Creating Custom Electrical and Communication Symbols

The Vectorworks Architect product includes many pre-defined electrical and communication objects in its object library files. If necessary, you can create custom panel and circuiting symbols instead.

Creating Custom Panels

Electrical, communication, and disconnect panel symbols can be created specifically to fulfill a custom requirement.

To create a panel symbol:

1. Draw the object to represent the panel.

2. Select Modify > Create Symbol. Enter a name for the panel and set a destination folder for the symbol as described in Creating Symbol Definitions.

3. The panel symbol requires both a panel and circuiting record. If the file does not contain panel and circuiting records, create the records shown in the following tables, as described in Creating Record Formats.

Record names, particularly the Type field names, are case sensitive.

Panel Record 

Field	Type	Contents
Name	Text	Must be unique
Type	Pop-up	Must be Electrical, Communication, or Disconnect
Phase	Integer	1
Volts	Text	117
Amps	Integer	100
# of Spaces	Integer	20
Panel Header Line 1	Text	Text placed on Panel Schedule
Panel Header Line 2	Text	Text placed on Panel Schedule

Circuiting Record 

Field	Type	Contents
Name	Text	None
Circuit #	Integer	0
Wire Size	Text	0
Trip	Integer	0
Conduit Size	Text	1/2
V.A./Watts	Integer	0
Remarks	Text	Panel
Phase/Pole	Integer	2
Voltage	Text	0
Circuit Type	Pop-up	1 for electrical device, 2 for communication device
UID	Text	0
ID	Text	0

4. From the Resource Manager, right click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) the symbol, and select Edit 2D Component from the context menu.

5. In the Edit Symbol window, deselect all symbol components.

6. From the Data tab of the Object Info palette, click Attach Record. From the Resource Selector, double-click the panel record format to apply it. Select the panel record and enter the panel information in the fields that display below the Detach Record button.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Name	Enter a unique name for each symbol later, when it is placed on the drawing
Type	Select Electrical, Communication, or Disconnect
Other Panel Parameters	Enter specific information about the panel
Panel Header Line 1/2	Enter text to display on the panel schedule

7. Click Attach Record and attach the circuiting record to the symbol. Select the circuiting record and enter the circuiting information in the data fields that display.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameters	Description
Name	Leave this field blank
Circuit #	Enter 0 (zero)
Other Circuit Parameters	Enter specific information about the circuit
Circuit Type	Select 1 for an electrical symbol, or 2 for a communication symbol
UID	Enter 0 (zero)

8. Click Exit Symbol at the top right of the drawing window.

Creating Custom Circuit Symbols

Electrical and communication circuit symbols can be created specifically to fulfill a custom requirement.

To create a circuit symbol:

1. Draw the object to represent the circuitable symbol.

2. Select Modify > Create Symbol. Enter a name for the circuitable item and set a destination folder for the symbol as described in Creating Symbol Definitions.

3. If the file does not contain a circuiting record, create the record shown in the following table, as described in Creating Record Formats.

Field	Type	Contents
Name	Text	None
Circuit #	Integer	0
Wire Size	Text	0
Trip	Integer	0
Conduit Size	Text	1/2
V.A./Watts	Integer	0
Remarks	Text	Panel
Phase/Pole	Integer	2
Voltage	Text	0
Circuit Type	Pop-up	1 for electrical device, 2 for communication device
UID	Text	0
ID	Text	0

4. From the Resource Manager, right click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) the symbol, and select Edit 2D Component from the context menu.

5. In the Edit Symbol window, deselect all symbol components.

6. From the Data tab of the Object Info palette, click Attach Record. From the Resource Selector, double-click the circuiting record format to apply it. Select the circuiting record and enter the circuiting information in the fields that display below the Detach Record button.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameters	Description
Name	Leave this field blank
Circuit #	Enter 0 (zero)
Other Circuit Parameters	Enter specific information about the circuit
Circuit Type	Select 1 for an electrical symbol, or 2 for a communication symbol
UID	Enter 0 (zero)

7. If the symbol requires more than one circuit, create and attach a second identical record named Circuiting Record-1.

8. Click Exit Symbol at the top right of the drawing window.

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