Program Settings
Open program settings via File - Options or press F12.
Here's what you can configure:
System - Paths
Symbol library
Set the root directory where all your symbols are stored (PPD and PICD files).
Open in Windows Explorer
Opens Windows Explorer directly in your library folder. Handy when you need to rename, move, or delete files and directories.
How to Share a Symbol Library Within Your Organization
- Store the symbol library in a shared directory on your network server.
- On each computer, map that network directory as a drive letter.
- In ProfiCAD, set the symbol library path to the mapped drive letter on the "Paths" tab in program settings.
System - Control
Enable UNDO/REDO
Undo/Redo lets you reverse your last action. You can disable this feature here if needed.
Number of steps on zoom change
Zoom transitions are animated to reduce eye strain. A higher value gives smoother animation; a lower value is faster.
Enable auto scrolling
When you move the mouse pointer to the edge of the working area, the drawing automatically scrolls in that direction.
Confirmation when deleting
Controls whether a "Delete selected objects?" confirmation dialog appears when you delete objects.
Auto-Save
Automatically saves your documents at regular intervals. Auto-Save only works on documents that have been saved manually at least once.
The Create backup copy option creates a backup every time you save.
Each backup replaces the previous one. Backup files have the .BAK extension
and are stored in the same folder as your document.
⚠️ This option does not replace a proper backup !!!
System - Symbols
System - Others
Working area in Symbol Editor
If you design larger symbols, increase this value to give yourself more workspace.
Remember properties of lines and wires
When enabled, any color or thickness changes you make to a line or wire will carry over to the next line or wire you draw.
Language
Changes the program's interface language.
This does not affect the symbol library language. If you accidentally installed the program in the wrong language, uninstall it and reinstall with the correct language.
If you need drawings in multiple languages, install the program separately for each language. Your symbol library will then contain symbols in all languages.
Check for updates at program start
ProfiCAD checks for a newer version each time it starts. If an update is available, it downloads and installs automatically. You'll be prompted to save your work before the program restarts.
It's best to keep this enabled so you always have the latest version. If you don't have a permanent internet connection, check for updates occasionally via Windows Start menu - Program Files - ProfiCAD - Check for updates.
System - Wires
Auto-connect symbols over wire
When you place a symbol on top of an existing wire, it automatically connects into that wire. Delete the symbol later, and the original wire is restored.
If a symbol doesn't auto-connect, snap might be interfering. Try zooming in and moving the symbol while holding the Shift key to temporarily disable snap.
System - Logging
The program records and sends technical error data to the developers. This information is strictly limited to source code issues -- it never includes personal information or any documents you create.
You can disable this in program settings (File - Settings... or F12) on the Logging tab.
System - Backup
Automatically save every ...
Enables automatic saving of your documents at a set interval. Auto-save only works on documents that have been manually saved at least once.
The "Create backup copy" option saves a backup every time the document is saved. Each backup replaces the previous one. Backup files have the .BAK extension and are stored in the same folder as the original.
⚠️ This option does not replace a proper backup !!!
How to Restore a Drawing from a BAK Backup
Say you have a file named "test.sxe" that won't open because it was corrupted:
- Rename "test.sxe" to something else, e.g. "test2.sxe".
- Rename "test.sxe.bak" to "test.sxe".
- You can now open and use "test.sxe".
Archiving
Every time you save a drawing, the program stores a timestamped copy in a special directory. This means you can go back to any previous version of your drawing whenever you need to.
How to set up archiving
In program settings (File - Settings... or F12), go to the Archive tab:
Use the Archive checkbox to enable or disable archiving.
Use the button in the Directory for archiving field to choose where archived copies should be stored.
Pick a directory synced via Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or a similar service. That way your archives are protected even if your disk fails.
How to restore a drawing from an archive
Go to File - Restore from archive. A dialog lists all archived versions -- select the one you want and press OK.
If no archive exists for the current drawing, you'll see the message "No archive is available for this document."
How to delete unnecessary archive copies
In program settings (File - Settings... or F12), go to the Archive tab and press Open in explorer. Select the backups you no longer need and press del.
Document - Reports
Contains options for customizing the appearance of print reports.
Document - Fonts
The "Letterings" and "Texts" settings here are just defaults -- you can override them individually for each text later.
Variables
Enter the variables that will appear in your title block.
Document - Description
A free-text area for describing your project.
Title Block
Use this dialog to insert a title block into your drawing. More info here.
Reference Grid
The reference grid helps you navigate large drawings by dividing the page into labeled zones. This feature is available in the paid version only.
Wire Numbering
Configure how wire labels are placed and trigger renumbering of wires. You can also renumber wires via the menu: Edit - Renumber wires.
