Auto-Count Setup and Symbol Selection

What is auto-count?

Auto-count is a symbol recognition feature in Ensign X that scans your drawing and automatically counts every instance of a selected symbol. Instead of manually clicking on each light fitting, socket, or other repeated item, you highlight one example of the symbol and the software finds the rest.

Use auto-count whenever a drawing contains repeated symbols that need to be counted — lighting layouts, small power plans, fire alarm drawings, and similar. It works with any unit-based item, whether it comes from the database, an assembly, or a standalone description.

Preparing the drawing

Before you run an auto-count, you need to tell the software which areas of the drawing to search. This prevents it from counting symbols in the legend or key, where the same symbols appear as labels rather than installed items.

1. 1

   Locate the Area to Include and Area to Exclude buttons in the auto-count toolbar.

2. 2

   Choose the approach that suits your drawing:

   • Exclude — use the purple minus button to draw around the legend or any area you want the software to ignore.
   • Include — use the include button to draw around only the area you want to search within.
3. 3

   Left-click at each corner of the area you want to include or exclude, then right-click to finalise the selection.

You can adjust the exclusion or inclusion zone after placing it — the same white and yellow circle controls used on area measures are available here. You can also apply both inclusion and exclusion zones on the same drawing if needed.

Three ways to access auto-count

There are three ways to start an auto-count, depending on whether you want to link the count to a database item, an assembly, or simply record it as a standalone description.

1. Auto-count button

Click the Auto Count button in the toolbar (the purple icon). This works like a unit takeoff — you provide a description and colour, then select your symbol. Use this when the item is not in the database or you simply want a quick count with a custom description.

2. Database items

Open the Database (the blue plus icon), browse or search for the unit item you need, and select it. Instead of pressing Start (which begins a manual count), press the Auto Count button that appears in the item dialog. The count is then linked to that database item, carrying its product code, hours, and cost information through to the estimate.

3. Assemblies

Open the Assemblies tab in the database panel, select the assembly you want, and press the Auto Count button. This is the most efficient approach when you have pre-built assemblies, because a single count brings across the full group of materials. For example, auto-counting a lighting assembly means every matched symbol logs not just the light fitting but all of its associated components — flex, ceiling rose, and any other items included in the assembly.

Enabling auto-count

If you do not see the auto-count buttons (purple icons at the end of the toolbar), the feature may be turned off for your project.

1. 1

   Open Project Preferences from the toolbar (the settings/cog icon within the project).

2. 2

   Find the Auto Count toggle and turn it on.

3. 3

   Press OK. The auto-count buttons will now appear in the toolbar.

You can also enable auto-count in System Preferences if you want it turned on by default for all future projects.

Selecting a symbol

Once you have chosen your access method and the auto-count dialog is open:

1. 1

   Enter a description for the item if prompted (for example, C type light or B1D fitting).

2. 2

   Choose a highlight colour. Pick a colour that contrasts with the drawing so counted symbols are easy to see — for example, green or lime on a black-and-white drawing.

3. 3

   Click Select Symbol.

4. 4

   On the drawing, left-click at one corner of the symbol you want to count, drag to draw a selection box around it, then left-click again to lock the selection in.

The software displays a preview of the captured symbol. You can now review and refine it before running the count.

Editing the symbol

After selecting a symbol, you should review and refine what the software has captured to improve recognition accuracy. Open Edit Symbol to access the symbol editor.

Reviewing captured elements

The editor lists every element within your selection — each shape, piece of text, or line appears as a separate item. Click on an element to see it highlighted on the preview, so you can identify exactly what each one is.

Removing unwanted elements

If your selection captured something you do not want (for example, a stray line from a nearby route or a piece of text from an adjacent symbol), select it in the list and press Remove. The software will no longer look for that element when counting.

Splitting into multiple groups

If your symbol is made up of several distinct parts — for example, a circle with a letter inside, or a square with text in the centre — you should ensure they are in separate groups. Groups tell the software that each part may shift position slightly between instances while still belonging to the same symbol.

For example, a B1D light fitting consists of:

• A circle (shape)
• The text B1
• The text D

If these are in three separate groups, the software can handle instances where the D is slightly further from the circle on some symbols than on others. Without grouping, the software might miss those variations.

1. 1

   Click Edit Symbol to open the symbol editor.

2. 2

   Review the listed elements. Click on each one to see it highlighted on the preview.

3. 3

   Remove any unwanted elements by selecting them and pressing Remove.

4. 4

   Check that the remaining elements are in the correct number of groups. Multiple groups allow the software to account for slight positional differences between instances of the symbol.

5. 5

   Press Exit to return to the auto-count screen.