Editing devices, sockets, and adapters
Devices, sockets, and adapters are symbol definition resources, saved with the file or in the user folder and available from the Resource Manager. Vectorworks also provides default ConnectCAD resources with its libraries.
You can change the appearance of devices, sockets, and adapters. The ConnectCAD template contains sets of classes with names that clearly indicate their function. The classes can be edited to change the appearance, font style and color, etc., of various ConnectCAD objects for a customized look. The appearance of sockets and adapters can be customized if the default is not suitable.
See Customizing ConnectCAD objects for more information about customizing devices, sockets, and adapters.
You can also renumber devices and sockets if needed; see Renumbering devices and sockets.
Editing devices
The Device tool can place a device that you have customized and saved as a symbol from the Object Info palette. The Device Builder tool automatically saves devices you create as a symbol definition and also to the device database. Devices can easily be copied and pasted in the file, quickly creating a schematic drawing ready to be connected with circuits.
Use the Resource Manager to edit device symbol definitions; see Editing symbol definitions. Any of the parameters from the Object Info palette can be edited while in the editing mode of the symbol definition. In addition, you can add graphics such as an image of the device, change the size of the device, or add colors, gradients, or other attributes to the device’s appearance to easily identify it, and so on.
Add additional sockets to the device symbol definition if needed, or change the position of the sockets to prevent circuit cross-over in your drawings.
Editing sockets
To edit a socket on a device:
Do one of the following:
Double-click on a socket.
Right-click on a socket and select Edit Socket from the context menu.
The Edit Socket dialog box opens.
Edit the socket parameters.
Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.
|
Parameter |
Description |
|
Name |
Enter the name that appears in various worksheets; socket names must be unique |
|
Display Tag |
Enter the name that displays on the drawing; this can be a shorter name to save space on the drawing |
|
Type |
Select whether the socket is type is IN, IO, or OUT. This setting determines how the Connect tool draws circuits; for more information, see Creating circuits. |
|
Signal |
Select the type of audio, video, communication, networking, computer, phone, or provider signal; the list of available signals displays according to priority (uncategorized, custom, workgroup, and default). Select --- to indicate a passive socket, or select ??? for an unknown type of signal. The selected signal type displays below the list. For information about display order and editing signals, see Specifying ConnectCAD settings. |
|
Connector on Cable |
Select the type of connection; the list of available connectors for the selected signal displays according to priority (uncategorized, preferred, custom, workgroup, and default). Select --- to indicate that there is no connector, or select ??? for an unknown type of connection. The selected connection type displays below the list. For information about display order and editing the connectors and cables associated with a signal, see Specifying ConnectCAD settings. |
Alternatively, select Modify > Edit Device to enter object editing mode (see Object editing mode) and edit the socket from the Object Info palette. Exit object editing mode to return to the drawing.
Editing adapters
To edit an adapter:
Do one of the following:
Double-click on an adapter.
Right-click on an adapter and select Edit from the context menu.
Select Modify > Edit Adapter.
The Edit Adapter dialog box opens.
Select whether to edit the existing instance only, or all instances and the adapter's symbol definition.
The adapter opens in object editing mode (see Object editing mode).
Edit the adapter's appearance and sockets as desired.
Exit object editing mode to return to the drawing.
If you edited one instance, the symbol definition is duplicated, and a number is appended to the symbol definition's name.
To create an adapter that is based on another adapter:
Select an adapter, and deselect Use symbol from the Object Info palette to unlink the adapter from the definition.
Edit the the adapter and, if desired, the socket parameters (see Editing sockets); then exit object editing mode to return to the drawing.
On the Object Info palette, specify the Make and Model of the new adapter, and, optionally, select Save as Symbol to add the adapter to the Resource Manager as a symbol definition (see Adapter parameters).
