Terminal Strip Major Issue

[crosby.109]

My whole team seems to be having issues with the Terminal Strip Editor in that sometimes blank entries will be created or like in this case, even after exporting the terminal list, changing all instances of CTRL to somthing else, nothing changes.

Above is another attempt to change these values through the terminal strip editor:

(see pic1)

 Upon re-entering: (see pic2)

It seems it doesnt let me change these values.  I have tried Project Rebuild and Deleting the scratch database and STILL not changing anything.

What the heck is going on????

[crosby.109]

The only way I have found to change the terminals is to go into each one individually one by one.

(for the first post I obviously re-imported the file after changes to the export, to avoid trivial answers)

[testsubject]

This is a known problem with the TSE. If you make associations from within the TSE and then go back in, the count increases by the number of associations you have made and there are now blank terminals in the strip. I recommend making all your associations from within the schematic and then insert them using the TSE. Keep in mind that if you have already ballooned all the terminals you will have to re-balloon the terminal strip since all these connections between Balloons and terminals are now broken by the Rebuild.

[crosby.109]

It is a known issue that even Import/Export for Terminal Blocks doesn't fix this?  Otherwise I am forced to play hide and seek for the TB's that are not what i want them to be

[jalger]

Hi Guys,

Bob,

The count isn't increasing, its just not removing the associated terminal. The leftovers from the associate are just converted to Spares.

They show up right away, they shouldn't be a surprise, they are right there as blank entries once the association has completed.

You just need to delete the Extras after Associating them.

Crosby,

Keep in mind when you add additional components to the tag strip it adds them to the count.

(i.e. if you add Terminal covers or End stops they are added to the count.)

So the count may appear larger due to the other components.

( just make sure the BOM is right and you should be fine)

I find the TSE is the best tool if you use it properly.   

Regards,

James Alger

[dougmcalexander]

Well said James. TSE is one of my favorites.

[crosby.109]

My issue is that they don't get converted as 'Spares', nothing changes at all.  I was forced on Friday to find them by looking at the reference in the exported terminal list and then "physically remove them" and then re-insert new TB's to re-associate and have it reflect in the TSE.  I had to do this for the ones that didn't even re-associate after editing them at the schematic level.

I can assure you I am using it correctly and there is indeed a major flaw.  I have a whole team that encounters the same issue from time to time.

[testsubject]

James,

I really like the TSE myself as well. I am fully aware that the spares in the terminal strip are created from the assoiciations. My issue is that after deleting them and inserting the terminal strip, if I go back to edit that same terminal strip, they are added back in. In my opinion, that should not happen. That is the known issue I was referring to.

[jalger]

Hi Crosby,

Can you tell me what version of the product you are using?

Can you also provide the steps you are doing to produce the issue?

I have 2013, 2014, and 2015 installed.

I cannot reproduce the issue on any of these 3 versions.

I have associated terminals, removed the association, added terminals ,removed terminals, deleted the inserted terminals with "Delete Component" ( use could use "delete footprint") I'm not seeing the issue, it regenerates with the proper number of terminals.

I have seen a similar issue where the Scratch database was corrupt, and until it was repaired it caused the issue but not just with terminals, it duplicated other devices too. (I'm not sure but this doesn't seem to be the case for you though since everyone is experiencing the issue.)

Do you share the projects or support files on your network?

Without knowing more about the setup, the only advice I can offer is: Try Running the Audit tools on the Drawings, and repairing the scratch database.

Regards,

James Alger

[crosby.109]

james,

ACADE 2014

Templates, catalogs, and symbols/footprints are shared on the company server.

We create projects by adding individual "template" drawings from the server, that portane to the project being built, into the project.  These drawings tend to have different terminal strip associations and require changing if they need to be different.

Additional drawings are created through PLC IO builder that contain terminals (by calling out the symbol name) and their terminal association (DnTAG code) as well.

[jalger]

Hi Crosby,

Try blowing away the scratch database, and let it regenerate after making the changes to the terminals. ( you can make a backup copy to compare against)

The scratch database (for 2014) is located in:

C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD Electrical 2014\R19.1\enu\Support\User

It will be an MDB file with the project name. Sometimes the database repair for AutoCAD Electrical doesn't work.

The other thing you could do, once you make changes to the terminals from the "template" run a DWG Audit and re-tag the components.

It should reduce the number of times you see the issues occurring (it may not stop it).

If the Template is with Panel Components (Terminal Footprints), I can see why the issue is occurring, the Database would not link the Schematic Components properly. It works great the other way (Schematic to Panel), but the Panel to Schematic workflow would break links forcing you to go to each schematic terminal individually and re map them. It could also double the number of terminals in the Scratch database since the links are not proper.

I would recommend having a Schematic Terminal Template, I do not recommend having a Terminal Panel Layout Template.

If you are using a Terminal Panel Layout Template stop using it for a project, and see if the issue dissappears.

Regards,

James

[crosby.109]

I had tried blowing away teh scratch database as mentioned earlier.

The templates do not include Terminal Footprints.

Thanks

[dougmcalexander]

I believe James has advised you well. The link data between terminals can be corrupted if not managed perfectly. When I add a panel drawing to my project from another project, and there are matching terminals, I answer no when prompted to separate the link. But this is because I know that the terminals in the panel and the terminals in the copied panel drawing match exactly. But it is advisable to insert terminal strips clean from the schematic into the panel.