Custom Symbol Library AutoCAD LT

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Does anyone have any tips for creating a symbol library from symbols I have created for M&E services? I want to be able to insert them into drawings as blocks and change their size depending on scale. As its a large job, I want to do it properly first time.

Thanks!

[Albert_Rius · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Welcome to the AutoCAD answer day!!

There are few things that you should take care. If you are creating blocks in independent files (a file for each block) be sure that you are selecting always the same template to all blocks, this will assure that the units will be consistent. If not check the -DWGUNITS to assure that all are using the same structure (Imperial/Metrics-units).

In case of doubts you can check the samples provided with AutoCAD LT. For example: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD LT 2015\Sample\en-us\Dynamic Blocks\Annotation - Imperial.dwg"  (there are other in the same folder) and they are used in the standard tool palette.

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[Pothman]

Probably the best way to go here is to create custom tool palettes with your symbols. You can add a block to a tool palette just by dragging it from a drawing file to a tool palette. You want to do this from a source library file that will always be available since the tool will save the path back to the drawing where the block resides so it can be found when you select the tool in new drawings. You can also right click on the tool and change properties of the tool such as the layer it is inserted on, etc. Here is a blog post talking about tool palettes.

http://www.cad-notes.com/creating-your-own-autocad-palette/

[Anonymous]

I do exactly the same thing with technology stuff. I created a drawing and add everything I need/develop to that drawing. You can just stick them anywhere, so long as you keep the scale consistent they should work. When I have the symbols as I want them (layer properties, etc.) I paste them as a block, then copy that block to a tool palette as describe below. Just so things are handy, I always open my symbol drawing first when starting AutoCAD, that way I can add to and/or update them as appropriate.

I frankly don't understand the relationship between the source drawing, the block on the Palette, and the block in the end drawing. I think a change in any one of the places will change the result in all three, so keep that in mind as you do modifications.

[Anonymous]

Hi! Thanks for these tips.

I'm just starting to look into them. I've never heard of -DWGUNITS before. I tried it and my template dwg is imperial!! I have INSUNITS (and the target and source INS) set to 4. ( However, I've just read that -DWGUNITS overwrites INSUNITS, etc options.)

Anyway! I need everything in metric, in mm. However, I'm slightly confused as to what the options are and what effect they have on the drawing. I've highlighted these as bold. Would anyone be able to explain them to me please??

Command: -DWGUNITS

Drawing units:
  1. Inches
  2. Feet
  3. Millimeters
  4. Centimeters
  5. Decimeters
  6. Meters
Unit for length <1>:

Drawing unit display formats:
  1. Scientific
  2. Decimal
Linear display format <2>:

Linear display precision <4>:

Scale objects from other drawings upon insert? [Yes/No] <Yes>:

Match INSUNITS to drawing units? [Yes/No] <No>:

Scale objects in current drawing to reflect change in units? [Yes/No] <Yes>:

Include objects in Paper Space? [Yes/No] <Yes>: