Panel and other distribution equipment schedules are created differently from other schedules in Design Master Electrical. They are created using a set of custom blocks. Using custom blocks provides greater flexibility in the appearance of the schedule, but also means they must be customized differently.

To change the appearance of the schedule you must change the appearance of the block.

See Panel Schedule Customization Example for a video explanation of how to make certain changes.

Changing Colors

The colors of the entities are set in the block. To change the color, you must open the block and change the color there. Changing the color of the layers in the regular customization commands will not change the color of the schedule.

Changing Text Styles

The text location, style, and justification are also set in the block. Labels are inserted as regular text. Values that are updated are inserted as attributes. To change any of these settings, the values must be changed in the block. When the schedule is updated, the attribute value will be updated, but all the other settings will left alone.

Opening and Redefining the Right Blocks

The schedule consists of a header block, a different block for each phase (A, B, and C), a footer block, and a wrap block. Each block must be modified individually.

To modify a block, insert the schedule that you want to modify. Use the Open Block from Drawing command and select part of the schedule. The block definition will be opened for you.

Ribbon: DME: Customization->Block Creation->Open Block from Drawing

Pulldown Menu: DM Electrical->Customization->Open Block from Drawing

Make the necessary changes in the block and save it.

Next, use the Redefine Block in this Drawing command and select the same part of the schedule to update the block definition.

Ribbon: DME: Customization->Block Creation->Redefine Block in this Drawing

Pulldown Menu: DM Electrical->Customization->Redefine Block in this Drawing

Then, erase the schedule and reinsert it. It is necessary to erase and reinsert the schedule for some attributes to be properly updated.

Be careful when opening and redefining the phase blocks. A common error is to modify the block associated with one phase and to then redefine a block associated with a different phase. If this happens, it will appear as though nothing has changed.

Schedule Block Attributes

The default schedules do not include all of the possible values that can be included in the schedule. To insert more information, use the Insert Distribution Equipment Schedule Attribute command.

Ribbon: DME: Customization->Block Creation->Insert Distribution Equipment Schedule Attribute

Pulldown Menu: DM Electrical->Customization->Block Creation->Insert Distribution Equipment Schedule Attribute

Once an attribute is inserted, modify the settings to make it look right for the schedule.