topic Re: Creating self-populating / "dynamic" (?) symbols [AutoCAD Electrica] in AutoCAD Electrical Forum

Creating self-populating / "dynamic" (?) symbols [AutoCAD Electrica]

NetBlindPaul — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:41:51 GMT

Hello all,

I am new here and new to AutoCAD Electrical.

I can use normal AutoCAD, OK. I have used it on and off for 2D mechanical drafting for years.

I am struggling with symbols, there aren't many in the library!

I am trying to learn to create my own.

I am in the UK, so trying to use IEC symbols.

I like that, for example, with the 3ph switch disconnector, you click the location for the first contact, then it fills the rest in, puts the link line, and removes the designation from all but the first contact.

I have an odd project which is 3ph & N, so 4 poles for much of it.

I would like to create 4-pole symbols for switches and a 4-pole bus etc.

However, I am struggling!

I could just draw the devices and save them as pre-sized blocks I guess, but that seems a lazy way out.

Then I could insert a 3 ph bus and add a N wire.

Does anyone know of any resources that I can look up which will explain how I can create these "dynamic" symbol blocks of parent and child symbols, please?

Or, am I just going the wrong way about this?

Any suggestions are gratefully accepted.

@NetBlindPaul

The topic title has been edited to improve findability by @alina.balkanskaia. Original: Creating self-populating / "dynamic" (?) symbols

Re: Creating self-populating / "dynamic" (?) symbols

alds02 — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:57:34 GMT

How about Circuit Builder?

Re: Creating self-populating / "dynamic" (?) symbols

james.mcmillanNYR6A — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 13:25:08 GMT

the 3 poles are created using the wd_3unit command coupled with the appropriate symbol

A couple of posts that might help

note that in the first Doug suggest a wd_4unit command but later corrects himself as it doesn't seem to exist

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-electrical-forum/missing-icons-4-poles-disconnectors-and-all-thermal-magnetic/td-p/2868188

https://nateholt.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/extending-autocad-electrical-to-4-pole-breakerswitch-dynamic-inserts-and-beyond/

Re: Creating self-populating / "dynamic" (?) symbols

NetBlindPaul — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 14:02:54 GMT

Thanks for the suggestion, but not sure how to create symbols with circuit builder.

Re: Creating self-populating / "dynamic" (?) symbols

NetBlindPaul — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 14:03:45 GMT

YES!

Thank you, with that help and a little bit from other places on the web, I found out what I needed to do.

Thanks,

Re: Creating self-populating / "dynamic" (?) symbols [AutoCAD Electrica]

alina.balkanskaia — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:44:08 GMT

Hello, @NetBlindPaul! Nice to see you in Autodesk Community; glad to know you found the correct information here. Thank you for marking the solution so that other users can benefit from this information.