Adding an image to the front of an equipment item woes

[cestermann]

Hello all, I have been struggling for a bit trying to figure out how I can add an image to the front of an equipment item (particularly a rack mounted one) in 2024. I would like to add an image of the front panel of a device, (e.g. ATEM front panel) similar to how it is shown in the videos about the rack functionality.

 

However, when I go to edit the equipment item in 3D, it defaults to the top/plan view and the object is grayed out in both 2D and 3D as if it is not the object selected to be edited. Could this be something to do with the equipment item not "existing" in the 3D space as an actual object even though it takes the form of a 3D object?

 

Thank you.

[Oask]

I'm having the same issue here.

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

Hello all,

 

In VW2024 if you want to place any custom graphics in the equipment item you have to place them in the plane you want them to be visualized. So for the front image you have to place it on the front of the equipment item. For rack mount equipment you might have to add some offset for the front door or hide the front door class to see the front graphics. Here is a short video showing how I add image to the front of the equipment.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Best Regards,

Nikolay Zhelyazkov

[cestermann]

That did it. Thank you very much!

[Callum Walker]

Hi not to resurrect an old thread. But I am wondering how I can make this change to the symbol itself. If I have multiple instances of a rack mount object I would like to apply the graphic to the symbol globally.

I can edit the device in my symbol library but this appears to be the 2D schematic object (even when looking in 3D view) is there a way to edit the 3D rack mount object as well?

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

1 hour ago, Callum Walker said:

Hi not to resurrect an old thread. But I am wondering how I can make this change to the symbol itself. If I have multiple instances of a rack mount object I would like to apply the graphic to the symbol globally.

I can edit the device in my symbol library but this appears to be the 2D schematic object (even when looking in 3D view) is there a way to edit the 3D rack mount object as well?

- You can place a symbol in the equipment item layout and then edit that symbol. Every instance of the symbol will be updated when you edit it. Let me know if this helps.

[Callum Walker]

On 9/13/2024 at 4:11 PM, Nikolay Zhelyazkov said:

- You can place a symbol in the equipment item layout and then edit that symbol. Every instance of the symbol will be updated when you edit it. Let me know if this helps.

It may be because I first place the 2D symbol in the schematic layout and then from there use the ConnectCAD > Layout > Create Equipment so it's creating 3 unique 3D objects on the 3D equipment layout. Not sure if that makes sense. 

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

1 hour ago, Callum Walker said:

It may be because I first place the 2D symbol in the schematic layout and then from there use the ConnectCAD > Layout > Create Equipment so it's creating 3 unique 3D objects on the 3D equipment layout. Not sure if that makes sense. 

- Can you make a screen recording showing what you are doing?

[Callum Walker]

I've attached a little video showing the behaviour, plus I will DM you a sample project file. 
I start by important a symbol from my rolling 'symbol library' document I have which has detailed ConnectCAD device symbols with pictures.

 

You will see I then add that to my schematic view and create a second device with the same symbol. I then create the devices in the 3D view. I can then double click the 3D device, go to the Front view and add the graphic, but it only applies to that unique device.

 

If I right click the device in the resource manager and Go Edit 3D Component, I get just a 3D view of the flat ConnectCad symbol and not the actual Rack mounted object.

 

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

 

9 minutes ago, Callum Walker said:

I've attached a little video showing the behaviour, plus I will DM you a sample project file. 
I start by important a symbol from my rolling 'symbol library' document I have which has detailed ConnectCAD device symbols with pictures.

 

You will see I then add that to my schematic view and create a second device with the same symbol. I then create the devices in the 3D view. I can then double click the 3D device, go to the Front view and add the graphic, but it only applies to that unique device.

 

If I right click the device in the resource manager and Go Edit 3D Component, I get just a 3D view of the flat ConnectCad symbol and not the actual Rack mounted object.

 

Thanks for the video. So you want this symbol to be there by default for newly created equipment items using Create Equipment? If so, I am afraid that the short answer is that this is not directly possible.

 

You can set up an equipment item object for the specific make and model and add the symbol in its graphics. Then you can save this equipment item as symbol with Convert to Object selected. Then Create Equipment will use this symbol for newly created equipment for this make and model. But you have to do this for each make/model separately. It is not a universal solution but it should get you a bit closer to what you want to achieve.

[Callum Walker]

1 hour ago, Nikolay Zhelyazkov said:

You can set up an equipment item object for the specific make and model and add the symbol in its graphics. Then you can save this equipment item as symbol with Convert to Object selected. Then Create Equipment will use this symbol for newly created equipment for this make and model. But you have to do this for each make/model separately. It is not a universal solution but it should get you a bit closer to what you want to achieve.

Ok I will give this a shot. So Essentially I need 2 symbols. One is the ConnectCAD object which contains the 2D symbol, and one is the 3D object.

Is it possible to add the first equipment item to the layout, edit its 3D object to add the front/rear graphic. And then Use the Convert to Object tool to create the 3D object which can then be associated back to the ConnectCAD 3D object under 'use Symbol'

 

Interestingly after having a play with this I have come across what almost looks like a bug, where after converting a ConnectCAD object to Symbol, if I select a 3D object which hasn't had 'Use Symbol' selected. When I click the check-box, the object changes to a symbol, but the tick-box does not check and I can't un-check that function. See video.

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

30 minutes ago, Callum Walker said:

Ok I will give this a shot. So Essentially I need 2 symbols. One is the ConnectCAD object which contains the 2D symbol, and one is the 3D object.

Is it possible to add the first equipment item to the layout, edit its 3D object to add the front/rear graphic. And then Use the Convert to Object tool to create the 3D object which can then be associated back to the ConnectCAD 3D object under 'use Symbol'

 

Interestingly after having a play with this I have come across what almost looks like a bug, where after converting a ConnectCAD object to Symbol, if I select a 3D object which hasn't had 'Use Symbol' selected. When I click the check-box, the object changes to a symbol, but the tick-box does not check and I can't un-check that function. See video.

The Equipment item cannot select a symbol which contains another equipment item. It can only use it as a template to create new equipment items, so you can select it for the tool preferences and it will be automatically used by the Create Equipment command too, if it matches the make/model required.

 

What you have found happens because the first symbol in the document is containing an equipment item and that is why the equipment item just copies the data from it and automatically deselects it. However, being unable to select Use Symbol because of this is a problem and we will look into it. Thanks for reporting!

[Callum Walker]

16 hours ago, Nikolay Zhelyazkov said:

The Equipment item cannot select a symbol which contains another equipment item. It can only use it as a template to create new equipment items, so you can select it for the tool preferences and it will be automatically used by the Create Equipment command too, if it matches the make/model required.

 

What you have found happens because the first symbol in the document is containing an equipment item and that is why the equipment item just copies the data from it and automatically deselects it. However, being unable to select Use Symbol because of this is a problem and we will look into it. Thanks for reporting!

Thanks for the update. I'm always happy to be responsible for finding a bug.

 

I am happy to pre-create symbols with he right name. Is there a way to generate a 3D rack object which isn't an 'equipment item' that I can then add images to and save as an object. So far I struggling to find how to create a 3D rack item as is generated by the Layout > Create Equipment function. Is there a way to create these 3D objects to save as symbols without them being created as equipment items?

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

6 hours ago, Callum Walker said:

I am happy to pre-create symbols with he right name. Is there a way to generate a 3D rack object which isn't an 'equipment item' that I can then add images to and save as an object. So far I struggling to find how to create a 3D rack item as is generated by the Layout > Create Equipment function. Is there a way to create these 3D objects to save as symbols without them being created as equipment items?

Create Equipment creates equipment items and not 3D racks. If you want you can create equipment items using the equipment item tool and then you can create symbols from these objects. Is this what you was looking for?

[Conrad Preen]

@Callum Walker Hi Callum, from what I see you want to create 3D racks - right? To do this you use the Equipment Rack 3D tool which places the corresponding object on your drawing. The rack object draws itself according to its parameters and doesn't use symbols as part of its graphics. Its job is to provide a container for equipment items. The best way to find out its capabilities is to put a rack on your drawing and then try the various options in the Object Info Palette. These are all explained in the online help.

You can have various styles of rack: 4-post, 2-post, console, enclosure to model various situations.

 

If you want to use a 3D symbol that looks like your favourite rack, a good way to do that is to create an ordinary 3D symbol of the rack and then place a console-style Equipment Rack 3D object into it to give it rack-mounting rails. Then when you drag a rack-mount equipment item over it the equipment snaps into place and detects the rack and rack U position. Perhaps that's what you're looking for.

 

Reach out to me if anything didn't make sense.

 

Conrad

[Daniel Dickman]

I've been working on adding images to my equipment items as well. Thanks @Nikolay Zhelyazkov your video above was very helpful. Everything is going well for full width rack devices but I do have some challenges with devices that live inside rack frames.

For example I have a 1U rack frame with 1 Vertical Slot and 2 Horizontal slots. The 3d symbol I'm using inside the equipment item uses real world dimensions, so it doesn't fill the entire slot within the rack frame. When I place the equipment item in the rack frame slot, its gets anchored to the top/left of the frame slot, which makes it look like its floating in mid air.

 

 

What's the best way to make the device sit flat on the shelf and center it horizontally within its slot?

Edited September 27 by Daniel Dickman

[Conrad Preen]

Hi Daniel,

 

Thanks for the picture - it makes the issue very clear. You are using equipment with images in ways that we didn't anticipate... I haven't got an immediate solution to suggest but I will think about this and see what we can do.

 

Conrad

[Conrad Preen]

Hi @Daniel Dickman

 

In this case is the rack frame object configured as a tray? What I'm thinking is that we could have equipment mounted in trays aligned to the bottom center of the slot as though the force of gravity was at work. But for normal (non-tray) rack frames maybe the best would be to center the equipment in the slot? What do you think?

 

Conrad

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

Just an idea, would it be an option to resize the image so that it fits the slot?

[Daniel Dickman]

@Conrad Preen Yes the rack frame is configured as a tray. For trays, aligning to the bottom center makes sense to me. For normal/non-tray frames centering to the slot sounds appropriate but I admit I don't deal with those type of devices much in the systems I work with.

 

@Nikolay Zhelyazkov My preference is to not resize the image to fill the entire slot, as I'm attempting to get semi-realistic renderings of the racks/devices.

 

My workaround currently is to add a "bounding box" to my 3D symbol that is the size of the slot. 

 

This ends up making the device look as if its sitting on the tray.

 

 

The challenge with adding the bounding box as a workaround is that the name text ends up getting centered to the bounding box and not the device. 

 

 

 

[Daniel Dickman]

@Conrad Preen I'm also having an issue where the name text gets covered up by the 3D equipment item symbol. I attempted fixing this by moving the 3d objects in the symbols +.5" on the y axis. At first this worked, but as soon as I change the symbol for the equipment item, it places the newly selected symbol back in front of the text.

 

This issue seems specific to equipment items in rack frames.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 30 by Daniel Dickman

[Conrad Preen]

@Daniel Dickman Thank you very much for reporting these problems. I will file the necessary bugs / enhancement requests. If possible please PM sample files that show these problems. It really helps testing our solutions against real-world examples.

 

Best regards

 

Conrad