Drawing Symbol Manager

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Purpose and description

This tool allows you to easily select lines, free placed text, text with leader lines, polylines, rectangles, clouds, polygons, circles, free placed symbols, arcs, dwg/dxf, drawing objects, and bolts and save them away into a *.ddf (Drawing Detail File) so you can insert standard 2D details drawn on one sheet to many other drawings on the project or in other models.
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System requirements

Environments:   All
Languages:   English, Translatable
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Installing Drawing Symbol Manager

To install the application:

1. Make sure Tekla Structures is closed
2. Install the extension downloaded from Tekla Warehouse
3. Open Tekla Structures, a model, and then a drawing.
4. Before version 2016:A new toolbar icon which will launch the tool should now be visible when a drawing is opened. 2016 version and newer: a new thumbnail under Ungrouped items in the Applications and components side pane will appear.

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Using Drawing Symbol Manager

To use the application:

1. Select the 2D drawing objects in the drawing you want to store as a Drawing Detail.
2. Type in a name in the Name field, then optionally type in a description about the detail.
3. Press the Save button and you will then be prompted to pick a point in the drawing which will represent the origin reference point for inserting the detail later on.
4. To create a preview image after the detail is saved simply single click inside the preview box window and a small transparent camera dialog box will appear. You can move the camera, resize the window, and when ready to take the picture simply double click in the middle of the camera.
5. To insert that detail simply select or type the name of any saved detail that appears in the list, then press the Insert button. You will be prompted to pick an insertion point to place the detail. The detail will automatically scale itself to whatever view you are adding it into.
6. Under the file menu you can Change the directory and browse to any folder path that contains *.ddf files. You do not have to store the files in your model folder but they are stored there by default in a sub folder called “Drawing Details”.

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Customizing Drawing Symbol Manager

There is an underlying toolkit this extension uses called SymbolManagerLogic.dll that is installed to Windows GAC for .NET assemblies during the installation process. This assembly can be referenced in your own Tekla Open API extension applications to automatically insert drawing details or save them away if you would like to create a custom interface for your own version of Drawing Symbol Manager. Back to top

Additional information

• There are limitations on some of the arrowhead types and line types used.

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