Getting Started > Drawing Cables

WireCAD provides a series of tools to draw cables. The only rule that this version of WireCAD imposes is that you must draw from one WireCAD device to another. You cannot draw a cable representing a spare that connects to nothing.

WireCAD provides a cable auto-routing tool that automatically routes the cable around other devices and, if selected, avoids other cables. The auto-router will always find a path for the cable, even if it means that the cable is drawn through another device or must overlay another cable. If you do not like the way a cable is routed, you have two choices; first: manually drawing the cable by selecting Manual Draw, second: select the cable and grab a grip on the cable and move it around.

warning

If you manually draw cables or otherwise put them where you want them and them move a device, the auto-router will be invoked and re-route all your changes.

Topics

WireCAD Cable Terminology

Cable Router X Offset

Cable Router Y Offset

Terminal as Destination

WireCAD Cable Terminology
Devices have inputs and outputs, Cables have sources and destinations. For purposes of this manual we will refer to Jacks, Junction Boxes, Router Crosspoints, Bulkhead connectors, and On-Sheet/Off-Sheet Pointers collectively as terminals Terminals:	Terminals

WireCAD Cable Terminology

Devices have inputs and outputs, Cables have sources and destinations.

For purposes of this manual we will refer to Jacks, Junction Boxes, Router Crosspoints, Bulkhead connectors, and On-Sheet/Off-Sheet Pointers collectively as terminals Terminals:

Terminals

Draw Cables Control Descriptions

Item	Description
Draw Cable Toolbar

One-to-One Cable	Used to draw from one output to one input
Cable Text Height	The Cable# text entity height in 100/DU.
Replace Cable with Pointers checkbox	Automatically draw Pointers instead of cables.
Manual Draw checkbox	Draw every point in the cable.
Avoid Other Cables checkbox	Allows cables to overlay each other. True = False =
Aux Text Enable	Enable the placement of Aux Text.
Aux Text Height	The height in 100/DU of the Aux Text.
Location	The position of the Aux Text relative to the cable polyline. Over - positioned over the cable polyline. Under - positioned under the cable polyline. Bubble - Not yet supported.
Variable	You may choose to populate the Aux Text with the following variables: CircuitNumber - The Circuit Number as entered in the Cable Edit Dialog. IPAddreess - Not yet implemented. Length - The Length field as entered in the Cable Edit Dialog. User1 - The User1 as entered in the Cable Edit Dialog. User2 - The User2 as entered in the Cable Edit Dialog. User3 - The User3 as entered in the Cable Edit Dialog. User4 - The User4 as entered in the Cable Edit Dialog.
Format	{0} represents the data from the selected variable. Example: the incoming data from the selected variable is 300 and you want to format it to represent meters to the reader. Your format field would be {0}m. The output would be formatted as 300m.
X Offset	Horizontal auto-router offset. When drawing cables, WireCAD uses an auto-routine algorithm. The X Offset determines how far away horizontally from other equipment and cables a new cable will rout.
Y Offset	Vertical auto-router offset. When drawing cables, WireCAD uses an auto-routine algorithm. The Y Offset determines how far away Vertically from other equipment and cables a new cable will rout.
Default Pointer	Select the pointer to use when replacing cable with pointers
One-to-Many Cable
Explanation	Used to indicate one output to many inputs
Feeder selection
Count	Destination count Count=3
Y offset, Y Spacing, Hor Extension in 100/DU
Feeder distances in 100/DU
One Cable Database Entry	Adds a single entry in the cables database and one Cable# text entity at the Y point.
Many Cable Database Entries	Adds a many entries in the cables database and many Cable# text entity at the connection points. Note: One-to-Many and Many-to-One cables set to Many Cable Database Entries will assign the connection point closest to the cursor when the cable is double-clicked. The first assignment on the cable will enter the database as expected, subsequent assignments will display the Existing Ports dialog prompting you to decide how to number the cables.
Many-to-One Cable
Explanation	Multiple outputs to one input

Count	Source count count=3
More information	See above for a description of other settings
Many-to-Many Cable
Explanation	Many-to-Many cables behave like a buss. They are a collection of one-to-one cable drawn as a single polyline. When assigning cable numbers the connection point closest to the cursor is used. See the above descriptions for more information about settings.
Count	Source and destination count Count = 2 Y feeder
Terminal as Source Window
Displays the available Terminals sorted by Terminal style (Jack,Terminal, Pointer). Note: Terminal file suffixes determine whether the file will be displayed in this window. Files having a _SD.DWG, or _S.DWG suffix will appear in this view.
Terminal Offset	Sets the distance between the connection point and the terminal basepoint
Terminal as Destination Window
Displays the available Terminals sorted by Terminal style (Jack,Terminal, Pointer). Note: Terminal file suffixes determine whether the file will be displayed in this window. Files having a _SD.DWG, or _D.DWG suffix will appear in this view.
Terminal Offset	see above
Avoid Other Calbles	instructs the cable auto-router to avoid other cables.
Tidy Cables	After moving a grip on a cable the cable is forced ortho. Before Tidy Tidy After