Delete Remnants of a Symbol


 Product(s):Promis.e, Bentley Substation
 Version(s):through 08.11.13.96
 Environment:N/A
 Area:Component Features
 Subarea:Insert Symbol By Name

Problem Description

Certain elements, often what remains of a symbol, cannot be selected for manipulation or deleted.

Error messages may display when these elements are right clicked or otherwise operated on.  Error messages include:

Internal Error
Error Message: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
TargetSite: System.String BuildSymTextMenu(ECT.ECAD.API.Symbol)
DeclaringType: ECT.ECAD.UI.ContextCommand
Attributes: public static
MemberType: Method

The error message may include alternate TargetSites:

TargetSite: System.String BuildNavMenu(ECT.ECAD.API.Symbol)
TargetSite: System.String GetContextInfo(Int32, System.String, System.String)

Reason

The software programmatically protects certain symbol elements such as text to prevent inadvertent manipulation.  The protection goes beyond locked levels.  When elements are dropped from the symbol using Drop Element (generally not recommended) or the deletion of a symbol is somehow incomplete, the protection often persists.

Steps to Resolve

Option 1 - Maintentance tools

  1. Open the problem project page.

  2. Select the [[Update Page]] tool.

  3. Select the [[Validate Page]] tool.

  4. Choose Yes if a "Do you want to delete the error item?" prompt appears.  

  5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until Validate Page returns no messages.

Along the way clicking Yes on a "A symbol is on drawing, but not in database...Do you want to delete the error item?" prompt may delete the symbol remnants.

Option 2 - Delete Fence Contents (Standalone/Substation)

  1. Open the problem project page.

  2. Select the Place Fence tool from the main Tasks (keyboard shortcut is 2 1)

  3. Click to define the corners of the fence, enclosing the elements to be deleted with the fence.

  4. Select the Delete Fence Contents tool (keyboard shortcut is 2 4).

  5. Left-click on the drawing area to Accept

Option 3 - Unload promis.e Standalone or Bentley Substation

  1. Open the problem project page.

  2. Select Utilities > Key-in.

  3. Key in "MDL UNLOAD ECTECAD" to unload promis.e / Substation. It may be necessary to run this key-in twice. The status bar should read "ectecad unloaded" when successful.

  4. Unlock all levels.

  5. Delete the remnants.

  6. Restart the software.

Option 4 - Use the platform (promis.e addon to PowerDraft, MicroStation, or AutoCAD)

  1. Close promis.e.

  2. Start plain PowerDraft or MicroStation or AutoCAD, whichever promis.e uses as its platform.

  3. Open the DGN or DWG file for the page.

  4. Unlock all levels/layers.

  5. Delete the remnants.

  6. Close the application.

 Option 5 - Replace Symbol tool

  1. Open the problem project page.

  2. Select the [[Replace Symbol]] tool.

  3. Specify the name of the symbol that was partially deleted/dropped for both the Enter Symbol Name field and the Replace With field.

  4. Use Current Page as the Search scope at first.

  5. Click OK to replace the symbol with itself.  If prompted to replace the symbol throughout the project, do so.

  6. After the replace operation is complete, try deleting the unwanted symbol again.

 Original Author:Matt_P

Keywords: delete, select, move, copy, Replace, partial deletion, Symbol, graphics, text