Insert Connector Dialog Box

Generates a connector dynamically from parameters you specify, and inserts it at a specified location.

Find

 Command entry:  AECONNECTOR

Click Details to expand the dialog box to provide more options to define settings for the size, shape, and display of the parametrically built connector symbols.

Layout

Determines the overall appearance of the parametric connector, including pin spacing and pin count.

Pin Spacing	Specifies the distance between the pin wire connections. This value initially defaults to the Rung Spacing defined in Drawing Properties Drawing Format Ladder Defaults - Spacing setting for the drawing file.
Pin Count	Specifies the number of pins associated with the connector. This is required to parametrically build the connector.
Pick	This is an alternate Pick method for determining the Pin Count for the new connector. You can do a fence selection of crossed wires or you can define a starting point and ending point in empty space. For the fence selection, a pin exists for every wire intersection with the AutoCAD fence line. For example, if you cross five wires with the fence pick points, the pin count value will be 5. On the other hand, if you select endpoints in empty space, the total number of pins is based upon dividing the distance between the two pick points by the Pin Spacing value.
Fixed Spacing	Generates the connector with a fixed spacing from one pin to the next. This is the Pin Spacing value. If the Pin Spacing edit box is left blank, the fixed spacing value defaults to the drawing's ladder default spacing value.
At Wire Crossings	Modifies the pin placement to have the pins coincide with underlying wires. The connector stretches or compresses to match up with underlying wires as it inserts on to the drawing. If the connector has more pins than underlying wires, the excess pins are added at the end of the connector using the default fixed spacing value.
Pin List	Specifies either the starting pin number for an incrementing series of pin numbers or the actual comma-delimited list of pin numbers to be used on the connector. For example, a pin list entry of "1" for a connector with the Pin Count set to 8 generates a connector with pins labeled "1" through "8." On the other hand, a pin list entry of "1,2,3,4,A,B,C,GND" generates an 8-pin connector with pins labeled "1", "2", "3", "4", "A", "B", "C", "GND." If the Pin List edit box is left blank, the connector numbering starts at 1 and continues up through the Pin Count value. If you define more pin list data than pin count, the pins are used in the order they are defined. The entire list is saved on the connector as PINLIST xdata. This can be later referenced to add missing pins (Add Connector Pin tool) or to assign unused pins to a child instance of the parent connector.
Insert All	Creates the connector without further prompts (i.e. no option for inserting spacers or for breaking the connector into 2 or more pieces).
Allow Spacers/Breaks	Gives you manual control over the insertion of the connector. Displays the Custom Pin Spaces/Breaks dialog box that prompts you for the insertion of each connector pin prior to committing the connector block definition to the drawing file. The running count of pins inserted versus total pins defined for the connector is listed at the top of the dialog box. Select an option for inserting the other pins: Insert Next Connection: Continues building the connector by inserting the next pin (repeated prompting until all pins are inserted). Add Spacer: Adds a spacer in place of a pin on the connector in order to leave room for a future pin or to skip over a wire that is not to be broken by the connector. The connector stretches its length to account for this extra blank space. Break Symbol Now: Breaks connector and begins prompt back at the connector layout dialog box. If you terminate the command without inserting the remainder of the connector, you can go to another drawing and restart the command. You can continue with the previous connector or discard the saved data and start with a new one. Note: This insert of a continued, broken connector must be done during the current AutoCAD Electrical toolset session. Cancel Custom: Inserts the remaining pins into the connector without any further prompts.
Start Connector As Child	Defines the new connector block definition as a child of a parent connector. This means that after it is created it needs to be linked to a parent connector through a common tag-ID value (select Edit Component and link to parent using any of the normal methods).
Start with Break	Creates the child symbol with a jagged or broken top. If unselected, the child symbol has a rounded corner determined by the radius dimension defined in the Size section of the dialog box.

Orientation

Use to quickly change the connector's orientation prior to placing it into the drawing file. This orientation change also modifies the preview to reflect the selection.

	Rotate	Switches the orientation of the parametric connector insertion between horizontal and vertical.
	Flip	Flips the connector about its long axis.

Type

Determines the type of connector to be built as to whether it includes the plug/receptacle combination or if it will display either the plug side or the receptacle side.

Plug/Receptacle Combination	Creates the connector as a single block file showing both the plug and receptacle.
Wire Number Change	Sets the property of the connector symbol to change the wire number through a plug/receptacle connector symbol. By default, the wire numbers are maintained through a plug/receptacle connector.
Add Divider Line	Creates a plug/receptacle combination connector with a line down the middle of the block to indicate the separation of the plug and receptacle. This line becomes part of the block definition for the connector.
Plug Only	Creates the connector as a single block file showing the plug representation only.
Receptacle Only	Creates the connector as a single block file showing the receptacle representation only.

Display

Use to define the connector's placement on the drawing relative to other connectors and the drawing border. This controls which side of the connector the plug will be displayed, whether the connector goes in vertically or horizontally, and whether the pins are visible.

Connector	Specifies whether the connector inserts vertically or horizontally.
Plug	Specifies which direction the plug portion of the connector comes in relative to the overall plug/receptacle parametric build. The plug representation is displayed with rounded corners. Options include vertical with the plug to the left, vertical with the plug to the right, horizontal with the plug to the bottom, or horizontal with the plug to the top.
Pins	Specifies which pin numbers are visible or hidden on the connector. In the case of a plug/receptacle combination, options include showing both sides, showing the plug only, showing the receptacle only, or hiding both. If you select to make the pins on the plug or receptacle invisible, the attribute and its value are still defined in the block definition on the drawing file. If you selected Plug Only or Receptacle Only for the Type, the pin display options are show or hide only. These show or hide the pin numbers on a single plug or receptacle symbol. Hidden pins are still present on the symbol, but they are marked invisible. Values assigned to the hidden pins will still show up in various wire connection from/to reports. You can unhide hidden attributes using the Move/Show Attribute tool.

Size

The values in the edit boxes define the parameters used to build the graphical outline that represents the shell of the connector.

Receptacle	Specifies the width of the receptacle side of the connector. This value can be the same as the plug side.
Plug	Specifies the width of the plug side of the connector.
Top	Specifies the distance from the first pin of the connector to the top end of the connector.
Bottom	Specifies the distance from the last pin of the connector to the bottom end of the connector.
Radius	Specifies the fillet radius for the rounded portion of the plug representation. If left blank or if you enter a 0.0 value, then the corner is drawn without a fillet. If the radius value exceeds the Plug width value, the radius value will be internally set back to be equal to the plug width value.

Insert

Inserts the connector symbol on the drawing. If a pin count was not defined, an error message appears indicating that you must define a pin count before proceeding. A preview outline of the connector displays for placement on the drawing. It shows angled corners for the plug side of the connector. An 'x' indicates the insertion point of the connector. An arrow indicates the plug side wire connection direction for plug/receptacle or plug-only connector inserts or shows the wire connection direction for a receptacle-only connector insert

Prior to committing the connector outline to the drawing, you can press TAB on your keyboard to flip the connector through four different orientations or press the "V" key to switch between vertical and horizontal orientations.