Create a Custom Cutting Plane Symbol - Intergraph Smart 3D - Reference Data - Hexagon

The following procedure steps you through the workflow for creating a new cutting plane symbol and editing the properties of its behavior. The software provides sample symbols to use in your drawings. It is not necessary to have administrator privileges on the computer on which you perform this procedure. However, it is necessary to have at least write permissions to the SharedContent share on the server computer. For more information on using SmartSketch Drawing Editor, see Working with SmartSketch Drawing Editor in any of the Smart 3D Drawings user's guides.

Working in the Labels Folder

In the SharedContent folder of your database, locate the cutting plane reference symbols. The default location for these files is [Reference Data Folder]\SharedContent\Drawings\Catalog\Labels\Templates\Views. There are 14 files delivered in this folder, making up the complete cutting plane symbol: two RFM files, two RQE files, two RTP files, four SYM files, and four XML documents.

Copy Existing Cutting Plane Arrow Symbols

1. Select the four Scantling_SectionArrow1 and Scantling_SectionArrow2 files (.xml and .sym), and copy them within the same folder.

2. Rename each set of files. For example, rename the Scantling_SectionArrow1 files to Type3_Arrow1, and rename the Scantling_SectionArrow2 files to Type3_Arrow2.

3. Each individual file needs to be modified using the new naming convention.

   Before proceeding, consider downloading a third-party XML document editor to make it easier to read and modify the .xml files.

4. Open the .sym Arrow files and make any necessary adjustments to the arrow symbols with the SmartSketch Drawing Editor. For more information on using SmartSketch Drawing Editor, see Working with SmartSketch Drawing Editor in any of the Smart 3D Drawings user's guides.

5. Save the files, and exit SmartSketch Drawing Editor.

6. Open the first .xml file (either with Notepad or a third-party XML editor), and change any occurrences of Scantling_SectionArrow1 to Type3_Arrow1.

   Be sure to preserve any file name extensions.

7. Repeat the above step for the second arrow .xml file. For example, in the Scantling_SectionArrow2 file, make sure that all occurrences of Scantling_SectionArrow2 are changed to Type3_Arrow2.

8. Save the files, and exit the XML editor.

Copy Existing Cutting Plane Reference Files

1. Select the 10 Scantling_SectionReference1 and Scantling_SectionReference2 files, and copy them within the same folder.

2. Rename each set of files. For example, rename the Scantling_SectionReference1 files to Type3_Reference1, and rename the Scantling_SectionReference2 files to Type3_Reference2.

3. Each individual file needs to be modified using the new naming convention.

XML Files

1. Open the first XML file (either with Notepad or a third-party XML editor), and change any occurrences of Scantling_SectionReference1 to Type3_Reference1.

2. In the second XML file, change any occurrences of Scantling_SectionReference2 to Type3_Reference2.

3. Save the files and exit.

RTP Files

1. Open the first RTP file (either with Notepad or a third-party XML editor), and change any occurrences of Scantling_SectionReference1 to Type3_Reference1.

2. In the second RTP file, rename Scantling_SectionReference2 to Type3_Reference2.

3. Save the files and exit.

RQE Files

1. Open the first RQE file (either with Notepad or a third party XML editor), and change any occurrences of Scantling_SectionReference1 to Type3_Reference1.

2. In the second RQE file, rename Scantling_SectionReference2 to Type3_Reference2.

3. Save the files and exit.

RFM Files

1. Open the first RFM file (either with Notepad or a third-party XML editor), and change any occurrences of Scantling_SectionReference1 to Type3_Reference1.

2. In the second RFM file, change any occurrences of Scantling_SectionReference2 to Type3_Reference2.

3. Save the files and exit.

SYM Files

1. Open the first Reference SYM file in SmartSketch Drawing Editor.

2. Right-click on the text-box in the symbol, and select Properties.

3. On the User tab, type a new Value property. For example, replace Scantling_SectionReference1 with Type3_Reference1.

4. Click OK.

If you want to alter the origin of the symbol, follow these steps:

1. On the Symbol Authoring Tools ribbon, select Symbol Origin.

2. Locate the center of the label or the point you want as the origin, and place the origin.

   

3. Save the file and exit.

4. Repeat the above steps for the second XML file.

Working in the Rules Folder

The file that contains all of the rules for a cutting plane symbol is in the SharedContent folder of your database; the default location for these files is [Reference Data Folder]\SharedContent\Drawings\Catalog\Rules\ViewRules. A new XML file must be created in order to use your new cutting plane symbols.

1. Select a delivered View Rule. For example, select SteelOrderSectionandDetailViewRule.xml.

2. Right-click on the view rule, and select Copy. Paste the file in the same folder as the delivered view rule.

3. Rename the new file with an appropriate name; for example, Type3.

4. Open the new view rule file with Notepad (or a third-party XML editor).

5. As in the previous steps, when working in the Labels folder, you need to replace the names of existing label files with the names you gave the new label files. For example, change Scantling_SectionReference1 to Type3_Reference1, and so forth.

6. After renaming all of the appropriate files, save the file and exit.

Use the Custom Cutting Plane Symbol

After creating the new symbol, you need to specify the new rule within a particular view style. For more information on plant mode view styles, see View Style Properties Dialog Box and View Rules. For more information on marine mode drawings by rule view styles, see Labels Tab (Edit Ruleset View Style Dialog Box).

See Also

Working with SmartSketch for Smart 3D
Create a Custom Symbol for Drawings
Create a custom symbol for isometric drawings
Create Line Styles to Use in Drawing View Styles