Wire number attributes 'W01USER', etc. Can these be renamed?

[aherronZB5KQ]

I am attempting to put custom connector and cable info into these fields. I would like the highlighted text below to say CABLE, CONNECTOR 1, AND CONNECTOR 2. I understand how to redefine this text on the report by simply using the 'change field name/justification' dialog on the Wire From/To Data Fields to Report screen (2nd pic). I want the text below (1st pic) to show CABLE, CONNECTOR 1, and CONNECTOR 2 so that our user don't have to know that W01USER correlates to CABLE, W02USER correlates to CONNECTOR 1, and W03USER correlates to CONNECTOR 2.

Any ideas? 

[ramesh.kambang]

In the second pic, you can directly rename the highlighted attribute "W01USER" to CABLE. Repeat this for the rest of the WxUSER.

[aherronZB5KQ]

Well yeah I explained that I understood how to do that but this doesn't change the text in the first dialog box... Changing it in the report doesn't change it on the Edit Wire Number/Attributes screen.

[ramesh.kambang]

Probably you can modify the WIRENO block, but I am not sure the W0xUSER fields work. I normally rename them in the report generation process and save them. 

[rhesusminus]

Those labels are not set to "W01USER" etc. in the DCL-file

I tried to modify the DCL-file, but my changes was overwritten on opening the dialog, meaning that this is probably hardcoded into AutoCAD Electrical.

(The DCL file is the "code" for the dialog box)

Maybe there's a different way to achieve what you want? Maybe you can use the three descriptions for the cable, and place a cable marker on the wires?

[aherronZB5KQ]

@rhesusminus the first part of your comment is what I was hoping might work. I wasn't aware it was the DCL file that I was looking for but thank you for checking that.

If I'm understanding, I believe what you're proposing is to add this info into the USER fields in the Create/Edit Wire Type dialog. That would work but we would have to be very careful about which wire layer we select when routing wires. For instance we have several spots where we use 14AWG BLUE wire, some of which use different connectors, some of which use none, some of which use connectors only on one end of the wire. So we would have to have a layer for each 14AWG BLUE/CONNECTOR configuration which could get confusing.

I think my current situation is more appealing but it can also be confusing. I've set up a report format file and renamed the W01USER-W03USER fields to CABLE, CONNECTOR 1, CONNECTOR 2 but of course this doesn't go back and update the dialog screen. I think our engineers will simply have to know that W01USER=CABLE, W02USER=CONNECTOR 1, and W03USER=CONNECTOR 2. Aside from that confusing tidbit it should work fine. The only other concern would be which component you select first when routing the wire. I realized that for reporting, when two components are placed and a wire routed between them. The first component placed in the drawing equates to CMP1 on the report and the second equates to CMP2. Makes sense right? So when a wire is routed between them and the W02USER info filled out (which I've renamed to CONNECTOR 1) you have to route the first end of that wire to the first component which was placed for CONNECTOR 1 to match with CMP 1 on the report. If you route the first end of the wire to the component which was placed second, the text input into the W02USER field (CONNECTOR 1) field will not match up with CMP 1, it will match with CMP 2. Super confusing, I might just say we need to keep a very close eye on connector info on the report to ensure nothing is off.

I'm still learning so maybe there is an easier workflow I'm not aware of. 

[dsnodgrass]

See if the this link provides the solution that you are looking for:

https://www.cadlinecommunity.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360011451797-AutoCAD-Electrical-2021-Customisin...

[rhesusminus]

Ahh.. Nice!

[aherronZB5KQ]

This is exactly what I'm looking for. I've just followed the procedure in the link but not having any luck updating the block on my current drawing to reflect the changes in the dialog box. I've tried updating all blocks on my drawing with the swap/update block tool. Any ideas?

[dsnodgrass · Accepted solution]

I had not tested this, but after a quick test it did work for me.

My Quick Test:

Select a wire number.

Enter the command 'REFEDIT' and confirm that the block name is correct.

Edit the attribute definition in place.

Enter the command 'REFCLOSE'.

Confirm the save dialog

Results:

Once you are happy with the block you can WBLOCK the reference block (WD_WNH.dwg in my case) to your library and it can be swapped out in the other drawings.

[aherronZB5KQ]

This method worked, thank you!

[dsnodgrass]

Nate Holt provides a similar solution for "RATING##" aids here:

https://nateholt.wordpress.com/2015/12/14/how-to-avoid-the-need-for-a-ratingx-cheat-sheet/