Insert/Edit Component Dialog Box

Assign values on the component such as tag, catalog, location, installation, descriptions, ratings, and miscellaneous values. Related components update to match the new values.

Insert Component

Find

 Command entry:  AECOMPONENT

Select the component type to insert and specify the insertion point on the drawing.

Edit Component

Find

 Command entry:  AEEDITCOMPONENT

Select the component to edit.

You can go back to a component at any time and edit values such as tag, catalog assignment, location, installation, descriptions, ratings, and miscellaneous values. Related components update to match the new values.

While inserting a component for the first time you establish its tag definition inside of the project. If the component could potentially reference other components found on different drawing files in the project, the relationship must be established before editing. The steps to link the new component with related components are:

1. Insert a new component and change the component tag as needed.
2. Click OK and insert the component on the drawing.
3. Right-click the component and select Edit Component.
4. Change the description, catalog data, and so on, as needed.
5. Click OK.
6. In the Update Related Components dialog box, click Yes-Update to update the related components with your changes. Click Skip to update only the component you edited.

Note: Some options are not available depending on whether you are inserting a single component or multiple components.

Component Tag

Any existing tags appear in the edit box. To define the component tag, edit the existing tag or type a specific tag in the edit box. Select Fixed if you do not want this tag to update on a retag.

If you enter an existing component tag during the insert/edit process, a warning dialog box displays. (Turn off the warning in the Project Properties Project Settings dialog box. Project Settings tab Options Real time error checking). It alerts you of the duplication and suggests alternative tag names based on the user-defined format. You can select whether to use the duplicated tag or use a new tag that is suggested (or you can type in a new tag).

Note: An error log file is created for every project regardless of whether you chose to display the real-time warning dialog box or not. The real-time warning is saved in the log file named "<project_name>_error.log" and is saved in the User subdirectory.

Use PLC Address	Searches for a wire connection to a nearby PLC I/O address and, if found, uses the PLC address number in the tag name of the component.
Tags Used: Schematic	Lists used component tag names. Select a tag from the list to copy, or to increment for this new component. Initially, the list includes schematic parent components in the same family as the current component. Select to include children, all families, panel, and one-line components in the list. Optionally, select other values to copy from the component selected on the Tags in use dialog box: Descriptions Catalog values Installation Location Ratings
Tags Used: Panel	Lists used panel component tag names. Select a tag from the list to copy, to this new component. An “x” in front of the tag indicates there is a schematic component already inserted. An “o” in front of the tag indicates a schematic component exists but there is mismatch on Catalog and Manufacturer values between the two.
External List	Assigns a tag from an external list file. You can reference an ASCII text file in comma or space delimited format to help annotate the component's description, tag, catalog, and other information of the component.
Options	Substitutes a fixed text string for the %F part of the tag format. Enter a tag format override in the edit box. Retag Component uses this override format value to calculate a new tag for the selected component.

Catalog Data

You can do a drawing-wide or project-wide listing of similar components with their catalog assignments. During your editing session, the last MFG / CAT / ASSYCODE assignment for each component type you insert into your wiring diagram is remembered. When you insert another component of that type, the previous catalog assignment of the component is set as the default (assuming a previous one was made during the current editing session).

Manufacturer	Lists the manufacturer number for the component. Enter a value or click Lookup and select one from the Catalog Browser.
Catalog	Lists the catalog number for the component. Enter a value or click Lookup and select one from the Catalog Browser.
Assembly	Lists the assembly code for the component. The Assembly code is used to link multiple part numbers together.
Item	Lists the item number for the component. Components with the same catalog receive the same item number.
Next	Finds the next available item number.
Count	Specifies the quantity number for the part number (blank=1). This value gets inserted into the "SUBQTY" column of the BOM report.
Lookup	Opens the Catalog Browser from which you select the catalog value. Search the database for a specific catalog item to assign to the selected component.
Previous	Scans the previous project to find an instance of the selected component and returns the component values. You can then make your catalog assignment by picking from the dialog box list.
Drawing	Lists the part numbers used for similar components in the current drawing.
Project	Lists the part numbers used for similar components in the project. You can search in the active project, another project, or an external file. Active project: All the drawings in the current project are scanned and the results are listed in a dialog box. Other project: All the drawings in a selected project are scanned and the results are listed in a dialog box. External file: Select from a list of catalog assignments contained in a text file. Assign a value to the appropriate category.
Multiple Catalog	Inserts or edits extra catalog part numbers for the selected component. These multiple BOM part numbers appear as subassembly part numbers to the main catalog part number in the various BOM reports.
Catalog Check	Displays what the selected item looks like in a Bill of Material template.

Note: If you assign an item number that does not match other components with the same catalog, you are instructed to run the Item Resequence command. Resequencing the item numbers will resolve any conflicts, making sure that components with the same catalog carry the same item number.

Ratings

Specifies values for each ratings attribute. Use Show All Ratings to enter up to 12 ratings attribute values on a component. Select Defaults to select from a list of default values.

Note: If Ratings is unavailable, the component you are editing does not carry rating attributes.

Description

Up to three lines of description attribute text can be entered.

Drawing	Displays a list of descriptions found in the current drawing so you can pick similar descriptions to edit.
Project	Displays a list of descriptions found in the project so you can pick similar descriptions to edit.
Defaults	Opens an ASCII text file from which you can select standard descriptions.
Pick	Picks a description from a component on the current drawing.

If a symbol does not have the DESC1-3 attributes, the description edit boxes are unavailable. To put descriptions on fuse symbols (or other symbols without these attributes), open the fuse library symbols in AutoCAD Electrical toolset and add the DESC1, DESC2, and DESC3 attribute definitions. Fuse symbol file names are HFU*.dwg and VFU*.dwg.

Cross-Reference

Component override	Overrides the WD_M block settings of the drawing with component-specific cross-reference settings. Click Setup to edit the component cross-reference settings manually.
Reference NO/ Reference NC	A pin list database table is consulted when a part number is added or an existing part number is changed on a parent symbol. If a match on the Manufacturer, Catalog, and Assembly values of the part number in the database table is found, the associated contact count and pin number information is retrieved and placed on the parent component. Click NO/NC Setup to view or manually edit pin list data values.
NO/NC Setup	Define or edit the following: Maximum NO contact count Maximum NC contact count Maximum NO/NC contact count Maximum undefined type "4" contact count Note: if you insert a contact that exceeds the maximum contact value for that contact type, an alert displays. Retrieve from peer - select a component on the active drawing and copy its pinlist to the component being edited. Note: no peer relationship is created or used. Pin List - defines the pin or terminal values for the different contact types. The pin list uses the format: type,pin,pin;type,pin,pin; ... Note: Form-C pin order is common,NO,NC. Type 1=NO, 2=NC, 0=convertible, 3=Form-C, 4=other. Example 1: 2 NO contacts with pins 2,3 and 4,5 and 1 NC contact with pins 6,8 would have a pin list: 1,2,3;1,4,5;2,6,8 Example 2: 2 Form-C contacts with pins 7 (common), 4 (NO), 1 (NC) and 8 (common), 5 (NO), 2 (NC) would have a pin list: 3,7,4,1;3,8,5,2 Note: This information can be associated to a catalog number and assigned when the catalog number is assigned to a component. See Use pin lists and Create automated pin assignments topics.

Installation Code

Changes the installation codes. You can search the current drawing or entire project for installation codes. A quick read of all the current or selected drawing files is done and a list of installation codes used so far is returned. Select from the list to update the component with the installation code automatically.

Assign short installation codes to components like "PNL" and "FIELD" so you can create installation-specific BOM and component lists later.

Location Code

Changes the location codes. You can search the current drawing or entire project for location codes. A quick read of all the current or selected drawing file is done and a list of location codes used so far is returned. Select from the list to update the component with the location code automatically.

Assign short location codes to components like "PNL" and "FIELD" so you can extract cable from/to reports and location-specific BOM reports later. (For example, BOM for all field cables, BOM for all PNL cables.)

Show/Edit Miscellaneous

View or edit any attributes that are not predefined AutoCAD Electrical toolset attributes.

Pins

Assigns pin numbers to the pins that are physically located on the component.

For Connectors: Once a connector is inserted onto the block definition of the drawing file, you can edit the connector pins found inside of the connector. Click List to display the Connector Pin Numbers in Use dialog box where you can edit the pin numbers and descriptions.

Switch Positions

Labels the positions of a selector switch.

OK-Repeat

(not available when editing components) Inserts the new component onto the drawing and then inserts another 'just like' component.