Custom Plant Symbols

[Pamela]

I am attempting to integrate our existing plant symbols into the VW11 plant data base, can anyone help me with this process? I would like to use the symbols we already have created and put them in the 2d plant system folder so they are acessible from the plant catalog which can then be edited and modified like the generic symbols already in the plant catalog.

Any help would be appreciated, I have gone through the manuals and understand how to creat new plants and plant records, but I can't anything referencing the use of custom symbols.

[Robert Anderson]

Here's a direct quote from the on-line documentation:

"Symbols representing plants should meet the following requirements:

(1) 2D plant symbols should be 2D only, and 3D plant symbols should be 3D only. Only the relevant portion of the symbol will be used; the remainder is ignored. It is best to leave 2D elements ungrouped.

(2) 3D plant symbols must be composed entirely of ungrouped 3D polygons. Convert symbols that contain other elements (extrusions, for example) to 3D polygons with the Model > Convert to 3D Polys command.

(3) The stacking order of the 2D symbol elements affects the way attributes are applied. The first filled element (oval, circle, rectangle, polyline, or polygon) at the bottom of the stacking order is filled by the plant object and "sketched" when a plant style is applied; attributes assigned to the symbol for that element are ignored. Instead, this shape is filled with the attribute assigned to the plant object. Remaining 2D symbol elements are drawn with the attributes assigned at symbol creation.

(4) Classes assigned to the 2D and 3D plant symbol elements are applied by the plant object.

[Pamela]

Well, I feel like an idiot, after reviewing the above quote and attempting to create a plant symbol in a new drawing file that was way too easy. But I have to say in my defense when I have created symbols in the past I haven't been given the option to place the new symbol in a specific folder. After a quick test, I discovered that you are only given an option of where to save the new symbol in drawings that a plant catalog has already been set up in. Because we are currently placing plants as symbols rather than through the place plant tool, I have not needed to establish a plant catalog in those drawings. It all makes sense now.

Thanks for the help

[Pamela]

I am still working on our custom plant symbol database, and for the most part things are going smoothly. The biggest problem I am having now is assigning a plant id to each plant that is quickly identifable when using the drop down selection box in the place plant dialog box. I have seen others comment on the same issue, it would be nice if we had more than 6 or 8 characters to try to describe a plant with.

My options at this point are to either proceed with developing the data base usable with the place plant tool or return to using a large symbol library with plant records attached to each symbol.

Will this feature be addressed in the next update? If not, what is the best way to attach a plant record to a symbol? I have tried several methods and they seem to work until I want to import the symbol into another drawing. Do I need a seperate plant record for each plant data or can I use one generic template?

As alawys any help is appreciated