How To Setup Electrical 2D Symbols with Self Rotating Text


How to set text within 2D symbol to always assume horizontal position


The ability to set text to automatically rotate to a horizontal position regardless of symbol rotation, is very handy with symbols that have text as part of 2D symbol. Good examples are motor, transformer, junction box, manhole, etc.
Once this is set, single symbol can be used for different orientations.
In following example, letter M in manhole symbol will be set to automatically rotate to horizontal position regardless of manhole insertion angle.
1. Open bescells,cell library. In default dataset this library is located at
...\WorkSpace\BuildingDatasets\Dataset_US\symlibs\080\besCells.cel
For network based datasets follow path set by BBESDATA variable.
2. Open the cell named manhole
3. Use the element information tool to change text from solid to hole as shown below.

4. Use change text attributes command to change text Justification to Center/Center


5. Adjust text position as necessary to be centered in the cell.
6. Close bescells.cell library and open any existing registered BBES file.
7. Use insert Symbol command to place manhole symbol.
8. Notice that letter M is always taking horizontal position regardless of manhole rotation.
Same approach can be used for all symbols that contain text and shape of 2D symbol provides enough space for symbol to be automatically rotated to horizontal position.