Unity Pro PLC

[super_c]

I'd like to use the Unity Pro PLC functions to create schematics, but am having trouble even getting the demo to work. It seems to export the spreadsheet fine, but when I turn around and try to use the Spreadsheet To PLC I/O Utility it can't find three modules, and it ends up creating empty drawings with just a title block (see attachment.) Do these modules install with the rest of the manufacturer's libraries? If not, how do I add them to the database?

[super_c]

forgot the attachment...

[Anonymous]

The Unity Pro utility needs the Modicon manufacurer installed so that it can
insert the PLC modules. To add these, you can go to the Add/Remove
Programs, highlight AutoCAD Electrical and select Change/Remove. From there
select the 'Add or Remove Features' option and follow the prompts. On the
dialog that appears that asks you to select the manufacturers to install,
make sure to toggel on all the manufacturers that you want installed
including Modicon.

Steve

wrote in message news:5880866@discussion.autodesk.com...
forgot the attachment...

[super_c]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for your advice. When I went back and did Add/Remove Features I selected -all- of the available manufacturers that came with the AutoCAD Electrical 2008 installation media. It added Modicon, Telemecanique, and Square D schematic and layout components like pilot lights, starters, etc.. but it didn't add anything in to the PLC database. Did I miss a step or something? Maybe the files were put in the wrong place...

I think I'm looking for a "PLC Database Import" function... something like that. Is there a way to add these modules in without creating the PLC components in the PLC database manually? I'm starting to understand the database editor pretty well and I think I could get all my modules set up by hand but it seems like there's got to be an easier way.
-c

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you did everything correctly, especially since you are
getting the other content. Out of Modicon, Telemecanique, and Square D only
Modicon will add PLC modules. Try running Insert PLC and see if Modicon is
listed. If so, check under Modicon in the Quantum series in the family's
Descrete Input and Descrete Output, this is where 2 of the modules you
mentioned were missing shodul be found.

If Modicon is not listed as a PLC option of the PLC modules are not there,
you can import the Modicon PLC database directly. This is what the
Add/Remove shoudl have done, but maybe it ran into an problem.

Look on your DVD for the following folder: '\acade\en-us\Acade\Program
Files\Autodesk\Root\MDBs'

In this folder is all the raw data for the databases. For Modicon PLC's you
should see a file named 'MODICON_ace_plc_src.mdb'. Copy this file to your
hard drive and then from inside Acade, run the 'Merge Utility' from the
Project->Extras pull-down menu. Select PLC content and following the
prompts on the dialog. This should import the data into your PLC database.

Let me know if you run into any problems

Steve



wrote in message news:5885179@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your advice. When I went back and did Add/Remove Features I
selected -all- of the available manufacturers that came with the AutoCAD
Electrical 2008 installation media. It added Modicon, Telemecanique, and
Square D schematic and layout components like pilot lights, starters, etc..
but it didn't add anything in to the PLC database. Did I miss a step or
something? Maybe the files were put in the wrong place...

I think I'm looking for a "PLC Database Import" function... something like
that. Is there a way to add these modules in without creating the PLC
components in the PLC database manually? I'm starting to understand the
database editor pretty well and I think I could get all my modules set up by
hand but it seems like there's got to be an easier way.
-c

[super_c]

I followed your advice and the demo works much better now. There is still one module missing and that leaves a blank drawing... not so sure about that. Anyway, since my project isn't using that particular module anyway, I think I'm in pretty good shape. I now need to look at how the drawings are generated from the spreadsheet so I can tailor the tool to my own purposes.
Thanks for your help.
-c

[Anonymous]

Glad to hear it is working now.

If I am correct, the one module that does not exist is a CPU, this is
as-expected. This was probably left in the import file to allow people to
see how you can right-clikc on the module in the Unity Pro Import dialog and
select Exclude, so that the module does not get placed in the XLS file that
is created.

Steve


wrote in message news:5894814@discussion.autodesk.com...
I followed your advice and the demo works much better now. There is still
one module missing and that leaves a blank drawing... not so sure about
that. Anyway, since my project isn't using that particular module anyway, I
think I'm in pretty good shape. I now need to look at how the drawings are
generated from the spreadsheet so I can tailor the tool to my own purposes.
Thanks for your help.
-c

[super_c]

Ahh. I see. I assume that there are other modicon PLC and remote IO components available through other sources if I can't find them in the mfg. data that comes with AutoCAD. I've not checked, but I wonder if the database files for more modules and possibly the footprint info as well might reside in the Unity-Pro installation disks...

[Anonymous]

Currently, the main source for PLC's in AutoCAD Electical will be what comes
with it. To my knowledge there is no additional AutoCAD Electical data on
the Unity Pro disks. Now this is not to say you can not find additional
data out there on the web somewhere that will work with Acade and maybe
there are other user willing to share data that they have added.

As for footprints, Acade is pretty open to using any blocks, they don't need
to have any specific Acade atributes on them, so you can take about any
AutoCAD DWG footprint block supplied by a manufacturer and use it in Acade.
There are a lot of manufacturers that do supply this info.

Steve



wrote in message news:5899593@discussion.autodesk.com...
Ahh. I see. I assume that there are other modicon PLC and remote IO
components available through other sources if I can't find them in the mfg.
data that comes with AutoCAD. I've not checked, but I wonder if the
database files for more modules and possibly the footprint info as well
might reside in the Unity-Pro installation disks...

[dougmcalexander]

Maybe I'm missing some of this thread, but just in case, AcadE does need to
see certain attributes in schematic and footprint blocks in order to track
and report the data (i.e. BOM, wire list, etc.). You can use the symbol
builder to add the appropriate attributes to any block or even dumb geometry
to create an intelligent block (symbol). There is a specific block naming
convention that must be adhered to in order for AcadE to manage wire
connections, part number searches, and parent-child relationships. The
Symbol Builder will suggest an appropriate name. Anything past the
underscore can be replaced with your own choice of text, or removed
altogether. You can removed the underscore if you do not need to add any
additional symbol description text.

Note: If you create your own PLC block, outside of the PLC Database File
Editor, the file name must begin with the letters PLCIO in order for AcadE
to bring up the special component edit dialog screen for PLC data, when you
click Edit Component and select a PLC module. This special version of the
Edit Component dialog has entries for PLC addresses and description lines.

"Steve" wrote in message
news:5904933@discussion.autodesk.com...
Currently, the main source for PLC's in AutoCAD Electical will be what comes
with it. To my knowledge there is no additional AutoCAD Electical data on
the Unity Pro disks. Now this is not to say you can not find additional
data out there on the web somewhere that will work with Acade and maybe
there are other user willing to share data that they have added.

As for footprints, Acade is pretty open to using any blocks, they don't need
to have any specific Acade atributes on them, so you can take about any
AutoCAD DWG footprint block supplied by a manufacturer and use it in Acade.
There are a lot of manufacturers that do supply this info.

Steve



wrote in message news:5899593@discussion.autodesk.com...
Ahh. I see. I assume that there are other modicon PLC and remote IO
components available through other sources if I can't find them in the mfg.
data that comes with AutoCAD. I've not checked, but I wonder if the
database files for more modules and possibly the footprint info as well
might reside in the Unity-Pro installation disks...