Drawing cables
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Tool |
Workspace: Tool set |
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Cable
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Design Suite, Spotlight: Cable/Power Planning ConnectCAD: Cable Route |
The Cable tool places cables in the drawing by following a cable path object or a portion of a cable path, following a rigging object like a truss or pipe, or by inserting them independently.
Normally, the tool connects distributors to one or more electrical devices, creating a "cable object." A cable object can also be called a cable run, since it consists of cable parts connected end-to-end to create a length of cable as drawn. The cable parts used in the cable run depend on the selections in the cable inventory (when managing cable parts) and the cable preferences. The cable style determines the type of cable (multi, feeder, jumper, or data) and its connectors. A cable is considered a load, and can be included in load calculations (Braceworks required). You can create a power schematic, where the cables that connect distributor objects and lighting devices are represented by circuits.
The truss path behavior depends on how the cable connects to distributor objects and trusses.
When you click on a distributor object, and then click on a truss, or vice versa, the cable automatically follows the truss system path, using the most efficient route.
When you click a distributor object and a device that is on the same truss system, the cables will automatically follow the shortest path of the truss system.
When you click anywhere along the truss system path while connecting the distributor object and an electrical device, the cable will go through the snapped point, following the shortest path on the way there. If you click anywhere in the drawing, the cable will go from there, diverging from the path. The cable will re-follow the truss system path once you click on it again.
The drawn cable assumes the height of connected objects, such as rigging objects and distributors; a vertical segment is added if needed. When drawing in a 3D view, a cable can be created with a height without requiring existing geometry; the cable height is taken directly from the cable path object, the rigging object (the trim height of the truss), or edges and vertices of other 3D geometry. When drawing in Top/Plan view, you must snap from the ground plane to the connecting, elevated geometry to create a cable jump; click once just before clicking on the truss to create the cable jump.
Cables can be autonumbered at placement or after placement.
Cables can be labeled with data tag objects at insertion; see the Data Tags pane in Cable settings.
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Mode |
Description |
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Polyline creation options |
For Vertex mode, selects the method for drawing the polyline upon which the object is based; see Creating polylines |
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Fillet Radius
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For Arc Vertex polyline mode, enter the fillet radius |
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Cable Style |
Opens the Resource Selector to select a cable resource for placement; double-click a resource to activate it |
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Vertex
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Connects a distributor to an electrical device with a single cable |
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Distributor
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Connects a distributor to one or more electrical devices following a drawn path, creating a cable for each output connection |
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Schematic Distributor
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Connects a distributor to one or more electrical devices, displaying a direct, schematic route that illustrates the connections between the distributor outputs and the devices. For complex schematics, using the power schematic feature instead is recommended. |
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Daisy Chain
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Connects a distributor object to one or more electrical devices in a chain configuration, all using the same distributor output |
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Automatic Numbering
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When toggled on, enables automatic numbering as objects are placed |
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Automatic Numbering Preferences
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Sets the automatic numbering preferences |
Selecting the output
Regardless of the cable mode, when inserting a cable on a distributor object, choose the output for the cable connection. Only Vertex mode does not require a distributor in the connection; the other modes do require a distributor.
To select the output for the cable:
When using the Cable tool to place a cable, click on a distributor object (or in Daisy Chain mode, on a lighting device).
The Select Output dialog box opens.
Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.
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Parameter |
Description |
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Use Output |
Select the distributor output to use for the connection. Occupied and free outputs are listed in numerical order. |
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Always use next free output |
Automatically assigns the cable connection to the next free output (the first free output with the same connector as the destination if possible; otherwise the connection is to the first free output). The Select Output dialog box no longer opens. |
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Insert distributor before each fixture (Daisy Chain mode only) |
Select a distributor resource from the Resource Selector. When placing cables in Daisy Chain mode, the selected distributor (normally, a two-fer) is placed every time a lighting device is clicked. The cable connects to the first output on the two-fer, and the cable run continues with the new cable starting at the second two-fer output, continuing to the next two-fer to create the chain. |
When no outputs are free, an error message displays. See Cable errors.
