This tool makes edits and additions to footprint look-up files. Edit them directly using Microsoft Access.
Find
Command entry:
AEFOOTPRINTDB
Select the Edit Existing Table button, select the table to edit, and click OK. Click Add New or Edit Record on the Footprint Lookup dialog box.
Catalog Number
Specifies the catalog part number for the record. Click View to display a list of catalog fields on a per table basis. The catalog value may contain wildcards. Wildcard characters include:
* = match any characters
? = match any single character
# = match any single numeric digit
@ = match any single alphabetic character
Assembly code
Specifies the assembly code for the record.
Footprint block name
The Block value can be a symbol name or AutoLISP expression. If the footprint block is not in an AutoCAD search path or an AutoCAD Electrical search path, include the part of the path that must be appended to one of these search paths (or enter the full path to the footprint block).
|
Browse |
Locates the block name. |
|
Pick |
Captures the block name if it exists on the current drawing. |
|
Geometry |
Substitutes a simple on-the-fly generated outline for the matching footprint. Several shapes are selectable or you can manually enter the definition. |
|
Icon Menu |
Opens an AutoCAD Electrical icon menu page for the block you specify in the Catalog Number section of the dialog box. Enter the menu name or browse for it. Once selected, click List to see a list of the submenu pages defined within that icon menu to select from or enter the number of the menu page to display and click OK. The menu number corresponding to the catalog number is then saved in the footprint lookup table. |
Comment
Specifies the optional comment for the footprint record. This is for reference in this file only. It does not get extracted into any AutoCAD Electrical report.
Syntax for encoding an icon menu page display for footprint selection
(wdmenu "n:/myfolder/my_lookup_menu.dat" 5)
where
"n:/myfolder/my_lookup_menu.dat" = your AutoCAD Electrical icon menu file
5 = the "*Mx" page number in that menu (x = 5)
This syntax is entered into the third edit box, the one labeled "Footprint block name," where the AutoCAD block name normally goes. It signals AutoCAD Electrical to open the icon menu file and jump to the menu page number ("5" in this example). Then AutoCAD Electrical waits for you to pick from the icon menu selection. The specific footprint block path/name to use is encoded into the icon menu file page "5" (excerpt from example "my_lookup_menu.dat" AutoCAD Electrical icon menu file shown in the following example).
**M5
300 AMP FRAME MCP
2-D plan view|mcp_300_2dpv.sld|"MCP300-2Dp.dwg"
3-D plan insertion|mcp_300_3dpv.sld|"MCP300-3Dp.dwg"
2-D side view|mcp_300_2dsv.sld|$C=wd_infpx "MCP300-2Ds.dwg"
3-D side insertion|mcp_300_3dsv.sld|$C=wd_infpx "MCP300-3Ds.dwg"
When you select an icon from the icon menu, it returns the footprint block ".dwg" file to use. This technique of footprint selection is useful for situations where there may be multiple possible orientations of a given footprint part number.