Looking for user input: Insert Component and Building Custom Symbols

[Anonymous]

AutoCAD Electrical Users,

We are currently in our definition phase for future product development and
would like to solicit your ideas and thoughts on potential features in the
AutoCAD Electrical software. A couple of the areas we are looking to hear
more from users on is the "Insert Component" command with the icon menu as
well as the process for building custom symbols.

We would be very interested in hearing your thoughts. If you are interested
in participating in this process please respond to my email address listed
below.Once we receive your email we will make contact with you to sign our
Non-Disclosure agreement (if you haven't already signed one). Afterwards we
will contact you with some questions regarding future development.

Regards,

Maniprakash

Product Designer - AutoCAD Electrical

maniprakash.venkatesan@autodesk.com

[dougmcalexander]

I don't have any issues with insert component. I think the main emphasis for future development needs to stay focused on terminal strips and panel layout. Panel layout needs to be expanded in the area of automated wire length and routing. Expanding the language database and the parts catalog is always a good use of time. Including more footprints, especially wiring diagram style footprints, would be good. There may be some users who would like to see more out-of-the-box component symbols, but many users create their own symbols to match their company standard anyway.

[chubby-1]

I am in 100% agreement with Doug. Most of our symbols are "home grown" so therefore adding more symbols would really not be of much value to us, while solving the existing issues of the terminals and the Panel layout would be a great benefit to us.


Thanks
Marty

[Peter_KSBE]

I also agree with Doug and Marty, our symbols are also home made (they are close to the ones you provide, but not quit the same).
I even suggest (think I also did in another topic) to reduce the amount of contacts and symbols you can choose of.
Now AE proposes you with a solution if you place a wrong contact (for example when you place a timed contact on a normal relais)

[John]

Most of the symbols that I use are "home made" using black box builder, or adapted from supplied symbols. I tend to insert manually - without using icons - this could be lazyness! I store the symbols in a folder structure on the server and give them discriptive names.

John

[DKLeeUS]

When I think back to just starting AcadE I had trouble figuring out how to take a symbol from the BBB, to both database, to the footprint, etc. I think people would benefit from having tutorials that take them through the *entire* process so that panels, schematics are properly linked via the databases for their newly built custom symbols.

[cawaugh]

As with many users, we too make our own if they are not already in the libraries. What we would value even more is the catalog being populated with more MFG and CAT info.
I think the default_cat.mdb would get too large but maybe if there was other mdb's covering manufacturers and Electrical being able to look at them independently, this would maybe keep the speed of getting data up there and allow for more MFG info to utilize. One side note, could there be a routine or report that we could run that would compare what component was new or changed vs. when we installed the software? You may have updated certain components to function different or better and if we started out with the older one and slightly modified it (i.e. changed the attribute size), it would be nice to know what was changed or brand new. Thanks!

[MTE Controls]

I have made a request once before for not just Icon menu but Manufatufer catalog pull down list. This in my opinion would be an advantage to the icon menu, for it would not have to be recreated on any future upgade of the product on the user's end. This way any home grown items can be used instead of the default pointed to item. And any home made one's can be added to the list and chosen to be inserted with there link to an image.

For the icon menu would seem to me, to be a bit restrictive and a combersome method to maintain.

[JeffatSJE]

More automation and management. I find that I spend a lot of time when creating new ACE smart blocks and I am usually faced with new parts on every project. I cut corners by using a generic tag block but I loose any point to point information which is no big deal because we assemble right off the prints not a list. I would like to see ACE manage all the blocks in the same manner as the Vault and make the creation as simple as selecting the entities that make up the block and selecting an insertion point and be given a dialog box that has options like
1. Schematic or Footprint
2. Apply to Icon menu (icon menu pick list)
3. Attachment (with browse to select a data sheet)
4. Catalog Information (not optional with a search for similar part information)

That's IT! with out having to think about what to call it or where to put it. It would get stored in the Vault.

[kristib]

I agree wholeheartedly with dkleeus. This is where I spend most of my time banging my head against the wall. Help here would benefit everybody.

[pmccutcheon]

are you asking because autodesk is going to obsolete the icon menu?

[JeffatSJE]

He might benefit more by asking how many still use the icon menu system. All though I still use a few things from the icon menu I have not modified it in over 4 years. I think I could just as well work with a fancy open file dialog box with icon detail level. Seven months of deciding what to do is costing money so decide already chop chop 🙂
p.s. Just remember make sure its fast....

[userlevel6]

I'm looking for a insert component function that will allow me to use the insert exploded method (insert * as opposed to insert command sequence.)