Help Database

Architectural objects in the library are represented in floor plan view by 2D CAD blocks.  In some cases, particularly with electrical symbols, you may want to change something about the 2D display of a symbol.

To edit the display in 2D of an electrical symbol

1. Select Library> Library Browser , and browse to the appropriate electical symbol you would like to use, and place it in your plan.
   
   For the purposes of this example, we will browse to Chief Architect Core Catalogs> Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing> Electrical> Switches> Wall Mounted> Food Waste Disposal.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Select CAD> CAD Block Management  from the menu, and in the list of CAD blocks, find the Food Waste Disposal CAD block and select it.
   
   
   
   
   • Click the Insert button to close the CAD Block Management dialog.  Notice that your cursor displays the CAD Block  icon.
     
     
   • Click somewhere in the drawing area to place a copy of the selected CAD block at that location.
     
     
       As the CAD block will be placed on the Default CAD layer its line color will be different than it may appear when it is applied to a library symbol.
     
     In this case, instead of being red like the outlet is in the plan, the cad block will place with black lines.
     
     
     
3. For the purposes of this example, we will modify the text associated with the block and make it larger.
   
   
   • To increase the size of the CAD block select it.  Left-click and drag a diamond shaped move handle away from the center of the block until you achieve the desired size.
     
     
   • To edit the CAD block, begin by selecting it and clicking the Explode CAD Block  edit button.
     
     
   • To modify the text in the CAD block, select it, and click on the Open Object edit button to display the Text Specification dialog.
     
     
   • In the Text Specifcation dialog, you can modify the text you would like to see, as well as adjust its Font, Color, and other attributes on the Text Style Tab.
     
     For the purposes of this example, we will uncheck By Layer for the Text Color, and specify a red color.  Also, make sure that Rotate with Plan is not selected, then click OK to close the Text Specification dialog.
     
     
   • Resize and move the text box to where you want it.
     
     
   • Press the Spacebar on your keyboard to activate the Select Objects  tool then, while holding down the Shift key, left-click and drag a marquee around the objects.
     
     
   • With all of the objects marquee-selected, click Make CAD Block  edit button to block the objects together.
     
     
   • Select the block and click the Open Object  edit button.
     
     
     
4. In the CAD Block Specification dialog, type a short, descriptive name for the CAD block appropriate for the block you created.
   
   
   
   In this example, we will name the CAD Block "Custom Food Waste Disposal CAD Block" then click OK.
   
   
   
5. To use this newly created CAD block for the electrical symbol, select the Food Waste Disposal symbol you originally placed in your plan, and click the Open Symbol  button on the edit toolbar.
   
   
   
6. On the 2D Block tab of the Symbol Specification dialog, select the block created in the previous step from the list of Available Blocks, then click OK.
   
   
   
   
   
7. The electrical symbol will now display the CAD block you created as its 2D symbol.
   
   
   
   
   
8. You can also add the symbol with its customized 2D block to your User Catalog folder in the Library Browser for future use.  Select the symbol and click Add to Library  button on the edit toolbar
   
   In Chief Architect X3, the item will be added to the My Library folder with the Block Name that you have specified, where you can then rename the file, and place it into the custom location in your folder that you have created for symbols of this type.
   
   In Chief Architect X2, the item will be added to the Import category in your Library Browser.