Symbol Set
- Last UpdatedApr 29, 2026
- 3 minute read
Symbolic representation is cross-disciplinary functionality which allows design items to be represented symbolically in a 2D View in DRAW when the Update Design process is executed. This depends on creating appropriate symbol and/or text templates in the DRAW database and setting up appropriate data structures and references in Catalogue databases before this functionality is used.
If the DRAW administrator does not have the appropriate permissions in the Catalogue, then effective co-operation between the DRAW and Catalogue administrators will be critical for the symbolic representation functionality.
To support this functionality, additional elements (DRSSET and DRSYLK) have been added to the Catalogue database.
Each catalogue item references a parameterized template and provides a set of values for these parameters. To use symbolic representation with a fixed size symbol for occurrences of these catalogue items in DRAW View, a single design symbol set (DRRSET) is created and referenced by the GPART for each of these items. However, if a scaled design symbol is used, a DRSSET would be created for each of these items in the Catalogue..
Drafting Symbol Set
Draft symbol set (DRSSET) is a typical administrative element with the usual function, purpose and description attribute and which owns draft symbol links (DRSYLK). The draft symbol link points to Draft Text or Symbol templates (TXTM,SYTM) in symbol libraries (SYLB) in the draw db. These templates are used on Draft drawings.
Use the Draft Symbol Set window to define symbols for components to be used on Draft drawings. A Draft Symbol Set should be created below a CATE or SECT element. The Drafting Symbol Set (DRSSET) is the administrative element which owns a Drafting Symbol Link element (DRSLK) in the database hierarchy displayed in the Catalogue Explorer.

Create Draft Symbol Set
The new draft symbol set is an administrative element and must be created below a SECT or STSE element. By default, the name of the new draft symbol set is populated with the name based on the owning CATA element name.

The purpose is automatically populated depending on the discipline currently active in AVEVA Catalogue.
If required, select the Use Defined Storage Area check box, once the administrative element has been created the Draft Symbol Set window is displayed.

Draft Symbol Sets can own a number of Draft Symbol Links (DRSYLKs) which are displayed in the Draft Symbol Links part of the Draft Symbol Set window.
To add a Draft Symbol Link to the list click Add select a DRSYLK from the list to modify its attributes in the lower panel of the window or delete a Draft Symbol Link click Delete.
Draft Text or Symbol Templates (TXTM or SYTM elements) can be referenced by typing in a name, navigating to them in the Catalogue Explorer and clicking CE, or clicking Search to display the Search for Text or Symbol Template window.

The criteria expression determines which draft views the symbols are used on. An expression can be entered or an existing expression can be selected from the drop-down list. Selecting a Draft Symbol Link from the list means that all expressions accessed during the current session are available.