Modifications

The following items can be modified:

• electrical connections

• symbols

• graphics

 

They all follow the same procedure:

• Either select one or more elements and then modify them together

• or select and modify in a one-step-drag-and-drop operation.

 

Designating modifications in E3.series by an asterisk (*)

In case any modifications have been applied to a E3.series project, this is designated by a * behind the Project name in the Sheet tree view.

 

Modifications in an external document embedded in E3.series cannot be identified by the system.

 

Thus, the asterisk (*) to designate project modifications is always set as soon as an embedded document is activated.

 

Selecting

E3.series uses the same selection techniques that other Windows applications use:

• Click the left mouse button over an object to select it.

• Currently selected objects are de-selected.

• To select another object in addition to the one already selected, use the SHIFT key in conjunction with the left mouse button.

• With the Rectangle Selection toolbar button (toolbar category Place) you can digitize an area by first pressing the left mouse button, dragging the cursor to another position and then releasing the mouse button. All visible objects inside this rectangular area will be selected. If the SHIFT key is pressed during selection, then they will be selected in addition to those already selected.

• With the Selection mode toolbar button (toolbar category Selection) all objects inside the selection area are selected, even those that are selected only partially:

   

  

• When clicking and dragging from a position at which no object can be found for a Drag&Drop move or modification, the Rectangle Selection is automatically activated. All objects inside the rectangular area will be selected when the mouse button is released.

• When clicking elsewhere (without the SHIFT key being pressed), all previous selections are reset.

• Selected objects are indicated

  • by modification handles (graphic)

  • a dotted rectangle around objects (symbols, connection lines and symbol texts)

• Holding down the CTRL button, when clicking on a specific position, will select all objects, that can be identified at that position.

 

Overlapping objects or objects lying close to one another can easily be selected using the command Next Object. All objects lying within the snap size of the digitized point are considered. The objects are sorted by display level and distance from the digitized point and the first object is selected.

 

 

The command Next Object can be executed in the Main Menu under Edit, using the context menu and the toolbar button in the category Modify. Moreover, this command can be executed using the shortcut N.

 

The command is only active if several objects lie within the snap size of the digitized point. If the command is selected using the context menu, the next object is selected and the context menu is reopened.

 

Area selection for specific object types

Following object types can be filtered in the area selection:

• Symbols

• Texts

• Graphics

• Connect lines

• Net nodes

• Attribute text templates

• Dimensions

 

All activated object types are listed in this area selection - all deactivated object types are ignored.

 

Activation/Deactivation of an object type occurs either by using the setting under General - Zoom / Pan/ Selection in the area Area Selection or the appropriate symbol in the toolbar Selection.

 

Example

All elements are included in the selection:

 

Only symbol elements are included in the selection:

 

Moving

• Press and hold the left mouse button

  • over one of the selected objects to move all the objects.

  • over an unselected object to move only that single object (all other selections will be reset)

• You can move objects across sheets only if they are not connected to any other object, which is not selected:

  • Selected connection lines may be connected to unselected symbols (and vice versa) and cannot be moved to another sheet.

  • Selected symbol texts may belong to unselected symbols (move symbol to get all its texts moved with the symbol).

• To move across sheets, drag the object onto another sheet window. This new sheet window will become active and moved to the foreground.

• During the move operation, in a zoomed view, the view will automatically PAN across when reaching the edge of the window.

 

Inadvertently moving different objects (e.g. texts in the schematic or devices in the panel) can be prevented using the option Lock position.

 

Nevertheless, it's still possible to move such objects. Press the F key in the schematic while moving, and the F key in the panel before moving.

 

Move Graphic with Snap functionality

E3's Project and Database mode offer a snap functionality.

 

Using this functionality, it's possible to 'snap' placed (symbol-) graphics on predefined snap points on the graphic and to move them. The predefined snap points on the graphic element are represented by a gray cross.

 

When touching such a snap point with the cursor, the cross color switches to green.

 

Now hold the left mouse button pressed and move the cursor and thus the graphic element from the selected snap point onto the desired position.

 

 

The following snap points exist for the individual graphic types:

 

Line	Polygon	Cloud

 

Rectangle	Curve	Circle

 

Arc	Oval

 

 

The snap function has been enhanced for the following symbol types:

• Model Symbol (in panel)

   

  Note:

  The snap points are displayed on all line ends and middle of lines of the physical space requirementPolygon.

• Normal symbol

• Node template symbol

• Attribute text template symbol

• Signal carrying symbol

• Reference destination / source symbol

• Module port symbol

• Connector master

• Block connector symbol

• Connector

   

  Note:

  The snap points are displayed on the origin and all symbol pins.

 

Activating/Deactivating the Snap Functionality

 

The snap functionality can be activated or deactivated using the toolbar button Snap move mode or using the shortcut W .

• In Project mode, the toolbar button is defined by default in the Place toolbar.

• In Database Editor mode, the toolbar button can be found by default in the Graphic toolbar.

 

When the button is activated, the snap functionality is used upon moving graphic elements.

 

When the button is deactivated, moving graphic elements is done using the defined grid size and the graphic's size can be modified.

 

Align Objects

Objects can now be aligned in the workspace based on the reference object used. In doing so, it's possible that all objects are in one line or that the spacing between objects is equally distributed.

 

There are two methods for aligning objects:

• Align Objects using Toolbar

• Align Objects using Context Menu Command

 

Furthermore, a horizontal as well as a vertical alignment distance can be defined, which is valid for the distance between the objects to be aligned.

 

To do so, there is the toolbar Align objects in Project mode:

 

or select the setting under General in the area Align Distances.

 

 

Align Objects using Toolbar

When aligning (Align Left/Right/Top/Bottom) using this method, the object located farthest away in the direction to be aligned is used as the reference object. The selected objects are then aligned based on the reference object.

 

When aligning(Distribute Vertically/Horizontally) using this method, the selected objects are equally distributed vertically or horizontally. In doing so, both outermost objects are used as reference objects.

 

To do so, use the toolbar Align objects in Project mode:

 

 

Align Objects using Context Menu Command

When aligning (Align Left/Right/Top/Bottom) using this method, the object on which context menu command is executed is used as the reference object. The selected objects are then aligned based on the reference object.

 

When aligning (Distribute Vertically/Horizontally) using this method, the selected objects are equally distributed vertically or horizontally. In doing so, both outermost objects are used as reference objects.

 

To do so, there are the context menu commands:

Align Objects ->

• Align Left

• Align Right

• Distribute Horizontally

• Distribute Vertically

• Align Top

• Align Bottom

 

 

 

The following order is valid for the elements:

• for Align left:

• for Align right:

 

• for Align top:

• for Align bottom:

 

Copy/Paste/Duplicate/Paste Extended

Copy

To copy an object / part of the circuit diagram:

1. Select (highlight) the object you want to copy

2. Press CTRL+C, click the Copy button on the Standard Toolbar or select the Edit -> Copy command from the Main Menu bar.

 

Paste

To paste the copied object(s) / part of the circuit diagram:

1. Place the cursor where you want the object to appear.

2. Press CTRL+V, click the Paste button on the Standard Toolbar, or select the Edit -> Paste command from the Main Menu bar. The object is copied to the new location. If part of a Device is copied and then pasted into the drawing, a new copy of the complete device is added to the project and can be seen in the Device View along with the location of the copied part. The new device is automatically given the next available designation number.

 

Copy and Paste with one command: Duplicate

E3.series offers the possibility of combining two commands, Copy and Paste, and executing them in one step. For this there is the command Duplicate. To duplicate an object, proceed as follows:

1. Select the object to copy and paste and

2. either use the shortcut Ctrl+D, or use the Duplicate button , or use the Edit -> Duplicate command from the main menu bar.

 

Paste Extended

Using the Paste command, new devices are automatically given the next available designation numbers. Using the Paste Extended command allows you to modify device designation, higher level assignment or location:

1. Press CTRL+Shift+V, click the Paste Extended button on the Standard Toolbar, or select the Edit -> Paste Extended command from the Main Menu bar.

2. Using the cursor, locate the object(s) where you want them to appear and press the left mouse button.

3. The selected elements are listed in the Project tree with their original Item Designation under the Clipboard [date time] directory. The elements can modified as desired there and moved within the tree by Drag&Drop.

 

Copying and cutting to an external E3. application

After executing the Cut External or Copy in the Project tree, elements can be pasted to other E3. application instances. After cutting the elements, they are immediately deleted from the source application instance, independent of whether they are pasted into another application instance later or not.

 

To paste the elements copied/cut from another application instance, the destination application instance only offers the Paste extended command. I.e. the copied or cut elements are displayed in the clipboard. Afterwards, the consolidation with the drawing can be controlled by the user as well as the transfer to the existing project structure.

 

The following elements cannot be transferred to another application instance:

• 2D view sheets of panel sheets

• Terminal plan sheets

 

Place at original position

The Place at original position command in project mode offers the possibility to place objects that have been copied or cut on another sheet at the same coordinates as the original. In doing so, the sheet format of the 'target sheet' on which the objects shall be placed must be at least the same size as the original format.

 

And in addition, no other objects may be located at the placement position.

 

To execute the command Place at original position,

• select the object (also possible to multi-select several objects) in the workspace,

• right-click and select the Copy or Cut command in the displayed context menu,

• switch to where the object shall be inserted on the sheet,

• right-click anywhere on the sheet and select the context menu command Paste or Paste Extended,

• right-click once again anywhere on the sheet and select the command Place at original position or the key combination SHIFT + O.

 

The object is inserted at the same position on the 'target' sheet as placed on the 'original' sheet.

 

 

Undo/Redo

As you work in a project, E3.series tracks all actions you perform, thus allowing for the Undo, Redo capability.

 

Use the following procedures to undo or redo changes made to a project:

• To undo the last change that modified the project, press CTRL+Z, click the Undo button on the Standard toolbar or select the Edit -> Undo command from the Main Menu bar.

• To redo the change you reversed with Undo, press CTRL+Y, click the Redo button on the Standard toolbar or select the Edit -> Redo command from the Main Menu bar.

 

 

Group/Ungroup items/Select group/Ungroup

For easier manipulation, objects (e.g. sheets, graphics, texts, symbols etc.) on a sheet can be grouped together.

 

To group objects

• use the Group Graphic button for graphic groups. Depending on the selection, either a graphic group is created, or graphics and comment texts are bound to a symbol. Or

• use the Group Objects button for object groups. Independent of the selection, the system always creates a group. The command is available in the Main menu under Edit, in the context menu and as button in the Modify category.

 

These objects can then be edited together (move, modify, copy, ...). It's possible to add objects to an existing group. To do so, select the group and, using the SHIFT key, also the additional objects, and then click on one of the buttons: Group graphic or Group objects. The result is a nested group.

 

To resolve grouping of objects

• use the Ungroup Objects button from the Graphic toolbar, or

• select the Ungroup command.

 

To select a graphic group

• left-click on a graphic object of the graphic group.

 

 

To select an object group

• click on / select any element of the group in the drawing, use the Select Group button from the Graphic toolbar.

   

  The command is also available in the Main menu under Edit, in the context menu and as button in the Modify category.

• or left-click on a symbol, a graphic or connect line of the group.

 

To move an object group

• left-click on a symbol, a graphic or connect line of the group and keep the left mouse button pressed.

• Move the group to the desired position.

 

To select an individual object of a group

• select the complete group. To do so, right-click on a symbol, graphic or connect line of the group,

• then right-click on the desired group element and select the Select individual group object command from the displayed context menu.

 

 

Unplace Groups / Place Unplaced Groups

Already placed groups can be unplaced, i.e. removed from the workspace without losing those groups. All unplaced groups then appear in a separate folder in the Device tree. From there, these groups can be placed in the workspace again.

 

 

To remove an already placed group from the workspace

• right-click on an element of the desired group (e.g. device, sheet, pin) and select the Unplace Group command from the displayed context menu,

  or use the corresponding Unplace Group button in the Graphic toolbar: .

• The group is removed from the workspace and appears in the 'Unplaced Groups' folder in the Device tree.

  The corresponding affiliation appears in the Placement column of the Device tree for the devices of the unplaced group.

   

  

 

To place an unplaced group in the workspace once again

• right-click on the desired unplaced group within the Unplaced Groups folder in the Device tree, or right-click on an unplaced device of a group,

• select the Place Group command from the displayed context menu.

• The group now appears on the mouse cursor and can be placed in the workspace by left-clicking on the desired position.

  or

• Drag the desired group from within the Unplaced Groups folder of the Device tree onto the desired position in the workspace.

 

To export unplaced groups as a drawing

• select the desired unplaced group(s) under Unplaced Groups in the Device Tree,

• right-click and select the context menu command Export Drawing.

   

  Note:

  The unplaced sheets appear under Sheets: in the Export Range section of the Export Drawing dialog:

 

To export the complete project together with the unplaced groups:

• select the command File -> Export -> Drawing in the main menu,

• the dialog Export Drawing opens,

• Activate the radio button All in the section Export Range as well as the check box Export unplaced devices

 

Resizing Graphics

• Graphics can be modified/resized:

  • Left click on a graphic object to select it.

  • Select the Modify command from the Main Menu bar or from the displayed context menu of the selected object to execute the desired modifications, or

  • press and hold the left mouse button over the modification handle of the selected graphic. The cursor will change to indicate that the handle has been selected.

  • Move the cursor to produce the desired modification.

  • During the modification process, the system will dynamically display the changes.

  • It is also possible to directly specify coordinates for the graphic by pressing hotkey P while modifying the graphic. This will display a dialog box in which the coordinates of the point can be entered as absolute or relative values in relation to the start point.

  • If a selection area is used, and the selection area contains at least one graphic object that can only be modified proportionally (circle, arc, text,...), the graphics will always be modified proportionally. Therefore graphics must not be grouped together to resize them effectively.

• Graphic text can also be resized by modifying the properties (see Text Properties).

 

Modify Line Formats

Line formats for dotted, dashed-dotted or dashed lines can be modified by defining the lengths and distances of the lines.

 

The functionality can either be defined for user-specific settings (CURRENT_USER) or for all users of the computer (LOCAL_MACHINE) . The following definitions are available:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Zuken\E3.series\<version>\Settings (valid for the current user)

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Zuken\E3.series\<version>\Settings (valid for all users of the computer)

 

First, create the Registry key Linestyles in the Registry Editor in the corresponding Windows directory (CURRENT_USER/LOCAL_MACHINE) . To do so,

• right-click on the Settings folder and select the New -> Key command from the displayed context menu,

• and define the name Linestyles for the newly created folder (Registry key).

 

Next, create the string values Dotted, DashDotted and Dashed within the folder Linestyles. To do so,

• right-click on the folder Linestyles and select New -> String value from the displayed context menu.

   

  

 

The following can be configured:

Key	Format	Description
[Dotted]	Example: 0.5,1.5	Dotted line Length of the dot, length of the empty space
[DashDotted]	Example: 4.2,1.2,0.5,1.2	Dash-dotted line Length of the dash, length of the first empty space, length of the dot, length of the second empty space
[Dashed]	Example: 3,1.5	Dashed line Length of the dash, length of the empty space

 

 

Modify Coordinates

When placing any object, the coordinates can be modified using hotkey P.

 

The Input Coordinates dialog is displayed in which the coordinates can be defined absolutely or relatively to the origin (when creating polygons: relatively to the last point).

 

 

Display Order / Foreground/Background Definition

The Display order command available in the context menu allows you to send objects laying on top of each other to the back or bring them to the front. This makes it easier to edit them.

 

 

The following sub-commands are available:

• Bring to Foreground

  Moves the object to the foreground, relative to all objects placed at this position.

• Send to Background

  Moves the object to the background, relative to all objects placed at this position.

• Bring Forward

  Moves the object forward by one level.

• Send Backward

  Moves the object backward by one level.

 

Since the placement defines the display order in the panel layout (e.g. mounted components), only the graphic objects' order can be changed.

 

 

Modifying Graphic Properties

Properties of graphic objects (color, display level, width, ...) can be changed:

• Right-click on the object(s) and select Graphic Properties from the displayed context menu

• Change the desired properties in the Graphic Properties dialog box:

   

  

 

Modifying Text Properties

Properties of Graphic and Symbol text (color, display level, width, ...) can be changed

• Right-click on the text(s) and select Text Properties from the displayed context menu

• Change the desired properties in the Text Properties dialog box:

   

  

• Text can also be modified by clicking on it and pressing hotkey F2 to begin editing the text. Hotkey F3 for text translation can be pressed while editing the text. Hotkey F5 for choosing between edit and preview mode.

 

Display Slots

This option is only present, if a E3.panel license is available!

 

In Database Editor mode with a model sheet active and a model displayed, Slots can be modified using the Database Model Toolbar, or by double-clicking on the slot in the tree view of the model.

 

To move a slot or to modify its size (the size of Point slots cannot be modified),

• click the Display Slots button in the Model Toolbar to display the slot shapes, or

• double-click the slot to be modified in the Database Tree View.

 

Slots are represented by the following graphic elements:

• Point slots as point symbols

• Line slots as graphical lines

• Area slots as graphical rectangles

 

The related object will be displayed in the working area with its handles activated. Adjustments to the slot size or position can now be made by selecting the appropriate 'handle' on the graphic elements. The cursor will change to indicate that the element has been selected for modification.

 

Press and hold the cursor and move the mouse to produce the desired modification.

 

During the modification process, the system will dynamically display the changes.

 

Modifications made to the graphic elements are applied to the appropriate slots.

 

Renaming Devices / Pins of Devices without Component Type

To rename a device,

• right-click on the name in the Device Tree View of the Project Window and select Rename from the displayed context menu or

• press hotkey F2 when the device is selected in the Device Tree View of the Project Window

 

The system checks whether the specified name already exists. Device names are not case-sensitive and may comprise both uppercase and lowercase characters. This means that a project cannot contain a device 'ST1' and another 'St1'. The device ST1 itself can be renamed to St1.

 

The following objects can be renamed in that way:

• normal devices

• cables

• connectors

• conductors

 

To rename pins of a device that has no component type,

• press hotkey F2 when the device is selected in the Tree View of the Device Properties -> Pins dialog box, or

• press hotkey F2 when the device is selected in the Device Tree View of the Project Window and type in the new name

   

Generate New Wire Names

Special wire attributes can be defined in the Settings - Naming in the Wire Names section with activated option Assign wire names automatically. In order that the wire attribute is used and updated for all wires, there is the context menu command Generate New Wire Names. This context menu command can be used in the workspace area as well as in the Device Tree.

 

To generate new wire names in the workspace area:

• right-click on one or more wires in the workspace,

• select the command Generate New Wire Name from the displayed context menu.

 

To generate new wire names in the Device Tree:

• right-click on one or more wires (multi-select) in the Project Window Device Tree, or

• right-click on a cable or the superior cable folder in the Project Window Device Tree,

• select the command Generate New Wire Name from the displayed context menu.

 

The command for updating the wire attributes is displayed for the following elements:

Wires in

• shields,

• bundles,

• twisted pairs,

• and dynamic cables

   

Deleting

• Selected objects can be deleted

  • by selecting the Delete command from the selected object's context menu, or

  • by simply pressing the DEL key on the keyboard, or

  • by selecting the Delete button on the Schematic Toolbar.

• When deleting component symbols from a sheet, the symbols revert to being part of the 'unused' symbols of the component and can be used elsewhere in the schematic, by selecting them from the Device View.

• Using the Delete Forced command, it is possible to delete a device, a cable, connected wires or hierarchical blocks with the complete hierarchical structure from the tree, even if symbols, the model and views of the device are still placed or conductors are still routed.

  This command is displayed in the context menu of the Device tree with

  • devices (with placed symbols, views, pin views and models)

  • cables (with a routed conductor)

  • routed wires/conductors

  • hierarchical blocks with all connectors and ports as well as all underlying sheets and hierarchical structures with their entire contents

  • Note:

    If the devices are placed only on sheets within the hierarchical structure, these are deleted as well. As soon as a symbol is placed on another sheet, the device remains.

 

After deleting, the Output window lists all symbols, models, views etc. that were deleted from the sheets, and all conductors, that were unconnected.

 

Optimize graphic objects

When editing big graphics (e.g. import of DXF graphics from 3D systems) which consist of many overlapping single lines and polygons, performance problems may occur.

 

E3.series offers the functionality for optimizing graphic objects consisting of many overlapping single lines.

 

 

To optimize graphic objects

 

• press and hold the SHIFT key and select the desired graphic object with the left mouse button

  or while pressing the left mouse button drag a rectangle around the desired graphic object

• click on the icon Optimize graphic objects in the Graphic toolbar

  Note: All groupings contained in the selection are cancelled.

• this opens the Optimize graphic objects dialog

  There are different methods available for optimizing graphic objects. The desired optimization method can be selected in the dialog:

   

  

 

Optimize graphic objects
Eliminate duplicates	If activated, all identical elements lying on top of one another are removed.
Convert arc to polygons	If activated, all selected arcs are converted into a polygon. MaxAngle is used to define the maximum angle for converting the arc.
Create polygons	If activated, polygons are created from connected lines.
Optimize all	If activated, all optimization methods are used.

 

A record of the graphic optimization is displayed in the Message Window: