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Video Tutorial 13: Create a 2D Symbol

 

Video Link: Create 2D Symbol (using Toolbar interface)

 

Video Link: Create 2D Symbol (using New Ribbon bar interface)

 

This tutorial demonstrates how to create a 2D symbol for use within Visual Building. The symbol can be created from any graphic, and so is suitable for creating symbols for fire escape plans, safety plans, home electrical wiring diagrams etc.

 

This can be achieved with all versions of Visual Building.

 

How to create 2D symbols from bmp / jpg / png file  

 

1. Create a new project (Ctrl + N). This only has to be done once in a session.

 

2. In Plug-In tool bar select 2D Graphic tool

 

3. In the What tool bar select Insert bitmap

 

4. In the Open Image File dialog select the 2D image you want to use. This can be a .bmp,  .jpg , .png,  .bmp or any support graphic file format.

 

5. Place image in 2D View, the first click is top left, the second click is bottom right of image. It can be any size.

 

6. Right click image to active context menu and select Properties

 

7. Select image Width and Height

Note you should use a standard width or height so that your symbols are all the same size. They can be resized later. I suggest a width of 1m. If you need to retain the aspect ratio then set only the width and select Maintain aspect ratio with Auto calculate picture height.   To remove the frame, click on Outline and then select Invisible

 

8. You can also now define if you want to give the graphic an outline frame or filling.

 

9. Right click image to active context menu and select Save select object as 2D symbol

 

10. In the dialog select the Catalog, and then navigate to  Graphics2D folder. Navigate to the target folder that you want to save to, or create a new folder (using New folder tool at top of dialog).

 

11. Save 2D symbol file to desired location with a new file name. The 2D symbol will appear in the catalogue. (After refresh by moving up a folder level  and selecting the target folder again)

 

12. To assign web links and other data to each object right click the object in the catalogue to active its context menu, and select Edit chunks.

 

13. In the Edit chunks dialog select Common Information in the Chunk type drop down list.

 

14. In the Edit chunks dialog select Add or replace in the This Chunk drop down list.

 

15. Add the web links and other information as required, and the select OK

 

16. For each symbol to be created repeat steps  4 – 15

 

17. Note that  depending upon your operating system and setting new 2D objects are physically saved into one of the following locations:

 

a) C:\Program Files\Visual Building\Graphics2D

b) C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\Visual Building\Graphics2D

c) C:\Users\ USERNAME \AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Visual Building\Graphics2D

The path in c) will be hidden depending upon system settings.