Catalog database

Catalog table naming conventions

Each primary or stand-alone component type can have an associated table in your Access mdb file. This approach is taken for both performance reasons and to exclude invalid choices. For example, you cannot assign a blue press-test pilot part number to a standard red pilot light symbol. There can be multiple catalog tables for the same component family. Alternately, all master test and all neon pilot lights (of all colors) can be combined into a single catalog table named LT. AutoCAD Electrical determines the default catalog lookup table name based on the WDBLKNAM attribute.

The following example references a custom master control relay with block name “HCR1_MC_PWR.”

If your symbol does not carry the WDBLKNAM attribute:

1. The symbol is checked for the WDBLKNAM attribute (or Xdata). It is not found.
2. The block name is read (“HCR1_MC_PWR”) minus its first character (the orientation character “H” or “V”). The default_cat.mdb file is searched for a table named “CR1_MC_PWR.”
3. If this table exists, it is used. If this table does not exist, and the block name is eight characters or more, AutoCAD Electrical starts removing characters from the block name, looking for a table name match with each character removed. This process continues until only seven characters remain. Table names that it would look for in sequence would be “CR1_MC_PW”, “CR1_MC_P”, “CR1_MC_.”
4. If there is not a match on the last table name, AutoCAD Electrical checks for the family-specific table (CR). It is the second and third character of the block name.
5. If this table exists, it is used. If it does not exist, a MISC_CAT table is looked for if the active properties of the project are set up to use this catch-all table.
6. If all these items fail, AutoCAD Electrical stops looking (if running a report) or prompts you to add a table to the default_cat.mdb file (if you are inserting or editing a component).

If your symbol includes the invisible WDBLKNAM attribute with a value of “HCRM”:

1. The symbol is checked for the WDBLKNAM attribute (or Xdata). It is found. The attribute value of “HCRM” is used instead of the block name and proceeds to step 2.
2. The leading “H” or “V” character is removed. The default_cat.mdb file searches for a table named “CRM.”
3. If this table exists, it is used. If the table does not exist, and the attribute value is eight characters or more, AutoCAD Electrical starts removing characters from the attribute value, looking for a table name match with each character removed. This process continues until only seven characters remain. In this case, characters are not removed.
4. If there is not a match on the last table name, AutoCAD Electrical checks for a family-specific table (CR). It is the second and third character of the original WDBLKNAM value (HCRM).
5. If this table exists, it is used. If it does not exist, a MISC_CAT table is looked for if the properties of the active project are set up to use this catch-all table.
6. If all these items fail, AutoCAD Electrical stops looking (if running a report) or prompts you to add a table to the default_cat.mdb file (if you are inserting or editing a component).

If you want your custom symbol to go to table “CRM” in the catalog database file instead of the existing table “CR” you must:

1. Add the WDBLKNAM attribute to your master control relay coil library symbols with a value of “HCRM” or “VCRM” (the orientation does not matter).

   Manually add the CRM table in your catalog lookup database file.

2. Click Project tabOther Tools panelAdd Table to Catalog Database.

Family tables in the default_cat.mdb

The list of tables available in the default_cat.mdb is shown in the following table. All tables are family-specific and one table is created for each family.