New cad drawings
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bhambullet4
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2025 4:29 pm
New cad drawings
Can you import cad drawings for newer lighting fixtures? Also if I create my own can I save them to the library like speakers and smoke machines etc.
Re: New cad drawings
Yes, you can use Format->Convert->To Key Entry with Custom Symbol.. to make the currently selected graphics into a symbol. The graphics are grouped together and then used as the symbol for a new entry in the key. If your CAD file is DXF, then you can import that and select the portions of the graphic you want to use as a symbol and convert those.
The graphics should be sized so that they match LXPlan's standard scale, either 1/4"=1' or 1:50. The graphics should also be rotated so that the symbol faces to the right when it is converted.
Symbols can reflect the color assigned to a light. When selected graphics are used as a custom symbol, they are treated as a group. By default, when the drawing properties of a group are changed, that change is applied to all graphics contained in the group. Changing the fill color of a group changes the fill color of all its elements. Individual elements can control what properties they allow to be set when they are in a group using the Format->Transform->Group can set drawing properties command.
There are more key entries for newer fixtures found in LXPlan's library files. Commands that manipulate the contents of a file's key are accessed using the popup menu which is accessed by the button to the right of the palette in the Inspector's symbols tab. Using this menu, you can load other key files from the library.
Choosing "Remove Unused Entries" will reduce the key to only the entries that have actually been drawn in the current file and entries that have been marked "Keep Entry in Key" (which is the menu item that has a checkbox).
Loading a key also keeps entries currently in use and adds entries from the library file. This allows you to mix and match entries from various keys in the library, using the desired ones in your plot.
Once you have developed a key with only the fixtures you want to use, you can export it using the "Save key..." command. If you store this custom key in the \AppData\Roaming\LXSeries4Windows\LXPlan\keys folder, it will appear when you select "Load Key..." and you can use it in other plots.
The graphics should be sized so that they match LXPlan's standard scale, either 1/4"=1' or 1:50. The graphics should also be rotated so that the symbol faces to the right when it is converted.
Symbols can reflect the color assigned to a light. When selected graphics are used as a custom symbol, they are treated as a group. By default, when the drawing properties of a group are changed, that change is applied to all graphics contained in the group. Changing the fill color of a group changes the fill color of all its elements. Individual elements can control what properties they allow to be set when they are in a group using the Format->Transform->Group can set drawing properties command.
There are more key entries for newer fixtures found in LXPlan's library files. Commands that manipulate the contents of a file's key are accessed using the popup menu which is accessed by the button to the right of the palette in the Inspector's symbols tab. Using this menu, you can load other key files from the library.
Choosing "Remove Unused Entries" will reduce the key to only the entries that have actually been drawn in the current file and entries that have been marked "Keep Entry in Key" (which is the menu item that has a checkbox).
Loading a key also keeps entries currently in use and adds entries from the library file. This allows you to mix and match entries from various keys in the library, using the desired ones in your plot.
Once you have developed a key with only the fixtures you want to use, you can export it using the "Save key..." command. If you store this custom key in the \AppData\Roaming\LXSeries4Windows\LXPlan\keys folder, it will appear when you select "Load Key..." and you can use it in other plots.