Autocad Electrical Item Numbers
Xena Donovan
So I am trying to find a way to assign items numbers into the catalog database. I would like the item numbers on all projects to reference our master BOM, and for the item number to populate when there is a match with the manufacturer and catalog.
Looking for solutions, I am starting to wonder if this is possible, or even the correct way of doing this. Should I be using a separate feature to reference my master BOM number such as User1? If so, do I setup this information with the Microsoft Access, or is there a way to do this through AutoCADE?
I'm curious about this too, I had a customer assign item numbers ahead of time on some projects. They didn't seem to care so much about the catalog database since they had another database of some kind. Using "User 1" seems possible, but I wonder how that could get moved into the item number. Are you going to use the balloons in the panel layouts?
I would like to be able to add the balloons to the layout, which is one of the reasons I would like to be able to have the item number match that number in my BOM. Would help with referencing in between different projects. It wouldn't be a deal breaker if I was unable to do so, but it would definitely help.
I'm not sure how to make something like this work. How do you handle Item Resequencing? That's clearly not needed for your client, but how do you keep that command from affecting your symbols? If someone were to run that command on this project, it could wipe out all the established item numbers. AFAIK, there's no way to 'Fix' an item number. In fact, item numbers aren't even attributes - they're XDATA.
I think you would have to find a way to get USER attributes pushed into the P_ITEM attribute with some custom code in order to make this work. The balloon command will probably always look to the XDATA on the schematic component to determine what the P_ITEM value should be. So, you'd have to have code that mimicked that function but pulled the data from someplace other than the component's XDATA.
Currently we just handle the item sequencing by manually inputting per project, and I do not do re-sequence at the end. I am definitely starting to understand that this is probably the incorrect way, which is one of the reasons I wanted to post this question, to make sure I don't keep inefficiently building my projects when there are better ways to do that.
I believe I understand what you are saying about the user attributes getting pushed to the p_Item attributes, but I am not sure how to write the custom code to even try to accomplish that. Are there any other topics that have example of custom code being written that you know of that I might be able to reference? I appreciate the help, thank you.
I started working on a VB.net application to write Item Numbers to Catalog Database awhile ago but never had time to finish it. It involved writing new Item numbers to the Project scratch database file (*.mdb) There is multiple tables in the scratch database file to write the new item numbers to (comp, pnlcomp, term, pnlterm etc.).
Reference Only - Indicates that the drawing is not included in tagging, cross-referencing, and reporting functions. If selected, the drawing is included in project-wide plotting and title block operations. This setting is saved in the project .wdp file.
When I decide not to use those item numbers for other client, I just remove that Reference only drawing from the tree. This is how I can use same database for different clients without making changes on the database.
Can either or both of you post or send (pat.m...@autodesk.com) a project that I can try this on? Include the steps to reproduce what you are seeing and what catalog is no longer being used but showing up in the list.
In my current project, I'm not seeing this issue. The last project, which is when I experienced this, was a disastrous mess. There were blown deadlines all over the place and we were in a rush. I know some things weren't done right. So at the moment, I'm inclined to think it's a workflow issue. However, I will go ahead and send you both that project and my current one so that you have a basis for comparison.
I took a look at the various projects sent. I did see duplicate item numbers for different catalog values. But once I ran the Item Resequence this was resolved. There were no item numbers used for different catalog values.
Sorry to revive this old post but I am currently having this same issue with ACADE 2017. I believe that Dennis is correct because I am experiencing this problem when I bring in new drawings. The new drawings were created within the same project but there are duplicate components due to the fact that the drawings are different versions of each other (customer can't make up their mind on an enclosure layout).
When I run the number re-sequencing function the issue is resolved in terms of the bill of materials but not for layout balloons. For example, a balloon from a terminal will have two item numbers attached even though the catalog check displays only one number and one catalog entry.
We're migrating to AutoCAD Electrical 2010 from a different system (because it's supposed to save us time) and we are trying to keep the same BOM layout. What we had done before was use item numbers for all the different components and purchase the items off the bill. ACADE apparently doesn't do item numbers for the schematic and pneumatic drawings and I was wondering if anyone else had this issue and what workarounds they had for it.
What we're currently doing is exporting the panel terminals, panel components, and parent components into Excel. Then we number everything manually. Everything is then imported back into ACADE. Then we generate a full panel bill (with the unreferenced schematic components) in normal tallied mode. We were thinking of adding pneumatic components to this bill as well, but it looks like we'll have to separate those from the parent component list in Excel, number them separately, import them back into ACADE, and generate a separate pneumatic bill. As you can see, this is tedious (and does not save time). I'm hoping some of you have better ideas.
I'm not quote sure what you are missing. AutoCAD Electrical allows item numbers to be assigned at schematic level and they will feed-forward to the panel layout. Or you can just wait and assign all in the panel layout. You can even assign item numbers to sub-assembly parts starting with version 2009. The ballooning tool in version 2010 will even insert two, three, or more balloons if it finds multiple item numbers assigned to one panel symbol, such as a fuse and fuse holder, each with a unique item number. Furthermore, starting in version 2011 you can have AutoCAD Electrical automatically assign item numbers alphabetically according to the manufacturer. All AB parts appear first in a BOM, ABB would be numbered next, etc. This way your purchaser has all the parts for each vendor listed together. I have made extensive use of the item numbering since the late 90s.
Is there a way to automatically assign item numbers? As far as I've found, I have to manually insert a number for each item which will then show up on the bill. Our old system would generate the numbers for us according to part number. If I manually assign part numbers in the schematic, I don't believe it automatically assigns the same part number to all other like parts in the schematic and the potential for me to have different item numbers for the same part number is pretty high.
AutoCAD Electrical allows you to either assign items numbers manually or automatically. Once an item number has been assigned to a particular MFG and CAT combination, it cannot be assigned to any other MFG and CAT combination. The program can also find if a particular MFG and CAT combination has already been assigned an item number and it will allow you to reuse this item number for another symbol that is the same.
If you use the Resequence Item Number tool (see attached screen shot) AutoCAD Electrical will automatically assign item numbers. In version 2010 and previous the item numbers are assigned more or less in order of their location on a drawing. AutoCAD Electrical 2011 allows more flexibility. You can set it to assign according to manufacturer name across the entire project so all item numbers for AB are together sequentially, all for ABB are together, etc. Version 2011 is the best version to date. It's a bit faster than version 2010 and features a completely enhanced catalog lookup system with virtually unlimited filter combinations for lookups, and of course the item numbering improvements.
Don't stop at 2010. You will benefit from the item numbering enhancements in version 2011. There are a few minor bugs as with any new software release, but I'll bet there will be a service pack available soon. Just count how many "updates" you get from Microsoft and ask yourself who has the most "bugs". Some of the bugs in AutoCAD Electrical are more like inconveniences or nuisances. But if you like blazing the trail and being ahead of the curve, get version 2011. I don't work for Autodesk. I'm just excited about the things they do right! They might say I am one of the most outspoken bug reporters as well, but I just want to see the software get better and better. I am the same way with the other programs I work with.
It sounds to me like you would benefit greatly from some formal training. I offer onsite training as do some of the dealers. My approach is different from the dealers though. I start from scratch and have you design an actual machine, so we encounter everything from implementing AutoCAD Electrical to generating reports. But any training is better than the time you will spend posting to this forum to get answers to questions that are covered in a 10 minute exercise in a training class. You might also get some helpful tips from my web site, www.ECADConsultant.com.
But doesn't the item resequencing only apply to the panel? We don't call everything out on the panel, such as motors and sensors. It still sounds like I'd have to go through and number those by hand. Having ACADE number the panel items automatically is a help, but I've still got the schematic and pneumatic drawings that need item numbers.
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