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Import component library in schematics

aturcat
6-Contributor

Import component library in schematics

Hello,

I have a 2D library that I would like to import as central catalog in schematics. Problem is I didn’t find any documentation about it, and I didn’t succeed to find a way to work on this library from schematics. I saw that this question was already asked in other discussions but the links for step by step instructions to create a central catalog are not valid anymore.

 

Maybe I don’t do the right steps to import it?

 

first step.jpgsecond step.jpg

Maybe it is important to precise that the 2D library I have was created with CreoParametric-Drawing. The files have a *.sym.1 extensions. I saw in other discussions that the extensions need to be *.art, *.mm *.dt and *.dep. Is this still true?

Some help on this would be greatly appreciated, I hope I have been clear.

Best regards

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
Gaby_K
7-Bedrock
(To:aturcat)

Based on the screenshot you place i assume you are using Creo 2.0;

another option :

in Creo 2.0; you can create Diagram (pro/diagram design) and save the file as *.DGE file ( add config option Diagram_export_allow yes); this file can be migrated into Creo Schematics easily-just create design which use this file as template

when using DGE file as template the created design (in Creo Schematics)  will include :

  • design sheets (as appear in Diagram)
  • catalog items ( all the symbols which appear in the design sheet)

Therefor, what you can try is:

  1. create new diagram and place on the sheet (or use multiple sheets) the symbols you like to move to creo schematic (unless you already have diagrma which use these symbols)
  2. save the diagram as DGE file.
  3. Create in Creo Schematics new design which use above DGE as template
  4. using created catalog in the new design, create Central Catalog 

regarding creation of central catalog - search in the help center for "central catalog" there is plenty of info for how to create and how to handle the Central Catalog. ( your question is too generic ....)

View solution in original post

9 REPLIES 9
Gaby_K
7-Bedrock
(To:aturcat)

Hi,

Creo Schematics Central Catalog library items should be created in Creo Schematics .

and it is correct - files in the central catalog will have the following extensions :

  • *.art
  • *.mm
  • *.dt
  • *.dep

these files will be created automatically when you submit catalog items to Central Catalog ;


In addition, the only option to import data from Creo/Drawing to Creo Schematics is to save the drawing in one of the following formats :

  • DXF
  • DWG
  • SHE
  • CGM

and import it as graphic(Geometry tab->Import (in Get Data group) into Catalog Shape sheet or Design sheet .


Best Regards,

Gaby

BillF
13-Aquamarine
(To:aturcat)

As Gabby said, the files you mention are ones CREATED by Schematics as part of its internal database but you can import a limited number of graphic transfer file formats.

However, be careful doing imports.  We were using P-Cad (ancient software) and tried to do an export using DXF.  The DXF file contained a huge number of entities that Schematics apparently couldn't recognize and others that did not translate well.  All the lines were disconnected segments that made the items very hard to edit.  The items that Schematics did not recognize poisoned any attempts to change properties on the items that came in because they have different property sets, were invisible, but still selected along with other items.

It was actually faster to create my own building blocks (similar to what Virtual Interconnect has in their library but that look like what we use) that I use in our group shapes.

One advantage of having to build our own is that it gave me a chance to look at making them more consistent.  The old symbols had been created by about 8 different people who sometimes had very different ideas of how they should look (and sometimes were quite inaccurate).

Try using one of the more specific file types like DWG rather than DXF that tries to be more generic.  See what happens and when a couple are imported.  Then try making up a sheet in your old software of just the most common symbols with a background grid turned on and see how long it takes to copy them.  99% of my symbols only use line (Thin Solid, , Thin Dotted), Box (I use for symbol outlines in Medium Solid line style), Arc and Segment visibility.  I don't use circles because I like to make my building blocks in connected segments so that I can select them as entities to copy or move.  Arc can be used to quickly make partial or full circles that are part of connected lines.  Segment Visibility can hide lines that don't require me to duplicate a line to hide it.  Example:  I want a circle in the middle of a line - start the line up to the edge of the circle, draw half of the circle as an arc and then the other half (bringing me back to the first line segment), draw a line to where the second line segment starts and use segment visibility to hide it, then draw the segment of the line.

Gaby_K
7-Bedrock
(To:BillF)

agree, if you don't have any very complex geometry in your shape - creating it in Creo Schematics should be easy and quick; and probably be easier to edit in latter stage if required.

aturcat
6-Contributor
(To:aturcat)

Hi,

Thank you for your quick responses

Gaby, I agree that creating the Central Catalog library items directly in schematics is the most efficient way, no doubt about it. But i already have an existing set of symbols existing in Parametric (let's admit that i can't re-create all those objects in schematics)

I may not have been clear on this but the entities I want to import (as blocks or groups) in Schematics are symbols (with the ".sym" extension)

Symbol.jpg

So what i need to do is : Open each symbol, save it as .DWG (as adviced by Bill), then go in schematics, go to catalog explorer, create a block, import the .dwg in the geometry tab, save the newly created block (after editing the parameters). => do you confirm this method that i deduced from your explanations?

I then have then the following questions :

1) Isn't there a simpler way to automatically import all symbols as blocks in schematics?

2) Do I have to manually create all folders in the central catalog in schematics, even know that those folders already exist in parametric (I am talking here of the tree view)?

3) I don't get how to create a central catalog which can be seen and used by everyone, and there is no information anywhere explaining how to do it, would any of you have a link giving a step by step method to correctly implement one?

Gaby_K
7-Bedrock
(To:aturcat)

Based on the screenshot you place i assume you are using Creo 2.0;

another option :

in Creo 2.0; you can create Diagram (pro/diagram design) and save the file as *.DGE file ( add config option Diagram_export_allow yes); this file can be migrated into Creo Schematics easily-just create design which use this file as template

when using DGE file as template the created design (in Creo Schematics)  will include :

  • design sheets (as appear in Diagram)
  • catalog items ( all the symbols which appear in the design sheet)

Therefor, what you can try is:

  1. create new diagram and place on the sheet (or use multiple sheets) the symbols you like to move to creo schematic (unless you already have diagrma which use these symbols)
  2. save the diagram as DGE file.
  3. Create in Creo Schematics new design which use above DGE as template
  4. using created catalog in the new design, create Central Catalog 

regarding creation of central catalog - search in the help center for "central catalog" there is plenty of info for how to create and how to handle the Central Catalog. ( your question is too generic ....)

Hello, 

I'm using creo parametric 3.0. Can u please tell me the step in a detailed way. Cause saving the file in .DGE format has become a head ache to me. I need the same components that is present in .DGM format of creo parametric in creo schematics. 

BillF
13-Aquamarine
(To:aturcat)

Note:  You can import a DWG file and I hope that Creo Parametric makes a nice one, but I don't hold out a lot of hope that it will make good symbols.

Schematics is not related to Creo Parametric other than being part of the PTC family.  It came from an older 2D program that Quintic systems used as the drawing engine for Routed Systems Designer that was later purchased by PTC.  This leaves it in a similar status of converting between unrelated programs.  I hope that PTC recognizes that their drawing engine is much better than this one and updates Schematics to use it.

That is why you cannot do an import of the symbols or folders.

Your description sounds good.

1) No simpler way that I know of.  One possibility would be to place all the symbols on one sheet that you export.  After you import it, copy the individual items into separate symbols.

2) Yes, you have to create your folder structure.  Actually, that goes pretty fast.

3) I assume that you are using the full version rather than the trial (lite) version.  The trail version doesn't work with a central library.

You need to have a password protected design for each authorized librarian.  Without that design, you cannot edit any already created group shapes.  Non-librarians can create items that can be placed in the central catalog (aka library) but cannot edit them.  We use a network drive for the library that only a few people are allowed to edit.  A user has to send the files for the item to be submitted to the librarian who then puts them in the library and cleans them up.

You use the Catalog button on the Admin (version 2) tab to set the file location.  Then use the Catalog Explorer with an unlocked design to create the structure and draw shapes for the items.  I generally draw them on a regular sheet, then paste them into the group shape.

aturcat
6-Contributor
(To:aturcat)

Thank you both for your detailled answers,

You helped me a lot!!

bbrejcha
12-Amethyst
(To:aturcat)

I own Creo Schematics full version 4.0 .  Can someone upload or email me a Creo Schematics Lite properties or .props file for Creo 3.0 or older  bart@designengine.com 

 

Technicians used to be able to exchange  proprieties (library parts) between lite and full I thought.

 

Bart Brejcha

Design-engine.com

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