To Work With Symbol Builder

Create an AutoCAD Electrical toolset symbol using Symbol Builder.

Creating an AutoCAD Electrical toolset symbol includes adding the necessary attributes based on the symbol type, and for a schematic symbol, selecting an appropriate file name. Symbol builder uses attributes templates to facilitate adding the attributes. If you select a schematic symbol type, symbol builder suggests a file name based on the AutoCAD Electrical toolset naming conventions.

To start Symbol Builder:

1. Click Schematic tabOther Tools panelSymbol Builder drop-downSymbol Builder. Find
2. Select options on the Select Symbol / Objects dialog box making sure to select the attribute template library path, symbol, and type.
3. Click OK to enter the block editor environment.

Create a Symbol

1. Insert attributes using the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor.
2. (schematic symbol) Insert wire connection attributes.
3. (schematic symbol) Insert link line attributes.
4. (optional) Audit to see any potential issues with the symbol.
5. Save the symbol.

Insert Attributes

1. Select options on the Select Symbol / Objects dialog box.
2. Click OK to enter the block editor environment.
3. If the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor is not visible, click Symbol Builder tabEdit panelPalette Visibility Toggle. Find
4. Select the attribute you want to insert.
5. Click the Insert Attribute tool.
   Note: You can also right-click and select Insert Attribute or drag the attribute to insert it.
6. Select an insertion point for the attribute.

Add an Attribute to the List

1. Select the Add Attribute tool.
2. Define the attribute tag and properties on the Insert/Edit Attributes dialog box.
3. Click Insert to insert the new attribute or click OK to add it to the list.

Insert Wire Connections

Symbol Builder inserts a wire connection template drawing when adding a wire connection to your symbol. The list of wire connection options is built dynamically based on the template drawings found in the symbol library path.

1. If the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor is not visible, click Symbol Builder tabEdit panelPalette Visibility Toggle. Find
2. Click the arrow on the Wire Connection section of the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor to expand the wire connection section.
3. Click the Direction/Style list to expand the list of wire connection options.
4. Select a wire connection.
   Note: Only the options for the default style are shown in the list. To see other styles, or to change the default style, select Others.

   Others

   Selecting Others on the Wire Connection Direction/Style list opens the Insert Wire Connection dialog box. On the Insert Wire Connection dialog box you can insert multiple wire connection attributes, select from a style other than the default, or change the default style.

   1. Define the style and direction.
   2. Enter the number of wire connections.
   3. (optional) Select an attribute in the Pin Information section and click Convert. Select the text for conversion as prompted.
   4. (optional) Select an attribute in the Pin Information section and click Delete. The attribute is removed from the list and is not inserted with the wire connection attribute.
   5. (optional) Select an attribute in the Pin Information section and click Properties to define the properties for the attribute using the Insert/Edit dialog box.
      Note: Pin attributes added with each wire connection may differ based on symbol type.
   6. Click Insert.
   7. Select the wire connection attribute insertion points. The related pin attributes are inserted relative to the wire connection attribute based on the wire connection template.
5. Click the Insert Wire Connection tool.
6. Select an insertion point for the attribute.
   Note: If the wire connection template contains the optional TERMn and TERMDESCn attributes, they are inserted with the wire connection attribute and added to the Pins section.

Insert Link Line Attributes

1. If the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor is not visible, click Symbol Builder tabEdit panelPalette Visibility Toggle. Find
2. Click the arrow on the Link Lines section of the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor to expand the section.
3. Click the Direction list to expand the list of link line options.
4. Select a direction.
5. Click the Insert Link Line tool.
6. Select an insertion point for the attribute.

Save the Symbol

1. Click Symbol Builder tabEdit panelDone. Find

   The Save Symbol dialog box is displayed.

2. Select WBlock in the Destination section.
3. Modify the block name as needed.
4. Modify the wblock File path as needed.
5. Specify the base point for symbol insertion.
6. Check Icon image to create a .png file. This image file can be used if you add the symbol to the icon menu.
   Note: The symbol is not automatically added to the icon menu but can be added using the Icon Menu Wizard.
7. Modify the image name as needed.
8. Modify the image File path as needed. The default path is the image folder for the current icon menu.
9. Click Details to examine any errors found in the symbol audit.
10. Click OK to save the symbol.

Note: If you close the block editor without saving, the dialog box opens automatically. Select the No button to close the block editor without saving the symbol changes.

Start with a non-AutoCAD Electrical Toolset block

1. Click Schematic tabOther Tools panelSymbol Builder drop-downSymbol Builder. Find
2. Browse to the existing block to select the symbol to create or edit.
3. In the Select Symbol/Objects dialog box, Attribute template section: Browse to the Library path for example C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Acade {version}\Libs\jic125 .
4. In the Attribute template section: Choose Symbol: Horizontal Parent for example.
5. In the Attribute template section: Choose Type: Generic for example.
6. Select OK.
7. Convert existing attribute or text objects to AutoCAD Electrical toolset attributes.
8. Add wire connections as needed.
9. Click Symbol Builder tabEdit panelDone. Find

   A default symbol name is supplied which you can keep or change as needed depending on the symbol type and symbol naming conventions.

If the existing symbol contains attribute or text objects you can convert these to the expected attributes for the symbol type.

1. If the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor is not visible,

   Click Symbol Builder tabEdit panelPalette Visibility Toggle. Find

2. Select the Convert Text to Attribute tool to open the dialog box. All the attributes and text objects contained in your non-AutoCAD Electrical toolset block are in the left-hand list. The AutoCAD Electrical toolset attribute names are in the right-hand list.
3. Select an existing attribute/text from the left-hand list. Click the arrow next to the attribute in the right-hand list.
4. Repeat for each non-AutoCAD Electrical toolset attribute or text object you want to convert.
5. Select Done.

Convert Text to Attribute Definitions

• Convert a single text object
  1. If the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor is not visible, click Symbol Builder tabEdit panelPalette Visibility Toggle. Find
  2. Select the attribute from the list.
  3. Click the Convert Text tool at the top of the section for the attribute.
  4. Select the text object.
• Convert multiple text objects to attribute definitions
  1. Select the Text Convert tool at the top of the Symbol Builder Attribute Editor to launch the Convert Text to Attribute dialog box.
  2. Select the text within the Text list.
  3. Select the arrow next to the attribute name in the Attribute list.
  4. Repeat for each text object you want to convert.
  5. Click OK.

Note: The text value becomes the default value for the attribute when the block is inserted on a drawing.