Modifying Electrical Devices

[jones129]

I'm new to ABS and don't care for the look of the electrical devices. How can I modify these?
I've opened the dwg files with the names of the devices, but nothing is there. I'm mainly interested in receptacles, light fixtures, switches and wire (a different look for the home run)

Thanks

Robert

[stelthorst]

I'm new to ABS and don't care for the look of the electrical devices. How can I modify these?
I've opened the dwg files with the names of the devices, but nothing is there. I'm mainly interested in receptacles, light fixtures, switches and wire (a different look for the home run)

Thanks

Robert

Hi Robert,

First, Welcome to AUGI! I'm sure you'll learn alot and in the process maybe even have some fun.

You didn't mention what version of ABS you are using, since I only have ABS2007.1 available to me here I'll try to step you through the process using it. Earlier versions are very similar.

To get you started understanding how devices work I would suggest starting a new drawing and inserting a device. (I'm going to use a duplex receptacle in my example so you might do the same). After you have inserted the device go to FORMAT - Style Manager - Electrical Objects - Device Styles. You should have two devices listed (Standard and Duplex Receptacle). Double click on the Duplex Receptacle style and go to the Views tab.

At the top of the tab you'll see three view names (Model, Plan and Reflected). Click on the plan view name. You should see the View Block change to AECBE_R_Duplex_P. Also you will note that this block shows up on a top and bottom view in the plan representation. If you click on the other view names you will notice that either the view block, view direction, display representation or all three changes. Autodesk tends to put a "P" at the end of plan view blocks (these are the symbols used for top and bottom views) and an "M" at the end of model views (these are 3D views for other angles).

Make note of the plan view block name and go to FILE - Open and click on the Content folder on the left side of the Open Dialog box. This will take you directly to where ABS is picking up the styles it uses. Navigate to Aecb Content/US Imperial/Electrical/ Devices and open the Recepticles US Imperial.dwg

The drawing appears empty but if you go to INSERT - Block you will see a bunch of blocks including AECBE_R_Duplex_P.

AT THIS TIME I MUST STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU MAKE A BACKUP OF ANY FILE YOU ARE GOING TO MODIFY (Just in case)

To change the look of the block insert it into the Receptacles US Imperial.dwg, explode it, make the changes to the block and then redefine it with the same name. That's it!

Sorry this is so long winded,

Hope this helps and post back if you have any questions.

[ordengate]

I've found it's much quicker to just make them custom yourself.

I do this by making my block based how I want it to look on paper space. I then scale that up by 12.8 and block it. Right click -> Convert to -> Device.

Use that dialogue to make your own with its own connections. Once you've made the device, right click to modify the style, and set the views to run off Annotation scale so they work with the scale at the bottom right hand side of your screen (default place anywho).

Adjusting the connection points can be a real pain, but otherwise it's pretty quick and easy. Works even better if you use your own layer key styles so that they play nice with your pen settings.

[tntdraftsol]

Hi Robert,

First, Welcome to AUGI! I'm sure you'll learn alot and in the process maybe even have some fun.

You didn't mention what version of ABS you are using, since I only have ABS2007.1 available to me here I'll try to step you through the process using it. Earlier versions are very similar.

To get you started understanding how devices work I would suggest starting a new drawing and inserting a device. (I'm going to use a duplex receptacle in my example so you might do the same). After you have inserted the device go to FORMAT - Style Manager - Electrical Objects - Device Styles. You should have two devices listed (Standard and Duplex Receptacle). Double click on the Duplex Receptacle style and go to the Views tab.

At the top of the tab you'll see three view names (Model, Plan and Reflected). Click on the plan view name. You should see the View Block change to AECBE_R_Duplex_P. Also you will note that this block shows up on a top and bottom view in the plan representation. If you click on the other view names you will notice that either the view block, view direction, display representation or all three changes. Autodesk tends to put a "P" at the end of plan view blocks (these are the symbols used for top and bottom views) and an "M" at the end of model views (these are 3D views for other angles).

Make note of the plan view block name and go to FILE - Open and click on the Content folder on the left side of the Open Dialog box. This will take you directly to where ABS is picking up the styles it uses. Navigate to Aecb Content/US Imperial/Electrical/ Devices and open the Recepticles US Imperial.dwg

The drawing appears empty but if you go to INSERT - Block you will see a bunch of blocks including AECBE_R_Duplex_P.

AT THIS TIME I MUST STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU MAKE A BACKUP OF ANY FILE YOU ARE GOING TO MODIFY (Just in case)

To change the look of the block insert it into the Receptacles US Imperial.dwg, explode it, make the changes to the block and then redefine it with the same name. That's it!

Sorry this is so long winded,

Hope this helps and post back if you have any questions.

Hello. I am using MEP 2010 and I tried what you posted here, but it did not work. Is there anything out there that can provide a straight forward step by step procedure to show how to edit/create these MVparts/blocks? All I am trying to do is make the duplex symbol OOTB look like our agency standard. Is it really that difficult? I am about to the point where I say to he?? with it and just explode it. Please help!

[RobertB]

Hello. I am using MEP 2010 and I tried what you posted here, but it did not work. Is there anything out there that can provide a straight forward step by step procedure to show how to edit/create these MVparts/blocks? All I am trying to do is make the duplex symbol OOTB look like our agency standard. Is it really that difficult? I am about to the point where I say to he?? with it and just explode it. Please help!

It is pretty simple, even more simple than the posts in this old thread.

Open the content file.
Look at the device in Style Manager and determine its plan block name.
Use the BEdit command and select the block used for the plan view.
Make the edits to the block and save.
Save the content drawing.
Test the device in a new drawing.

[tntdraftsol]

Robert,

Thank you for your reply. Please forgive me for being so dense, but what do you mean when you say content drawing?

[tntdraftsol]

Robert,

I figured it out! Thank you so much for your help! The device works beutifully now!