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Question for any former RS-Wire or PromiseE Users

8 REPLIES 8
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Message 1 of 9
ron_kennon
2210 Views, 8 Replies

Question for any former RS-Wire or PromiseE Users

I am a current RS-Wire user and we are considering changing Cad systems Mostly because of Rockwell software support prices and thier lack of service. I have been waiting for my 4.5 upgrade for 3 months now. So at the very least my comapny will be switching to Promise-E. But I am very interested AutoCAD Electrical.

I need to know how difficult was the change over?
How easy or difficult it is to learn the software?
And how difficult is it to convert current RS-Wire/Promise-E
Projects, Symbol Libraries and Databases over to AutoCAD
Electrical?

Thanks in Advance,
Ron Kennon
ron_kennon@bose.com
8 REPLIES 8
Message 2 of 9
jbaker
in reply to: ron_kennon

Ron,
RSWire 4.05 has been shipping for months. There are no automatic updates.You must request the update from Rockwell Support.
Message 3 of 9
rjtcm1
in reply to: ron_kennon

If you haven't done it already, you will find that ACAD E is a different animal than old Promis-e.
The difference is fundamentally, old school versus new school.
If you make the change to ACAD E, in the long run, you will not be disappointed.
The old model is dying slowly. And only those with vested interest hold on to the old.
Message 4 of 9
SRayC
in reply to: ron_kennon

My company has tried to use promis-e, and even one facility is going hard at it to make it work. I do not and never have liked that software for many reasons. But one thing promis-e has that AcadE does not, is some ability to create true wire routing based on physical locations of devices on the panel layout. This is essential with large electrical equipment such as motor controllers, switchgear, etc... Yes, there is some distant light at the end of the tunnel with the wire harness in IV Pro, but that is to expensive and not as configurable as needed. AcadE PLEASE take a look at how this can be done in one package and as inexpensive as possible.

Thanks
Ray C.
Message 5 of 9
norman.bourque
in reply to: ron_kennon

We recently changed over to Acad E from Promis-e and RSWire in Jan. 2004. So far getting the information on how the AcadE software is configured so that parts databases and symbol libraries we have existing in promis-e can be changed over is becoming a task. The lack of a good instruction manual instead of online help burns me, but as others have noted so far the changes will be good.
Message 6 of 9
MartinLee
in reply to: ron_kennon

I don't think that there is an easy way to take PromisE symbols into ACADE. I spent two years full time trying to get PromisE to work and gave up. The PromisE symbols that I did have I put into a drawing and saved it as DWG then Wblocked the symbols out. Since I already had an extensive AutoCAD symbol library (1500 symbols), it was easy to convert those to ACADE I never got far enough into PromisE to get a parts database. My copy of PromisE is sitll in a box on the floor of my office. And they still sell it??? ACADE Rules!
Message 7 of 9

I need to know how difficult was the change over?

As long as the drawings are native .dwg files they will be more at home with AutoCAD Electrical than they are in RS-Wire or Promise-e.

How easy or difficult it is to learn the software?

Not at all. I was trained on Promise-e in 1991. It took 5 days and was primitive by today's standards. The learning curve was so bad that out of 20 who attended the class from my company, only half were still there on the last day, and only 3 actually wound up using the software. We bought 20 seats and used 3. AE training is normally 3 days.

And how difficult is it to convert current RS-Wire/Promise-E
Projects, Symbol Libraries and Databases over to AutoCAD
Electrical?

AutoCAD Electrical can use any .dwg file as a symbol. In fact it can use your existing panel footprints as is. AE stores all drawing data inside the .dwg files so no database is needed to manage the project. It runs an Access database in the background for its own internal use. That database can be erased and it won't hurt anything. AE only uses it as a "cache" to speed up project wide functions. It will create the database "on the fly" when it needs it.

I have used Promis-e, RS-Wire, and AutoCAD Electrical, or AE, (formerly known as Toolbox/WD and later VIA/WD), and there is no comparison to AE. As an engineering consultant, I must use the drawing package that is mandated by my client. It is most often AE. When they have no preference, I use AE. Even if they have standard AutoCAD, or simply a DWG viewer, they can view, print, and even access part numbers, wire numbers, etc. when I use AE to create the drawings. All I need to send them are the .dwg files, just as I would have if I had drawn them with straight AutoCAD. I do not have to transfer device type libraries, macros, symbol databases, etc. in order for the delivered drawings to be viewable.

The problem with AE is this: It will challenge your honesty and integrity. You can get the job done faster and more accurately. Do you quote your normal rate?

I have a job I am working on for a client that they estimated at 8 weeks. It was already behind when they asked me if I could do in 4 weeks. I may actually come close to meeting that deadline, even though it is unrealistic. But the automated editing features built into AE are cutting tedious tasks that normally take hours down to minutes.

Hope this helps you out.


Doug McAlexander


Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor specializing in AutoCAD Electrical training and implementation support

Phone and Web-based Support Plans Available

Phone: (770) 841-8009

www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623




Please Accept as Solution if I helped you. Likes are also much appreciated.
Message 8 of 9
k0328161
in reply to: ron_kennon

Please, would somebody direct me to the instructional sites for RS Wire and Promis-E,  Lisp programming and VBA programming?

 

Thank you.

 

Adam

 

Message 9 of 9
electricman1
in reply to: k0328161

If you are new to ACAD Electrical and want to give it a try. I suggest trying the following website for starters and then edit/add with ACADE: www.racklayout.com

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