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You also need to have the pointers set to the correct library...
You need to select that entry and then browse to the correct library. In your case this would be one of the IEC libraries.
I would also suggest that you create a new sub directory in the same locations that hold your libraries to place your custom blocks.
Add that to the list of Libraries and move it until it is above the IEC library. ACADE will search the libraries in the order that they are listed when looking for a block.
This screenshot shows 4 different libraries.
The Blocks directory.
The Custom Blocks directory
The AS2 Directory (Australian style blocks based on IEC)
The Single Line Blocks directory associated with AS2
When looking for a block, ACADE will search in that order.
However, if the path is specified as part of the block name, ACADE will skip the search and go directly to the specified location.
The default Icon Menus just have the block name which allows the user to specify which library to use as all blocks in those libraries have the same names, even if the symbols are different.
Regards Brad
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Brad Coleman, Electrical Draftsman
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Brad has advised you well. I will add a bit of insight into how symbols are managed by AutoCAD Electrical. You have discovered one of the great features of AutoCAD Electrical. The images on the icon menu are only icons, not thumbnails of actual symbols. The menu images are assigned a block name to insert when you click them. The libraries are simply folders and the filenames (a.k.a. block names) are the same in all folders. So if you click to insert a vertically-wired control relay coil, the software looks into the assigned library folder for filename VCR1.dwg and, if found, that symbol pops up on your screen for placement. Hint: The Library Swap utility works by using this concept as well. It looks at the block name on the drawing and swaps it for a block by the same name from the library you chose to swap from.
If you aren't familiar with JIC or NFPA (the preferred U.S. standard) you can set your menu to IEC and choose from icons that are familiar to you. So if you have a U.S. customer and you need to use NFPA symbols to meet their requirement, assign the NFPA library per Brad's explanation above, but assign the IEC icon menu. When you click a familiar icon to insert a pushbutton, you will get the NFPA version. Note that there are more symbols in the IEC standard than there are in the ANSI/NFPA/JIC standards so not all symbols from IEC will have an equivalent match. This is mainly due to the variations of symbols used in IEC to represent each type of actuator, or other qualifier symbols, as they are called.
Now, the opposite is true as well. An American can have his/her project properties set to use the NFPA icon menu but assign the IEC library. When they click the control relay image they are familiar with, they will get the rectangular symbol from IEC60617, instead of the round control relay symbol from ANSI Y32.2.
Note: Be mindful that you will need to set the scale factor to 25.4 if you are inserting JIC or NFPA symbols into an A3, A4, etc. drawing. And if you are inserting IEC symbols into an ANSI B or D-size drawing you will need to scale by 0.03937.
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
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Brad might be busy at the moment. I will try to help, since you are unable to work. If you have an IEC menu you should also have an IEC library folder. They install together. I can only guess, based upon the information you provided. If someone sent you a premade project to edit, the library path in project properties will be pointing to their library folder path, which might not necessarily match where the library folders are located on your computer or network. Like Brad said, selecting the Schematic Library category in Project Properties and clicking the button labeled Default will set the project to your default library folder path. The same method works to set the schematic menu to your default schematic menu, as defined in your wd.env file. This is usually defined by whichever standard you chose as the default when you installed AutoCAD Electrical.
If, somehow you have no IEC library folder installed you can go through Windows Control Panel and use the Programs and Features method to add adfitional libraries. Click like you will Uninstall AutoCAD Electrical but when you see the option to add or remove features take that option instead of removing AutoCAD Electrical. The first screen in add/remove features allows you to add or delete manufacturers from the catalog database. Click Next to see the symbol library choices. Select one of the IEC libraries. The IEC legacy library uses 1-letter device IDs while the IEC60617 library uses 2-letter device IDs, based upon IEC81346-2.
If your project properties are set to both an IEC menu and an IEC library, yet you still get JIC symbols, it sounds like you are working on a drawing that had JIC symbols inserted at some time in the past.
The symbols embed themselves into a drawing file, once inserted the first time. Even if deleted the symbol block stays in the file unless you delete all occurrences of the symbol and purge all unused blocks. There is a utility for purge under Project Utilities. Don't try to use AutoCAD purge as you can accidentally delete wire type layers, table styles, and other things that you might later need.
AutoCAD Electrical is built on the concepts of plain AutoCAD. To save time searching a hard drive for the symbol block the icon points to, it searches the drawing first to see if that symbol block already exists in the drawing, either visible or previously deleted. If it finds one it uses it. I'm just guessing since I haven't seen your drawing, but are you possibly working on a drawing that once had symbols inserted from the JIC library folder?
If, somehow you have no IEC library folder installed you can go through Windows Control Panel and use the Programs and Features method to add adfitional libraries. Click like you will Uninstall AutoCAD Electrical but when you see the option to add or remove features take that option instead of removing AutoCAD Electrical. The first screen in add/remove features allows you to add or delete manufacturers from the catalog database. Click Next to see the symbol library choices. Select one of the IEC libraries. The IEC legacy library uses 1-letter device IDs while the IEC60617 library uses 2-letter device IDs, based upon IEC81346-2.
If your project properties are set to both an IEC menu and an IEC library, yet you still get JIC symbols, it sounds like you are working on a drawing that had JIC symbols inserted at some time in the past.
The symbols embed themselves into a drawing file, once inserted the first time. Even if deleted the symbol block stays in the file unless you delete all occurrences of the symbol and purge all unused blocks. There is a utility for purge under Project Utilities. Don't try to use AutoCAD purge as you can accidentally delete wire type layers, table styles, and other things that you might later need.
AutoCAD Electrical is built on the concepts of plain AutoCAD. To save time searching a hard drive for the symbol block the icon points to, it searches the drawing first to see if that symbol block already exists in the drawing, either visible or previously deleted. If it finds one it uses it. I'm just guessing since I haven't seen your drawing, but are you possibly working on a drawing that once had symbols inserted from the JIC library folder?
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
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