topic Re: PLC terminal style box dimensions issue in AutoCAD Electrical Forum

PLC terminal style box dimensions issue

Zerb — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 14:16:26 GMT

Im trying to setup a PLC in a drawing and it seems as if im doing something wrong. i would like the terminal description to be on top of the terminal in the PLC card. that seems as if what its suppsed to be according to the STYLE 2 box that i have selected when making the PLC, but as you can see by the screenshots the descriptions are falling outsideof the card to the left or right.

Re: PLC terminal style box dimensions issue

jseefdrumr — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:07:31 GMT

OK, coupla things...

PLCs are built parametrically. This means that in order to make one, you define a set of parameters. Then, ACADE will go and fetch the correct pre-made blocks it needs, assemble them, and create the PLC symbol.

The terminal descriptions are appearing as they should (i.e., in their default locations) so you haven't done anything wrong, there's just a couple of things you still need to do.

1. Identify the blocks that ACADE is using to do the parametric build. (I can't recall right offhand, but how to find that info is here on the forum somewhere.)

2. Open up the dwg for the block that you want to edit. In this case, it will be whichever block contains the terminal description attribute. There could be other attributes in there, if so, let them be unless their position is also a problem.

3. Adjust the attribute's location so that whenever ACADE uses it again, it comes into the PLC block where you need it to be.

NOTES:
1. You need to purge blocks from a drawing before re-inserting the PLC, or else the changes won't take effect.
2. Doing this will affect ALL parametrically generated PLCs that want to use this block in the parametric build.

Hope this helps,
Jim

Re: PLC terminal style box dimensions issue

Zerb — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:18:46 GMT

What you're saying in the first part of your answer is covered in this thread I think?

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-electrical-general/plc-i-o-tag-and-terminal-descriptor-locations/td-p/3508084

I just want to make sure I'm pointed in the right direction before I wind up and take off here.

Re: PLC terminal style box dimensions issue

TRLitsey — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 21:47:28 GMT

Hi there,

jseefdrumr has the nuts and bolt but @testsubject does a pretty good walk through. Everything you need to know is there. If someone has already said this I am sorry for repeating, I would not 'modify' any of the out of the box .dwg modules right from the start. Start by copying the originals however you make backups, ie rename files, copy files to another folder, whatever works for you. Just so you have the 'originals' in the original form in case you need to back track. Then begin you modifications to the ones you and are not worried about trashing in the infamous AutoCAD oops ... ha

Good luck

Re: PLC terminal style box dimensions issue

Zerb — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 21:56:40 GMT

Awesome. I'll give this a shot later tonight hopefully.

Just a side note. My original post the option 2 for the PLC terminal layout is EXACTLY what I'm after, which is why i chose it, so why doesn't Autocad make it look like that instead of how it does in my screenshots?

Re: PLC terminal style box dimensions issue

TRLitsey — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 22:24:04 GMT

It has been that style for the last 100 years. But that is why AutoCAD gives us so many tools to create our own style and look.

Good luck

Because we have always done it that way ...

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/gauge.asp

Re: PLC terminal style box dimensions issue

Zerb — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 17:57:44 GMT

I assume by doing it this way the next PLC i make i will need to go and do the same thing, as apposed to changing the files as stated above, but it worked.

I just double clicked on the PLC and it opened the Enhanced Attribute Editor and from there i was able to change the Attributes to my liking.

Re: PLC terminal style box dimensions issue

jseefdrumr — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 18:20:38 GMT

You're correct in that this will only work for this instance.

I see that you just took the info from the TERMDESC attribute and copied it into the TERM attribute that's already in the location you need. However, you can use the PLC Database File Editor and essentially do the same thing. You'd have to do it for each individual module that you use, but you'd only ever have to do it to each module once.

I didn't suggest this before because the attributes that are already in those locations are meant for other things. But using the TERM attribute as your I/O description instead of the TERMDESC attribute, while effective, could affect some reports: anything that needs TERMDESC will return no value because of this. (I've never used it, but the PLC Address Report probably looks at this attribute.) Same goes for TERM. Since that attribute carries a value, any report that looks for the TERM attribute would return incorrect info.

If you don't use the relevant reports, there's nothing wrong with this solution in my opinion.

Also, for moving attributes after a block has been inserted, try holding CTRL while you left-click on the attributes. This will allow you to build a selection set consisting only of attributes, which you can then move, change text height, etc. all at the same time.

Hope this helps,

Jim