Overview of the project file format

Project description

All lines of text marked with "*[n]" in columns 1-4 followed by the line of project data (n=1 to xxx)

Project default settings

Entries marked with "?[n]" in columns 1-4. Many of these values are mirrored on attributes carried by the invisible WD_M block of each drawing.

This current project "copy" of the drawing properties settings can migrate to each new AutoCAD Electrical drawing. It overwrites the defaults carried on the WD_M.dwg library symbol as it inserts. The WD_M block alert box displays for permission to insert into a new or non-AutoCAD Electrical drawing. The check box controls the drawing settings:

• OFF - the settings of the drawing are the defaults carried on the WD_M.dwg library symbol.
• ON - the settings of the drawing are set to match the "?[n]" settings listed in the .wdp file of the current project.

For example, you have an active project that is set up for a one-of-a-kind wire tagging format that is different from all your other projects. It is also different from the default carried on the WD_M.dwg block insert of the symbol library. When you start a new drawing for the project, check this switch on. The special settings of your active project update the values on the inserted WD_M block insert and cause it to match the special settings of the project. It eliminates the need to go back into the properties of a new drawing and adjust the wire tagging format setting to match the project.

Default schematic library path

Marked with "+[1]" in columns 1-4 followed by path or semicolon delimited paths. If multiple paths, the search for a given library symbol file name includes the sequence of the paths listed here in the order given.

Schematic icon menu file

Marked with "+[2]" in columns 1-4 followed by file. It can be a full path or just the icon menu file name itself (such as ACE_JIC_MENU.DAT or ACE_IEC_MENU.DAT).

Default panel library path

Marked with "+[3]" in columns 1-4 followed by base panel library path or semicolon delimited base paths. If multiple paths, the search for a given footprint library symbol includes the sequence of paths listed here in the order given.

Panel icon menu file

Marked with "+[4]" in columns 1-4 followed by file. It can be a full path or just the icon menu file name itself (such as ACE_PANEL_MENU.DAT).

Cross-Reference Options

Marked with "+[5]" followed by 1's bit set = automatic/real-time cross-referencing mode is "on", 2's bit set = peer to peer cross-referencing mode is "on", 4's bit set = Suppress Installation/Location codes when match the drawing defaults mode is "on". 0 or entry omitted = all options are off.

Use MISC_CAT table

Marked with "+[6]" followed by 1=always use MISC_CAT for catalog lookup, 2= use MISC_CAT if component-specific table not found, 0 or entry omitted = use component-specific only.

LINEx entries for reports

Marked with "+[9]" followed by comma-delimited list. Gives a list of project properties description entries that are included as a header for generated reports.

Combined Installation/Location/Tag

Marked with "+[10]" followed by 0= Combined Installation/Location component tag mode is "off", 1= mode is "on", 3= mode is "on" and include Installation/Location as a tag prefix.

DESC case mode

Marked with "+[11]" followed by 0= allow entered DESC1-DESC3 to be upper/lower case, missing or 1= force all entered DESC1-DESC3 values to uppercase.

Wire network mode

Marked with "+[13]" followed by 0 or missing= wire tagging normal mode (wires combined into one wire number assignment), 1=per wire basis mode (each connected wire gets its own wire number assignment).

IEC style Installation/Location tag

Marked with "+[14]" followed by 0 or missing= add prefix to TAG when output to reports, 1=suppress adding the prefix to TAG for reports, 3=suppress Installation/Location tag prefix when match drawing-wide Installation/Location default values for reports. This option is only used when +[10] above is set to 1 or 3.

Auto-fill Installation/Location

Marked with "+[15]" followed by 1= component insert to auto-fill Installation/Location attributes with drawing defaults, 0 or missing= normal mode (do not auto-fill attribute values).

Schematic-Panel wire format

Marked with "+[16]" for the format that is to deal with wire connection entries when there is no existing terminal pin number text on the panel wiring diagram device footprint, meaning annotation ends up formatted into an Mtext entity, and "+[17]" for format of data written onto target TERMxx/WIRENOxx attributes carried on the panel wiring diagram device footprint.

Auto-hide wire number

Marked with "+[18]" followed by 1= auto-hide a wire number on a wire network when a wire number terminal is present on the network (so that the same wire number does not display twice on the single wire network), 0= normal mode (do not hide any wire number text).

Wire number offset

Marked with "+[19]" followed by wire number offset value, 0 or blank or missing= normal centering of wire numbers on the wire segment, value= offset from left or upper end of wire segment.

Alternate WD.ENV

Marked with "+[20]" followed by the file name. If this alternative .env file does not exist or cannot be found, the default wd.env file is used.

Wire number by layer

Marked with "+[21]" followed by 0= wire number by layer mode is "off", 1= mode is "on", and "+[22]" holds the layer setup. Format of layer setup is semicolon delimited in repeating groups of four elements per layer definition. <layer name>;<tag format>;<starting wire number>;<suffix list>;...

Alternate catalog lookup

Marked with "+[23]" followed by 0= alternate catalog file not defined, 1=defined and "+[24]" holds the alternate catalog lookup file name.

Exclude wire number range

Marked with "+[27]" followed by the wire number ranges to exclude for sequential wire numbering. (blank or missing= no wire numbers excluded) For example, "100-199,500-699."

Wire number terminal override

Marked with "+[29]" followed by 0= normal wire numbering mode or 1=calculate reference-based wire number based on the location not the first terminal in the wire network (or revert to normal wire numbering mode if no terminal in the network).

Calculation of the "CLEN" column

Marked with "+[30]" and set as a global variable (default is 0.0) to aid in the calculation of the "CLEN" column (calculated wire length) in a from/to report that is able to map schematic wire connections to panel physical layouts. This value is the extra amount to add to each end of a calculated wire segment for connection purposes.

Tag/Wire number order

Marked with "+[31]" and set in the Project Properties dialog box. The value can be blank (no sort order override) or 0-7 for the various horizontal/vertical sort orders listed in the dialog box.

Real-time error checking

Marked with "+[32]" followed by 0= real-time error checking mode is "off", 1= mode is "on."

Grid column headers

Marked with "+[33]" to indicate a string of column names used in grid column headers in the Wire Type commands.

Suppress dash

Marked with "+[34]" to suppress the dash (-) if it is the first character of a tag when the Combined installation/location component tag mode is "on." See the [+10} entry.

Panel wire annotation delimiter

Marked with "+[35]" to indicate the delimiter character used to separate multiple panel wire annotation values for the same wire connection.

Item number mode

Marked with "+[36]" followed by 1= item assignments per drawing, 0 or missing= item assignments project wide.

Item assignment

Marked with "+[37]" followed by 1= allow item assignment for each part number, 0 or missing= allow item assignment for component only.

Electrical code standard

Marked with "+[38]" followed by the three character suffix which defines the Electrical Code Standard used by Circuit Builder when searching for a specific table in ace_electrical_standards.mdb.

Circuit Builder searches for a table using the following sequence:

1. Tables with the three character Electrical code standard suffix.
2. Tables without a suffix.
3. Tables with an "NEC" suffix.

Project drawing list

All remaining entries give the drawing names, and any special assignments or descriptions, that are part of the project. The special assignments or description information precede the drawing name they are assigned to. Each line is prefixed with a code. If special "sec/sub" groupings are defined, then a "=" prefix indicates a "sec" entry for the drawing and a "==" prefix indicates a "sub" entry . If one to three lines of description are defined, "===" precedes each description listed in order. If a drawing is marked "Ref only", a "====REF" entry precedes it . The drawing name is given last. The drawing name contains the path relative to the location of the WDP file of the project.