To Work With Signal Arrows

Identify a wire network as a source; then insert a destination arrow on the wire network that is a continuation. You can follow a signal from a source or destination symbol and temporarily display the signal paths on the active drawing.

Insert Source Signal Arrow

1. Click Schematic tab Insert Wires/Wire Numbers panel Signal Arrows drop-down Source Arrow. Find
2. Click the wire near the end for the source arrow.
3. If there is no free end, click OK to add a branching wire stub for the arrow.
4. Enter a unique code on the Source - Signal Code dialog box. This code is used to link the source arrow to its destination arrows.
5. Enter an optional description.
6. Click OK.
7. If the destination does not already exist, and you need to insert it on the active drawing:
   • Click OK to insert the matching destination.
   • Click the wire near the end for the destination arrow.

Insert Destination Signal Arrow

1. Click Schematic tab Insert Wires/Wire Numbers panel Signal Arrows drop-down Destination Arrow. Find
2. Click the wire near the end for the destination arrow.
3. If there is no free end, click OK to add a branching wire stub for the arrow.
4. Enter the code from the source arrow that you want to link with this destination arrow.
5. Click OK. The associated source arrow is updated if real time cross-referencing is active for the project.

Follow a Signal

1. Click Schematic tabEdit Wires/Wire Numbers panelList Signal Code. Find
2. Select the signal marker to list. All source and destination references for the signal code are listed in the three boxed groups.
3. Review the references for the signal code.
4. Click Surf to navigate to any of the references.

Show Signal Paths on Active Drawing

1. Click Schematic tabEdit Wires/Wire Numbers panel Show Signal Paths. Find
2. Redraw to erase temporary graphics.

Add Custom Signal Arrow Styles

The icon menu graphics that display for the various signal styles are bitmap files saved to your C:\Program Files [(x86)]\Autodesk\AutoCAD {version}\Acade\ folder where AutoCAD Electrical toolset's Insert Signal utilities and Drawing Properties tool can access them.

1. Create the .dwg files for the style.

   See the section about signal arrows in the help topic About Symbol Naming Conventions.

2. Zoom in to the new arrow style.
3. Save the file as a bitmap using the following name definition: A_STYLExh.bmp where "x" is the arrow style 1-9.
   Note: If the resulting bitmap is too small or off-center, open the source drawing again. Resize your graphics window so that it is more square. Center the image and resave. Repeat until you are satisfied with the result.

Modify Signal Arrow Prefix

When a source or destination signal arrow is inserted it is cross-referenced. The cross-reference text can carry a prefix, for example “to” on a source arrow and “from” on a destination arrow. This prefix value is defined on the signal arrow library symbol. You can change the prefix by modifying the library symbol.

1. Open the signal arrow library symbol.

   See the section about signal arrows in the help topic About Symbol Naming Conventions, to determine the name of the signal arrow you want to modify.

2. Enter DDEDIT at the command line.
3. Click the XREF attribute.
4. Edit the Prompt value.
5. Click OK.
6. Save the symbol.

Note: Purge existing drawings of this symbol before inserting this modified symbol.