Managing Device Properties and Labels

Overview

This guide covers setting device properties (panel names, locations, custom fields), formatting how labels display on devices, and refreshing labels across your drawing.

Prerequisites

• A FireCAD project must be open
• Devices must be placed and validated in the drawing

Setting Panel Names

Panel names serve as circuit prefixes (e.g., "FA-1" produces "FA-1:L1 SLC"):

1. Select a panel or power supply device
2. Type ATSET_PANEL_NAME
3. Enter the device name in the Panel Name Editor
4. Click Apply

Setting Device Properties

Using the Properties Palette (Multiple Devices)

1. Select one or more devices in the drawing
2. Type ATPROPERTIES
3. The Device Properties Palette opens
4. Edit property values in the grid
5. Check Is Visible to display properties on labels
6. Set Display Order to control label positioning
7. Enable Auto Increment to automatically number sequential devices
8. Click Apply

Using the Entity Properties Editor (Single Device)

1. Select a single device
2. Type ATSET_ENTITY_PROPERTIES
3. The Entity Properties Editor opens
4. Add, edit, or delete individual properties
5. Click Apply

Quick Property Commands

Importing Properties from Excel

1. Type ATIMPORT_ENTITY_PROPERTIES
2. Select an Excel file with property data
3. Properties are matched to devices and imported in bulk

Command-Line Property Setting

1. Type ATSET_ENTITY_PROPERTIES_CL
2. Follow command-line prompts to set properties without opening a dialog

Formatting Device Labels

Control which label components display on devices:

1. Select one or more devices
2. Type ATFORMAT_DEVICE_LABELS
3. The Format Device Labels dialog opens
4. Check/uncheck label components:
   • Circuit info — Device name, card name, circuit name, branch, address, sub-address, EOL
   • Device specs — Candela, watts, decibels
   • Global options — Single line display, multiple attributes
5. Click Apply

Formatting Wirepath Labels

Control how circuit wirepath labels appear:

1. Type ATFORMAT_WIREPATH_LABELS
2. The Format Wirepath Labels dialog opens
3. Set the format template using tokens ([LBL], [PNL], [CKT], [AWG], [COND])
4. Configure text height, hide threshold, and display options
5. Click Apply — all wirepath labels in the project update

Controlling Attribute Visibility

Toggle visibility of individual AutoCAD attributes:

1. Select devices
2. Type ATATT_VISIBILITY
3. The Attribute Visibility Editor opens
4. Check or uncheck each attribute's visibility
5. Click Apply

Refreshing Labels

After making property or formatting changes:

Labels also refresh automatically after validation (ATVALIDATE) and circuit operations (ATCONNECT, ATDISCONNECT).

Tips

• Use Auto Increment in the Properties Palette when naming sequential devices (e.g., "SD-1", "SD-2", "SD-3")
• The ATIMPORT_ENTITY_PROPERTIES command is efficient for large projects with property data in spreadsheets
• Format Device Labels settings apply per-device — different devices can show different label components
• Format Wirepath Labels settings apply project-wide to all circuits

Quick Reference

What's Next

• Building Circuits — Connect devices after setting properties
• Generating Reports — Reports use device properties for labels and descriptions

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Learn more and get started at getfirecad.com →

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