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Three intelligent commands to have components your way and save time.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
4 min.
Transcript
00:03
AutoCAD Electrical offers an assortment of commands for modifying the components in your drawings.
00:09
Three that promise to save you time
00:12
are the Copy Component, Delete Component, and Toggle Normally Open/Normally Closed commands.
00:19
The Copy Component command contains intelligence for copying components that are specific to AutoCAD Electrical.
00:26
To access this command, simply right-click the component you want to copy, and in the right-click menu, select Copy Component.
00:34
Alternatively, from the ribbon, select the Schematic tab, Edit Components panel, and then click Copy Component.
00:42
On your drawing, right-click a relay and select Copy Component.
00:46
Move the cursor downwards and click to create a new insertion point.
00:51
During the insertion, AutoCAD automatically breaks the wires to accommodate the new relay.
00:56
The Insert/Edit Child dialog appears, because the relay you are copying is a child component.
01:03
If you copy a parent component, the Insert/Edit Parent dialog appears.
01:08
The child component must be linked to another parent or sibling.
01:13
If the parent is visible in the drawing view, you can click Parent/Sibling and then select the parent or related contact.
01:20
You can also click Drawing or Project to select from a list of components.
01:25
As a third option, in the Component Tag box, you can type the parent tag value.
01:31
Identifying the tag automatically transfers relevant information to the child component, including the list of Pins values.
01:39
Click OK to complete the insertion.
01:42
Keep in mind that when using the Copy Component command on a child component,
01:47
during the insertion process, you need to ensure that the parent is updated with cross-reference listings.
01:53
Another good example of an AutoCAD Electrical command with built-in intelligence is the Delete Component command.
02:02
The Erase command in AutoCAD simply deletes the component.
02:06
As an example, enter E, and then press ENTER to select the Erase command.
02:12
Now, select the copied relay and press ENTER.
02:15
The relay is erased, but related components are ignored, and a gap is left in the wire.
02:21
Press CTRL+Z to undo the deletion.
02:24
By contrast, right-click the copied relay and select Delete Component.
02:29
AutoCAD Electrical removes the component, heals the line, identifies related components,
02:35
and checks the project for anything that needs to be updated, all with one command.
02:40
The Toggle Normally Open/Normally Closed command has a long name but offers a useful shortcut.
02:47
If you frequently switch the contact state of a component from normally off to normally on—or vice versa—
02:53
this command lets you to do it with one click.
02:56
Select the Schematic tab, and on the Edit Components panel, click Toggle Normally Open/Normally Closed.
03:03
Now, select the component you want to toggle to switch its state from normally open to normally closed, or the opposite.
03:11
The parent is updated as well.
03:13
To flip the contact back to its original state, simply click the component again.
Video transcript
00:03
AutoCAD Electrical offers an assortment of commands for modifying the components in your drawings.
00:09
Three that promise to save you time
00:12
are the Copy Component, Delete Component, and Toggle Normally Open/Normally Closed commands.
00:19
The Copy Component command contains intelligence for copying components that are specific to AutoCAD Electrical.
00:26
To access this command, simply right-click the component you want to copy, and in the right-click menu, select Copy Component.
00:34
Alternatively, from the ribbon, select the Schematic tab, Edit Components panel, and then click Copy Component.
00:42
On your drawing, right-click a relay and select Copy Component.
00:46
Move the cursor downwards and click to create a new insertion point.
00:51
During the insertion, AutoCAD automatically breaks the wires to accommodate the new relay.
00:56
The Insert/Edit Child dialog appears, because the relay you are copying is a child component.
01:03
If you copy a parent component, the Insert/Edit Parent dialog appears.
01:08
The child component must be linked to another parent or sibling.
01:13
If the parent is visible in the drawing view, you can click Parent/Sibling and then select the parent or related contact.
01:20
You can also click Drawing or Project to select from a list of components.
01:25
As a third option, in the Component Tag box, you can type the parent tag value.
01:31
Identifying the tag automatically transfers relevant information to the child component, including the list of Pins values.
01:39
Click OK to complete the insertion.
01:42
Keep in mind that when using the Copy Component command on a child component,
01:47
during the insertion process, you need to ensure that the parent is updated with cross-reference listings.
01:53
Another good example of an AutoCAD Electrical command with built-in intelligence is the Delete Component command.
02:02
The Erase command in AutoCAD simply deletes the component.
02:06
As an example, enter E, and then press ENTER to select the Erase command.
02:12
Now, select the copied relay and press ENTER.
02:15
The relay is erased, but related components are ignored, and a gap is left in the wire.
02:21
Press CTRL+Z to undo the deletion.
02:24
By contrast, right-click the copied relay and select Delete Component.
02:29
AutoCAD Electrical removes the component, heals the line, identifies related components,
02:35
and checks the project for anything that needs to be updated, all with one command.
02:40
The Toggle Normally Open/Normally Closed command has a long name but offers a useful shortcut.
02:47
If you frequently switch the contact state of a component from normally off to normally on—or vice versa—
02:53
this command lets you to do it with one click.
02:56
Select the Schematic tab, and on the Edit Components panel, click Toggle Normally Open/Normally Closed.
03:03
Now, select the component you want to toggle to switch its state from normally open to normally closed, or the opposite.
03:11
The parent is updated as well.
03:13
To flip the contact back to its original state, simply click the component again.
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