Mirroring Components the Proper Way – AutoCAD Electrical

Once again I have a someone using AutoCAD commands inside of Electrical and their confused by the results. This time it was AutoCAD’s MIRROR command causing the problem. When using the AutoCAD MIRROR command, the wire connection attributes end up switching sides and future wires will attempt to enter the wrong side of the symbol.

Below the connector has been mirrored using the AutoCAD command and notice how the new red wire now pulls off of it. Its because the wire connection attributes have switched sides.

The wires know what direction to go based off of attribute name.
X1TERM0# wires come into the component from the right.
X2TERM0# wires come into the component from the top.
X4TERM0# wires come into the component from the left.
X8TERM0# wires come into the component from the bottom.

 

 

 

 

The answer is to simply use the correct AutoCAD Electrical command: Reverse/Flip Component
 

Flattening 3D Models Into 2D Footprints – FLATSHOT

It seems many vendors are no longer offering 2D drawings of their components and are instead posting 3D models. This makes for a very large drawing and affects overall performance.

This isn’t a problem. Using FLATSHOT, an existing AutoCAD command, the 3D model can easily be broken into 2D top and side views. Insert the model into a drawing by itself. Use the ViewCube to rotate the model as needed.

Now type in the command FLATSHOT.

Set the destination for the new 2D block. In this example I will simply insert it back on the same drawing. However a footprint could be exported directly to the Custom Footprint folder from here.

Next you configure the lines. Checking ‘Show’ under Obscured lines will add hidden lines to the footprint.

Press Create and verify the new 2D block is as desired.

 

 

I have seen a few other ways to do this type of thing but personally FLATSHOT is my favorite. Its simple yet has a number of options. And its already a part of the software.

Mass DWG Save-As Back To An Older Release

This question came up during a support call. Thinking this had to be a common request I immediately started looking for a LISP of some type. The caller mentioned the Autodesk site said something about DWG True View doing this. I would have never thought of turning to a viewer for a mass converter.

However here it is...

Drawings can be added from several folders at once and then saved in place or to a predefined folder.

Select the version to save back to and press Convert

There are several predefined conversions setup but you can create your own as well. Here are the options for setting up a custom conversion style.

Getting Rid of the ViewCube

AutoCAD Electrical has little use for the ViewCube. Its really there for 3D modeling. There is a check box in the options that turns it off when in 2D Wireframe but brings it back if you ever change to a 3D visual style.

1. Getting to the options dialog

 

  Press the button in the top left corner (Application Options) and from the menu choose Options.

Options is also still in the right click menu if you have nothing selected in the graphics window.   

                             

In the option dialog go to the 3D Modeling tab and clear the 2D Wireframe visual style check box. If you ever do decide to poke around in 3D the cube will come back as soon as you switch to done of the 3D visual styles.

Where Is My "Open" Dialog Box

I don’t know how this setting gets changed but it does. I know it does because people keep asking me where their Open dialog box is. My guess is a script turns it off and the user either escapes out of the script, or the script crashes, before it’s turned back on.

If you see this when you press Open…

Type in the system variable FILEDIA and change its value to 1. Press Open again and you should be back to a dialog box again.

How to Check Out (Borrow) a Network License

This post covers something I’m asked for constantly. “I want to take my laptop home. How do I check out a network license?”