LINEAR Solutions 25 for AutoCAD

About Free/User-Defined Symbols

Explains the concept of user-defined symbols and the assignment of data to these symbols.

If the standard symbols are not sufficient, you can also create and save your own symbols as DWG files. You can load these symbols into the Free Symbols category of the Symbols area or the Free Symbols dialog in order to insert them into your drawing from there. To ensure that these symbols are correctly taken into account when calculating a network, they must be classified.

Note: As of version 25.0, the use of _User.tec files for the consideration of custom symbols in the pipe or duct network calculation is no longer supported. Custom symbols only need to be classified once. Custom symbols created with User.tec files must also be reclassified once.

You create your own symbols by adapting one or more existing symbols in your drawing according to your requirements or by creating new symbols with the AutoCAD drawing functions. Each newly created symbol is saved as a DWG file in the installation directory ..\Cad\TGA Desktop\User-Standards\Symbol Toolbars\Trade\Symbols. In addition, when a new symbol is created, an image (Slide file) is created to represent the symbol on the button.

To ensure that a new symbol can be fitted to scale when used in the drawing, the scale of a reference block must have the value 1. The scale of a block is the product of the drawing scale and the symbol factor and can be adjusted in the block’s properties in the Geometry section for the X,Y and Z axes.

The rotation of a new symbol should be 0 when it is created so that any rotations that may be required during installation can be logically understood (e.g. 90° counterclockwise for installation in vertical pipes).

When creating a new symbol, you will be asked to show a frame for the image of the new symbol in the symbol bar. The image of the new symbol is a Slide file that does not capture solid surfaces and text with true-type fonts.

If you create a new symbol on layer 0, this symbol will always be inserted in the current layer. Symbols created on other layers are inserted into the current drawing accordingly with the original layers of the symbol.

If self-created symbols are to be inserted as components in a pipe network and taken into account in the calculation, at least one attribute is required for start and end components. If symbols are to be inserted into a pipe or duct, at least the two attributes P1 and P2 are required. When inserting a symbol, the underlying pipe or duct is then broken up between the base points P1 and P2. When connecting a symbol, a connection pipe must be selected. For fixtures such as washbasins, radiators or storage units, special attributes can be used to define media, force connection circuits and draw chamfers.