Inconsistent signal and destination arrows

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am using AE2021.  I'm not very fluent with it so bear with me.  I am using signal/destination arrows in one project.  In some of the drawings, I have nice a big arrows with referencs.  If I try to add arrows on other drawings, sometimes in the same drawing, the arrow becomes super small and doesn't match the appearance of the big arrows, along with references.  They look like the arrows that are selected in the drawing properties.  I'm a bit frustrated because I don't see what could be the obvious issue here.  Thanks in advance.

[jseefdrumr]

This sounds like a common problem, actually.

Generally speaking, when you insert symbols into a drawing using ACADE and see a huge difference in sizes, it means that some symbols were inserted from the IEC library (metric units) and others were inserted from the NFPA or JIC libraries (imperial units). An imperial symbol must be scaled up by a factor of 25.4 to match a metric symbol. A metric symbol must be scaled down by a factor of .03937 to match an imperial symbol.

You can see which library is currently active by looking in the upper left hand corner of the Icon Menu. Also, verify that you didn't inadvertently input a scale factor into the field in the bottom of that same dialog box. (And, note that there is a checkbox for 'Always display previously used menu' ... you may find that useful.)

You can change which library is used as a project default by right-clicking on the project in Project Manager, and choosing 'Properties'. The first tab of that dialog stores all the paths used by your project to find the symbol libraries. Edit the path itself and browse to the correct library, if this is your issue.

Can't tell you which way to go because I don't if you're needing to work in imperial units or metric...but post back if you have more questions on this and I or another forum user will get you together.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply.  I attached a photo of what I'm dealing with.  I started adding arrows and they came out like the bottom one, several, in fact.  Then I went to add an arrow to another wire and I was prompted if I wanted to add a wire for a branch something-or-other, can't remember now.  I pressed NO and then the next arrow I tried to do, it came out like the top one.

[ramesh.kambang]

This happens because of symbol library mismatch.

1. Check which symbol library is used on your project: by right click project>settings. Check in the lower windows: are they nfpa, Jic or iec?
2. Check your default symbols in the project properties>Schematic libraries. are they iec or nfpa?
3.  click Schematic Libraries then click Default. check again, are they iec, nfpa or jic?
4. if your project is showing nfpa and project properties shows iec, then you haven't got nfpa symbols library installed. This means you needs to install nfpa symbols library and repeat steps 2-3.
5. click ok

[Anonymous]

Hi, thanks for the reply.  Please forgive my lack of knowledge with AutoCAD.  So your point 4 is the case.  I checked my installation setup and I have already installed the NFPA libraries as well but the IEC are listed as the Default in the Project.  I have tried to change those libraries manually in that Project Properties window but when I close the window and then open it up again, everything is the same, the Project Properties are NFPA, the Default files are still IEC.  I just checked my options for when I create a new project and I use the 'Copy Settings from Project File:' which is the Nfpademo.wdp that came with AE2021, and it is actually the same set up, NFPA with IEC Default.  All of the demo projects are IEC as the Default.  Every time I try to create a new project, IEC is always the Default, even if I don't pick a file to 'Copy Settings' from.  Is there anything quick that I can do to create a new NFPA Default project?  Thank you in advance.

[ramesh.kambang · Accepted solution]

There is a quick fix, main driving factor is the wd.env file which has default iec symbols in its path library. Try following stepts:

1. open wd.env file (located in the AeData folder along with the Proj, Tutorial and en-US folders) in notepad
2. replace iec with NFPA as shown below, save and close.
3. Restart Acade 
4. Repeat the steps of my previous post (click default thingi)
5. After clicking default you will see nfpa symbol libraries. 
6. click ok
7. restart acade
8. You may need to update source or destination arrows as some your drawings are using iec version symbols. If this repeats update the arrow using command AESWAPBLOCK. 

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much Ramesh, you have been a great help!  I have successully updated the wd.env file and now the default files in the drawings are NFPA.  If I want to do a project in IEC, depending on what the customer requests, I imagine that I have to do this prior to doing an IEC drawing to get the defaults to match up since I believe selecting 'Copy Settings from Project File:' won't help me, as experienced earlier in my attempts.  Is that correct?

[Anonymous]

Hi Ramesh, unfortunately, it's doing the exact same thing.  Not sure what it is.  I'm going to stick to Reference Only Arrows for now and look into this in the future.  I have spent too much time on trying to figure this out already.  Thanks again for your time and help.

[ramesh.kambang]

Did you try step 8 of the previous post? It will show large arrow on the drawings you previously worked on because it still keeping iec arrows. If you have multiple drawings, try on the drawings where you hadn't placed arrows before. 

To fix this:

1. open the drawing which has large arrows
2. delete arrows
3. type purge on command bar
4. purge all
5. purge all items
6. try inserting arrows
7. if same issue, type AESWAPBLOCK.
8. select option B - update a block
9. follow the rest of steps

if any problem you can share your drawings and project file

[ramesh.kambang]

Copy project command copies the projects keeping all  electrical constraints unchanged, it will not redefine the symbol libraries path. Here wd.env file plays main role in acade. You can maintain two wd.env files: global (currently you have one) and project specific. If you are using global and you want to create an iec standard project, you need to make sure that we.env has iec symbol lines defined.

When you use project specific, you don't need to change lines in wd.env. You need to just select project specific wd.env file for that project. 

[ramesh.kambang]

When you c/o AESWAPBLOCK, after clicking the arrow, it will show Path\filename of new block, check and make sure it is pointing to nfpa folder (not iec). 

[Anonymous]

Good morning Ramesh.  Thanks for the further guidance.  I will go through your replies and apply them to my drawings and will let you know how everything works out.