Insert Symbols

This procedure is used to insert any available AVEVA P&ID or client symbol from the symbol library into a drawing.

When an item is inserted into a drawing it will be placed on the default layer, in the default colour for the item type, and in the default line type. If no default layer or colour is specified for the item type, it will be placed in the current layer and will adopt the current layer colour.

Placing a symbol in a pipeline or signal line automatically breaks the line and orientates the symbol accordingly.

Equipment items, including vessels and electrical equipment, can be set to be re-sizable for a project.

Symbols, when inserted, will be automatically scaled according to the scale factor set for the drawing sheet, refer to Set the Sheet Scale Factor. Changing this factor will affect the scale of symbols subsequently inserted. Symbols already inserted will not be affected.

Insert 1-point & 2-point symbols

All symbols may be classified as 1-point or 2-point. 1-point symbols e.g. pumps, have a single insertion point and are placed with a single click of the mouse or puck.

2-point symbols e.g. reducers, spec breaks etc. have an insertion point, and a second point which must be selected to determine the orientation or direction of the symbol. Hence two mouse clicks are needed to correctly place a reducer.

Assume the insertion point to be at the wide end of the reducer:

Whether a symbol is a 1-point or a 2-point symbol is determined by the setting in Column 7 in the Symbols Configuration Category of the AVEVA P&ID Project Administration program.

Inline Equipment

Inline equipment can be inserted into a pipe and labelled as equipment. Routing through inline equipment is as for any inline item.

Associated Project Configuration Options

• The locations of directories used to store standard and project symbol files, both metric and imperial, and whether the program will search for a symbol in the project or standard directory first, are set in the Project Configuration Category of the AVEVA P&ID Project Administration program.

• Whether or not the Symbol Explorer is displayed is also controlled by a setting in the Project Configuration Category.

• The list of available symbols and their properties can be viewed and edited using the Symbols Configuration Category.

• The default drawing layers and colours for item types are set up in the Item Types - Standard Sub-Category.

• Layers are configured in the Drawing - Layers Sub-Category.

• The specs and sizes of pipes that Valve and Reducer symbols may be restricted to are specified using the Spec Driven Configuration Category.

• If the USER_STOPUPDATEANNOTCOLOUR user-defined directive in the Miscellaneous – Settings Sub-Category is set to Yes, intelligent entities, including symbols, will not have their colours changed to match changes to project settings in the Administrator.

• The Standard node of the Symbol Explorer can be hidden by setting the USER_HideStandardSymbolExplorerNode user-defined directive in the Miscellaneous – Settings Sub-Category is set to Yes.

Insertion Methods

These instructions provide a basic description the different methods of inserting symbols. They are applicable for all symbol types.

The Symbol Explorer

Symbols can be selected and inserted using the Symbol Explorer. The selected symbols can be inserted either by dragging them onto The Drawing Page, or by selecting Insert from the item shortcut menus. A 'ghosted' image of the selected symbol will then appear on the cross hairs ready for 'dropping' at the required point on the drawing. Refer to the topics regarding the insertion of different symbol types for further details.

Using the Symbol Explorer, symbols can also be inserted as AutoCAD blocks instead of as "intelligent" AVEVA P&ID symbols.

Note: A project may be set up so that only project symbols located in a specific folder are available from the Symbol Explorer, for example, a folder with the same name as the drawing’s "filter value".

Copy and Paste

Instead of inserting symbols using the methods described above, new symbols can be placed on the drawing by copying and pasting existing symbols. Refer to Copy Drawing Objects and Labels.

Detailed Procedures for Symbol Types

For detailed information on selecting different types of symbols, see the appropriate topic:

• Insert Equipment

• Insert Sub-Equipment (for example Electrical Equipment)

• Insert Nozzles

• Insert Valves

• Insert Instrument Valves (Control Valves)

• Insert Inline Fittings

• Insert Instruments (Balloons)

• Insert Flow Elements

• Insert Miscellaneous Symbols

• Insert Assemblies

  Note: Vacuum/Relief Devices are a sub-category of Instrument Valves.