Permanent signing

Last updated: 2026-01-06

Total video time: 35:44

Sample permanent signing plan sheet: 023201-ps.pdf

pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-01.mp4 6:38

Palettes

WisDOT sign blocks can be found on the Signs palettes and the Permanent Signing palette.

The WisDOT Signs palettes contain face view sign blocks representative of the Sign Plates in the WisDOT Sign Plate manual. The blocks are organized on the palettes by their letter series designation with the exception of some M-series, S-series, and W-series signs which are grouped by function on a separate Work Zone (WZ-Signs) palette.

The WisDOT Permanent Signing palette contains plan view sign blocks used in the creation of Permanent Signing plan sheets. The palette also includes commands and objects such as Set Layer, MText, and Multileaders.

Modelspace or Paperspace

The face view sign blocks can be placed in either model space or paper space (layout tab) or both. There is no preferred method for placing face view sign blocks, choose the best way to convey the information for your particular project.

The plan view sign blocks should always be placed in modelspace. Placing blocks in model space allows them to appear in other drawings when Xrefed.

Annotation can be placed in model space or paper space. Note that annotation placed in model space can be visible in other drawings if the drawing is xrefed. Keep this in mind when creating staged construction plans.

Setting a visibility state

A visibility state is a block property that allows only specific geometry to display within a block. With visibility states, a single block can be created that has multiple different visual representations. A visibility state is set by selecting a block's visibility states grip.

  1. Select a sign block to reveal the AutoCAD grips.
  2. Select the light blue, inverted triangle grip on the block.
  3. Select a visibility state from the context menu.

Moving or rotating sign blocks

The sign blocks include the ability to easily move or rotate a sign block after it has been placed.

  1. Select a sign block to reveal the AutoCAD grips.
  2. Select the dark blue, square grip.
  3. Right-click and select Move or Rotate from the context menu.
  4. Move or rotate the block to the desired position.
  5. Esc to deselect the block.

Moving sign block text

Some sign blocks include the ability to easily move the block text.

  1. Select a sign block to reveal the AutoCAD grips.
  2. Select the light blue, square grip in the center of the text.
  3. Drag the text to the desired location and left-click to place the text.

Editing sign attributes

Attributes can be used to change text within a block without affecting other blocks in the drawing of the same kind. The face view sign blocks use attributes to display the editable text. Notice that the text shows up in two attributes lines. The “ST” attributes are meant for staging sheets so that text can be placed on layers for control in staging sheets. Edit both so they match.

  1. Double-click a face view sign block.
  2. The Enhanced Attribute Editor dialog will appear.
  3. Editable text will be shown in the Attribute tab of the dialog.
  4. Select a Tag from the list and edit the value in the text box below.
  5. Apply and OK to exit the dialog.

Sign block layers

The sign blocks use multiple layers to control display and visibility.

  • E_SGN is used to place existing (remove) sign blocks.
  • E_SGN_Cell is used to display existing (remove) block geometry.
  • E_SGN_Text is used to display existing (remove) block text.
  • P_SGN is used to place proposed (install) sign blocks.
  • P_SGN_Cell is used to display proposed (install) block geometry.
  • P_SGN_Text is used to display proposed (install) block text.
  • ST_SGN_Cell and ST_SGN_Text are used to control block display for staged construction plan sheets.

Exercise files: pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-data-begin-c3d20.zip

Placing face view sign blocks

pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-02.mp4 5:42

Face view sign blocks are placed in Model Space by clicking through a viewport in the layout.

  1. Ribbon > WisDOT Sheets tab > Sheet Creation panel > Signs
  2. Tool Palette > XX-Signs tabs
  3. Set a sign layer to be current.
  4. Select a Layout tab.
  5. Double-click inside the viewport.
  6. Set the UCS to View. 
    1. UCS Enter
    2. VEnter
  7. Select a sign block from the palette and left-click to place in the viewport.
  8. Set a visibility state.
  9. Double-click the sign block to bring up Enhanced Attribute Editor dialog box and edit text as needed.
  10. Use AutoCAD grips to move block or block text as needed.

pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-03.mp4 3:44

"J" Sign assembly blocks are used to facilitate creating multiple sign layouts.

  1. Ribbon > WisDOT Sheets tab > Sheet Creation panel > Signs Tool Palette > J-Signs tabs
  2. Select a "J" Sign assembly block from the palette and place it in the drawing.
  3. Ribbon > WisDOT Sheets tab > Sheet Creation panel > Signs Tool Palette > XX-Signs tabs

  4. Select a face view sign block from the palette and place it into the "J" Sign assembly block.

Tip: Use midpoint, endpoint, or insertion Osnaps to precisely place face view sign blocks into the "J" Sign assembly block.

pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-04.mp4 4:25

Plan view sign blocks are placed in Modelspace by clicking through a viewport in the layout.

  1. Ribbon > WisDOT Sheets tab > Sheet Creation panel > Sheet layouts dropdown > Signing and Marking
  2. Tool Palette > Permanent Signing palette tab
  3. Insert a single plan view sign block
    1. Use the layer buttons in the palette to set the current layer.
    2. Select a plan view sign block from the palette.
    3. Left-click to place the block.
    4. Select the block.
    5. Select the dark blue, square grip.
    6. Right-click and select Rotate from the context menu.
    7. Use the cursor to rotate the block and left-click to set the rotation angle.
    8. Set a visibility state.
  4. Insert multiple plan view sign blocks
    1. Set the UCS in the viewport to align with the roadway.
      1. Ribbon > View tab > Coordinates panel > 3 Point button
      2. Left-click to place the origin of the UCS.
      3. Rotate the cursor around the origin point to align the X-axis with the roadway. Left-click to set X-axis.
      4. Set the Y-axis by choosing either above or below the X-axis (depending on the direction of travel).
    2. Use the layer buttons in the palette to set the current layer.
    3. Select a plan view sign block from the palette.
    4. Left-click to place the block. (Block will come in aligned with the UCS at a complimentary rotation angle).
    5. Set a visibility state.
    6. Repeat steps C-E to place multiple blocks.

pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-05.mp4 2:15

Multileader reference tags are placed in Model Space by clicking through a viewport in the layout.

  1. Ribbon > WisDOT Sheets tab > Sheet Creation panel > Sheet layouts dropdown > Signing and Marking Tool Palette > Permanent Signing palette tab
  2. Use the layer buttons in the palette to set the current layer.
  3. Select a Layout tab.
  4. Double-click inside the viewport.
  5. Set the UCS to View. 
    1. UCSEnter
    2. VEnter
  6. Select the 070-OVAL TAG multileader from the palette.
  7. Left-click to place the oval tag.
  8. Enter the tag number.
  9. OK

pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-06.mp4 4:09

Create a clipped viewport

  1. Select a Layout tab.
  2. Double-click outside the viewport to enter paper space.
  3. Turn on Selection Cycling.
    1. Type: SELECTIONCYCLING
    2. Type: 2
  4. Select the viewport border.
  5. The Selection Cycling Menu will appear.
  6. Select Polyline.
  7. The viewport polyline grips will appear.
  8. Hover over a midpoint grip on either the right or left side and select Add Vertex.
  9. Hold down Shift and right-click to bring up the Osnap menu.
  10. Select a location directly above or below the midpoint grip by using the nearest Osnap.
  11. Hover over a midpoint grip on either the top or bottom and select Add Vertex.
  12. Hold down Shift and right-click to bring up the Osnap menu.
  13. Select a location directly right or left of the midpoint grip by using the nearest Osnap.
  14. Select the square grip in between the two new vertexes and drag towards the middle of the viewport.
  15. Left-click to create the clipped viewport.
  16. Grip edit the viewport to create the desired size and shape.

Place the sign legend block

  1. Ribbon > WisDOT Sheets tab > Sheet Creation panel > Sheet layouts dropdown > Signing and Marking
  2. Tool Palette > Permanent Signing palette tab
  3. Scroll and select the Sign Legend block.
  4. Left-click to place the block in the white space area of the clipped viewport.
  5. EXPLODE the Sign Legend block.
  6. Add/Remove/Edit symbols and text as needed.
  7. Type: GROUP. (The AutoCAD GROUP command combines selected objects so they can be acted upon as a unit.)
  8. Select all the objects that make up the Sign Legend.
  9. Enter
  10. An unnamed group is created.
  11. Select the Sign Legend group.

  12. Right-click > Clipboard > Copy and Right-click > Clipboard > Paste the Sign Legend group to other Layout tabs as needed.

Tip: Use the EDITGROUP or UNGROUP commands to add/remove group objects or to explode the group.

pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-07.mp4 8:51

Requirement: Create an individual permanent signing plan sheet for each construction stage.

Info: Face view sign blocks use ST_SGN_Cell and ST_SGN_Text layers to control sign block display in staged construction plan sheets.

Create individual plan sheets

  1. Create a permanent signing plan sheet for Stage 1. (023201-ps1.dwg)
  2. Place sign blocks, set visibility states, and edit attributes as needed. Be sure to set attribute values for the "ST" tags.
  3. Set staged layer visibility.
    1. LAYER The Layer Properties Manager will open.
    2. Find layers ST_SGN_Cell and ST_SGN_Text in the list. Notice the default display is off.
    3. Click the light bulb icon for each layer to turn them on.
    4. Find layers P_SGN_Cell and P_SGN_Text in the list. Notice the default display is on.
    5. Click the light bulb icon for each layer to turn them off.
  4. SAVEthe drawing.
  5. Repeat steps 1-4 to create separate permanent signing plan sheets for each subsequent construction stage (023201-ps2.dwg, 023201-ps3.dwg, etc.).

Xref staged construction plan sheets

  1. Open the Stage 2 permanent signing plan sheet drawing.
  2. Ribbon > WisDOT Design tab > Manage panel > Load Xref on Layer
  3. Browse to and select the Stage 1 permanent signing plan sheet drawing.Open
  4. LAYER The Layer Properties Manager will open.
  5. In the upper right corner of the Layer Property Manager, type: *ST_SGN* in the layer search filter box.
  6. The stage construction sign block layers will be listed. (Stage 1 layers will be prefixed by the xref filename.)
  7. Turn layers on as needed to display staged sign blocks.

  8. Change Layer Color setting as needed to control plot display.

    Tip: Double-click inside a viewport before opening the Layer Property Manager to change layer settings for the active viewport only.

  1. SAVEthe drawing.

  2. Repeat steps 1-10 for each stage. (Xref Stage 2 into Stage 3, then xref Stage 3 into Stage 4, etc.)

Exercise files: pln-prod-prmnnt-sign-data-end-c3d20.zip