Symbol Library - Overview

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====== Symbol Library - Overview ======
In Novapoint Landscape there are common functions for handling conventional symbols. There are 3 variants. The function is general and is used to insert conventional symbols in the drawing. The symbols are brought in from the directory you have set active.

The conventional symbols are sorted by functions to different folders, and named after functions. The symbols that follow Landscape are sorted in thematic folders under: <drive>\Program Files\ViaNova\Novapoint\16.30\Land\SYMB\<Thematic sub directories>.

User Symbols: Users can add their own symbols (WBLOCK) to these folders or make a folder structure (locally or in networks) for the symbols they use. This can be done by using the AutoCAD's command WBLOCK and save symbols (drawings) to the preferred directory. Also, you need to make a slide of them, with the AutoCAD's function MSLIDE so as to have a preview of the symbol in the dialog. The slide name should be same as that of the symbol name, but with extension SLD.

If it is desired that the user defined conventional symbols are to be displayed in the Symbol Library, browse to the respective directory (make the directory active).

The Symbol-Overview dialog: As mentioned, there are 3 variants of the Symbol Library which can be called from different location from the menu 'Landscape'. The directory which consists the respective symbols will be set active when the function is called. For e.g. if the function 'Vehicle Path Diagrams' (Roads and Squares  Vehicle Path Diagram) is called, the directory for Vehicle Path Diagrams will be set active. Similarly if the function Roads and Squares  Sports Areas is called, the active directory in the dialog box 'Symbol - Overview' will be that of Sports Area.

Here a list of function to insert symbols (WBLOCK) using the dialog box 'Symbol - Overview' and the respective variant which is linked to the function.

 
 Variant 1:
 
1.
 Roads and Squares  Vehicle Path Diagrams
 
2.
 Roads and Squares  Sports Areas
 
3.
 Building  Entrance Marking
 
4.
 Elevation Label  Symbol Elevation Label
 
5.
 Kerb and Pavement  Marking of Transitions
 
6.
 Kerb and Pavement  Theme Drawings
 
7.
 WS  Theme Drawings
 
8.
 Illustration  Symbols Plan
 
9.
 Illustration  Animals
 
10.
 Illustration  Vehicles
 
11.
 Illustration  People
 
12.
 Illustration  Bicycles
 
13.
 Illustration  Vegetation Front View
 
14.
 3D  3D Vehicle
 
15.
 3D  3D Light
 
16.
 3D  3D Tree
 
17.
 3D  3D People
 
18.
 3D  3D Pine Tree
 
19.
 3D  3D Street Furniture
 
 
 Variant 2:
 
20.
 WS  Setout a WS Point
 
21.
 WS  Setout WS Points along a Line
 
22.
 WS  Products
 
23.
 El/Tele  Setout a Street Light
 
24.
 El/Tele  Setout Street Lights along a Line
 
25.
 Street Furniture  Setout an Object
 
26.
 Street Furniture  Setout Objects along a Line
 
27.
 Street Furniture  Products
 
 
 Variant 3:
 
28.
 Planting Design  Single
 
29.
 Planting Design  Row
 
30.
 Planting Design  Avenue
 
31.
 Planting Design  Plant Bed (One Species)
 
32.
 Planting Design  Planting Mix (Repeating Unit)
 
33.
 Planting Design  Rows with Planting Mix
 
34.
 Planting Design  Plant Bed with Mix
 

All the variants of the dialog box Symbol – Overview will search for drawing files (*.DWG) that exist in the active directory and list them in the dialog box. The symbol preview can be viewed if an AutoCAD slide (MSLIDE) exists for the symbols (WBLOCK). If no such slide is available you will see only the symbol name in the drop down list of the dialog box.

For the function which are linked to variant 1, the dialog box 'Symbol - Overview' will pop up when these functions are called. In the case of the functions which are linked to variant 2 or variant 3 the opening dialog box is not 'Symbol - Overview' but, other dialog box which has a key 'Symbol' or 'Description' linked to the dialog box 'Symbol - Overview' (variant 2 or Variant 3 as mention in the above list of functions and related variants).

Variant 1, Variant 2 and Variant 3 are have the same functionality. They differ slightly for one another with some extra functionality to suit the respective function. Symbols inserted by variant 2 and 3 can be changed at a desired later point by the function Object menu (NCO).

Variant 1
Category
As mentioned earlier all symbols are categorized respective to the functions and sorted into respective folders. Further symbols of each function are categorized into Plan Symbols, Section Symbols and 3D symbols and sorted into respective folders. Thus you can select the respective symbols to be inserted. All the categories need not have these sub categories Plan/Section/3D. Where the sub categories are not available, the option are not available on the dialog box 'Symbol - Overview'.

Symbol – Code – Description
All the symbols available in the active directory are listed in the pull down menu. Select the desired symbol to be inserted from the pull down menu. You can also select the desired symbol from the preview list. Double click a preview to be selected and inserted in the drawing. You can also view the file name of the symbol, then a code for the symbol. Subsequently, there might be a descriptive text belonging to the symbol.

Change Category
If you have defined you own conventional symbols (WBLOCK) in a different directory and wish to insert them or if you desire to change the category/directory, press the key Change Category. The dialog box 'Manage Categories' will pop up where you can browse to the desired directory for conventional symbols (WBLOCK).

Manage Categories: If you know the path of the directory for conventional symbols, you can directly type the search string in the edit field to the right of the directory button. If you click the button '...' a dialog box will pop up where you can browse to the desired category/Directory which is to be set active. You can switch to sub categories Plan/Section/3D. You can add/rename/delete categories.

Descriptions
The drawing file (WBLOCK) name will be displayed at this field.

Code: You can add a short description to the symbol. The code may consist of 4 characters. This is displayed in the symbol pull down list.

Description 1: It is possible to add standard description to the symbol. Description 1 may consist of 131 characters. The first 38 characters are displayed in the pull down list, and 40 characters are displayed in the edit field where you insert the text.

Description 2: If you cannot add enough information in Description 1, you may supply with more information in this field. Description 2 may consist of 131 characters. 40 characters are displayed in the edit field where you add the text.

Description file
In each directory where there are one or more symbols that you can find by the use of this function a text file called SYMBDSCR.TXT will be created. This file will be having all the symbol names (*.DWG) of that folder. The code and description you add to these symbols are saved to this file unless you choose to create a different description file. You can create several description files to the same symbols in one directory.

 Note: To exercise good CAD-practice, you should not add descriptions into SYMBDSCR.TXT, but rather create separate description files for each project.

Create new description file: If you wish to create a new description file, simply type the name for the new file in the text field reading SYMBDSCR.TXT and press the key 'Return'. Note that new files always has to be of the type *.TXT. The file is saved to the symbol directory the library is displaying symbols from.

Open: The key 'Open' will pop up the dialog box 'Open' where you can browse to the text file from which descriptions are to be brought in.

 Tip: A tip to quickly browse to the correct directory to find the description file is to 'map' the directory string to the directory where you keep symbols and in this way find the description files.

After defining all the parameters use the key Ok to insert the symbol. Command prompts for:

Specify insertion point or [Scale/X/Y/Z/Rotate/PScale/PX/PY/PZ/PRotate]:

Pick the insertion point for the symbol.

Enter X scale factor, specify opposite corner, or [Corner/XYZ] <1>:

Specify the scale factor in the x direction either by stretching in with the mouse relative to the insertion point or by giving a numeric value. In case if you do not have any value accept the suggest value with the key Return. The options X, Y, Z will enable to scale the symbol in respective directions. The options PX, PY, PZ will enable to scale the preview in X, Y, Z direction respectively. The option Scale enable to scale the symbol in all the direction with proportionately.

Enter Y scale factor <use X scale factor>:

Specify the scale factor in the y direction. If you desire to use the same value specified for x direction use the Return. You can pick a point on the screen relative to the insertion point or specify a numeric value.

Specify rotation angle <0>:

Specify the rotation angle for the symbol either by pointing relative to the insertion point or enter the numeric value at command line. To accept the suggested value use the key Return. The option PR enables to rotate the preview symbol.

Variant 2/Variant 3
Variant 2 and 3 are similar as variant 1, but they have somewhat extended functionality. For these variants it is possible to set the description active as a label in the drawing. Further, the description will be added as an object property when these variants are used. This will make it possible to extract label lists and quantities.

Description
If you mark the check boxes, Description #1, Description #2, (for Variant 1) Code, Botanical Name, Local Name, Name Code (for Variant 2) the label will be set active. The text described at these fields will be inserted as text labels when the symbol is inserted.

Font
The dialog box 'Fonts' will pop up. Select desired font by pointing it out in the list which is to be used for text label, followed by Ok.

Plant out Parameters
Class of Plant: 

Price: 

Plant out Size (cm): 

Work Price: 

Database
The Code, Botanical Name, Local Name and Name Code can be brought in from the database. A dialog box 'Plant List' will pop up. Select the Plant from the list and click 'Ok'. The parameters Code, Botanical Name, Local Name and Name Code will be brought to the respective fields. See the buttons to there lower left corner of the dialog box 'Plant List' to browse. You can browse in the same list or you can go to other list.

Command prompt sequence for symbols inserted with the variant 2
Select a point:

Pick the insertion point for the symbol. The dialog box 'Symbols in Group' will pop up.

Specify rotation angle <0>:

Specify the rotation angle for the symbol either by pointing relative to the insertion point or enter the numeric value at command line.

Symbols in Groups
If you do not want to add a label to the symbols you insert or forgotten to turn off label check boxes in the dialog box 'Symbol - Overview', you can define/confirm them in the dialog box 'Symbols in Groups'. More importantly you can define how the label is to be inserted in the drawing.

Without Description: No symbol labels. (The descriptions added to the symbols are hidden).

Description at  first symbol only: The description is only quoted to the first symbol.

Pick text position at every symbol: Program prompts for insertion point for each text label in relation to the symbol.

Pick text position at first symbol only: Program prompts for insertion point only to the first symbol and the same variation in relation to the insertion point of the symbol will be adopted to all other symbols being inserted.

Select text position <145.71,144.06,0.00>:

Specify the insertion point to the text label.

Zoom/Pan/Snap/Move/Angle/draW/Quit/<draW>:

Preview of the text label is available on the AutoCAD screen. If you desire to move/rotate/etc., use the related option. If you are satisfied with the preview use to the option 'draW'. Program repeats the whole command prompt sequence for the next symbol insertion. After inserting all the symbols finish with the key 'Return' or 'Right button of the mouse'.

 Note: Command prompt sequence for symbols inserted with variant 3 is similar to that of Variant 2 but the prompt for Rotation Angle is not available.
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