Command/Toolbar commands/toolbars

[WACS_AE]

Where can i find a PDF list of all autocad electrical commands/toolbars showing icons and description

[jalger]

To my Knowldege there is no PDF with this information. (unless one of the guys on here made one and wants to distribute it)

You could use the help file or get a Training Manual to help you learn the commands.

Here is a link to the Ascent Courseware (It's not bad on The NFPA side, can't say how the IEC one is since I have never used it).

http://www.ascented.com/courseware-solutions/autodesk/courseware/autocad-electrical.aspx

My suggestion is to take training if you're trying to learn the program.

(Depending on where you go, sometimes you get the books with the training)

I hope this helps,

James

[PatMurnen_Adsk]

You didn't mention what version of AutoCAD Electrical you are using but there is a Help topic that shows all the commands on the ribbon and provides a description of each command. This link is from the 2015 online Help but it is also available in the in-product Help since 2013 under a User Interface section (Table of Contents is different depending on release). This topic provides links to topics for each ribbon tab and panel.

http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/AutoCAD-Electrical/files/GUID-B81D27A9-EE78-4FCA-B4F4-74...

Regards,

Pat Murnen

[dougmcalexander]

I highly recommend going through the built-in tutorials if you are brand new to the software.  Also notice that if you hover your mouse cursor over an icon in the ribbon the control tip will dig deeper into the help files and display more detail about the command.  You will also notice a "Help" button on most of the dialog boxes.  If you click it, you will be taken immediately to the help topics that pertain to that dialog.

And, as Jalger noted, I highly recommend classroom training with an in-person instructor. The cost will pay for itself many times over, because of te productivity you will gain.  You lose so much valuable time trying to dig this out on your own that it can cost much more than what training wouold have cost.

[drathak]

I'll pile on with the "Get Some Training" team.  This software is pretty complex at times and trying to figure it all out on your own is a huge challenge. 

And I'll go one further and say that it is worth the expense to get ALL of your design people this basic training.  (Unless you're a loner, then carry on.)  The more people you have conversing intelligently about the program the more of your company's knowledge will be captured in the system as you develop and use it.

Also, as James mentioned, most AOTC training will include the student books and CD's.  (AOTC=Autodesk Official Training Courseware)  Not sure about a teacher's guide, but I bet that can be had as well.  Think of it as a long term investment since that can be used over and over again for internal training of new hires or doing refresher classes.

[jalger]

Hi Joe,

Yeah I usually make my own Teachers copy by putting notes all over the book. 🙂

They No longer have CD's in the AOTC, they moved to Digital Downloads only in 2013.

I think Mid 2012 was the last time that the courseware had cd's, it had the link to the site only after July-August 2012.

But its easy to Download it and burn it to disc.

Regards,

James

[dougmcalexander]

I don't use the books for my classes. I teach from a syllabus and I give handouts of notes that cover complex topics. My class is taught from a workfow perspective, starting with setup and customization on the first day and concluding with designing a control panel from scratch on days 2 through 5. It is essentially a design simulation, like doing your first project with an instructor in the room to help.

Most of the training I conduct is for companies who have had the software for 3 years and finally realized that they are not using it in the most effective manner.  I found over the years that people would take the standard courses and still not be equipped to get the software configured effectively back at their office after training. That is why day one is all about the infrastructure of the software and how to set up and manage it. We use the infrastructure we create on Monday to complete our design project on Tuesday through Friday, including schematic, panel layout, error analysis, and reports. 

While we design our class project we follow the rules for what country we are in. In the USA we follow NFPA standards. In Europe we follow IEC. In Australia we follow AS2000. We design the same control panel using either standard, so as we design we also reinforce the design practices dictated by the standards.

One of the most important first steps to properly implementing the software is creating your drawing template, configured for title block update but also including the design rules (a.k.a. drawing properties) you wish to follow and specific wire types you will use. This helps ensure consistency throughout the design team, as they all play off the same sheet of music, as they say. We cover template creation on day one of my class but I have made available a free quick-start guide for creating a template.  It is available on my website. Click on the tips and tricks page at www.ecadconsultant.com.