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Coordinate Drawings and Database

The Coordinate Drawings and Database command is used to compare the project database with one or more drawings and confirm that the information matches.

To coordinate a set of selected drawings with the database, go to
Ribbon: DM Electrical→Utilities→  â†’Coordinate Drawings and Database
Pulldown Menu: DM Electrical→Utilities→Coordinate Drawings and Database

Select Drawings Dialog Box​

  •  Drawing List ☰ Select the drawings you want to coordinate with the database. The current drawing is selected when the command is first run. Use the SHIFT and CTRL keys to select multiple drawings in the list. All of the selected drawings will be coordinated with the database.

  •   Press this button to select the current drawing.

Press the button to coordinate the selected drawings with the database.

The following actions will be performed:

  • Devices on the drawing will be added to the database.
  • Devices in the database will be added to the drawing. If the command causes a device to be inserted directly on top of another device, the new device will be inserted at the edge of the drawing. Any devices inserted from the database will have a line drawn to them. Review the newly inserted devices and move, delete, or otherwise modify them as appropriate. Once they are on the drawing, you can treat them like standard devices.
  • Devices in both the drawing and the database will be reviewed to ensure their locations and settings match.
  • Any changes to scheduled devices, such as new graphics for a device type, will be made on the drawing.

When this command is finished, the drawing and the database will match. All devices on the drawing will accurately reflect the information stored in the database.

Devices reinserted on the drawing from the database will be highlighted with lines from the origin to their insertion point. Review these devices to determine whether they should be kept. Use the standard CAD ERASE command to remove excess devices from the drawing.

The coordination lines can be removed either by using the standard CAD ERASE command and selecting the coordination lines, or by using the Erase Coordination Lines command.

When to Use the Coordinate Drawings and Database Command​

When you make changes to a drawing, these changes are immediately recorded in the database. Changes are not recorded on the drawing until it is saved. If your CAD program crashes before the drawing is saved, the database will have newer and better information than the drawing. Use the Coordinate Drawings and Database command to match the drawing and database, and you can often recover information that was lost.

Changes to customization settings are not immediately reflected on the drawings. If you change your customization settings in the middle of a project, use the Coordinate Drawings and Database command to update the drawings.

There are other times when this command can fix errors in your project. A backup of the current drawing and database is made before the command is run in case something unexpected happens during the command.