I'm not sure why you guys are having difficulties. You can create one-lines with plain "vanilla" AutoCAD. They will just be dumb. Adding a one-line drawing to an AutoCAD Electrical project allows you to edit the one-line symbols, Lookup new part numbers, change ratings, descriptions, etc., and have this update the related 3-line symbols, panel layout, and P&ID symbols accordingly. I have a sample project I use in my classes that has 3-line, one-line, panel layout, and P&ID drawings. I can change a description line or part number on the P&ID and AcadE will update the 3-line, panel layout, and one-line with the changes. I was doing this as far back as version 2007 of AutoCAD Electrical, which had no official one-line capability. I just inserted the single-pole versions of the symbols from the JIC125 library and gave them the same tags as their 3-phase schematic counterpart. I only had to ignore the popup that warns of tag duplication. By turning off Real-time Error Checking I would not even see the warning popups.
AcadE 2010 now adds some common one-line symbols and the ability for the program to allow you to select from a schematic list to copy the tag of the 3-phase counterpart from a project list. Plus 2010 doesn't see the one-line tags as a tag duplication error.
Autodesk also gave us a nice starting point of common one-line symbols. For application specific one-line symbols, just use Symbol Builder or copy a similar symbol into the 1- folder of your active library folder. For example, if you want a motor starter coil for your one-line diagram, copy HMS1 and VMS1 from the JIC125 library folder to the 1- folder inside the JIC125 folder, which is where the one-line symbol files reside. Rename the files to HMS1_1- and VMS1_1- and add an attribute named WDTYPE with a default value of 1-. That's all there is to it. You can use Icon Menu Wizard to add the new symbol to the One-Line category of the Icon menu. In fact for a motor starter just use s1(SHmt1) for the icon Image. s1(SHmt1) is the same one used in the Motor Control category for a motor starter coil.
Autodesk has given AcadE 2010 the intelligence to properly interpret one-line symbols so they can link to all other iterations of the component, 3-line, panel footprint, and P&ID. Plus you still have the superior drafting engine that is AutoCAD.
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
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