Basic Title Block Question

[Anonymous]

Hi guys, first time here...

Ok, I have what is probably a basic question.  Before jumping on me, I HAVE searched and searched for what I need (Google, AutoCAD help, etc.).

I am brand new to ACAD Electrical.  I have used LT in the past, but I know it is a very dumbed down version.  So, I may be going about this in the wrong way. Please set me straight.

Here is what I am doing...tell me where I'm going wrong.  I am drawing schematics out for my company.  I have a blank drawing that contains nothing but the title block I would like to use.  The title block (which I just stole from one of the default templates) has the attributes to enter "Engineer", "Date", "Drawn By" etc.  I have this title block sitting in the Model space...not sure if that is correct or not.

I am drawing my schematics inside the title block (in the Model space) and "saving as" and renaming each page as I go.  So, I end up with a set of drawings.  Then I created a new "Project" and added all of the drawings into it.  What I don't understand is how I can automate the title block part.  Is there a way I can set the "Title", "Engineer", "Date" etc for all title blocks in the project?  Surely I don't have to go to each drawing and do this manually...?  It isn't a big deal when the project has 3 pages, but 30 is a different ball game.

Am I doing the title block in the right spot?  Should I be inserting it into the layout?  And if so, what is the advantage to that?

Keep in mind, my goal is to be able to publish my set of drawings into a nice neat PDF file when I'm done.  This way I can easily print, email to others who don't have CAD, etc.  If I am doing this the wrong way, please let me know.

Thanks for any help ahead of time.

[Anonymous]

And I am using AutoCAD Electrical 2014 if that helps anyone...forgot to mention that before.

[ccad2509]

no your doing it the old way if you troll down this forum there are multiple posts on how to set up your titleblock and use project wide/page specifice attributtes

[jalger]

Hi Shoelesscraig, (I hope your not truely shoeless, but I degress...)

Ok for titleblock setups / Template setups here are the steps:

Drawing Template (DWT file)

1. Create your titleblock (or steal it in your case 🙂 )

     a.  Draw the titleblock frame

     b. add Attributes and text to the Titleblock

     c. Make it into its own Block

2. setup up you layers (wire layers)

3. (optional) Place on standard circuits, wire setups

4. Save as Template

Project Template

1. Start a new project (based on the standard you use or from an old project)

     * you may need to create a wdl file (drawing list mapping, changes lines into real text)

2. Create a new Drawing with you new Drawing Template (So we can map to it!)

3. Setup up any Project realated  settings (wire tags / Component Tags, etc)

4. Start Title block mapping

     a. Select the Titleblock on the template drawing when it asks you what blocks

     b. if mapping exists use "Edit" (not the case right now, this is case you miss something and have to go back)

     c. in the Project properties map all of the Lines (line1-line XX) to their matching Attributes.

     d. Map your Drawing Properties to their matching Attributes

5. Test it with Titleblock update / descriptions ( then clear out the data when your done)

6. Save the project (do a copy project on the template project to create you New projects from now on)

I suggest that you go through a little bit of training first, or seek out some help setting up the titleblock.

It sounds like your using VERY old/ tedious methods to create your drawings.

There are other things you can do to both templates, what I listed is the "base" items

I hope this helps,

James

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help! Ok, question...

Since I have stolen the title block from one of the default templates, it already has attributes.  Later on when you talk about "mapping" the line numbers to their matiching attribute, how do I know which is which?  Are there already "Line #s" for the attributes on the title block that I stole....err...borrowed?

And no, I'm not truly shoeless...its a reference to a Christian rock band that I played in back in the day...(Moses and the burning bush...he was shoeless because he was on Holy Ground)...not that anyone cares, but that where my screen name comes from!

[Anonymous]

And I may have just answered my own question...maybe. I found an section where I can reorder the attributes. Does this mean anything?

[jalger]

LOL...

Ok well The Deafult template actually uses a different method.

(it has a hidden block in the bottom right corner called "WD_TB") your Line Descirptions are stored there.

You may want to blow that away, to use the WDL and WDT files. (the WDL block should be in the WDDemo/ NFPADemo, and IECDEMO)

Just rename it to "<your project name>_wdtitle.wdl"

Inside the wdl fileyou setup what you want the Lines to say, it should look like:

Line1 = Title1

Line2 = Title2

.

.

.

LineXX = Your Description

Let me know if you need more info.

Regards,

James

[jalger]

"And I may have just answered my own question...maybe. I found an section where I can reorder the attributes. Does this mean anything?"

Well it means you found BATTMAN (no Not that Batman...  🙂 ). The Block ATTribute MANager. (Typed in Batch...LOL its not Batch)

It lets you reorder attributes but thats about it... Might com in handy later after you build the title block but it won't really help right now.

James

[Anonymous]

Ok, sorry for the ignorance.  So if I delete the WD_TB attribute from the titleblock, then where do I create these WDL and WDT files?

[jalger]

Hi Shoelesscraig,

No worries, never be afraid to ask Questions. ( No need to apologize for not knowing something)

After you remove the WD_TB, You want to add the WDL, and WDT to the project.

(The WDT is generated with the titleblock setup so don't worry about that one right now).

The WDL File Resides in the Project File Folder. (you can copy an existing one from wddemo in windows explorer and rename it.)

So for a Project Normally you would see:

Project name.wdp (the Project file)

Secondary Files (wdt, wdl, etc... there are 20ish files that add customization to the projects)

Drawings

All of the above will be in the same file folder.

I hope this helps,

James

[jalger]

One other thing,

The Projects are Stored in:

C:\Users\<user name>\Documents\Acade 2015\AeData\Proj\

If you go into the one Labeled "Demo" it should have the "Wddemo_wdtitle.wdl".

So Copy it and paste it into your project and rename it. (i.e. replace "WDdemo" with your Project name)

James

[Icemanau]

There are advantages and disadvantages to using the WD_TB attribute just as there are advantages and disadvantages to using the WDT methods.

One of the advantages with using the WD-TB is that you can have totally different title blocks with different attribute names that are mapped to either the same lines as other title blocks or different lines.

One of the disadvantages is that you are limited to the number of characters in the attribute.

With the WDT, I don't believe you are limited in the number of characters but you are limited to only having the exact same title block on each dwg.

I use the WD_TB method as I often get clients wanting me to add dwgs from different sources with their own title block to our projects. 

Regards Brad

[jalger]

Hi Brad,

You can map to multiple titleblocks, you just have to make sure they are in the same drawing the first time you map them. 🙂

Normally I make a Merging Drawing and place on all titleblocks I might want to use (typically A size, B size, and  D size).

You can have different attributes on them but it defeats the purpose of the titleblock update then...lol.

I have done the titleblock merge for several clients, in some case the titleblock was the same just with the logo for the client's client changed.

You can add Titleblocks to a project after the fact, buts its messy.

It is nice to be able to drop the WD_TB on any drawing., So I have to give you that.

So Shoelesscraig, you have some insight to the WD_TB attribute. (It's not a bad method)

Hopefully between Brad's comments, and my comments you are able to decide what method will work best for you.

Regards,

James

[s.wile]

I wrote a post about this a while back. The pictures may offer some a litte more help to go with the current replies.

AutoCAD Electrical's Title Block Update - The Basics

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help guys!  When I get some free time this morning (hopefully) I will try this stuff out.  I'll let you know if I have any questions.  Thanks again!

[ccad2509]

Dear autodesk

This issue comes up about once a week with newbies struggling with this concept for a titleblock

why dont you post the definative solution to step by step creation of a title block and pin it to the top of this forum