topic Re: Flow Arrow Size in AutoCAD MEP Forum

Flow Arrow Size

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:45:03 GMT

When we have a (mech) pipe, we can have autocad (mep) show us the direction of flow in that pipe and we can change the direction in that pipe. My question is can we change the size of the tiny arrow so we don't have to use the label command to bring in a label that looks like an arrow?

Re: Flow Arrow Size

pendean — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:13:44 GMT

The MEP forum is here: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-MEP/bd-p/61

Re: Flow Arrow Size

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:37:21 GMT

The flow arrows are associative, so they will change size with the scale of the drawing. I think they are sized just about right for that use.

You can still change their scale or replace them with your own label curve /block from within the style manager.

Manage --> Style Manager --> + Document Object --> +Label Curve Styles

If you click on one of the included Flow arrows, you will see that they have a "paper size" of 2", you can change them to what ever you want.

You will also see that in the options box you can change from the 'Use Flow/Run Arrows' radio button to a number of different options, the top one being 'Use Block graphics' where you can tell AutoCad to use your own custom block.

In that case, I wouldn't modify one of the included Flow Arrows, but would make a Custom one.

Keep in mind that this change is only for the current file. You would have to make this change in your template file and or use the style manager to drag and drop your custom settings to other drawings.

Re: Flow Arrow Size

Keith.Brown — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:49:51 GMT

When you go into the style manager->Documentation Objects->Label Curve Styles choose the label curve style that you want to use. Then in the right side of the style manager under the Label Style Annotation Tab you will see a section called Flow Arrow Graphics. Here you can chose from a list of predifined graphics. If you chose the dropdown, you will see that you can also choose a user defined arrow which is essentially just a block. You can use either the previous method or this one, they will both get you the same results. I prefer to use the method I just outlined only because it is in the flow arrow section. Both methods will work equally well.

Re: Flow Arrow Size

CADmonkey_UK_Building_Services — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 01:52:14 GMT

I don't know the answer but at least I understood the question!

You don't want to use Flow Labels, you want the Flow Indicators to be bigger and presumably plotable.

Re: Flow Arrow Size

Anonymous — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:13:30 GMT

Thanks CadMonkey for understanding the question. You are correct I'm not trying to change the size of a Arrow Label placed in a pipe I'm try to use the flow direction indicators as my flow arrows and yes I want to plot them. I would appear that most misunderstood my question. I thought It pretty clear.

Re: Flow Arrow Size

Anonymous — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:44:17 GMT

I guess im still not understanding the "flow arrow' you are refering to.

Can you (or cadMonkey) please pst a screen capture of a pipe showing the 'flow arrow' you are refering to?

Re: Flow Arrow Size

Keith.Brown — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:58:27 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
When we have a (mech) pipe, we can have autocad (mep) show us the direction of flow in that pipe and we can change the direction in that pipe. My question is can we change the size of the tiny arrow so we don't have to use the label command to bring in a label that looks like an arrow?

No you cannot. The flow indicators do not plot nor they can be resized. That is what the flow arrows are for. Every piece of pipe has a flow indicator on it in the center of the pipe. If you want this functionality, Turn on labels when drawing pipe and set your label to be a flow arrow. It is the EXACT same functionality as a flow indicator but now you can control the size and how it plots. There are no extra steps involved. You do not need to use the label command, the labels will autoadd to the pipe. If you want to turn them off then freeze the layer they are added to.

@Anonymous wrote:

"I would appear that most misunderstood my question. I thought It pretty clear."

Its not that I didnt understand your original question, I didnt understand why you asked it or why you would want to even do that. The labels have much more functionality and can be auto populated the same as the flow indicators. The flow indicators are exactly what they appear to be. They are indicators ONLY. THEY DO NOT PLOT, THEY DO NOT RESIZE, THEY INDICATE FLOW DIRECTION.

I dont see a difference between the two other than the color and size and shape. That can all be controled EXACTLY by changing the style of the label.

Re: Flow Arrow Size

Anonymous — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:29:53 GMT

Thanks for the info Keith, I just thought I would let you know that flow indicators appear to be plottable on my computer. Attached is a PDF I made after I tested it by plottting a hard copy first.

Re: Flow Arrow Size

CADmonkey_UK_Building_Services — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:17:01 GMT

The reason you can do this is down to the settings for this layer:

G-Risr-Std-Nplt

It's usually set to 'non plotting' and is also usually off and frozen. Yours isn't.

Re: Flow Arrow Size

Anonymous — Sat, 26 May 2012 19:09:27 GMT

Nice information, and the solution proferred has being very helpful to me as well, so i will be coming back more often, cheers!!!