Use the Symbol Editor
- Last UpdatedMar 14, 2024
- 6 minute read
The Symbol Editor is an AutoCAD based application. Symbols are drawn and edited using standard AutoCAD and AVEVA P&ID drawing facilities. Additional controls are provided to enable the user to create valid AVEVA P&ID symbols, such as port valves.
Add Insertion Points
Every AVEVA P&ID symbol must have an insertion point. This is specified in the Symbol Editor by right-clicking and selecting the Set Base Point option from the menu that is then displayed.
Select the insertion point by clicking on the required point on the symbol. The insertion point is marked with a yellow circle.
Add Ports to Symbols
To add ports to a symbol, right-click on it and select the Insert Port option from the menu that is then displayed, and then place the ports at the required positions.
Once all the ports have been placed, they may be named. Select the Edit Port Identities option from the right-click menu. The following dialog is then displayed:
As required, in the Port ID fields enter the identifiers of each port. Port identifiers can be alpha or numeric, or any combination, but must be unique on the valve.
These IDs will be displayed for these ports on the Properties dialogs used to label port valves of the current type, and will be exported to AVEVA P&ID Reports as the port identifiers, and appear on datasheets as appropriate.
Add Ports to Symbols to Enable "Flipping"
Ports can be added to symbols with the VPO P&ID Type to enable "flipping".
This will enable these symbols to rotate automatically in a similar way to reducers, for example, so that when inserted into a pipe the wide end is always connected to the larger pipe size and the narrow end is always connected to the smaller pipe size.
To add ports to a VPO symbol to enable flipping, set its first and second Port ID fields to 10 and 2 respectively:
Create Break Symbols
To create line break (for example, spec break) symbols (P&ID Type of LSP), either draw a new symbol from the start, or right-click on it and select the Insert Spec Symbol option from the menu that is then displayed. The Insert SpecBreak dialog is then displayed:
From the list of values, pick and existing symbol, and click OK. The selected symbol is then displayed.
Set the base point in the normal way as described above.
To add the labels that are the symbol is to be labelled with, right-click on it and select the Add Spec Labels option from the menu. The SpecBreak Labels dialog is then displayed:
Check the checkboxes of the required labels and click OK.
The user will then be prompted to place each selected label on the left side of the symbol, and then each selected label on the right side of the symbol.
These placements will control where labels are placed when the symbols is added to a drawing. Make sure that each label is placed on the correct side of the symbol.
By default, new break symbols will not indicate a property change. If the symbol is to indicate a change in the properties of the lines they are placed on, right-click and select the Split ON option from the menu and then click on the symbol.
To change a symbol back to not indicating a property change, right-click and select the Split OFF option from the menu, and then click on the symbol.
Note: Changing this setting for a break symbol after symbols of that type have already been placed on a drawing will not change the behaviour of those symbol. Only those placed from that point on will be affected.
Add Attributes from AVEVA P&ID DataSets
Note: DataSets are set up and maintained using the User Defined Attributes - DataSet Sub-Category of the AVEVA P&ID Project Administration program.
To add AVEVA P&ID dataset attributes to symbols using the Symbol Editor:
-
Select the symbol in question and open the Symbol Editor as described above.
-
Right-click on the symbol and select the Add Attributes option from the menu. The Add Attributes dialog is then displayed:
-
The dialog lists the available DataSets. Expand a DataSet node to view its attributes.
-
Select an attribute by checking its checkbox.
-
If the positions of label designators relative to the insertion point and each other is to be fixed, check the Fix position of designators checkbox and enter the relative position in the X Offset and Y Offset fields.
The value in the X Offset field controls the horizontal distance between each label designator and its value. The value in the Y Offset field controls the vertical distance between each line of label designators and values when multiple labels are selected for insertion.
-
Click OK when all the required attributes are selected.
The attribute is then added to the symbol. For example:
Add User Defined AutoCAD Attributes
To add user defined AutoCAD attributes to symbols:
-
Select the symbol in question and open the Symbol Editor as described above.
-
Enter the ATTDEF command at the command line. The Attribute Definition dialog is then displayed.
-
Check the Preset checkbox. Check the other checkboxes, e.g. the Invisible checkbox as required. Refer to AutoCAD documentation for guidance.
-
Enter the name of the attribute in the Tag field.
-
Enter the default value of the attribute in the Default field.
-
Click OK. The dialog then closes.
-
Unless the insertion point of the new attribute was specified in the dialog, the following prompt will then be displayed: "Specify start point:". Specify the insertion point of the attribute in the main Symbol Editor window, for example, where the attribute value is to be displayed relative to the symbol when the symbol is labelled.
Once defined for a symbol type, user-defined attribute values can be entered using the AVEVA P&ID Properties dialogs, refer to Properties Dialogs. They will be grouped under a node called User Defined Attributes.
Note: If a new attribute has been defined for a symbol of a type which already has labelled instances on a drawing, to add the new attribute to the labels of these symbols, enter UDAS at the command line, and select one of the symbols on the drawing. All the symbols of that type will then labelled with default value of the new attribute.
To update all project drawings or selected project drawings with new or changed attributes, use the Refresh UDAs utility.
To remove all such UDAs from selected symbols on a drawing, refer to Remove UDAs from Symbols.
Access the Dynamic Block Editor
Symbols may be made into dynamic blocks by using the AutoCAD Block Editor. This is accessed from the Symbol Editor by selecting the Dynamic Block Editor option from the right-click menu.
The Edit Block Definition dialog is then displayed.
See AutoCAD documentation for details of the Block Editor.
Take a Picture
Select the Take Picture option from the right-click menu to create a .pic image file of the symbol in the symbol folder.
Edit Existing Symbol Properties
To edit the current properties of a symbol, right-click on it and select the Edit Symbol Properties option from the menu.
The Edit Symbol Properties dialog is then displayed:
The dialog displays the existing properties of the symbol. Edit these properties as required and select OK to update the selected symbol.