- Either make the item using GuideSIGN or draft onto the GuideSIGN layers. GSoutline is an outline, GSBWfill is a Black and White Fill, and GSColorfill is the full color version. These need to be stacked on top of each other. All objects must be closed Polylines and Hatches in AutoCAD, colors are the R,G,B AutoCAD colors. In MicroStation, objects must be complex chains and closed hatches. It is often helpful to insert an existing item in GuideSIGN and modify it, and for drafting to draw the three parts next to each other. When completed, copy the GSCOLORFILL elements on top of the GSBWFILL, then copy both of these on top of the GSOUTLINE. This ensures elements are drawn on the correct layers/levels and the correct drawing order is maintained.
- To create variable text strings, enter the text into GuideSIGN as 10 for 1 digit, 100 for 2 digits, etc. These can be duplicated as 20 or 200 for multiple variable strings. These must be placed on the GSSTRG layer.
- All objects in the GSBWFILL and GSCOLORFILL drawings need to be made with closed polylines or complex chains. To create any void areas, draw small gaps and .001 unit wide parallel lines to connect the boundaries.
- In AutoCAD, use ‘wblock’ to make dwg files of the elements. Repeat as necessary. In MicroStation, make a cel file with as many cells as needed. The block or cel names will appear in the software as the names for the elements.
- To make the final file, insert one or more blocks into a blank AutoCAD file. Save this file into the appropriate custom folder. C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Transoft Solutions\GuideSIGN version\Contents User\Design\region\year\
The similar procedure works for Shields, Standard Signs, Exit Panels, Arrows, and Symbols.
Additional information about Creating Custom Arrows:
The content creation methods can be used to custom drafted arrows, but these will be displayed with only one color; the GSBCOLORFILL will usually be 10,10,10 for Black, or 245,245,245 for White.
Symbols in GuideSIGN are also inserted with only one color.
Arrows with custom geometry can be made with the Create Custom Arrow button from the GuideSIGN toolbar. If that will not work for what is needed, such as a unique diagrammatic arrow or roundabout arrow, the recommended way to make it is insert a similar standard arrow or use the Custom Arrow tool to make it to the closest possible design to the final design into a panel and then erase the panel.
Explode or Drop the arrow to polylines and hatches / complex chains and fills and redraft as needed. Build the block/cel and add into the software as a custom arrow. The path is slightly different, as arrows can be shared between regions. The path is C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Transoft Solutions\GuideSIGN version\Contents User\Design\Common\Arrows.
If you need to make a custom arrow from scratch the width of the arrowhead needs to be 500 units to scale correctly.