Working with IEEE Symbol Objects on a Schematic Library Sheet in CircuitMaker

Availability

IEEE Symbols are available for placement in the schematic library editor only in one of the following ways:

• Choose Home | Circuit & Graphical Elements | IEEE Symbols » <Symbol> from the main menus.

• Right-click in the design space then choose Place » IEEE Symbols » <Symbol> from the context menu.

After launching a command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter IEEE symbol placement mode. The chosen IEEE symbol will appear floating on the cursor.

1. Position the object then click or press Enter to effect placement.
2. Continue placing further symbols or right-click or press Esc to exit placement mode.

Additional actions that can be performed during placement are:

• Press the Tab key to pause the placement and access the IEEE Symbol mode of the Inspector panel in which its properties can be changed on the fly. Click the design space pause button overlay () to resume placement.
• Press the Spacebar to rotate the IEEE Symbol counterclockwise or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in increments of 90°.
• Press the X or Y keys to mirror the symbol along the X-axis or Y-axis.
• Press the + or - keys (on the numeric keypad) to enlarge or shrink the symbol.

Graphical Editing

This method of editing allows you to select a placed IEEE symbol object directly in the design space and change its location or orientation graphically. IEEE symbols are fixed with respect to their shape and can be resized only through the use of the relevant keyboard shortcuts. As such, editing handles are not available when the IEEE symbol object is selected.

A selected IEEE Symbol object

Click anywhere inside the dashed box and drag to reposition the symbol as required. While dragging, the symbol can be rotated (Spacebar/Shift+Spacebar), mirrored (X or Y keys to mirror along the X-axis or Y-axis), or resized (+/- keys on the numeric keypad).

Non-Graphical Editing

This method of editing uses the Inspector panel mode to modify the properties of an IEEE symbol object.

During placement, the IEEE Symbol mode of the Inspector panel can be accessed by pressing the Tab key. Once the IEEE Symbol is placed, all options appear.

After placement, the IEEE Symbol mode of the Inspector panel can be accessed in one of the following ways:

• Double-clicking on the placed hyperlink object.
• If the Inspector panel is already active, select the IEEE Symbol object, right-click then choose Properties from the context menu.
• With the IEEE Symbol selected, click View | Schematic | Inspector from the main ribbons.

Editing Multiple Objects

The Inspector panel supports multiple object editing in which the property settings that are identical in all currently selected objects may be modified. When multiples of the same object type are selected manually, an Inspector panel field entry that is not shown as an asterisk (*) may be edited for all selected objects.

Schematic Library Editor object properties are definable options that specify the visual style, content, and behavior of the placed object.

All IEEE symbol object properties are available for editing in the Inspector panel when a placed IEEE Symbol is selected in the design space.

• (X/Y) - the current X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) coordinate of the reference point of the object, relative to the current design space origin. Edit to change the X and Y position of the object. The values can be entered in either metric or imperial; include the units when entering a value whose units are not the current default. 
• Rotation - use the drop-down to select the rotation. 

Properties

• Symbol - defines the graphical IEEE symbol. Select a symbol from the drop-down list.
• Size - the current size of the IEEE symbol. The default size is 10 DXP Default Units (100mil). Increase or decrease this value to make the symbol bigger or smaller. Entering a negative value results in the symbol appearing as if rotated by 180 degrees.
• Line - the width of the line used to draw the outline of the symbol. Available widths are: Smallest, Small, Medium, and Large. Click the color box to access controls to change the color.