Project: HiCAD Basics

Create New Drawing

Drawing > New/Open > New

The dialogue for creating new HiCAD drawing files depends on whether you are working with or without HELiOS (PDM), i.e. whether or not you manage your drawings in the database.

• Procedure without HELiOS
• Procedure with HELiOS

Each drawing has a 3-D assembly ID. This ID specifies the 3-D assembly structure for different automatic procedures like connections and links in steel engineering or for adding front plates to beams etc.

Procedure without HELiOS

1. On the Drawing tab, select the New function.

2. If the Start Centre is active, proceed as follows:

• Activate the Create new drawing option.
• Deactivate the Enter drawing into database option.
• Make the required settings.
• Exit the Start Centre with OK.

The drawing name is initially assigned automatically by HiCAD. New drawings are assigned the name "drawing", followed by a consecutive number, e.g. drawing1, drawing2 ...

The file name extension is .SZA. The directory specified for the ID C: under Extras/Settings/Directory is used as the path. This is usually the SCENES subfolder of your HiCAD directory ("scenes" is another term for "drawings").

When saving the drawing, HiCAD then asks you to confirm the path and name for storage or, if required, to enter a different path and name.

Please note:

• File names may contain spaces and points. Names the ending of which matches a file name extension (e.g. name.sza.sza) are not allowed.
• The total length of the HiCAD path name (path + file name) must not exceed 255 characters.
• The scale is taken from the current settings of the HiCAD Start Centre. The Main scale function in the Properties menu enables you to make subsequent changes to the scale.
• In 3-D assembly drawings, the attribute mask for the main assembly is displayed once the drawing has been created.

Procedure with HELiOS

1. Select the New function on the Ribbon or the QuickAccess toolbar, or use the key combination CTRL+N.

2. If the Start Centre active, proceed as follows:

• Activate the Create new drawing option.
• Activate the Enter drawing into database option.
• Make the required settings.
• Click OK to exit the Start Centre.

If the Start Centre is not active, select the required function from the New/Open group of the Drawing tab:

New drawing with DB, without article master

if you want the drawing to be created without specification of article master.

New drawing with DB, with new article master,

if you want to create the drawing with new article master.

New drawing with DB, assign article master,

if you want to assign an existing article master to the drawing.

3. Enter the document attributes and then, depending on the function you have chosen, the article attributes.

Predefining Directories • Save Drawing • Start Centre • HELiOS PDM Functions