Configure projects for various drawing standards

AutoCAD Electrical has multiple configuration options so that you can configure your drawings in a manner that fits your needs. You can configure drawings for IEC standard or automatically override family tag codes.

Configure for IEC standard

Below is a list of configuration options (both project properties and drawing-specific properties) that are most commonly used when dealing with the IEC drawing standard and a description of each.

Project Properties

Project Properties are configured by right-clicking on the project name in the Project Manager and selecting Properties. The options configured here are project-wide options, such as the paths to symbol libraries, or drawing default options for new drawings that are created in the selected project. The drawing options defined in the Project Properties dialog box can also be applied to any drawing in the project if needed.

Project Settings Tab
Schematic Libraries	AutoCAD Electrical contains two specific IEC-type symbols, IEC2 and IEC4. The main difference between these libraries is the size of the text associated with them. IEC2 symbols have a text size of 2.5 for the main text items such as Component Tag, Installation, Location, Component Description, and so on. IEC4 symbols have a text size of 3.5 for the Component Tag and a text size of 2.7 for Installation, Location, Component Description and so on.
Schematic Icon Menu File	AutoCAD Electrical contains one IEC-specific icon menu file: ACE_IEC_MENU.DAT.

Project Settings Tab

Schematic Libraries

AutoCAD Electrical contains two specific IEC-type symbols, IEC2 and IEC4. The main difference between these libraries is the size of the text associated with them.

IEC2 symbols have a text size of 2.5 for the main text items such as Component Tag, Installation, Location, Component Description, and so on.
IEC4 symbols have a text size of 3.5 for the Component Tag and a text size of 2.7 for Installation, Location, Component Description and so on.

Schematic Icon Menu File

AutoCAD Electrical contains one IEC-specific icon menu file: ACE_IEC_MENU.DAT.

Components Tab
Component TAG Format	In IEC you may want your components to be tagged with “Sheet Number, Family Code,” followed by a number that is either sequential or reference-based. To do this, in the Tag Format edit box, enter: “%S%F%N” where %S = the sheet number, %F = the family code defined for the component being inserted and %N = the numbering scheme for the active drawing (either sequential or reference-based). For sequential numbering, you can enter a starting number to use as a starting component number. For reference-based numbering, you can use one of the following numbering formats: X-Y Grid X Zones Reference Number
Component TAG Options	Defines most of the specific tagging options to conform to the IEC tagging mode. Select the option that best fits your needs: Combined Installation/Location Tag Mode: Uses the combined installation/location tag for interpreting component tag names. For example, 100CR relay contact marked with location code PNL1 is interpreted as being associated with a different relay coil than relay contact -100CR marked with location code PNL2. If this setting is not selected, both contacts are associated with the same parent relay coil, -100CR. By selecting this option, your component tags are automatically prefixed with the =, +, and - where applicable. Suppress dash when first character of tag: Suppresses any single dash character prefix in an IEC tag that does not have a leading Installation/Location prefix(i.e. "-K101" dash is suppressed to "K101" but "+LOC1-K101" remains unchanged. When switched OFF, it automatically adds a single dash character to an IEC tag that does not already have a single leading dash prefix and does not have a leading Installation/Location prefix. For example, tag "K101" becomes "-K101" but "+LOC1-K101" remains unchanged. NoteThis suppression takes place automatically in reports; and takes place graphically only when a component is inserted, edited, or retagged.
	Format Installation/Location into tag: Specifies to exclude the Installation and Location code values as part of the tag when displaying. For example, if this is not on, a tag might show up as K16 in the Surf dialog box. But if selected, the tag might show up +AAA-K16 (where AAA is the location). Suppress Installation/Location in tag when match drawing default: Suppresses Location and Installation values on components if they match the drawing default values. Suppress Installation/Location in tag on reports: Specifies to exclude Installation and Location values as part of the tag when displayed in reports. Upon insert: automatic fill Installation/Location with drawing default or last used: Fills the Installation and Location edit boxes on the Insert/Edit component dialog box and the attributes on the block with drawing default or last used values (if no drawing default).If not selected, these edit boxes and attributes are not filled in and are assumed.

Components Tab

Component TAG Format

In IEC you may want your components to be tagged with “Sheet Number, Family Code,” followed by a number that is either sequential or reference-based. To do this, in the Tag Format edit box, enter: “%S%F%N” where %S = the sheet number, %F = the family code defined for the component being inserted and %N = the numbering scheme for the active drawing (either sequential or reference-based).

For sequential numbering, you can enter a starting number to use as a starting component number. For reference-based numbering, you can use one of the following numbering formats:

X-Y Grid
X Zones
Reference Number

Component TAG Options

Defines most of the specific tagging options to conform to the IEC tagging mode. Select the option that best fits your needs:

Combined Installation/Location Tag Mode: Uses the combined installation/location tag for interpreting component tag names. For example, 100CR relay contact marked with location code PNL1 is interpreted as being associated with a different relay coil than relay contact -100CR marked with location code PNL2. If this setting is not selected, both contacts are associated with the same parent relay coil, -100CR.
By selecting this option, your component tags are automatically prefixed with the =, +, and - where applicable.
Suppress dash when first character of tag: Suppresses any single dash character prefix in an IEC tag that does not have a leading Installation/Location prefix(i.e. "-K101" dash is suppressed to "K101" but "+LOC1-K101" remains unchanged.
When switched OFF, it automatically adds a single dash character to an IEC tag that does not already have a single leading dash prefix and does not have a leading Installation/Location prefix. For example, tag "K101" becomes "-K101" but "+LOC1-K101" remains unchanged.
NoteThis suppression takes place automatically in reports; and takes place graphically only when a component is inserted, edited, or retagged.

Format Installation/Location into tag: Specifies to exclude the Installation and Location code values as part of the tag when displaying. For example, if this is not on, a tag might show up as K16 in the Surf dialog box. But if selected, the tag might show up +AAA-K16 (where AAA is the location).
Suppress Installation/Location in tag when match drawing default: Suppresses Location and Installation values on components if they match the drawing default values.
Suppress Installation/Location in tag on reports: Specifies to exclude Installation and Location values as part of the tag when displayed in reports.
Upon insert: automatic fill Installation/Location with drawing default or last used: Fills the Installation and Location edit boxes on the Insert/Edit component dialog box and the attributes on the block with drawing default or last used values (if no drawing default).If not selected, these edit boxes and attributes are not filled in and are assumed.

Cross-Reference Tab
Cross-Reference Format	In IEC, you may want to configure your cross-referencing text to display the “Sheet Number - Reference Number.” To do this, in the Same Drawing edit box, enter “%S-%N” (or click the %S-%N button). You can also define the format of the cross-referencing text that references other drawings in the Between Drawings edit box.
Suppress Installation/Location codes when matching the drawing defaults	Select this if you want to suppress IEC prefixes. Note You must run the Component Cross-Reference command to update any existing cross-referencing text.
Component Cross-Reference Display	In IEC, it is common to display a representation of the type of child component (Normally Open, Normally Closed or Form-C contact) in either a graphical or table format. If you select the graphical (nontable) format, you can define details of the graphical format by clicking Setup.

Styles Tab
Wire Style	In IEC, it is sometimes preferable to display wire connections as tee markers instead of connection dots. To do this, in the Wire Tee section, select the appropriate angle tee marker from the list.

Drawing Format Tab
Ladder Defaults	In IEC, the most common ladder orientation is Horizontal. In the Ladder Defaults section, configure how to display your horizontal ladders.
Format Referencing	Defines the type of referencing that is used to replace the %N value for component tag and wire number formats. In IEC the most commonly used format is X Zones. NoteIf you want AutoCAD Electrical to place the labels for the X-Y Grid or X Zones referencing style, use the appropriate command from the Insert Ladder toolbar. X-Y Grid: All referencing is tied to an X-Y grid system of numbers and letters along the left-hand side and top of the drawing.Set your drawing's vertical and horizontal index numbers and letters, spacing, and origin in the X-Y grid setup dialog box. TipUse negative spacing values for Horizontal or Vertical if you want to change the X-Y grid system's origin to be other than the upper left-hand corner of the drawing X Zones: Similar to X-Y Grid, but there isn't a Y-axis. Set your drawing's horizontal labels, spacing, and origin on the X Zones setup dialog box. TipUse negative zone spacing value if you want the zone reference origin to be at the right side of the drawing.
Scale	Scale for IEC drawings is normally set to mm full size.

Drawing Format Tab

Ladder Defaults

In IEC, the most common ladder orientation is Horizontal. In the Ladder Defaults section, configure how to display your horizontal ladders.

Format Referencing

Defines the type of referencing that is used to replace the %N value for component tag and wire number formats. In IEC the most commonly used format is X Zones.

NoteIf you want AutoCAD Electrical to place the labels for the X-Y Grid or X Zones referencing style, use the appropriate command from the Insert Ladder toolbar.

X-Y Grid: All referencing is tied to an X-Y grid system of numbers and letters along the left-hand side and top of the drawing.Set your drawing's vertical and horizontal index numbers and letters, spacing, and origin in the X-Y grid setup dialog box.
TipUse negative spacing values for Horizontal or Vertical if you want to change the X-Y grid system's origin to be other than the upper left-hand corner of the drawing
X Zones: Similar to X-Y Grid, but there isn't a Y-axis. Set your drawing's horizontal labels, spacing, and origin on the X Zones setup dialog box.
TipUse negative zone spacing value if you want the zone reference origin to be at the right side of the drawing.

Scale

Scale for IEC drawings is normally set to mm full size.

Drawing Properties

Drawing Properties are configured by either right-clicking on the drawing name in the Project Manager and selecting Properties Drawing Properties, or by selecting Properties Drawing Properties. The options configured here are only applied to the drawing that they were configured on.

NoteOptions that are duplicated on the Drawing Properties and Project Properties dialog boxes are not be described in this section.

Drawing Settings Tab
IEC-Style Designators	Defines Installation and Location codes that are used for drawing defaults when placing components on the drawing and no override Installation or Location values are given on the specific component. These values are used when the Combined Installation/Location tag mode option is selected (described previously in Project Properties section).