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April 6, 2017

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Synergis’ Application Consultant, Todd Schmoock
In AutoCAD Electrical the project and drawing properties use parameters to identify how updates will be applied to the smart objects.  For example, the NFPA project that is installed with AutoCAD Electrical has the components tag format set to %F%N.  %F equals family code, and %N equals ladder rung reference so if you look at one of the drawings you may see LS406.  The LS is the family code for limit switches, and the 406 is the rung number of the ladder.  Here is the defined property value:
The parameter for wire numbers is set to %N.  The %N tells AutoCAD Electrical to apply the ladder rung reference so when you look at the wire number to the right of LS406 you will see the wire number 406.  Here is the defined property value:
Below are the parameters as defined in the AutoCAD Electrical help.
The Drawing Properties dialog box makes use of codes as replaceable parameters that are encoded on to attributes of the drawing’s invisible WD_M block. For example, if you set your component tag format to be %F%N, this format is encoded on to the TAGFMT attribute of the WD_M block. When AutoCAD Electrical assigns a TAG to a component, this format is read and the codes are replaced with the appropriate values.
Replaceable parameters are also used for device tagging, cross-referencing, wire numbering, wire annotation and graphical terminal strips.
For device tagging, cross-referencing and wire numbering
These are defined in the Drawing Properties.

%F Component family code string (for example, “PB,” “SS,” “CR,” “FLT,” “MTR”)
%S Drawing’s sheet number (for example, “01” entered in upper right)
%D Drawing number
%G Wire layer name
%N Sequential or Reference-based number applied to the component
%X Suffix character position for reference-based tagging (not present = end of tag)
%P IEC-style project code (default for drawing)
%I IEC-style installation code (default for drawing)
%L IEC-style location code (default for drawing)
%A Project drawing list’s SEC value for active drawing
%B Project drawing list’s SUB-SEC value for active drawing

 
The %L and %I values used for cross-referencing are the Drawing Default Location and Installation values from the corresponding Parent or Child drawing and not the Location and Installation values of the component itself .If you have a Parent on a drawing that has a default Location of “M” and its child is on a drawing that has a default Location value of “MC,” the cross-referencing on the parent shows the “MC” (drawing default location value of the drawing the child is on) and the child shows the “M” (drawing default location value of the drawing the parent is on) no matter what the location value is on either the parent or child.
Note: If you include %I or %L in your component’s Tag code, you are prompted tore calculate the component’s tag if you change the Installation or Location value of the component once it has been inserted.
Example of Component Tags
(For relay number 50 on sheet 3)
%F%S%N = CR350
%F%N = CR50
%F-%S-%N = CR-3-50
(For 3 push buttons on line reference 101 using reference-based tagging)
%F%N = PB101, PB101A,PB101B
%N-%F = 101-PB, 101-PBA,101-PBB
%N%X%F = 101-PB, 101A-PB,101B-PB
Example of Wire Number Formats
(For wire number 50 on sheet 3)
%S/%N = 3/50
%N = 50
W-%S%N = W-350
For defining wire annotation and graphical terminal strips

%P Terminal pin text
%Q Terminal pin TERMDESC text
%I IEC-style installation code
%L IEC-style location code
%M Mount assignment (on panel footprint equivalent)
%U Group assignment (on panel footprint equivalent)
%W Wire number
%C Cable tag + conductor/core color combination (format is “tag-color”)
%E Cable tag
%J Cable conductor/core color
%V Cable tag substituted for wire number if cable tag is non-blank.
The wire number is displayed when a cable ID doesn’t exist.
%G Wire color/gauge (or wire layer name)
%H Cable wire color substituted for wire number if cable color is non-blank.
The wire layer is displayed when a wire conductor in conjunction with a cable ID doesn’t exist.
%T Terminal strip terminal pin assignment
%K Terminal strip TERMDESC text – useful for multi-stack terminals
%1 Destination component tag ID. You can use only one of the (%number) parameters.
%2 Equivalent of “%1:%P” (comp tag:term)
%3 Equivalent of “%1:%P:%D” (comp tag:term:termdesc)
%4 Equivalent of “%L%1” (IEC comp tag)
%5 Equivalent of “%L%1:%P” (tag:term)
%6 Equivalent of “%L%1:%P:%D” (tag:term:termdesc)
%7 Equivalent of “%I%I%1” (INST prefix+IEC comp tag)
%8 Equivalent of “%I%L%1:%P” (tag:term)
%9 Equivalent of “%I%L%1:%P:%D” (tag:term:termdesc)

The part after the colon(:) is suppressed if the value is blank in %2 – %9 parameters (for example, %2=comp tag:term). The “:term” part is suppressed if blank.
 
Looking for more on AutoCAD Electrical? Check out Managing and Creating Wire Layers in AutoCAD Electrical and AutoCAD Electrical Tip: Create a folder in your symbol Library for your custom Circuits.