Message 17 of 43
algerj
in reply to: Justin2012

Hi Justin,

 

All you need to do is rename the existing Column (change the USER1 Column to Justin's part number).

There is no need to add a new column. 

 

It is much easier to simply change the user1 field  in the reports (basically your overriding USER1 to say "Justin's Part number", than it is to re-name all of the USER1 columns in the Default_Cat Database.

 

Just fill in your companies part number in the USER1 column and then override the USER1 column in your reports.

 

I'll see if i can get you a few more screenshots.

 

Regards,

 

James Alger

SolidCAD

Message 18 of 43
algerj
in reply to: algerj

If you really want to add a new column then you need to put it at the end before "REC NUM".

This is done by right clicking on a existing Column (likely "WDBLKNAM", since it is right beside the "REC NUM") and select Insert Column. Again this is done inside of MS Access. Unforunately the built in ACADE Database Editor (accessed through the Catalog lookup), is limited, and will not allow you to add columns.

 

on the plus side if someone that has access adds the column for you then you can see it in the ACADE Editor.

 

Regards,

 

James Alger

SolidCAD

Message 19 of 43
Justin2012
in reply to: Justin2012

Thanksfr the response Lager. I think the screenshot will be very helpfull.

 

Regards,

Fobi

Message 20 of 43
algerj
in reply to: Justin2012

Hi Justin,

 

Sorry I misread the other question you had. You wanted to know where the file had to be stored.

The Default_cat.mdb is in C:\Users\<user name>\Documents\Acade 2012\AeData\Catalogs.

The main Catalog has to have the "Default_cat" name, I recommend saving a copy before you start, in the same directory. I secondary catalog can have any name but you have to specify it in the project.

 

I have captured a few more screenshots to help you out.

 

Regards,

 

James Alger

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