When a new circuit is inserted using Circuit Builder, you can reference an existing circuit picked from a list of circuits pulled from the active project. The components, values, descriptions, and tag assignments from the selected circuit, become defaults for the new circuit.
This feature can be especially useful when inserting 3-phase circuits based on existing one-line circuits. The components for each circuit element for the one-line circuit become the default for the new 3-phase circuit. The tag assignments and values are pulled across from the referenced one-line circuit. Alternately, new component tags are generated if the option “Retag new component” is selected.
Referencing an existing circuit uses xdata (AutoCAD Extended Entity Data) added on the motor or load symbol by Circuit Builder when the circuit is inserted.
- VIA_WD_CB_CIRCCODES - semi-colon delimited list of template marker codes, inserted component handles, and spreadsheet UI_VAL selection values. The template marker code maps the values from the components in the existing circuit to the components in the new circuit.
- VIA_WD_CB_CIRCPARAMS - comma-delimited list that includes data returned from any Select Motor or Select Load dialog box.
- VIA_WD_CB_CIRCPARAMS2 - list of motor or load wire size assignments.
- VIA_WD_CB_CIRCSELECT - comma-delimited list that includes the template name, spreadsheet file name, and sheet name.
Referencing an existing circuit depends on:
- Marker block CODE values
- UI_VAL values from the circuit builder spreadsheet
Marker Block CODE values
Referencing an existing circuit depends on finding matching marker block CODE values used in both the referenced circuit and the circuit being inserted or configured. For example, a referenced one-line circuit used marker block code Q001 to trigger insertion of the main disconnecting means. The new three-line schematic circuit being inserted needs to have a marker block code Q001 marking where the three-pole disconnecting means is to be inserted. The result is that component values from the referenced circuit are applied to components in the new circuit when the marker block codes match.
Spreadsheet UI_VAL values
The default circuit element options are controlled by both the CODE value and the UI_VAL from the circuit codes sheet of the circuit builder spreadsheet. There may be multiple options for a particular CODE value. For example, the main disconnecting means may have the following options, each with a UI_VAL assigned.
| Main Disconnecting Means Option | UI_VAL |
|---|---|
| Disconnect switch - non-fused | 2 |
| Disconnect switch and fuses | 4 |
| Disconnect switch and fuses (time-delay) | 6 |
| Fuses | 8 |
| Fuses (time-delay) | 10 |
| Circuit Breaker | 12 |
| Circuit Breaker-thermal/inverse-time | 14 |
| Circuit Breaker-magnetic/instantaneous | 16 |
| None | 0 |
For example, the one-line circuit used the Disconnect switch and fuses (time-delay) option with a UI_VAL of “6”. When the 3-phase circuit references this one-line circuit, the disconnecting means option with a UI_VAL of “6” becomes the default. If a matching UI_VAL is not found for a particular marker block CODE value, the default as defined by the “X” in the UI_DEF column is used.