Import Drawing

To import a drawing or part of a drawing,

  • select the File -> Import -> Drawing... command from the Main Menu bar and

  • complete the following dialog box:

     

 

The system always starts the dialog in the directory defined in the Settings' Default Directory page.

 

When importing subcircuits With this options the system proceeds as follows:

  • When the option already exists in project and:

    • the options are merged, the visibility corresponds to the one defined in the project;

    • the imported option is renamed, the visibility corresponds to the one defined when the option is exported.

  • If the option does not yet exist in the project, the visibility corresponds to the one defined when the option is exported.

 

Note

Subcircuits derived from one or more original projects, however, will have their point-to-point and star references connected in the original project and also connected again after importing.

 

Note

When subcircuits are imported that have at least one duplicate object ID, problems may occur when updating in project. Please consider the corresponding message in E3.series. Confirm the message with Yes to still import the subcircuit. Select No to cancel the import.

 

Restriction

This applies only to signal references having no numerical part since these are the exact cross-references that are to be connected.

(see also: Sheet References)

 

Import Drawing

Look in

Allows you to select the drive and folder from where you want to load the file.

File name

Enter a name for the file.

Files of type

The default type is Part File (*.e3p).
Options

Click on the Options button to specify the import definitions in the Import Drawing Options dialog. The option settings are taken over from the Settings -> Placement -> Import -> Device dialog.

Create unique sheet names

Check this option to set creation of unique sheet names.

 

This applies only to sheet names in the subcircuit that collide with sheet names in the project. If the subcircuit contains sheets with the same name, these are taken over.

Ignore sheet border

When this option is checked when importing a subcircuit, the user can decide where the subcircuit is placed, on which sheet and at which position on the sheet in the project.

 

Under Settings -> Placement -> Import the command Ignore sheet border can be defined for default using.

 

Note

  • This functionality is not available with subcircuits existing of multiple sheets (e.g. for sheets with models, of which a 2D view was created on a separate sheet).

  • When importing a sheet, on which components are placed both inside and outside of the region (only available in E3.panel/E3.formboard/E3.topology), only the contents inside the region are imported, when this option is checked.

Paste extended

Item designations used in the subcircuit can be changed during the loading process.

 

This may be the individual naming of components with a certain type/number; mainly you may want to assign new names for the existing higher level assignments and locations.

Merge sheet references

This option is checked, by default. With this option checked, it is possible to control how sheet references are merged. When this option is unchecked, sheet references are not merged.

 

Note

Sheet references of the type Unique star are only merged if they are the same type Star unique and were previously connected by the user.

Merge only references with alphanumeric index part

When this option is checked, references are only merged when the reference name contains an alphanumeric part in its index part. By default, this option is checked.

 

When this option is unchecked, reference names are merged independent on how the index part of a reference name looks like.

Use existing devices

This option defines whether to merge existing devices with the imported ones or to create new devices.

Use existing assemblies

This option defines whether to merge existing assemblies with the imported ones.

Use existing terminal strips

This option defines whether to merge existing terminal strips with the imported terminal strips or create new ones.

Create unique pin names

If a subcircuit is imported and duplicate pin names are created in the terminal strip when merging terminals, this option can be used to control whether:

  • a new unique pin name has to be assigned, or

  • the duplicate pin name has to be retained.

 

If this option is activated, all changeable and newly created terminal pins are renamed.

 

This option is only active, if Use existing terminal strips is checked.

Use existing hierarchical blocks

This option defines whether to merge existing hierarchical blocks with the imported hierarchical blocks or to create new ones.

Ignore unplaced devices

Check this option to ignore all unplaced devices when importing.

Ignore unplaced terminals

Check this option to ignore all unplaced terminals when importing.

Ignore unplaced devices of assemblies

Check this option to ignore all unplaced devices of assemblies when importing.

Ignore component name

Check this option when, upon merging or importing sub-circuits, the system should only check whether the item designation agrees, the symbol is available in the existing component and the pin names agree. The component name is not considered, i.e. only the device and symbol name are checked.
Additional Merge Options

This section is only active, if at least one of the above mentioned options is checked (Use existing devices / Use existing assemblies / Use existing terminal strips / Use existing hierarchical blocks)

Merge attributes

Check this option to merge attributes on import.

 

During the import process, the system checks whether the device attribute from the subcircuit already exists on the device in the project. If not, it will be added.

 

Example

A e3p file_1 contains a component without any component attribute. A second e3p file_2 contains the same component, but with a component attribute.

 

If file_2 is loaded before file_1, the component in the drawing will be assigned the attribute. If, in contrast, file_1 is loaded before file_2, the attribute does not exist.

 

This is to avoid the replacement of attributes of an already existing component with attributes possibly originating from a totally different environment.

Merge using exact conductor connection

Using this option it can be controlled whether terminals are merged in project and subcircuits with similar names (device designation, pin names), when placed wires exactly correspond.

  • When this checkbox is active, wires must correspond.

  • When it is not checked, either in project or in subcircuits conductors may be additionally placed.

 

Note

This option is also valid for graphical connections, when no wires are placed.

Merge ignoring conductor direction

When this option is active the connection direction of cores/wires is ignored when merging a drawing/part file.

Merge options

Devices of subcircuits, whose options do not match those in project, are determined as 'equal' and the corresponding options are merged.

 

When this option is checked, the devices' options are not compared. When devices are determined as 'equal' (and existing devices are recognized), the options of the existing and new device are merged.

 

When the option is unchecked (by default), the functionality is as usual. This means, new devices are generated and when comparing name-equivalent devices, they are displayed in red in the clipboard, if their options don't match those in project.

Use pin attributes from subcircuits

Check this options to use pin attributes from subcircuits when importing or pasting the subcircuit.

 

In connection with the PLC functionality, the physical address is always taken over from the existing device when assigning symbols and when importing a subcircuit independent of the new options.

Add to existing assemblies/Create new assemblies

Note

  • This check box can only be changed if the check box Use existing assemblies in the section Options is activated.

  • This functionality doesn't work with:

    • Nested assemblies

    • Assemblies with component description

    • When executing the command Merge as View (for clipboards)

    • When executing the command Merge as Original (for clipboards)

    • Devices with variant instances in assemblies

  • This setting can be predefined in the Settings ->Placement -> Import -> Device dialog.

 

If this check box is activated, assemblies can be merged.

 

Example

Use Default View Number

For original symbols

Check this option to use the Default View Number attribute (.PREFERRED_VIEW) for the original symbol.

 

If a symbol, that is assigned to an original component, is placed on a sheet that is assigned the Default View Number (.PREFERRED_VIEW) attribute when importing a subcircuit, a view is generated from the original component and the placed symbol is assigned the view in case the option is checked.

For view symbols

Check this option to use the Default View Number attribute (.PREFERRED_VIEW) for the view symbol.

 

If a symbol, that is assigned a view, is placed on a sheet that is assigned the Default View Number (.PREFERRED_VIEW) attribute when importing a subcircuit, the view number is changed to this "Default View Number" of the sheet when this option is checked. When this number is already assigned, the lowest "free" view number is used.
Variants/Options

This section is used to define how to handle already existing variants/options in the project and the subcircuit.

Rename already existing variants/options from part file

Already existing variants/options are renamed in the part file.

When importing, the option visibility defined when exporting is valid.

Use existing variants/options from project

Existing variants/options from the project are used when importing.

When importing, the option visibility defined in the project is valid.

Ask for each existing variant/option

Each variant/option already existing is queried and a corresponding message is displayed:

The option "Options / O1" already exists in the project. Shall the new option be renamed?
Panel Sheet

Region Positioning

When this option is checked, the position where the imported panel region is to be placed can be defined.

Reference X:

Reference Y:

With these options, the X and Y coordinates can be specified.

Example

A region with the lower left corner (100 mm, 0 mm) is imported. The defined position is (500 mm, 0 mm). The new panel reference point of the region is (500 mm, 0 mm). The imported contents are moved by [(500, 0) - (100, 0) = (400, 0)].

 

See also: Sheet Properties - Region

 

Attention

In case different device structures (gate, pin, number of outlines/slots) are identified while importing, these devices are reported and the import command will be aborted.

 

In this case the following applies: If the 'target project' contains the current version of the device, the subcircuit has to be re-created, and the command Update in Project has to be executed for the device in the original project of the subcircuit beforehand. If the project is out of date and the current version of the device is described in the subcircuit, it is sufficient to execute the command Update in Project for the corresponding device in the 'target project' before importing.