EPLAN NEWS

for Version 1.9

Copyright 2008 EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG. EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG assumes no liability for either technical or printing errors, or for deficiencies in this technical information and cannot be held liable for damages that may result directly or indirectly from delivery, performance, and use of this material. This document contains legally protected ownership information that is subject to copyright. All rights are protected. This document or parts of this document may not be copied or reproduced by any other means without the previous permission of EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG. The software described in this document is subject to a licensing agreement. Its use and reproduction are only permitted within the framework of this agreement. RITTAL is a registered trademark of Rittal GmbH & Co. KG. EPLAN , EPLAN Electric P8 , EPLAN Fluid , EPLAN PPE , and EPLAN Cabinet are registered trademarks of EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG. Windows NT , Windows 2000 , Windows XP , Windows Vista , Microsoft Windows , Microsoft Excel , Microsoft Access and Notepad are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. CLIP PROJECT and INTERBUS are registered trademarks of Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. AutoCAD , Autodesk Inventor and VoloView Express are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. SIMATIC HW Konfig is a registered trademark of Siemens AG. InstallShield is a registered trademark of InstallShield, Inc. Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc. All other product names, trade names, and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. EPLAN uses the Open Source software 7-Zip (7za.dll), Copyright by Igor Pavlov. The source code of 7-Zip is subject to the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). The source code of 7-Zip and details on this license can be found on the following website: http://www.7-zip.org

Note: The hardware requirements specified by the operating system manufacturers are valid for the hardware that is used. Hardware combinations that cause faults according to information from manufacturers may also affect the operation of EPLAN. Therefore, a correct basic installation of hardware, operating system and hardware drivers (e. g. graphics board driver, etc.) is therefore essential for EPLAN to function properly. The main conditions and areas of application specified by the hardware manufacturers also apply to the operation of EPLAN.

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Table of Contents
Preface................................................................................................................... 9

New features of the entire EPLAN platform ...................................... 10

Parts management.............................................................................................. 10 Configuration of the parts structure.................................................................... 10 Configuration of free properties ......................................................................... 14 Product subgroup for prefabricated cables ........................................................ 15 Updating the parts database.............................................................................. 15 Parts management and selection via SQL server .............................................. 16 Generating parts based on schematic data ....................................................... 18 New format for parts data import ....................................................................... 18 Assigning fields when importing parts data........................................................ 19 Importing parts data via configuration files......................................................... 19 New customer / supplier records when editing parts ......................................... 20 Automatic storage of parts data ......................................................................... 21 Extended part fields ........................................................................................... 21 Part master data navigator................................................................................. 21 New features in the "User Rights Management" add-on................................. 22 Controlling the menu structure via rights assignments ...................................... 22 Updating the rights database ............................................................................. 22 New rights.......................................................................................................... 23 User interface changes to the "Rights management" dialog .............................. 24 Write-protection for the rights database ............................................................. 25 Database is not opened when querying rights ................................................... 25 New "Redlining" feature..................................................................................... 26 Description of the "Redlining Workflow"............................................................. 27 Displaying and editing the comments in the graphical editor ............................. 28 Comments navigator.......................................................................................... 28 Extended "EPLAN Project Reference" add-on................................................. 29 Comparison project and incoming project.......................................................... 30 Verifying a project .............................................................................................. 31 Results of the project verification ....................................................................... 33 The results in the message management .......................................................... 34 New "Select scope of menu" feature ................................................................ 35
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New EPLAN basic projects with master data ................................................... 37 New "Print attached documents" menu item ................................................... 38 New "Properties" menu item ............................................................................. 39 New "Adjust column width" popup menu item ................................................ 39 New dialog layout for placeholder objects ....................................................... 40 Part selection for variable values ....................................................................... 41 Data import from EPLAN 5 / fluidPLAN............................................................. 42 Reports ................................................................................................................ 44 Special layout for the first page of a report ........................................................ 44 Displaying frozen report pages .......................................................................... 45 Reports and creation date.................................................................................. 45 New filtering options........................................................................................... 46 Line breaks in reports ........................................................................................ 46 Device without part number ............................................................................... 46 Multiple DTs in a single line of the summarized parts list................................... 47 Terminal accessories in the terminal line-up diagram ........................................ 47 Labeling ............................................................................................................... 48 Calculations for labeling..................................................................................... 48 Project properties in the labeling area................................................................ 49 Page navigator .................................................................................................... 50 Manual page sorting in the list view ................................................................... 50 Moving or copying pages via Drag & Drop......................................................... 51 Creating page macros via Drag & Drop ............................................................. 51 Directly adopting structure identifiers ................................................................. 51 Devices ................................................................................................................ 53 Automatically recognizing existing main functions ............................................. 53 Filtering option in DT selection........................................................................... 54 Storing user-defined property arrangements ..................................................... 54 Display settings for connection points................................................................ 55 DT adoption conforming to the GOST standard................................................. 57 Device navigator ................................................................................................. 58 Filters in the navigators ..................................................................................... 58 Terminals / plugs ................................................................................................ 58 Finding and replacing......................................................................................... 59
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Graphical editor .................................................................................................. 59 Message texts in the graphical editor................................................................. 59 Form editor.......................................................................................................... 60 Calculations and formatting in forms.................................................................. 60 Separator between header objects .................................................................... 61 Define individual separators for forms................................................................ 61 Regenerating headings in forms ........................................................................ 62 Settings................................................................................................................ 64 Symbol for cable / shield connection definition points........................................ 64 Use alternative property arrangements.............................................................. 65 Fonts as project settings .................................................................................... 66 Swap row and column information in cross-references...................................... 66 Updating interruption point cross-references ..................................................... 67 Use of the logon name....................................................................................... 67 Show property number behind property name................................................... 68 Export invisible elements in the PDF export ...................................................... 69 Scaling factors for printing ................................................................................. 69 Properties ............................................................................................................ 70 Page properties ................................................................................................. 70 Block properties ................................................................................................. 70 "Terminal / pin designation" property ................................................................. 70 Direct editing....................................................................................................... 71 Tip of the day ...................................................................................................... 71 General Changes ................................................................................................ 72 Removal of symbol variants............................................................................... 72

Special topic EPLAN Electric P8........................................................ 73

New features in the "PLC & Bus Extension" add-on ....................................... 73 Automatically generate schematics from PLC data ........................................... 73 Interfaces for exchanging data with PLC configuration systems........................ 76 Synchronization of PLC bus configuration data on import into EPLAN.............. 77 Part assignment via the object description when importing PLC data................ 79 Assigning the connection point designations when importing PLC data ............ 80 Returning PLC connection point addresses....................................................... 80 Displaying process data in the bus configuration navigator ............................... 81 New PLC box properties .................................................................................... 81
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Using existing PLC connection points in blocks................................................. 82 Addressing by connection point designation with plug DT ................................. 83 Cables / connections .......................................................................................... 84 Function text for cables and shields................................................................... 84 Source and target in the cable DT ..................................................................... 84 Automatically assign conductors to connections................................................ 85 Display of connection properties via connection definition points ...................... 85

Special topic EPLAN Fluid ................................................................. 86

Redesign of the Festo interface ........................................................................ 86 Hyperlinks to Festo web pages ......................................................................... 87 Prefiltered Festo part selection ......................................................................... 88 New "Multi-line Fluid" representation type....................................................... 89 Synchronize function text for different representations ................................. 90 Representation possibilities for tube connections.......................................... 90 New layers for representing connections......................................................... 91 Correct trade on Festo import ........................................................................... 92

Special topic EPLAN PPE................................................................... 93

Project options for EPLAN PPE......................................................................... 93 External editing................................................................................................... 93 Multilingual input ................................................................................................ 93 PDF / DXF export ................................................................................................ 94 Automatic PCT loop numbering ........................................................................ 94 Selection of the processing function ................................................................ 94 Additional part properties .................................................................................. 94 Adoption of the free properties of a part .......................................................... 95 Transferring structure identifiers ...................................................................... 95 Reaction of the graphical preview..................................................................... 95

EPLAN View ........................................................................................ 96

Potential and signal tracking ............................................................................. 96 Display language for "variable" texts ............................................................... 96 Navigators in EPLAN View................................................................................. 96

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New features in the "API Extension" add-on .................................... 97

Methods and properties that are no longer supported.................................... 99

Other new features and information................................................ 103

New master data features ................................................................................ 103 Master data: Projects and project templates.................................................... 103 Master data: Symbols ...................................................................................... 104 Master data: Function definition library ............................................................ 121 Master data: Forms and plot frames ................................................................ 122 Master data: Macros ........................................................................................ 127 Master data: Settings for messages and check runs ....................................... 128 Master data: Device numbering ....................................................................... 128 Master data: Comments navigator ................................................................... 128 Master data: Editing in tables........................................................................... 129 Master data: Change of standard .................................................................... 129 Master data: PLC............................................................................................. 129 Master data: Inch configuration........................................................................ 130 Customer queries and messages.................................................................... 131 Activation number ............................................................................................ 134 Installation......................................................................................................... 134 Approved client operating systems ................................................................ 136 Windows XP Professional SP2 ........................................................................ 136 Windows Vista ................................................................................................. 136 Approved server operating systems............................................................... 137 Windows 2003 Server SP2 .............................................................................. 137 Windows 2003 Server R2 ................................................................................ 137 Approved database systems for parts management / selection .................. 137 Unsupported operating systems ..................................................................... 138 Windows 2000 Professional............................................................................. 138 Windows 2000 Server no longer supported ..................................................... 138 Hardware requirements.................................................................................... 139 Network requirements ...................................................................................... 140

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Preface
Dear EPLAN users, The time has come the new version of the EPLAN platform is now ready for you. You can now benefit from innovative new features and improvements that make your project planning even more efficient. The scope of the news document alone gives an idea of how many new features there are in the latest version. New flexibility in the parts management, Windows VISTA compatibility, redlining, improved ergonomics, calculation in forms, simplified placeholder object management... it is great to be able to offer you so many new features. Take the time to browse through the news and find your own favorite highlights in version 1.9. "Your feedback is important to us." At EPLAN Software & Service, this is not just an empty clich but rather an expression of our active customer orientation. Many new features and improvements have been implemented as a result of your feedback. Thank you for your commitment, which will ensure efficient further development of the EPLAN platform in the future. All new features and important version information are conveniently provided in the news document. For the first time, the news for EPLAN Electric P8, EPLAN Fluid and EPLAN PPE have been combined into a single document. The first chapter describes the new features that affect all products as a general platform. Special points relating to the individual products are then described in the later chapters. Enjoy over 140 pages of innovations and highlights and prepare to be surprised by the new possibilities offered by your EPLAN software. We wish you every success. Your EPLAN Software & Service team

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New features of the entire EPLAN platform

Parts management
Configuration of the parts structure
Parts can be structured to suit the individual perspective of the customer. Standardized structures such as VDMA, eCl@ss and ETIM are also possible. The representation in the EPLAN platform optimally adapts to the existing structure and way of thinking. This allows items to be maintained and gradually selected in a tree view, based on customerspecific criteria. Benefit: The entire Parts area is intuitive, fast, and easy to manage.

The parts structure in the Parts Management tree is no longer fixed and can now be freely defined by the user. This allows parts data to be prepared to suit different customers and different planning methods. In a similar manner to a scheme, a tree structure can now be defined in a so-called "Tree configuration". In this configuration you first define the "Main nodes" that will later represent the uppermost level of the tree structure. Then you define the substructure. All fields available in the parts management can be used as structure nodes for grouping purposes. The selection or definition of a tree configuration is done in the userspecific settings, which can also be called up from within the parts management via Extras > General.

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In the Settings: Parts management dialog, a new Tree configuration field is now available. To create a new configuration, click [...] next to the Tree configuration field to open the Tree configuration dialog.

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This dialog shows the main nodes of the selected tree configuration. In the default configuration the "EPLAN default value" scheme the main node is "Artikel" (= parts). You can use the familiar buttons for the Scheme field e.g. to create new configurations or copy and export existing configurations. You create a new main node by clicking the (New) button next to the Main nodes field. The Tree configuration - main node dialog opens. Enter the name of the main node into the Name field, as it is to be displayed in the parts management tree view (e.g. "Cable"). Then you (New) button. These insert properties into the main node via the properties later form the lower hierarchy levels (subnodes) in the tree. For a "Cable" main node, the selected properties could be e.g.: "Cable type", "Conductor cross-section / diameter", "Number of conductors".

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After you have closed all dialogs by clicking [OK], the parts management tree view is updated according to the selected tree configuration. The individual part numbers are still displayed at the lowest level in the tree. If properties that do not exist for parts are selected when configuring the main nodes properties, then empty structure nodes are displayed. If you have followed our example, then your parts management now has "Cable" main node. As the first distinction criteria, the cables are sorted by cable type. Parts without cable data are initially gathered into a subnode without a designation. You can also remove these subnodes by setting a filter for the "Cable" main node. To do this, reopen the Tree configuration dialog, click in the row with the "Cable" main node name and then use the [...] button that appears at the right edge of the row to open the Tree configuration - main node dialog. Click [...] next to the Filter field and, in the Filter dialog, set Cable type > 0 as the filter criteria. After closing all dialogs again by clicking [OK], only cable parts are still displayed in the "Cable" main node. Note: The part structure in the Part selection can also be configured. You can define a special tree configuration, which is different to the part structure in the parts management, in the Settings: Internal part selection dialog. You reach this dialog via e.g. Options > Settings > User > Management > Part selection. In the Settings: Part selection dialog, select the Internal option, click [...] and then set the desired scheme for the part selection tree view in the Tree configuration field.

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Configuration of free properties

The free properties in the parts management can now be configured using EPLAN schemes. The Free properties tab now has a Scheme drop-down list for this purpose. Benefit: Once free properties have been defined, you can then quickly transfer them to different parts without typing errors.

Use the [...] button next to the Scheme field to open the new Configure free properties dialog. Here, you can create new schemes with predefined free properties. To assign the predefined properties, select the appropriate scheme in the Free properties tab and click the [Assign scheme] button. The previous free properties of the respective part are replaced with the predefined descriptions, values, and units. These inserted properties can be edited later.

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Product subgroup for prefabricated cables

The new version offers a new Prefabricated product group in the parts management. You can use this product group to better sort prefabricated cables into the parts management structure. Since corresponding cables are usually listed in the cable assignment diagram, the Cable data tab now has a new Cable assignment diagram form field. Here, you can define the form to be used for the cable assignment diagram; click [...] to select a suitable form in the Select form dialog. When this type of part is selected in the graphical editor, the form defined in the parts management is transferred to the Cable assignment diagram form <20092> property. This causes the cable to be output in the cable assignment diagram.

Updating the parts database

The parts database can now only be updated to a new version via the parts management. Updating no longer takes place with read access to the parts database (part / device selection, parts navigator). When you use [Extras] > General in the parts management to open a parts database from an older version of EPLAN, then the database is no longer automatically updated, and is only brought up to the latest version after a confirmation dialog. If you answer the query Do you want to update the parts database "Database file name"? with [Yes], then the parts database is updated. A backup copy of the old parts database is created in the process (e.g. ESS_part001 backup 1.mdb). If you click [No], then the parts database is not updated. The parts management data fields will then remain empty and cannot be edited. Parts can be selected from new and older versions of the parts database.

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Other program components (e.g. the Current project --> parts database parts synchronization), which can also modify the data in the parts database, display an appropriate error message when the parts database is not the latest version. Note: If you work with several EPLAN versions then we recommend using the latest EPLAN version when editing and managing the parts database.

Parts management and selection via SQL server

In addition to the previously available Access parts database you can now store your parts master data on an SQL server. The SQL server that you can use is described in the chapter "Approved database systems for parts management / selection" on page 137. Benefit: SQL database support can significantly increase the performance of the parts management (and also the part selection). Larger numbers of parts can now be efficiently coupled to the platform.

You can now alternatively specify an SQL server connection where you previously specified an Access database. Parts management This is the case in the settings for parts management. The Settings: Parts management dialog has been extended to include the corresponding SQL server option (see the illustration in chapter "Configuration of the parts structure" on page 10). You use the [...] button to open the SQL server setting dialog, where you make the settings for using an SQL server.

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If an SQL server is entered in the parts management settings then selecting Extras > New database does not open the selection dialog for an Access database but instead the Create SQL server database dialog. Here you can specify the name of the new database on the SQL server. Note: In order for you to be able to enter the name of a new database in the Create SQL server database dialog, this must already be set up on the SQL server. If you have administrator rights for the SQL server then you can directly create a new database there. Please discuss this with your system administrator. Part selection The database from the parts management is set by default in the settings for internal part selection. If you wish to use a different database for part selection then you can also select an SQL server here. Accordingly, the Settings: Internal part selection dialog now also has the SQL server option for this purpose. You use [...] to reopen the SQL server settings. Note: Please note that the SQL server settings are stored in two different setting areas. The SQL settings for part selection apply only to part selection and the same applies to the SQL settings for parts management.

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Generating parts based on schematic data

In EPLAN, a part can be generated from the data stored on a component. Among other data, the part and device-specific data (function definition, connection point designation, etc.) is transferred to the parts database. A new feature is that the Parts management dialog now opens after you select the Popup menu > Generate part menu item. Benefit: You can immediately define the data of the generated part without having to edit it later.

The new part is sorted into the product group structure of the parts management, based on the function definition at the component, and is preselected. If necessary, you can edit the data of the part in the tabs on the right. Parts generated in this manner receive the value "NEW" as the Function group entry in the Technical data tab. This allows you to specifically filter for this type of part. If the component has no part number in the Part tab then the corresponding menu item in the popup menu is grayed out and cannot be selected.

New format for parts data import

A new "BMEcat" format is now available for importing parts into the parts management via Extras > Import. BMEcat is an XML-based standard for transferring electronic product catalogs. EPLAN supports BMEcat 2005 (and therefore automatically also BMEcat 1.2). Benefit: The "BMEcat" format allows manufacturer parts data to be completely imported, including ETIM or eCl@ss classification information.

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You can select an appropriate entry from the File type drop-down list in the Import records dialog. On import, the levels of the classification system transferred using "BMEcat" are adopted into the Attributes tab. You can then create a scheme for displaying the parts data (tree configuration) based on these attributes.

Assigning fields when importing parts data

The field assignment option is now also available when importing parts data. The Import records dialog now has a new Field assignment field for this purpose. Here, you stipulate a scheme for the structure and the free properties, which defines the database fields into which the imported data is read. Benefit: This simplifies the data exchange between customers who use different structures.

Importing parts data via configuration files

When importing parts data of the file types "CSV" or "Text", in the configuration file you can now also define the language to be used when importing the texts. To do this, the desired language code is specified next to the relevant multi-language fields in the configuration file. Example: A possible definition in the configuration file:
description1="DE_de@" + [1!#26] + ";EN_us@" + [1!#27] + ";RU_ru@" + [1!#28] + ";"

Here, the information for the Description 1 field (description1) is distributed over three columns. Column 26=German, column 27=English, column 28=Russian. The above configuration combines these three columns together.

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Benefit:

The translations distributed over the data sources can therefore be directly read into a multilingual field. This avoids the need for repeated importing of translations.

When importing parts data for free properties, it is now also possible to list all free properties to be imported in a single line. To do this, in the associated configuration file the free properties to be imported must be listed with the corresponding row number of the Free properties tab. Example: A possible definition in the configuration file:
table=tblFreeProperty description.1=[#3] val.1=[#4] unit.1=[#5] description.2=[#6] val.2=[#7] unit.2=[#8]

The respective row number in the Free properties tab is specified with a period "." after the description, val and unit field designations.

New customer / supplier records when editing parts

If you are editing a part, and you enter a short name that does not yet exist in the Manufacturer / Supplier fields of the General tab, then a corresponding empty customer / supplier data record is automatically generated, which you must then fill out.

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Automatic storage of parts data

For all actions that insert an object with a part number into the project, and where this part does not exist in the project, (e.g. insertion of macros, insertion of copied pages, etc.) this part is now automatically stored into the project. However, this only functions when the user also has rights to select a part or device. Benefit: The synchronization of parts data that was previously required is no longer needed in these cases.

Extended part fields

In the parts management, the Part number and Type number fields have been extended to a maximum length of 255 characters. The changes to the part number affect all tabs where this field occurs (General, Assembly, etc.). In addition, the Order number field of the General tab has been increased to 120 characters.

Part master data navigator

The menu item for the Part master data dialog has been removed from the Project data menu and is now located under Utilities > Parts > Part master data navigator. This dialog provides you with an overview of the existing part master data. The dialog can now also be opened via the button (part master data) in the Project editing toolbar.

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New features in the "User Rights Management" add-on

Note: The "User Rights Management" add-on is not included in the standard scope of delivery and must be licensed separately.

Controlling the menu structure via rights assignments

The "User Rights Management" add-on now allows you to control the scope of the menus and popup menus. If certain rights are revoked from a user, the associated menu items will be grayed out. This allows an administrator to configure the access rights and the menu structure. Benefit: This avoids the user having to deal with menu items that they do not need. This increases the clarity of the program, and therefore improves the operating speed and allows the user to work more effectively.

Note: One exception is menu items that are also used in other parts of the program (such as Copy or Delete). These will still be available. If the user calls up these actions, a message is displayed that the editing is not possible due to the settings in rights management.

Updating the rights database

The new version now allows the rights database to be updated. Benefit: This allows you to adopt the new rights offered by EPLAN for rights management while still retaining the rights already assigned and user groups that you have created.

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To use this feature, click the new [Update] button in the Rights management dialog. A progress bar shows the update process. The new rights are transferred to your rights database. After updating, the System messages dialog is automatically opened. Here you can see which rights have been added or removed. The new rights are then available for the existing user groups. By default, they are activated for all groups, including "Guests". Another change is that you can now also edit the "Guests" user group.

New rights
Administrators can now extend the assignment of rights to include dialogs. If a dialog (e.g. the page navigator) is blocked for a particular user group, the group members can open the dialog but cannot edit any data or documents. Settings dialogs are an exception to this. These are hidden when they are blocked for a user group. The rights for dialogs are identified in the Rights management: <User group> dialog by the "[dialog]" suffix. For example, the rights for page management contain the right Page navigator [dialog]. The rights management now also has new rights for EPLAN API actions. These are identified by the "[interface]" suffix. For example, in the Print and print preview category next to the Print right for the menu item there is a new Print [interface] right for the EPLAN API "print" action. If a user does not have the corresponding right for this action then he / she cannot e.g. print project pages by entering command line parameters.

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User interface changes to the "Rights management" dialog

In addition to the new [Update] button mentioned in the previous section, other changes have been made to the user interface of the Rights management: Users and Rights management: Groups dialogs. The Edit, New and Delete functions are now arranged as buttons in a toolbar above the users or groups similar to many other EPLAN dialogs.

The Rights management: Groups dialog now has an additional (Copy) button. This button copies an existing user group including all rights that this group possesses. EPLAN opens the Group dialog. Enter a name and description of the new group here. To change a password in the Rights management: Users dialog, you now select a user name on the right of the dialog and then click [Change password]. In the subsequent Change password dialog you can change the password that the associated user uses to log on to EPLAN. This is possible for all users except the standard "GUEST" user.

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Write-protection for the rights database

The rights database can now also be write-protected via the operating system. Benefit: This allows the rights database e.g. to be protected from direct file access by the user so that manipulation is avoided.

If the rights database is write-protected, a "write protected" suffix is displayed in the title bar of the Rights management dialog. All editing options are then no longer available and are grayed out. This also means that users without write rights for the database can no longer change their password by themselves.

Database is not opened when querying rights

Before executing an action, EPLAN checks internally whether the user has the appropriate rights for this. This rights query no longer opens the rights database, which significantly improves the performance of the program. Benefit: Improved performance of the EPLAN platform.

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New "Redlining" feature

"Redlining" describes a workflow for revising schematics. To do this, a project creator or editor sends a plan to a project redliner. The redliner comments on the plan and returns it to the project creator or editor. The creator/editor then revises the plan based on the comments. This type of workflow is now supported by EPLAN. Schematics can be output as PDF files and then released for commenting in Adobe Acrobat Professional. The Adobe Reader can then be used to add comments to the PDF that EPLAN reads again. This creates a workflow allowing "Redlining" to take place in digital form outside of EPLAN. The project editor is optimally supported in adding and maintaining the comments. Paperwork and faxes are no longer necessary and the comments are always clearly legible. Benefit: This significantly accelerates the feedback of information and produces higher-quality results.

For our customers, "Redlining Workflow" means:

Simple acquisition of comments outside EPLAN (PDF export from EPLAN, commenting with Adobe Reader). No software investment is needed by the redliner (Adobe Reader is free of charge). Simple importing of the comments into the EPLAN source project via the import of PDF comments. Easy revision via fast navigation through the comments in the project. Globally usable because the Adobe Acrobat family and the Reader are internationally oriented.

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Description of the "Redlining Workflow"

In EPLAN:

Export the source project pages as PDF files: Using the familiar Page > Export > PDF menu items, the Project creator exports the pages into a PDF file.

Outside of EPLAN:

Open the PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Professional:

The Project creator opens the generated PDF file and releases it

for commenting in Adobe Reader. Then he / she sends the released PDF file to the redliner. The Project creator can also send the PDF file to a third party for inspection via e-mail from within Acrobat. The PDF file is then automatically released for commenting. Create comments in Adobe Reader: The Redliner adds comments to the PDF file by using Adobe Reader to insert graphical and text comments into the pages. He / she then sends the commented PDF file back to the project creator. Note: An Adobe Reader of version 7.0 or 8 is required in order to use the commenting tools. In EPLAN:

Import the PDF comments into the EPLAN source project: The Project creator has a new PDF comments menu item under Page > Import available for this purpose. The selected PDF file is read via [Open]. This is then compared with the existing comments. After importing, the PDF comments are visible as project comments in the pages. Manually revise the source project based on the comments: The Project creator can read, edit, manage, and delete the project comments in EPLAN.
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Displaying and editing the comments in the graphical editor

In the graphical editor the text comments are displayed as text ("Comment") with a border. All other comments are presented as simple lines, polylines, or ellipses. Double-clicking a comment on a page opens the Properties dialog with the Comment tab. The Author, Creation date and Modification date fields provide you with information about the comment. The Comment text field contains the actual comment text entered into the PDF file by the author. As with other graphical objects, comments can be copied, inserted, moved within a page, and manually deleted. If all comments in a project need to be deleted together, then a new Comments check box exists in the compression settings for this purpose. You can then delete all project comments from the project by selecting Project > Organize > Compress and then making the appropriate compression settings.

Comments navigator
A navigator dialog for navigating the comments in a project is available under Page > Comments navigator. This dialog shows you tree and list views of all PDF comments in the currently open project. The PDF comments are sorted according to the page structure of the project. You can use the popup menu to jump to the associated PDF comments on the EPLAN page.

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Extended "EPLAN Project Reference" add-on

Note: The "EPLAN Project Reference" add-on is not included in the standard scope of delivery and must be licensed separately. The "EPLAN Project Reference" add-on has been heavily enhanced and now offers you simple, easy to understand project verification. Benefit: The new settings allow the scope of verification to be controlled in a manner appropriate to the particular task. The verification messages refer directly to the changed settings. This makes project verification and correction very easy.

Project participants, e.g. the customer, often send a particular project state to other project participants, e.g., suppliers. These then edit the project and return a more advanced project state. Using the project verification, before loading the project status you can check whether the project has met your requirements or whether it is of a predetermined standard. For comparisons between a comparison project and an incoming project you can check the following criteria:

Is the project free of errors? A project is free of errors if none of the scheduled check runs generate messages. Are the project-related settings unchanged? Are the project data properties unchanged? Are they compliant with the project planning specifications?

If the project status does not fulfill your requirements, a message report can be created that documents the differences from the project specifications.

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Comparison project and incoming project

The user receives a project the Incoming project e.g. back from a supplier and wishes to verify this project. The user has already saved a Comparison project for this purpose, which is used as a reference. In project verification the two projects the comparison project and the incoming project are then compared to each other. Comparison project The comparison project is the original project or the project generated without being changed from the original project. It contains the original project status. This project will be compared to the incoming project. The following projects are available as comparison projects:

Standard EPLAN projects (*.elk) Editable EPLAN projects (*.elk, *.ell) Filed-off EPLAN projects (*.els) Revised EPLAN projects (*.elr) Temporary comparison projects (*.elt) EPLAN projects with revision tracking (*.ell).

Incoming project The incoming project is the project that you wish to verify. It contains an advanced project status. Either check whether your own project fulfills the specified standard or check whether a project fulfills your requirements after having been edited by a third party.

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Verifying a project
The extended project verification is started from the project management. First, select the Incoming project which has the advanced project status. Instead of the old Compare properties menu item, the Verify project menu item is now available under [Extras]. In the dialog of the same name that then opens, you specify which actions are to be carried out by EPLAN during the project verification. When verifying projects, the settings and properties of a comparison project are compared with those of an incoming project. Likewise, targeted check runs are carried out on the incoming project.

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Select comparison project: Select the comparison project in this field. The comparison project is the (New) you original project to be compared to the incoming project. Via can select a different comparison project in a subsequent dialog. Compare settings: If this check box is selected then a scheme is used to check if the project-specific settings of the comparison project and incoming project are the same. You select the scheme for the settings comparison in the Scheme field below. Compare properties: If this check box is selected then another scheme is used to compare particular properties of the comparison project and incoming project. You select the scheme for the properties comparison in the Scheme field below. Perform project checks: If this check box is selected then check runs are performed in the project comparison of the project verification. You use a check run scheme to define the check runs to be performed, which you can select in the Scheme field below. You can also compare the project structures and level settings of both projects. In the Verify project dialog, the two Compare project structures and Compare layers check boxes are provided for this purpose. Clicking [OK] starts the project comparison. EPLAN then shows the results in the Project verification: Results dialog and in the message management. The results are then in the incoming project.

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Results of the project verification

After performing the project comparison, EPLAN opens the Project verification: Results dialog. The Result tab shows you a brief overview of which comparisons and check runs were performed during the project verification and which were not. If you select a row, the Message description field will show a text with a description. Detailed results of the project verification can be found under Project data > Messages > Management.

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An icon in the Status column shows you the respective result for the comparison or check run: No messages available! There are no settings / property differences between the comparison and incoming project. The check run did not generate any check run messages. Error: Errors were found during the comparison / check run. The project verification found settings / property differences between the comparison and incoming project. The check run generated check run messages. Warning: The comparison / check run was not completed. Possible causes: You did not select the comparison / check run for the project verification. You selected the setting Stop comparison when first difference is found and EPLAN discovered a difference so did not complete the comparison / check run. The Status tab also shows additional statistics of the check runs, e.g. the number of errors. This tab is also available in the Project management dialog. In contrast to the previous version, the check run scheme used is also shown in the tab. The display of the number of messages is no longer in a single column but now in separate Error, Warning and Note columns.

The results in the message management

The message management lists the detailed results of a project verification. You can copy the results from the message management and paste them into other applications. The differences found during a comparison are displayed in the following form: "Descriptive text of the respective setting, property, project structure; old value -> new value".

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New "Select scope of menu" feature

All product versions (except EPLAN View) now allow you to select the menu scope when starting the program. This helps to significantly reduce the complexity of the program for beginners and advanced users alike. Benefit: This avoids the respective user having to deal with menu items that they do not need. The clearer user interface increases operating speed and allows you to work more effectively.

With the "User Rights Management" add-on, the menu items can be defined in detail for every user (see chapter "Controlling the menu structure via rights assignments" on page 22). The Select scope of menu dialog is automatically displayed when EPLAN starts.

In this dialog you specify the user mode in which you would like to define the displayed scope of the menu. EPLAN has three user modes available:

Beginner Advanced Expert.

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Every user mode has a certain menu scope defined by EPLAN. You can also change the defined mode again the next time you start the program. As usual, the Select scope of menu can be switched off by selecting the Do not show this dialog again check box. Dialogs that you have deactivated in this manner can be reactivated under Options > Settings > User > Display > User interface using the Reactivate suppressed messages check box. Note: The user mode query on program start only occurs when EPLAN is operated without rights management. If one of the Log on or Log on with Windows user name operating modes is selected in the rights management then the Select scope of menu dialog is not opened.

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New EPLAN basic projects with master data

The new version introduces a new type of basic project. These new templates with the *.zw9 file extension already contain the master data (symbols, plot frames, forms, etc.). Benefit: These allow you to create sample projects for your customers (templates for new projects) without having to additionally provide the master data.

If you wish to create a basic project from an existing project, then you do this in the same way as before. After selecting e.g. Project > Organize > Create basic project the entire project is saved as a basic project. Among other dialogs, the Zip project dialog now opens and the basic project is then generated. By default the new templates are still stored in the set template directory Templates\<Company code>. Double-clicking on a file with the *.zw9 extension starts EPLAN and you can immediately use the Select target project dialog to specify the storage location and name of a new project. Another new feature is that you can now use all templates when creating a project via the New menu item or the project wizards (New (Wizard)). This means that all template formats (*.ept, *.epb, *.zw9) are available as a File type in the respective dialog. After you have defined the file type of the template in the Select project template / basic project or Create project dialog, the familiar project creation procedure occurs. Note: You can continue to use the previous *.epb format for basic projects. However, creating new basic projects in this format is not possible anymore. These project templates are also no longer supplied by EPLAN on the installation CD.

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New "Print attached documents" menu item

A new additional printing feature is now available in EPLAN. Selecting Project > Print attached documents opens a dialog listing all attached documents linked in the project. Attached documents are external documents inserted into schematic pages via hyperlinks or entered into the parts used. Benefit: There is no longer any need to spend a long time searching for the documents attached to an EPLAN project.

In the Print attached documents dialog you can use the Print check box to define whether or not each respective listed document is to be printed. The Page, part column lists the page names or part numbers where an attached document was found. For documents that are multiply linked in the project, the respective page names or part numbers are individually listed separated by commas.

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Clicking [OK] then calls up the normal print dialog. Some fields in the Print dialog are grayed out because the corresponding settings cannot be made when printing attached documents. Note: Please note that the following linked documents are not taken into account when printing via Print attached documents: Pages of the External document page type. These pages are already printed via the "normal" printing functions. Linked documents on report pages. These attached documents on part report pages are covered by the parts already considered. Documents linked via the HTTP protocol (e.g. Internet pages).

New "Properties" menu item

Previously, you could only open project properties via the popup menu in the Pages dialog. The new version allows the project properties to be directly called up via the Project menu. The menu has now been extended with a new Properties menu item for this purpose.

New "Adjust column width" popup menu item

The popup menu of some tabular displays, e.g. Structure identifier management, when editing terminal strips and plugs, in the page navigator List etc., now has a new Adjust column width menu item. Similar to the [Ctrl] + ["+"] ("Plus" on the keyboard numeric keypad) this menu item adjusts all columns so that the headings and column content are fully legible.

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New dialog layout for placeholder objects

A new table with a tree-like structure in the Assignment tab of the Placeholder object dialog now displays the data much more clearly. You navigate to the respective properties via the object type (e.g. cable definition) and the object name (e.g. full DT or the text of a path function text). Benefit: This fundamentally simplifies and accelerates the process of finding properties and variables.

You can reduce the number of displayed properties still further by using the Only display properties with value in Variable column check box. If this check box is selected then the table only shows the properties which have a value in the Variable column.

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The Assignment tab also has a new Name (full) property available. This property allows you to specify the full DT. If the Name (visible) property of a placeholder object now also has a value (variable) then this takes precedence over the Name (full) property. In this case, when e.g. inserting a macro with an appropriate placeholder object, a system message that can be deactivated notifies you that the Name (full) cannot be taken into account.

Part selection for variable values

If you assign a variable to a Part number [1] [50] property in the Placeholder object dialog, then the Values tab allows you to enter the part for this variable via the part selection.

To do this, click the corresponding table cell and use [...] to call up the Part selection dialog.

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Benefit:

With this new feature, the inaccurate "manual" entry of part numbers at this point is no longer needed.

Data import from EPLAN 5 / fluidPLAN

When importing data from EPLAN 5 projects, cross-references were multiply represented in the PLC overview. To better represent the EPLAN 5 settings in the program, you can now create schemes for PLC power supplies in the general settings for EPLAN 5 data imports. When creating your own scheme you use the PLC power supplies dialog to assign EPLAN 5 properties to the desired P8 properties. The different group identifiers at the variants defined in a contactor specification file are now correctly transferred to the part variants on import. The corresponding Accessory code in the Parts management has been extended (to a field length of 100 characters) for this purpose. The project-specific settings now have a new EPLAN 5-compatible behavior setting for data import (menu path: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Management > General). This check box is selected by default when importing data from EPLAN 5 projects. This means that the DT of terminal strip definitions and plug definitions is not nested and these objects also do not appear in the cross-reference at the main function.

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Note: This check box is only available if you have transferred an EPLAN 5 project via Project > EPLAN 5 / fluidPLAN data import > Project. If this is not the case, this setting option is not displayed. When importing from EPLAN 5, the remarks are now loaded into the function text of cable definitions. The contents of the "Remarks" are written to the function text and this is placed where the remarks were placed. Depending on the Replace empty cable remarks with function text parameter in EPLAN 5, the "Function text (automatic)" or the function text is placed in reports where a cable was assigned a remark.

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Reports
Special layout for the first page of a report
According to the GOST standard 2.104-2006 the first page of a report must use a different layout to the subsequent pages. The plot frame used for editing a form can now also be used for the finished report pages. To do this, in the form properties of the form to be output the Plot frame to edit form <13001> and Use 'Plot frame to edit form' property for reports <13055> properties must be selected and configured accordingly. It is now also possible to select a different form (with a different plot frame if necessary) for the second and subsequent pages of a report block. To do this, the new Form for subsequent pages <13056> property in the form properties must be appropriately configured. For function-related reports (e.g. terminal diagram) the first page of every terminal diagram then looks different to the subsequent pages. If the Combine option for the Terminal diagram report type is selected, then a different form and plot frame is output only on the first page of the first terminal diagram of the report block. Several function-related reports of one report type are combined into a report block if:

dynamic forms are used and if, in the Settings: Output to pages dialog for the desired report type, the Combine setting is selected.

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Displaying frozen report pages

This version contains two new features for displaying frozen report pages. The new Frozen report page <11049> page property now allows you to also filter for frozen report pages. For example, this property can be used in the Filter: Pages dialog as a filter criterion for the page navigator. The icon is used for frozen report pages in the page navigator. The project statistics of the Project properties - <Project name> dialog now also has a new Frozen pages column. The number of frozen report pages for each page type is displayed in this column. Note: Please note that manually created report pages (e.g. manually created title pages) are also recognized as "frozen reports" by the program.

Reports and creation date

If report pages are updated, they now only receive a new creation date if the project data on which the report is based has also changed. If no changes have been made to the corresponding schematic pages then a new creation date is not set when the reports are updated. Benefit: This allows you recognize which reports have actually changed after an update.

To do this, you e.g. set the filter for the page navigator so that only the pages newer than a particular creation date are displayed. The Creation date and Creator properties in the Reports dialog can no longer be manually edited. Your "own" creation date can now only be defined when generating new reports in the Define report dialog.

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New filtering options

When generating a structure identifier overview, you can now also set a filter for this in the Filter / sorting dialog. This provides you with a filtered output of the structure identifier overview, e.g. according to the designation or the structure description. By default, four new filter schemes are now available, "Higher-level functions", "Higher-level functions and mounting locations", "Higher-level function numbers", and "Mounting locations". In a similar manner you can now filter by structure identifier when outputting "Table of contents" report pages.

Line breaks in reports

If you use placeholder texts with alignment boxes in forms where the Remove breaks check box is not selected then the line breaks are also output when the corresponding report pages are generated.

Device without part number

The Device without part number setting in the Settings: Parts dialog, also now affects the Parts list and Summarized parts list reports. This means that devices not assigned a part are included in these lists when generating reports.

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Multiple DTs in a single line of the summarized parts list

It is now possible to output several device tags in a single line of the summarized parts list. If the last part of the device tag is a number and these numbers follow on from each other consecutively then the display of the device tags is summarized to "...". Thus, for "T1;T2;T3;T14;T15;T16;T20" the summarized parts list will show "T1...T3;T14...T16;T20". This has been enabled for the following properties:

Device tag (identifying) <20005> Device tag (full) <20006> Device tag (identifying, without project structure) <20008> Device tag (visible) <20010>

Terminal accessories in the terminal line-up diagram

In the terminal line-up diagram, instead of the part number the terminal number is now output for terminal accessories.

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Labeling
Calculations for labeling
Calculations are now possible when outputting labeling data. The Label tab of the Settings: Labeling dialog now has a new "Calculation" format element for this purpose. This new format element allows you to generate a calculation formula. If button to move it to the right then a new Format: you use the Calculation dialog opens.

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In this dialog you can use format elements to create a calculation formula for project and parts data in order to output this in a label or report file. Most of these format elements represent mathematical symbols (+, -, * etc.). The "Number" element allows entry of a numerical constant for the calculation formula. When the "Placeholder text" format element is selected, the familiar Placeholder text dialog opens, where placeholder text specific to the form type can be inserted into the formula.

Project properties in the labeling area

When you output project data via Utilities > Reports > Labeling, you can now select project properties in the data area of the Label tab. This applies to all report types. In this way you can e.g. transfer the project name or commissioning number in every data record.

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Page navigator
Manual page sorting in the list view
The pages in the list view of the page navigator can now also be manually sorted. The list now has a Manual page sorting popup menu item for this purpose. In the subsequent dialog, you define the page sorting sequence for actions such as paging, printing, outputting of cross-references, etc. Manual page sorting only affects list views, tree views remain unchanged. If new pages are added to the project via creation, copying, importing, etc., these are always appended to the end of the list, which must then be resorted as required.

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Moving or copying pages via Drag & Drop

In the tree view of the page navigator you can now also move and copy pages via Drag & Drop. This feature corresponds to the moving and copying of data in the Windows Explorer. To move pages, first select the desired pages, then hold down the left mouse button and drag them to the desired position. This can be the same project, a different project, or a project that is open in a different page navigator in a second EPLAN application. As soon as you release the mouse button, the familiar Adjust page structure dialog opens. This protects you from mistaken commands (accidentally moving pages). The structure identifiers of the position to which you have moved are automatically adopted and entered into the Adjust page structure dialog for the moved pages. If you wish to copy pages via Drag & Drop, then hold down the [Ctrl] key while dragging the pages to the new position.

Creating page macros via Drag & Drop

When creating page macros via Drag & Drop, the abovementioned new features have resulted in a change to the program. You now select the desired pages in the tree view of the page navigator, hold down the [Shift] key and pull the pages into the Windows Explorer. Reinsertion of a page macro is now also done only via Drag & Drop.

Directly adopting structure identifiers

The structure identifiers can now be directly renamed in the page navigator. To do this, select the identifier to be renamed in the tree view of the pages, e.g. with a mouse click. Then press [F2] or click once more at the appropriate level of the tree. The structure identifier is displayed in an editing frame. Enter the new designation here.

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When doing this, the structure identifiers of all pages below the selected node of the tree are also changed. The functions placed on these pages also receive the new structure identifier. This allows e.g. devices distributed over different pages to be separated. If you have entered a new structure identifier when directly renaming, then the familiar Place identifiers dialog opens.

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Devices
Automatically recognizing existing main functions
Existing main functions are now automatically recognized. The device tabs now have a new Main function check box for this purpose.

This check box is selected the first time a main function is placed. The next device with the same DT that is inserted or placed is recognized as an auxiliary function and the check box is deselected accordingly. Note: The setting is automatically compared to the check box of the same name in the Symbol / function data tab. Benefit: In many cases, preselection as a main function means that the user no longer needs to provide an identifier. This allows faster editing of the device properties.

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Filtering option in DT selection

The DT selection dialog now has a filtering option similar to the navigators. The same filters as used in the respective navigators are also used for the different devices. For example, for cables in the DT selection the same number of filters are offered as in the Cable project data dialog.

Storing user-defined property arrangements

You can now also save the user-defined property arrangements under a name in the Display tab. A stored arrangement is only available for symbol variants of the same type. Benefit: Direct selection of a scheme means that the previous "manual" editing of the property arrangement is no longer necessary.

(Save) in the toolbar above the Property arrangement dropClick down list and enter a descriptive name for the property arrangement in the Save property arrangement dialog or overwrite an existing one by selecting its name from the drop-down list.

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If the newly created property arrangement is to be used as a default for all other usages of these symbol variants, select the Use as default check box. This will result in all previously saved arrangements for this symbol variant being ignored. If necessary, you can delete a user-defined property arrangement via .

Display settings for connection points

The Display tab of the properties dialog now allows editing of the property placements of the connection points. In addition to the existing properties in the Component tab, you now have a list of connection point properties of the symbol available. By default, this list in the Connection points tab shows you all connection point designations and descriptions of the symbol. For symbols without connection points (e.g. black boxes, PLC boxes, cable definition lines) the list remains empty.

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The Connection points tab allows you to influence the display settings of individual connection points. For example, you can set the connection point designation of a symbol to be Invisible. The base point for the coordinates of a placed connection point property is the connection point itself.

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DT adoption conforming to the GOST standard

The new DT search direction conforming to GOST standard plot frame property allows the search direction for DT adoption to be changed to suit the GOST standard. If this property is activated then, for plot frames with the "Vertical" reporting direction, the DT is searched to the right and also adopted from the right. For plot frames with the "Horizontal" reporting direction, the DT is searched downwards and also adopted from below. The alternative search direction is used when the "As an alternative to orientation of plot frame" setting is selected in the Search direction for transferring the device tag property of a function. The following table clarifies the possible search directions for DT adoption based on the Direction of report generation of the plot frame: Plot frame IEC NFPA GOST GOST Direction of report generation Vertical Horizontal Vertical Horizontal Search direction To the left Upwards To the right Downwards Alternative search direction Upwards To the left Upwards To the right

In the GOST plot frames for logic pages we have supplied in the new version, the DT search direction conforming to GOST standard plot frame property is activated by default.

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Device navigator
When you generate a New device in the device navigator then the corresponding properties are now written back from the part to the main function, as with device selection.

Filters in the navigators

If in the navigators (e.g. the PLC navigator) you now define a filter with the criteria Function category or Function group, then the possible selection for the Value field via the [...] button is now much faster than before. When selecting the comparison value in the Function definitions dialog you can now directly select a function category or a function group. You no longer need to navigate to an associated function definition.

Terminals / plugs
During numbering SH terminals and SH pins are now treated in the same way as PE terminals, PE pins, N terminals and N pins. The user interface of the Numbering formats, Number pins, and Number terminals dialogs has been adjusted accordingly.

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Finding and replacing

A filter is now also available when searching for project data. Benefit: This allows you to find components and functions which have e.g. a particular representation type or function definition.

The Find dialog has been extended with a new Filter for functions field for this purpose. Here you can select the same predefined filter schemes as in the device navigator. Click [...] to open the Filter dialog, where you can define a filter scheme. When selecting the filter criteria, only function properties and no page properties are available.

Graphical editor
Message texts in the graphical editor
The new version allows message texts from the message management to be displayed in the graphical editor. Benefit: Planning mistakes are immediately visible in the schematic as soon as they occur (i.e. "online") and can be directly corrected or even avoided. The message management no longer needs to be called up separately.

For this feature, EPLAN has been extended with a new property and a new layer. To allow a message text to be displayed in the graphical editor you must first set the new EPLAN520 layer ("Property placement.Message text") in the layer management to Visible. Then select the new Message text <20185> property in the Display tab of the desired properties dialog. If e.g. a faulty entry at a component (entry of an already assigned terminal designation) is found during an appropriate check type ("Online / offline"), then the message text is displayed online in the graphical editor ("Terminal of the same name used multiple times").

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If you save the user-defined property arrangements with the Message text <20185> property under a particular name (see the chapter "Storing user-defined property arrangements" on page 54), then you can also make this property arrangement available to other components (e.g. other terminals) with the same symbol variant. Note: Once you have corrected an error, the corresponding message text at the component is not automatically deleted but must be removed via a check run (i.e. offline), similar to processed messages in the message management.

Form editor
Calculations and formatting in forms
You can now insert placeholders with multiple formatted properties or calculation formulae into forms. For this purpose, the Properties Placeholder text dialog now has a new Properties formatted / calculated field. You use the [...] button next to the field to open the Format: Property dialog. In this dialog you define the properties and / or the calculation to be stored as a placeholder in the form. In addition to property groups specific to the form type, "Separator" and "Calculation" can be selected as format elements. The selection of a particular property and the definition of its format is done in the familiar Format: Block property dialog. If you use the button to move the "Calculation" format element to the right then a new Format: Calculation dialog opens. In contrast to the calculation dialog mentioned in chapter "Labeling" (see page 48) the Hide output if group box is available here. In this group box you define a condition under which the project / parts data is not output when generating the report.
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Separator between header objects

In dynamic forms it is now also possible to list all header objects next to each other in the page description. To do this, the Format for automatic page description dialog now has a new Separator between header objects format element. When you select this format element, the Format: Separator dialog opens. Here you can define a single separator character or a separator text for header objects. The separator between header objects can only be defined once and is automatically added to the end of the Selected format elements list; this position cannot be changed. If no separator for header objects has been defined then an empty space is inserted between individual header objects.

Define individual separators for forms

If the Dynamic line adjustment form property is deactivated for a form, the project data is output in a single row with separator characters. This can mean that EPLAN splits the text in the middle. To avoid this, there is now a new Separator for multiple values <13059> form property allowing you to define your own separators for forms.

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If several values are output in a text then the character entered in the form properties is used as a separator. (A character string or a line break can also be entered as a separator.) If the property remains empty then a semicolon is used as a separator.

Regenerating headings in forms

The Regenerate main sub-header <13003> form property has previously been used in forms to generate a new heading on a report page as soon as a particular property changes. You now no longer select this property in forms, but instead use a new property to define a reference to the sorting of the respective report. This means, in the form you define whether the sorting properties are to be used for generating new headings.

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The new form property Generate headings for the first x sorting properties<13060> is now available for this purpose. The following values are possible: Value 0 1 2 3 etc. Example: The scheme set for outputting devices in the Sorting dialog is:
Higher-level function + Mounting location + DT

Meaning (No new heading) The first sorting property is used for headings The first and second sorting properties are used for headings The first, second, and third sorting properties are used for headings

In the form for the device list, the Generate headings for the first x sorting properties <13060> property has been selected. It has a value of: 1 If you now generate the report pages for the device list, then a new heading is generated for every higher-level function, containing e.g. the higher-level function name. The data between the headings is still sorted by mounting location and DT.

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Settings
Symbol for cable / shield connection definition points
The symbols displayed for connection definition points on cable definition lines or shields can now be defined separately for multi-line or single-line representations. For this purpose, the settings in the Settings: Cable dialog are now distributed over the two Multi-line and Single-line tabs (menu path: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Devices > Cable). Both tabs have the same dialog elements.

Benefit:

If different symbols are needed for displaying the abovementioned connection definition points on multi-line and single-line schematic pages, then the time-consuming adjustment of the settings before inserting the symbols (cable definition / shield) is no longer necessary.

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Use alternative property arrangements

For symbols according to the GOST standard (the Russian national standard) the device tag must be placed to the right or upper-right of the symbol graphic. Numerous symbols in the SPECIAL symbol library that can have a DT have been extended with the appropriate property arrangements (see also chapter "Master data: Symbols" from page 104). To allow switching between the different property arrangements for these special symbols in a project (e.g. default setting (left top, outside, 0o) -> default setting (right top, outside, 0o (alternative))) a new Use alternative property arrangement setting is now available in the project-specific settings for graphical editing (menu path: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Graphical editing > General). If this check box is selected then, for all symbols inserted into the project, in the Display tab the "Default setting (alternative)" Property arrangement is set according to the GOST standard. The setting has no effect on symbols from symbol libraries that do not have an appropriate property arrangement these retain the original default property arrangement. For these new settings at the symbol, the symbol properties have been extended with the Standard property arrangement for variant A (alternative) <16033> to Standard property arrangement for variant H (alternative) <16040> properties.

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Fonts as project settings

The fonts available in EPLAN can now be defined as project settings (menu path: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Graphical editing > Fonts). Benefit: This allows you to define specific fonts for every project or use the "From company settings" option to base this on the company settings.

The fonts defined in the project settings have priority over the fonts defined in the company settings. If a font that does not exist on the computer is specified in the project settings, then the appropriate font from the company settings is used.

Swap row and column information in cross-references

In EPLAN, you can now use a setting to first display the row and then the column in cross-references. Under Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Cross-references / contact image > General a new Rows and columns in cross-reference: Swap row and column information check box is now available for this purpose. If this check box is selected then the sequence of the display changes. The separators defined in the Separator group box are not changed by this. For example, when using a reporting direction as per IEC and with the check box selected, instead of page / column / row ("/20.1:A"), page / row / column ("/20:A.1") is displayed.

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Updating interruption point cross-references

The new Always update cross-references setting allows you to individually customize the updating of interruption point cross-references in EPLAN to suit fast or slow computers. The corresponding check box is located under Options > Settings > User > Display > General. If this check box is selected, then the graphical editor view is rebuilt after every editing step. This always automatically updates the interruption point cross-references on the page. We recommend this setting for fast computers (e.g. a processor of at least 3 GHz). You should deselect this setting for slow computers. In this case, automatic updates do not take place. If necessary, the display of interruption point cross-references can be manually updated via View > Redraw or the [F5] key.

Use of the logon name

In the user-specific settings for the user code, you can now also define that the Logon name is not output to automatically filled properties, e.g. Creator for projects, pages, forms, plot frames, symbols or revisions. If the Use logon name for changes check box is deselected, then instead of the Logon name the entries from the Code and Name fields are used. If the Code and Name fields are empty, a warning is displayed and the check box is automatically selected, i.e. the logon name is then used.

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Show property number behind property name

The user-specific settings for the user interface now have a Show property number behind the property name check box available. This check box is enabled when you select the Display property numbers check box above this. This new setting allows you to define that the property number is displayed behind the actual property text (e.g. Function definition <20026>). Benefit: This ensures that you can sort the property names in the property dialogs alphabetically, in spite of the displayed number.

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Export invisible elements in the PDF export

Adjustments to the Print invisible elements user-specific settings now allow elements identified as "invisible" to be included in PDF exports. Accordingly, the setting has been renamed Print / Export invisible elements.

Scaling factors for printing

In the print settings you can now define a horizontal and vertical scaling factor for correcting scaled printing. This can be necessary when e.g. different printers lead to inaccuracies when carrying out scaled printing. You reach the new Scaling group box via e.g. the menu path: Options > Settings > Workstation > Graphical editing > Print.

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Properties
Page properties
The new property Total no. of pages (regarding structure) <11004> is now available in the property selection for page properties. This property automatically displays the number of pages with the same structure identifier and can therefore e.g. be inserted as special text in plot frames. We have adjusted some GOST plot frames accordingly (see chapter "Master data: Forms and plot frames" on page 122).

Block properties
The first 10 block properties <20201 1-10> can now also be displayed in the following dialogs:

Dialog Interconnect devices (Block properties 1-10 of the device) Dialog Edit terminal strip (Block properties 1-10 of the terminals) Dialog Edit plug (Block properties 1-10 of the plug) Dialog Edit cable (Block properties 1-10 of the connections).

"Terminal / pin designation" property

The Terminal / pin designation <20030> property now behaves in the same way as the connection point designations and descriptions of general devices and can be displayed rotated when changing standards. The corresponding Display rotated connection point designation setting is located under Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Graphical editing > General. This new feature made it necessary to change master data in the symbol libraries, which also makes it possible to now display the connection point designations rotated at device connection points. The Terminal / pin designation can now only be individually placed and can no longer be docked to other placed properties in the display settings of the properties dialog.
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Direct editing
You can now also directly activate the Direct editing editing mode option with the mouse. This functions in a similar manner to renaming files in the Windows Explorer. First, select the text or component on your page and then leave the cursor over the text to be edited. To open the editing frame, briefly hold down the left mouse button and then release it.

Tip of the day

The Tip of the day dialog has been redesigned and now supports Unicode. This allows you to e.g. start EPLAN on a German operating system in a different dialog language (e.g. Russian or Chinese) and the help text in the tip of the day is now displayed correctly.

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General Changes
Removal of symbol variants
Most users only use the first 4 symbol variants (A-D) in their projects. Removing the other variants (E-H) significantly reduces the amount of data in a project. For this reason, when compressing a project it is now also possible to remove the unused E-H symbol variants from the project. In the Symbols area of the compression settings, you now have a new Remove unused alternative symbol variants check box available for this purpose. If the check box is selected and a project is compressed, then the unused E-H symbol variants are removed from the symbol libraries and are no longer available, e.g. in symbol selection. This removal of symbol variants has no effect on the synchronization of master data. For comparison purposes, the symbol libraries in the project master data (without variants E-H) are regarded as identical to the "complete" libraries in the system master data. If a corresponding symbol library in the Synchronization of master data dialog is still copied into then a warning message the system master data via the arrow button is displayed.

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Special topic EPLAN Electric P8

New features in the "PLC & Bus Extension" add-on
Note: The "PLC & Bus Extension" add-on is not included in the standard scope of delivery and must be licensed separately. The "PLC & Bus Extension" add-on helps you to manage PLC controllers and bus systems.

Automatically generate schematics from PLC data

The new version of EPLAN allows unplaced PLC functions (or those that are unplaced in particular representations) to be automatically placed, thus allowing PLC schematics with different overview pages to be generated. You can first create unplaced PLC functions in the PLC navigator or the bus configuration navigator. Assignment lists and hardware configurations from the PLC tools of the manufacturer can also be used as data sources. You can also import unplaced PLC functions from a bus configuration file. If you use assignment lists, then these must first be imported via the Addresses / assignment lists dialog in order to define new PLC addresses. You then use the Generate with device option of the context menu for unplaced PLC functions to generate new addresses for these. Schematics, PLC overviews, and rack structure overviews are automatically generated as target data. Benefit: This allows bus configurations to be created using special bus configuration programs, which can then be imported into EPLAN and used to generate a schematic.

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This new feature is accessed via the menu items Project data > PLC > Generate schematic. In the subsequent Generate PLC schematic dialog, you select the PLC devices that are to be automatically placed.

The Objects column shows the PLC devices that are fully or partially contained in the previous selection (pages or PLC connection points in the graphical editor, in the PLC navigator, etc.). The Macro file column shows the macro name entered at the part if the function is assigned to a corresponding part. Otherwise, you assign a suitable macro to the PLC box in the Macro file column or swap the automatically assigned macro if necessary. To do this, click [...] in the cell and select the desired macro in the Select macro dialog. You assign suitable wiring macros to the PLC macro in a similar manner. The macros can also be pulled into a table row from the Explorer using Drag & Drop.

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The four Generate single-line representations, Generate multi-line representations, Generate overviews and Generate rack overviews check boxes allow you to define which representations are generated. The page type columns are activated or grayed out, depending on the selection. Within the enabled columns, only the page cells containing PLC macros are activated. If particular pages already exist, then the existing page names are displayed. Clicking [OK] generates the pages according to the settings. The automatically generated pages are assigned the Automatically generated by 'Generate PLC schematic' property. You can subsequently manually edit automatically generated pages. However, when these pages are re-generated they are overwritten and the manual changes are lost. If you do not wish this to occur then deselect the Automatically generated by 'Generate PLC schematic' page property. Tips: You can use (New) in the Generate PLC schematic dialog to insert further PLC devices from the project into the table. When doing this it is possible to select e.g. only those functions that are unplaced in one or more particular representation type(s). You can therefore e.g. first generate only the multi-line schematic pages and then generate the overview pages in a second step. You can use (Export) and (Import) to save the dialog configuration (i.e. all settings you have made in the dialog) and use them at a later date.

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Interfaces for exchanging data with PLC configuration systems

The new version introduces two new interfaces for exchanging data with PLC configuration systems. Schneider Unity Pro This is an interface for the "Schneider Unity Pro V3.0" data format. This interface allows the exchange of PLC data between EPLAN Electric P8 and the "Unity Pro" PLC configuration software from Schneider Electric. PLC standard exchange format With the second interface we have created an optimum standard for data exchange between electrical engineering CAE systems and PLC configuration systems. The data exchange using this interface is based on an XML format with the *.PBF (= Process Integration Bus Interchange Format) file extension. This new PLC standard exchange format allows all PLC manufacturers to write their own XML export and import functions for generating / reading data in this format. Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7 The "Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7" interface has also been extended. EPLAN now supports versions 5.3 and 5.4. In version 5.4, the DT supplied by EPLAN is stored in "Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7" and returned on export. This allows data synchronization when importing into EPLAN. Both data exchange dialogs, Export PLC data and Import PLC data, have been extended accordingly with the following formats for the new features mentioned above:

Schneider Unity Pro V3.0 PLC standard exchange format Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7 Version 5.3 / 5.4.

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Synchronization of PLC bus configuration data on import into EPLAN

When importing PLC data you can now use a synchronization dialog to decide which data is overwritten on import, which data is retained without change, and which data is to be additionally imported. Benefit: This allows targeted synchronization and parallel development of electrical engineering construction and PLC programming. This allows the planning time to be significantly reduced.

The DT and the PLC type designation are identifying for synchronization purposes, i.e. PLC functions with the same DTs and PLC type designations are regarded as identical. To open the dialog, when importing PLC data in the Import PLC data dialog, you must select an import file and also select the Synchronize functions option. In the Synchronize / import PLC data dialog that opens, the PLC bus configuration data of a file to be imported is displayed next to the PLC bus configuration data already in the project.

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Tree views The left side of this dialog contains the two Master / slave and Rack / module trees, which are constructed in a manner that is familiar from the bus configuration navigator. This shows the arrangement of the communication units within the bus systems and the assignment of the modules to assemblies. The tree views in both fields are primarily constructed according to the bus configuration software data in the import file and enhanced with corresponding additional objects from EPLAN. The trees therefore show the state after a possible import. If an object is selected in one of the trees then the associated data is displayed in the table on the other side of the dialog. A synchronization with the other tree is also carried out. The Objects column shows the PLC objects, i.e. the communications units, bus data, and PLC addresses in the upper tree, and the racks, modules, PLC cards, and PLC connection points in the lower tree. The Status column shows whether different data exists for a property of a device or a connection point. Possible values are:

Identical Differing Only in EPLAN Only in source.

The status only changes once the selected objects have been imported and can then receive the following values:

Identical Successful Object to be deleted New object.

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In the Import column, you define the functions to be imported by selecting the corresponding check boxes. Properties table The table at the right-hand side shows the data of an object selected in the tree. The following columns are available:

Property: Shows the name of the EPLAN property. Value in EPLAN: The value which comes from EPLAN. Value in source: The value which comes from the import file. Import value: If this check box is selected then the property is adopted when importing into EPLAN. If the check box in the Import column on the left of the dialog is deselected, then the check box in the Import value column is grayed out and deselected.

Clicking [Import] starts the import process and the selected import data is loaded into EPLAN, with the status changing depending on the result of the import. The Synchronize / import PLC data dialog remains open and you can select further PLC objects for importing and synchronizing. Tip: The (Previous difference) and (Next difference) buttons in the Synchronize / import PLC data dialog allow you to quickly jump to the previous / next row with a "Different" status.

Part assignment via the object description when importing PLC data
When importing bus configuration files, a part is entered at the main functions that are created, if a suitable part is found in the parts database. A part is regarded as suitable if the PLC type designation agrees. For the "PLC standard exchange" and "Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7 Version 5.3 / 5.4" formats, the Object description is also compared.
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Benefit:

This type of additional search increases the number of automatically assigned parts.

If multiple parts with the same PLC type designation exist, then the first part from these with a matching object description is assigned. If no part has a matching object description then no part is assigned. If the PLC type designation is empty then all parts with empty PLC type designations are suitable. In this case the assignment is based only on the object description. After the import, the parts data is automatically synchronized with the parts database and new parts are stored in the project.

Assigning the connection point designations when importing PLC data

In EPLAN it is possible to import bus configuration files generated or edited with external configuration programs. In many cases, the addresses are identified in the bus configuration files and not the PLC connection point designations as in EPLAN. If a bus configuration file does not contain connection point designations then connection point designations prefixed with question marks are now assigned during the import. In this process, the connection points are sequentially numbered from "?1" to "?n" for each PLC card.

Returning PLC connection point addresses

In the PLC connection point properties dialog it is now also possible to return addresses. In the PLC connection point tab, next to the Address (Return) button is now available for this purpose. field, a new An address can only be returned when the address is not specified in any other representations of the connection point. The address is then entered into the current assignment list as a free address while the Function text (automatic) and the Symbolic address (automatic) are retained. Manual function texts and/or symbolic addresses are deleted. If the address is specified in another display of the connection point, it will not be returned.
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In the Properties (global) editing mode the address of all connection points is returned collectively. Empty spaces in the address will not be included, for example the addresses "E0.0" and "E 0.0" will be seen as identical. Identification of interruption points in rack overviews You can now specify an additional macro file in the settings in order to graphically identify an interruption point in a rack overview. In the projectwide settings for the PLC data (Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Devices > PLC) the new Interruption macro for rack layout check box is available for this purpose. The variant E in this macro file must contain the graphic for the interruption point and the variant F must contain the graphic for the continuation.

Displaying process data in the bus configuration navigator

The Master / slave upper tree view in the bus configuration navigator now has an additional view option. Selecting the new Show process data option causes all PLC addresses and channels to be displayed, including those that only have a "logical" connection point but no physical connection point assigned (e.g. PLC card state information).

New PLC box properties

PLC diagram form PLC boxes now have the new PLC diagram form <20187> property. This allows PLC cards (the PLC boxes) to be each assigned a separate report (a PLC diagram). When reporting, only the form defined at the main function is taken into account.

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Identifiers with device data The following new properties now exist for identifying PLC boxes:

Bus coupler <20164> CPU <20167> Power supply <20184> Bus distribution device <20189>

For better distinction between CPUs, the previous CPU <20433> property has been renamed to CPU: Name <20433>. If the Bus distribution device property for a PLC box is activated then this is not checked for faulty or multiply used bus addresses. The two check runs with the numbers 004011 and 004026 are not performed for the respective PLC boxes. In order for this device data to be included in the part selection of an assigned part, four corresponding check boxes have been added to the PLC data tab in the Parts management.

Using existing PLC connection points in blocks

The Use existing PLC connection points in blocks and Use existing PLC addresses in blocks dialogs now provide you with more information. Benefit: This allows the lists to now be edited in a more sensible fashion.

The Name (identifying) and All connection point designations columns have been replaced with the Device (identifying) and Plug (automatic): Connection point columns. If a PLC connection point has a plug DT (e.g. "X2"), then this is now displayed in the Plug (automatic): Connection point column (e.g."X2:3"). Otherwise the column only lists the connection point designations of the PLC connection points.

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In accordance with the new features mentioned above, PLC connection points now have a new Plug (automatic): Connection point <20183> property available.

Addressing by connection point designation with plug DT

When addressing PLC connection points with sorting "By card DT and connection point designation", the PLC connection points are addressed per card in the sequence of the connection point designations. The plug DT is now also taken into account and sorted in front of the connection point, i.e. the connection point "-A1:X1:2" comes before the connection point "-A1:X2:1". Similar to the user interface changes described in the "Use existing PLC connection points in blocks" section, the preview of results when addressing now has two new Device (identifying) and Plug (automatic): Connection point columns. The plug DT is now also taken into account in online numbering of PLC connection points.

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Cables / connections
Function text for cables and shields
Instead of the remark, for cable and shields the Function text is now reported; this can be manually entered or automatically determined from the path function text. For this, the path function text is also reported for both of these functions. The properties dialog for both functions has been changed accordingly. In the Cable / Shield tab, the Function text property in the Properties group box has been moved upwards into the second row. Also, the property arrangement in the Display tab now lists the Function text property instead of the Remark property by default. Under Project data > Cables > Correct you can now also perform a correction run, which helps you to correct the cables and shields from old projects. If the Function text field has no entry then the contents of the remark field are moved to the function text. At the same time, in the Display tab, the Remark property is replaced with the Function text property.

Source and target in the cable DT

If when numbering cables you use the "By source", "By target", "By source and target" or "By target and source" formats then source and target are now always placed in brackets in the cable DT. For this reason, in the Settings: Cable numbering dialog the No option has been removed from the group box. The new Hide brackets in DT setting allows you to define whether the brackets in cable DTs are displayed or not. This new setting under Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Devices > General is switched on by default.

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Automatically assign conductors to connections

EPLAN offers two different options for automatically assigning conductors to connections. Both of these options were previously distributed over the menus in different dialogs (see table). Dialog: Old name: Cable navigator Place Edit cable Place again New name: Keep existing properties Reassign all

The new version always offers both options under the Assign conductors menu item. For the Reassign all option, only the potential type is compared. For the Keep existing properties option, all identified properties of connections and conductors are compared and only assigned suitable conductors. Existing connection properties remain unchanged.

Display of connection properties via connection definition points

At a connection definition point, you can now display all properties available for the connection that run under the connection definition point. The property selection for displaying property arrangement at property definition points now has a new Connection tab for this purpose. If you have selected an appropriate property here then this is identified in the Component tab of the property arrangement by a "Connection:" prefix (e.g. Connection: Connection designation / number). This new feature means that the previous connection properties Associated connection(s):... are no longer available in the Property selection dialog. Corresponding properties already placed in the project are retained.

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Special topic EPLAN Fluid

Redesign of the Festo interface
Benefit: The redesign of the Festo interface makes it easy for you to import parts data from a Festo product catalog and use it in EPLAN.

You can easily configure the import settings the assignment of parts data yourself and customize them to suit your individual requirements at any time. To achieve this, the properties to be imported from the Festo product catalog are now defined in the festo.cfg configuration file. The Festo properties to be imported are specified via "xDKIPlaintextName" (this is the language-independent name of the Festo property), whereby the name is case sensitive. The following Festo part data can be imported:

Benennung Typ VPE QU ME XHUB XHUBMin XHUBMax Note:

PRICE TOTALPRICE Text Prod_Txt REMARKS Menge Teilenummer SymbolId

If new Festo properties are added to new Festo product catalogs in the future, then these can also be imported by specifying the corresponding xDKIPlaintextName.
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When assigning properties in the configuration file it is now also possible to access indexed properties (e.g. "Free properties").

Hyperlinks to Festo web pages

The hyperlinks in the new Festo product catalog can now be transferred on import. In the parts management, this type of link is stored in the External document 1 field (Technical data tab). The festo.cfg configuration file supplied by us has been adjusted accordingly for this purpose. Hyperlinks in the parts data provide access to the Festo website, which contains current documentation and technical data of the parts. With a few exceptions, the Festo web page is shown in the language that was set as the display language at the time the Festo parts were imported. Benefit: This type of hyperlink allows you to store a referencing system at devices in the schematic. This reduces the effort required for maintaining the technical data. When a corresponding part number is swapped, then the associated documentation and the technical data are automatically adjusted.

To allow these Festo hyperlinks, or other external documents stored in the parts management, to be placed as hyperlinks in the graphical editor, in the Technical data tab, the External Document 1 - 3 part properties have been extended. You use the respective [...] button next to the field of the same name to open the External document dialog. Here you can enter text / description for the later hyperlink and also specify the desired document file or Internet page. When importing from the Festo product catalog, these fields are automatically filled with entries. If you have assigned e.g. a main function to an appropriate part or placed it on a schematic page from the parts master data navigator then you can still adjust the property placement in the Display tab. To do this, (New) and in the Property selection dialog select the Part: click External document 1 [1] property. If necessary, change the display settings if the placed hyperlink needs to have a certain clearance to the component.
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If a designation for the hyperlink was defined in the External document dialog (as in Festo hyperlinks) then this is displayed, otherwise the link itself is shown. As usual with hyperlinks, the text is displayed underlined. To open a linked document (e.g. a Festo web page), press the [Ctrl] key and click the hyperlink.

Prefiltered Festo part selection

In EPLAN, after inserting a macro you can now select a prefiltered part from the Festo product catalog. Benefit: This reverse selection method it better suited to the working method of many customers.

A precondition is, of course, that you have installed the Festo product catalog. In addition to this, in the festo.cfg configuration file an assignment between the macro (*.ems) and the Festo symbol number ("SymbolId") must be carried out. In the cfg file supplied by us, this is already preset for most of the macros in the "FESTO" folder. Then open a project and insert the desired macro. In the properties dialog, select the Parts tab. After this, you must select the data source for the part selection. We have provided an appropriate scheme for this purpose. In the Data source field select the "Festo product catalog" scheme. The part selection in the Settings: Part selections (user) dialog has therefore been adjusted to the API option, i.e. for the Festo product catalog. If you now click [...] in the Part number field, the Festo product catalog is started. The selection list is filtered. Only the parts in the catalog with the same Festo symbol number are displayed. After you have selected a Festo part, the part data is stored in the open project. Using the master data synchronization (Utilities > Parts > Current project --> parts database), you can transfer the parts into the parts management. To do this, you must first reset the data source for part selection back to "Default".
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New "Multi-line Fluid" representation type

You now have a new "Multi-line fluid" representation type available when creating window or symbol macros. Benefit: This allows eight new variants especially for fluid power to be stored on a macro.

When placing a device (Insert > Device) or when placing (with part data) from the device list, the "correct" representation type based on the page type of the macro is preselected. To select a different representation type on placement, press [Shift] + [Tab]. To allow a part macro with this representation type to also be placed from a navigator dialog (e.g. the device navigator), the Place part macro popup menu item now has a new Multi-line fluid submenu item. Converting macros "Old" fluid power macros can be converted into the new representation type via a manually started conversion run. The following action is available for this purpose:
XMConvertReprTypeToFluidAction

First create a new directory for the macros to be converted. The source and target directories may not be identical. Then enter the action via a Windows command line. Select e.g. Start > Run, and enter the following command in the Run Windows dialog:
"C:\Program Files\EPLAN\Fluid\1.9.4\BIN\W3u.exe" XMConvertReprTypeToFluidAction

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After this, EPLAN starts and the Select macros dialog opens. Select all macros to be converted here. When doing this, in the File type field you can set both window (*.ema) and symbol (*.ems) macros as selection criteria. You must then select the previously created target directory in a subsequent dialog. Copies of the macros are then generated, converted into the "Multi-line fluid" representation type, and moved to the target directory. The original files remain in the source directory. To ensure the success of a macro conversion, the corresponding macro must contain fluid power functions and no electrical engineering main functions.

Synchronize function text for different representations

The Synchronize function texts dialog now offers all representation types of a device tag for the synchronization. The dialog now has a new Representation type column for this. Benefit: This now allows e.g. the function text of a pair crossreferenced solenoid valve, which has different representation types placed on a fluid and a schematic page, to be synchronized.

Representation possibilities for tube connections

The S_01 // 22 // Movable tube connection symbol from the HYD_ESS symbol library has previously been used to visibly represent hydraulic tube connections. A new CDPCP2F5 connection symbol is now available in the SPECIAL symbol library (see also chapter "Master data: Symbols" from page 104) for the representation of tube connections.

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Benefit:

This symbol with the "Tube" function definition allows filtering to be carried out according to tubes when outputting connection lists. This allows tubes to also be listed as parts in fluid connection lists.

New layers for representing connections

The new version introduces the following new levels:

EPLAN521 Description: Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Tank line EPLAN522 Description: Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Consumer line EPLAN523 Description: Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Control line internal EPLAN524 Description: Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Drain line internal EPLAN525 Description: Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Work line internal EPLAN531 Description: Symbol graphics.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Fluid undefined

In addition to this, the EPLAN509 layer "Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Drain lines / Undefined" has been renamed to "Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Drain lines". All fluid connections that were previously located on this layer, and are not drain lines, are now located on the new EPLAN531 layer ("Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Fluid undefined").

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Benefit:

The different fluid power line types can be distinguished from each other in the schematic in compliance with the standards.

To allow the new line types to be automatically passed on to a connection, the Work line / control line property now has two new Tank line and Consumer line entries (e.g., in the Properties (component): Connection definition point) dialog. The same also applies to the connection point logic (Working / control port property). As with already existing entries (e.g. Work line) the autoconnect lines adopt the formatting of the corresponding layer. If a connection between two components e.g. a work line is to be set to "internal" then this can be done e.g. via the function definition of a connection definition point. To do this, in the Connection definition point dialog, click [...] next to the Connection definition field and select the Internal entry in the Function definition dialog. The connection now displays the "EPLAN525" layer (Symbol graphic.Connection symbols.Autoconnecting.Work line internal).

Correct trade on Festo import

If the device list is filled with parts from the Festo product catalog, then these imported parts now display the correct trade. If you then place this type of part in a schematic then the trade entry is adopted into the properties.

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Special topic EPLAN PPE

Project options for EPLAN PPE
The project options of the "Project Options" add-on can now also be used for an EPLAN PPE project. This allows you to define PPE objects (plants, PCT loops, PCT loop functions, PCT loop elements, containers) as areas of a plant and selectively display or hide them. These areas are then also no longer evaluated. Sections with PPE objects can also be created.

External editing
With the new version, EPLAN PPE now also allows different plant elements ("PCT loops", "PCT consumers", "PCT loop elements" and "PCT loop functions") to be exported for external editing, edited outside EPLAN, and then reimported back into EPLAN. Corresponding menu items for exporting are now available under Utilities > Edit properties externally.

Multilingual input
For project settings In the project-specific PPE settings for project revision you can now enter multilingual text in the Text for open index and Text for watermark fields. The texts are also taken into account in translations. For project properties In the Edit properties dialog you can now also enter multilingual vales for the Value range. The Multilingual input menu item is available in the popup menu when you have clicked a value field for a project property (e.g. state of aggregation) and the cursor is active.

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PDF / DXF export

Documents linked to a plant level or a plant object can now be exported as PDF or DXF files. Two new menu items for this are now available in the popup menu of the Documentation dialog.

Automatic PCT loop numbering

In EPLAN PPE you can now also automatically number PCT loops on creation. EPLAN automatically suggests a number when you do this. You define the behavior of automatic numbering in a new PCT loop numbering group box in the project-specific settings for PCT loops. The numbering suggestion depends on the settings in the Identical PCT loop numbers group box and the values in the Start value and Increment fields. If the fields contain no values, EPLAN does not suggest a number.

Selection of the processing function

The entry of the processing function when creating a PCT loop has been simplified. A [...] button next to the Processing function field allows you to open the new Select processing function dialog where you can select a predefined, standardized identifier for a processing function. Benefit: This allows "non-specialist" users to create functions which comply with the standards.

The identifiers and their descriptions are defined in the project-specific PPE settings.

Additional part properties

You now have more "general" part properties available for list editing and property placement in forms.
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Adoption of the free properties of a part

When selecting a part for a specification, the free properties defined in the parts management for the part are now adopted into the specification with write protection. Press [F5] to update the displayed properties.

Transferring structure identifiers

PCT loops can now also transfer the mounting location and EPLAN PPE page names to the assigned page. To achieve this, the project-specific PPE settings for the structure identifier have been extended with two new Mounting location format and Page name format fields.

Reaction of the graphical preview

The graphical preview now reacts to a selection in the Hook-up dialog. When a hook-up is selected in the dialog then the graphical preview now shows the associated graphical page.

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EPLAN View
Potential and signal tracking
In the new version, EPLAN View has been extended to include potential and signal tracking. In the View menu, the Potential tracking and Signal tracking menu items are now available for this purpose. Benefit: The currently selected potential or signal is temporarily highlighted in color, which allows you to quickly gain an overview of its extent, even in EPLAN View.

Display language for "variable" texts

In EPLAN View, it is now also possible to set the display language for "variable" texts. The corresponding One language (variable) field in the project-specific settings for translation has been enabled for this purpose. Benefit: This allows you to display translated project texts, which have been assigned the One language (variable) property, in the selected language.

Navigators in EPLAN View

Under the Project data menu item, the Device navigator and Bill of materials navigator navigators are now available. Benefit: These dialogs make it easier to find project data in EPLAN View and visualize this independently of the pages.

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New features in the "API Extension" add-on

Note: The "API Extension" add-on is not included in the standard scope of delivery and must be licensed separately. A unified, and especially high-performance, programming interface (API, Application Programming Interface) is available for EPLAN platform products. This add-on the EPLAN API allows you to develop your own tailor-made solutions in collaboration with EPLAN or other partners. The following section provides information on the various new features of the EPLAN API. The EPLAN API is now based on Microsoft's current ".NET 2.0" technology. Benefit: Our programming interface now offers a future-proof development platform.

The change to ".NET 2.0" may mean that you need to recompile your API applications. The new basic projects with the *.zw9 file extension are now also taken into account by the EPLAN API when creating new projects. It is now also possible to change the function definition of a function via the EPLAN API. Project options and project option groups (Option and OptionGroup classes) can now also be deleted via the EPLAN API. In the Text class you can now also change the text color.

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A new DisableConnectionUpdateStep class now exists for interrupting the automatic connection update. Benefit: The performance of certain EPLAN API methods (e.g. deleting pages) has been made significantly quicker.

The EPLAN API now has the following methods available for the automatic generation of macros from a macro project:

System::Void GenerateMacrosFromMacroProject (Project* oProject) System::Void GenerateMacrosFromMacroProject (System::String* strFullLinkFileName).

EPLAN API "offline" programs can now log on via the rights management. A new Location class now exists for reading and setting structure identifier descriptions. The EPLAN API now has the following three methods for synchronization:

MultilineToSinglelineAndOverview (corresponds to the menu

item: Multi-line --> other representations)

SinglelineToMultilineAndOverview (corresponds to the menu

item: Single-line --> other representations)

OverviewToMultilineAndSingleline (corresponds to the menu

item: Overview --> other representations) You can now query the version via the EplApplication::Version property. The EPLAN API now has the new DeleteUnusedVariables methods (in the PlaceHolder class), with which you can delete unused variables from placeholder objects.

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The EPLAN API has been extended with a new method (Reports::Update) allowing you to update a single report page. The corresponding command line parameter of the reports action is:
PAGENAME

There is now a new Toolbar API class for adding and removing toolbars and toolbar buttons. The new MfRemoveToolbarAction action now allows user-defined toolbars to be deleted. For data imports from EPLAN 5 via the EPLAN API, files with the *.Z13 file suffix are now also accepted. The new StorableObjects method in the OptionFragment class allows you to generate sections for project options via the EPLAN API. It is also now possible to read messages from the message management and / or system messages via the EPLAN API. When inserting window macros via the EPLAN API, all options of the Insertion mode dialog are now available.

Methods and properties that are no longer supported

Some API methods and properties are obsolete and are no longer displayed in the latest version of the EPLAN API. Benefit: The list of methods and properties used is more manageable, which makes the EPLAN API easier to use.

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The following API methods and properties are no longer supported by EPLAN: In the Eplan.EplApi.DataModel area:

Pen.DependsOnLayer Instead of Pen.DependsOnLayer the value "-16001" in a property of the PEN object shows that the corresponding property is adopted from

the layer.

PlaceHolder.get_PropertyEntry() Use the GetPropertyEntry() method instead. PlaceHolder.set_PropertyEntry() Use the SetPropertyEntry() method instead. TextBase.BoxLocation Use the TextBase.Location property instead. SymbolLibrary.Initialize() Use the SymbolLibrary.Initialize method instead. DocumentType.PLCCiagram Use the DocumentType.PLCDiagram property instead. Shielding.Create(Page page)

This object can no longer be directly generated. Create an object of type Function with category Shielding instead.

PropertyValue.Empty = true

Instead of this, just create an empty PropertyValue object and assign it to the property.

Function.HasLocalLogicalDefinition

This information is meaningless for the EPLAN API.

Function.SymbolType

Is the sum of the function category and the function definition ID. It can be determined from the function definition.

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In the Eplan.EplApi.HeServices area:

Backup.Type.Unknown

There is no unknown data backup type.

Backup.MasterDataType.Unknown

There is no unknown master data type for data backups.

Backup.MasterDataType.Functions

Functions are not master data.

DeviceService.ImportDeviceList (string strFullLinkFileName, string strImportFilePath)

The methods that do not specify the file format are obsolete. Use methods specifying the file format instead.

DeviceService.ImportDeviceList (Project oProject, string strImportFilePath)

The methods that do not specify the file format are obsolete. Use methods specifying the file format instead.

DeviceService.ExportDeviceList (string strFullLinkFileName, string strExportFilePath)

The methods that do not specify the file format are obsolete. Use methods specifying the file format instead.

DeviceService.ExportDeviceList (string Project oProject, string strExportFilePath)

The methods that do not specify the file format are obsolete. Use methods specifying the file format instead.

MountingPanelService.CreateArticlePlacement (string strPartNumber, PointD pLocation)

The method that does not specify the mounting panel is obsolete. Use the method specifying the mounting panel instead.

ProjectManagement.CompressProject() The methods with the bUseFilter parameter are obsolete. Use the

methods without this parameter instead. If a filter scheme is transferred, then this is also used.

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Renumber.Devicetags() The methods with the bUseFilter parameter are obsolete. Use the

methods without this parameter instead. If a filter scheme is transferred, then this is also used.

Reports.CreateUnitSpecific()

This method was never implemented and has been deleted.

Reports.CreateOverview()

This method was never implemented and has been deleted.

SelectionSet.get_CurrentProject() Use the GetCurrentProject() method instead. SelectionSet.GetSelection() Use the Selection property instead.

In the Eplan.EplApi.Ppe area:

PpeObject.getIndirectProperty() Use the GetIndirectProperty() method instead. PpeObject.setIndirectProperty() Use the SetIndirectProperty() method instead.

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Other new features and information

New master data features
Master data: Projects and project templates

A new "EPLAN518" layer has been created for all sample projects and project templates (Description: Property placement.Fluid connectors / distributors.Connection point designations). This has the same default settings as the layer "EPLAN430" (Description: Property placement.Terminal connection point designations). An "EPLAN-DEMO-GB" demonstration project has been created for the Chinese GB standard. EPLAN PPE: The following project templates have been renamed: Old name:
EPLAN-PPE-StandAloneBasisprojekt.epb EPLAN-PPE-StandAloneProjektvorlage.ept EPLAN-PPE-Basisprojekt.epb EPLAN-PPE-Projektvorlage.ept EPLAN-PPE-Datenbernahme.ept

New name:
PPE_bas001.epb PPE_tpl001.ept PPE_Addon_bas001.epb PPE_Addon_tpl001.ept PPE_data-import.ept

EPLAN PPE: The page structure of the project templates and basic projects has been set to "Higher-level function and mounting location" (previous page structure was "Generic page structure (202022_0)"). The following basic projects with the new *.zw9 file extension have been created:
GOST_bas001.zw9 IEC_bas001.zw9 Num_bas001.zw9 FL_bas001.zw9 PPE_Addon_bas001.zw9 PPE_bas001.zw9

(EPLAN Electric P8) (EPLAN Electric P8) (EPLAN Electric P8) (EPLAN Fluid) (EPLAN PPE) (EPLAN PPE).
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For more information, see chapter "New EPLAN basic projects with master data" on page 37.

Master data: Symbols

IEC standard

Inconsistencies between multi-line and single-line representations of IEC symbols have been corrected. In symbols with the numbers 259, 3060, 3108, 3110, 3259, 3308 the text "+ PE" has been removed. These symbols do not have PE connection points.

For the symbol XBSD_1 // 3204 ("Symbol name" // "Symbol number") in the IEC_symbol symbol library, the "Male and female pin" function definition has been renamed to "Other, variable". The EPLAN 5 data import has been corrected. The symbol SSNKB // 147 from EPLAN 5 was previously falsely replaced with SSNS1 // 148 from the IEC_symbol symbol library (number of connections did not agree). This symbol is now assigned as follows:
SSNKB // 147

=>

SSNS2 // 146

NFPA standard

New symbols have been added to the NFPA_symbol symbol file.

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The following illustrations show variant A of the new symbols. The associated symbol number is shown under each symbol:

1135

1136

1137

1138

1139

1142

1143

1144

1145

1146

1147

1148

1149

1177

1178

1179

1180

1181

1182

1183

1185

1186

1189

1190

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1191

1195

1196

1197

1199

1301

1302

1303

1304

1305

1306

1307

1308

1309

1310

1311

1312

1313

1314

1315

1316

1317

1319

1320

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1321

1322

1323

1325

1514

1529

1530

1546

1547

1548

1549

1550

1553

1554

1555

1556

1557

1558

1561

1562

1563

1564

1565

1566

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A basic symbol library as per the NFPA standard has been created: BaseSymbolLibrary_en_US. New "NFPA symbols, multi-line" and "NFPA symbols, single-line" filter schemes are now available in the Symbol selection dialog. This now allows filtering for single-line and multi-line NFPA symbols.

GOST standard

New "GOST symbols, multi-line" and "GOST symbols, single-line" filter schemes are now available in the Symbol selection dialog. This now allows filtering for single-line and multi-line GOST symbols.

GB standard

Two new symbol libraries as per the Chinese GB standard have been created, based on the IEC symbol libraries:
GB_symbol GB_single_symbol

Note: GB is the abbreviation for the Chinese national standard. These standards are created by the Chinese national standards commission and differ in their regulations (GB) and recommendations (GB/T). Many GB standards have adopted the respective ISO standard, either in full or in a modified form. All GB standards relating to creation of electrical engineering schematics have been integrated into EPLAN.

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Fluid power and process engineering

The redundant empty "_13" symbol has been removed from the KLT_ESS fluid power symbol library. Variant "B" of the P_10 // 44 fluid power symbol in the HYD_ESS symbol library has been corrected: Old, wrong representation: New, correct representation:

In the HYD1ESS symbol library, an angle variant (variant B) of the

AG10.1.4 // 314 // Element character for summing unit fluid power symbol has been created (also applies to the HYD2ESS

symbol library).

The HYD1ESS symbol library has 56 new symbols. This mainly relates to built-in, plug-in valves (symbol numbers 801 836), mobile hydraulic system symbols such as directional control valves, nonreturn valves, cylinders and pressure intensifiers (symbol numbers 730 750), accessory symbols for pumps and motors, cylinder contours, detectors and display devices (symbol numbers 1000 1053). The symbol library now contains 647 symbols.

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The following illustrations show the new symbols (variant A):

112

132

218

224

441

458

461

755

756

761

762

763

765

801

802

803

804

805

806

807

808

809

810

811

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812

813

814

821

822

823

824

825

826

827

828

829

830

831

832

833

834

835

836

1000

1001

1002

1003

1004

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1022

1028

1029

1030

1031

1051

1052

1053

Four new symbols have been added to the PNE1ESS symbol library. The illustrations show the respective variant A:

131

132

219

309

One new symbol has been added to the PID_ESS symbol library:
Mess_15 // 1365 // Flow-through baffle element

Variant A

Variant B

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Special symbol library

A new connection symbol has been added to the SPECIAL symbol library:
CDPCP2F5 // 388 // CDP, Tube

Variant A

Variant B

Extra property arrangements have been added to cable and shield symbols in the SPECIAL symbol library (symbol numbers 4 and 5). In addition to the property arrangements with remarks, additional property arrangements with function text are now available.

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Cables:

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Shields:

For symbols in the SPECIAL symbol library that have a device tag, corresponding property arrangements have been created as per the GOST standard. This affects symbols with the symbol numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 337, 358, 359, 360, 361, 366, 367, 368, 375. In the previous display for the Shield special symbol, this is e.g. the property arrangement "Cable definition, upper right, 0o, remark (alternative)". For each variant, one property arrangement is defined as "Default property arrangement (alternative)". When the Use alternative property arrangement project setting is active then the special symbols listed above will be placed using the GOST property arrangement.

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In the BP interruption point symbol from the SPECIAL symbol library (symbol number 8) the clearance of the device tag to the base point has been changed to 3 mm.

In addition, variant "D" of the same BP interruption point symbol has also been revised. In the "Above 0" property arrangement the Orientation has been changed from "Basis centered" to "Lower centered". The level of the "Potential name" property of the PDP // 309 // Potential definition point special symbol in the SPECIAL symbol library has been changed from "EPLAN304" to "EPLAN404".

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Variant "B" of the potential connection point (PCP // 18) in the SPECIAL symbol library has been corrected. The position of the device tag has been adjusted: Old, wrong position:

New, corrected position:

In the SPECIAL symbol library, the level of the connection point designation of all distributor and connector symbols has been changed from "EPLAN430" to "EPLAN518". The following symbols have been revised:
COF // 336 LF // 334 LPF // 333 TF // 324 CRF // 328

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General

The "Electrical engineering" area of the BaseSymbolLibrary basic symbol library has been revised. The function definitions have been assigned new basic representations of a symbol, e.g. a simplified coil graphic for all function definitions in the "Coil" category. About 60 new symbols have been created. The symbol library now contains 129 symbols. In the IEC_symbol, GOST_symbol and NFPA_symbol multi-line symbol libraries, the positions of the connection point designations and the connection point descriptions have been corrected. When the Display rotated connection point designation setting is activated then the designations and descriptions at the connection points that are oriented upwards and downwards are now correctly displayed. (The menu path for this setting is: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Graphical editing > General.) The following illustration shows this for e.g. variant C of the symbol LSW1 // 106 // Current transformer(path 1). Old, wrong representation: New, correct representation:

46 new symbols have been created in the IEC and GOST symbol libraries (IEC_symbol, IEC_single_symbol, GOST_symbol, GOST_single_symbol). For example, a solenoid valve can now be displayed with two coils in stretched form (expansion of 36 mm to 56 mm) (symbol numbers 1185, 1186).

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The following illustrations show a multi-line representation of the new symbols (variant A):

1177

1178

1179

1180

1181

1182

1183

1185

1186

1189

1190

1191

1195

1196

1197

1199

1301

1302

1303

1304

1305

1306

1307

1308
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1309

1310

1311

1312

1313

1314

1315

1316

1317

1319

1320

1321

1322

1323

1325

1331

1332

1333

1334

1335

1336

1514

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Master data: Function definition library

The following new function definitions have been created:

Terminals and plugs // Terminal // Terminal, 2 connection points //

PE terminal, 3 targets Terminals and plugs // Terminal // Terminal, 2 connection points // N feed-through terminal, 3 targets, with saddle jumper Voltage sources and generators // Generator // Generator, 2 connection points Voltage sources and generators // Voltage source // Voltage source, 2 connection points Terminals and plugs // Pin // Pin, 2 connection points // SH male and female pins Terminals and plugs // Pin // Pin, 2 connection points // SH male pin, 2 connection points Terminals and plugs // Pin // Pin, 2 connection points // SH female pin, 2 connection points Terminals and plugs // Pin // Pin, 2 connection points // N male pin, 2 connection points Terminals and plugs // Pin // Pin, 2 connection points // N female pin, 2 connection points Terminals and plugs // Terminal // Terminal, 2 connection points // SH feed-through terminal, 2 targets, with saddle jumper Terminals and plugs // Terminal // Terminal, 2 connection points // SH for actuator terminal , 2 targets, with saddle jumper Terminals and plugs // Terminal // Terminal, 2 connection points // SH isolating terminal, 1 target, with saddle jumper Terminals and plugs // Isolating terminal // Isolating terminal, 4 connection points Power consumer (motor, heating, light) // Motor // Motor with PE, 4 connection points // AC motor , two directions Power consumer (motor, heating, light) // Motor // Motor without PE, 4 connection points // Stepper motor

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An identifier set as per the NFPA standard has been imported into the function definition library. Utilities > Master data > Identifier

Master data: Forms and plot frames

General

In the cable forms, the "Function text (automatic)" placeholder text is used instead of the "Remark". The headings have been adjusted accordingly.

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For all forms where the placeholder text had an alignment box and the Remove breaks check box was not selected, this is now selected.

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The following forms have been adjusted:

F01_FT002.f01 F01_FT003.f01 F01_FT004.f01 F01_FT005.f01 F02_002.f02 F02_003.f02 F02_FT001.f02 F03_002.f03 F05_001.f05 F05_002.f05 F05_003.f05 F06_002.f06 F07_001.f07 F07_002.f07 F07_003.F07 F07_004.f07 F07_PPE.f07 F09_002.f09 F10_002.f10 F11_001.f11 F11_002.f11 F11_003.f11 F11_004.F11 F11_005.F11 F11_006.F11 F11_007.f11 F11_PPE.f11 F12_002.f12 F13_001.f13 F13_002.f13 F13_004.f13 F13_006.f13

F15_001.f15 F15_002.f15 F15_003.f15 F16_002.f16 F17_002.f17 F17_003.f17 F18_002.F18 F19_002.f19 F20_002.f20 F21_001.f21 F21_002.f21 F21_003.f21 F21_004.f21 F22_001.f22 F22_002.f22 F23_002.f23 F23_003.f23 F24_002.f24 F24_003.f24 F25_001.f25 F25_003.f25 F26_002.f26 F27_002.f27 F30_001.f30 F30_002.f30 GOST_Cable_overview_ A3.f10 GOST_Cable_overview_ A4.f10 GOST_Devicelist_A3.f03 GOST_Devicelist_A4.f03 GOST_Specification_A4_dyn.f02 GOST_Table_of_contents_A4.f06

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In forms of type Parts list (*.f01) the "<10001> Part reference data / <20482> Quantity" placeholder text has been replaced with "<10001> Part reference data / <20499> Total amount (number of units)". A new form F24_004.f24 of type Structure identifier overview has been created. This form allows reports with higher-level function and mounting location in separate columns. Based on the FN1_001.fn1 plot frame, the FN1_011.fn1 plot frame has been created with a border of 5 mm.

GOST standard

The following two forms of type Revision overview have been created as per the GOST standard:
GOST_revision_journal_ A4.f17 GOST_revision_list_ A4.f17

In some GOST plot frames, the Highest page number (regarding structure) <11043> has been swapped with Total no. of pages (regarding structure) <11004>. This affects the following plot frames:
GOST_A3_first_page_scheme.fn1 GOST_A3_first_page_text.fn1 GOST_A4_first_page_text.fn1

The GOST_A3_first_page_scheme.fn1 and GOST_A3_next_page_scheme.fn1 plot frames have been renamed as GOST_first_page_scheme_A3.fn1 and GOST_next_page_scheme_A3.fn1. In addition, the DT search direction conforming to GOST standard <12104> property has been activated in these plot frames.

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EPLAN PPE:

The following forms (*.ewf) have been renamed:

Old name: New name: nderungsliste List of modifications Anforderung Requirement Anlagen Plants Deckblatt PDF Ausgabe Cover sheet PDF output Dokumenten Verzeichnis Document directory Gerte Kalkulation Device calculation Gertekatalog Device catalog Gerteliste PLT-Stellen Device list PCT loops Montageanordnung Kalkulation Hook-up calculation Montageanordnung Hook-up MuV Stellenblatt Equipment data sheet PLT Stoffliste PCT process medium list PLT-Stellen Gerteliste PCT loops Device list PLT-Stellenblatt Gertedaten Instrumentation data sheet Device PLT-Stellenblatt Typical Instrumentation data sheet Typical PLT-Stellenblatt Instrumentation data sheet PLT-Stellenliste PCT loop list Spezifikation Specification Spezifikationskalkulation Specification calculation Verbraucherliste Antriebe Consumer list Drives Verteilerbersicht Distributor overview A new form has been created: F27_PPE.f27 (Piping list, DIN A3 landscape, 1 column, 57 rows, static form).

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Master data: Macros

The following variant and value set macros have been renamed: Old name:
MAKRO mit Wertesatz.ema MAKRO mit Wertesatz und Variante.ema

New name:
Macro_0001.ema Macro_0002.ema

The following new macros have been created for equipping mounting panels:
BECK.KLxxxx.ema BLO.GLCxxx_24-1.ema BLO.GLCxxx_24-10.ema BLO.GLCxxx_24-5.ema HAR.09 20 003 2611.ema HAR.09 20 003 2711.ema HAR.09 30 006 1541.ema HAR.09 30 006 2256.ema LAPP.5301 5140 (PG16).ema MOE.200017.ema MOE.2785xx.ema MOE.xxxx3x.ema PHO.0441119.ema PHO.0442079.ema PHO.1414077.ema PHO.2714284.ema PHO.2718028.ema PHO.2726298.ema PHO.2730200.ema PHO.2774017.ema PHO.2800046.ema PHO.2858111.ema PHO.2861399.ema PHO.2861580.ema PHO.2938617.ema PHO.2964898.ema PHO.3003347.ema PHO.3003567.ema PHO.3004524.ema PHO.3005837.ema PHO.3031212.ema PHO.IB IL 24 Dx 2 PAC.ema PHO.QUINT 24V DC 10 A.ema PHO.SD-DSCLA.ema PHO.ST 2.5.ema PHO.ST 6 BU.ema PHO.ST 6.ema PHO.ST 6-PE.ema SIE.3SB3217-6AA20.ema SIE.3SB3217-6AA30.ema SIE.3SB3217-6AA40.ema SIE.3SB3217-6AA60.ema SIE.3SB3217-6AA70.ema SIE.4AM5742-5CT10-0FA0.ema SIE.4AV2400-2EB00-0A.ema SIE.6ES7132-4BB01-0AA0.ema SIE.6ES7138-4CA01-0AA0.ema Stecker.3-polig+PE.ema

374 new macros from the Rittal company are now included in delivery.

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Master data: Settings for messages and check runs

For the following message numbers in the "Project comparison" message class, the category has been changed to "Note": Number: 020001 020003 020004 020026 020027 020028 020029 Message text: Comparison of project settings, current date and time: %1!s! Number of compared settings: %1!s! Number of differences: %1!s! Comparison of project properties, current date and time: %1!s! First project:%1!s! - Second project:%2!s! Number of compared properties: %1!s! Number of differences: %1!s!

Master data: Device numbering

For identifier subclasses as per the IEC 61346 standard (classified by purpose or task) the new "IEC 61346" scheme has been created (menu path: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Devices > Numbering (online)).

Master data: Comments navigator

Two new filter schemes have been created for the Comments (Page > Comments navigator) dialog: "Rejected" and "Accepted". These schemes allow filtering for rejected and accepted comments.

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Master data: Editing in tables

The following new properties have been added to the "All functions", "Devices" and "Fluid devices" filter schemes of the Edit function data (Edit > In tables) dialog:
Plug DT <20406> Symbolic address <20402> Symbolic address (determined) <20403> Channel designation (automatic) <20428>.

Master data: Change of standard

In the "Change of standard" area (Utilities > Change of standard), two new schemes have been created for the Settings: Symbol assignment dialog. These schemes ("IEC to NFPA - single-line", "NFPA to IEC - single-line") allow single-line IEC and NFPA symbols to be exchanged.

Master data: PLC

The "Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7" software uses English and uses the identifiers "I" for inputs and "Q" for outputs. For this reason, the "SIMATIC S7 (I/O)" scheme under Project data > PLC > Settings > PLC-specific settings has been replaced with the "SIMATIC S7 (I/Q)" scheme. The new "B&R" scheme has also been created for the PLC-specific settings. This scheme contains the formats for the "Automation Studio 3" software of the "B&R Industrie-Elektronik GmbH" company.

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Master data: Inch configuration

For all sample projects and project templates, inch default values for Text size, Pattern length and Line thickness have been created in the layer management: Text size 0.1 0.125 0.15 0.1875 0.25 0.375 0.5 0.75 Line thickness 0.0025 0.0050 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.035 0.05 Pattern length 0.0125 0.05 0.0625 0.125 0.25 0.5 0.75 1

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Customer queries and messages

Note: Please note that the following EPLAN service is not possible in all countries. A large number of your queries and wishes have contributed to the new version of the EPLAN platform. Please note that not all queries can be listed within the scope of this document. You can, however, query the status of your message ("issue") with us at any time. After we have received your message by telephone or e-mail, our support department will send you an e-mail confirmation. Example:
Dear Ms./Mr. Bloggs, Regarding your support query: You can also follow the progress of your query online at http://www.eplan.de/tracking.php?TRACKING_LINK=987ad69098a9c323b1f3cbaf82a8f645& issue_no=xxxxxx.

After clicking the hyperlink, your Internet browser opens and automatically connects to the "EPLAN Support Call Tracking" page. You need the following information to log on here:

Your User name. The first five digits of your Software service number.

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After filling out the form, confirm this information by clicking [Login]. You will be redirected to your message. This will show you an overview of your support query.

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133 / 140

Activation number
You need a new activation number in order to use this new version of EPLAN. This is provided on the delivery note sent with your storage medium. For a version downloaded from the website: http://www.eplan.de/d/service/support_eplan/ your activation number is sent by e-mail.

Installation
Warning: Data of previous versions generated with the EPLAN platform can continue to be used in the current version. However, data edited with the current version may not always be compatible with previous versions due to extended functionalities and parameters. We expressly advise you not to work with mixed data originating from different versions. The EPLAN platform products can now also be installed on "Windows Vista Enterprise", "Windows Vista Business N" and "Windows Vista Ultimate" operating systems (see "Approved client operating systems" on page 136). In the installation wizard you can now define whether the application is to be installed for Anyone who uses this computer or Only for me. For a new installation this results in a different directory structure. The directory structure for Anyone who uses this computer stores the sample data in a public folder. If you select the Only for me option then this data is stored in the user-specific area of the user currently logged on.

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Note: Please note that this setting cannot be subsequently changed. Under the Windows XP operating system, the data is installed by default in the following directory:

Anyone who uses this computer:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\EPLAN

Only for me:

C:\Documents and Settings\<Your user name>\Application Data\EPLAN

Under the Windows Vista operating system, the data is installed by default in the following directory:

Anyone who uses this computer:

C:\Users\Public\EPLAN

Only for me:

C:\Users\<Your user name>\EPLAN

Note: Please note that to see the application data under Windows XP, you must make the following settings in Windows Explorer: Select Tools > Folder options. Open the View tab and in the Advanced settings field look for the Hidden files and folders folder. Select the Show hidden files and folders option here. The Application Data folder will now be visible.

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Approved client operating systems

Windows XP Professional SP2
The EPLAN platform supports the operating system Windows XP Professional SP2 with all Hotfixes and Updates. Note: Please note that Service Pack 1 of Windows XP Professional is no longer supported by Microsoft as of 10.10.2006. General support for Windows XP Professional will end on 14.04.2009.

Windows Vista
The new Windows Vista operating system was released by Microsoft at the beginning of 2007. This product is divided into Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Basic N, Vista Home Premium, Vista Enterprise, Vista Business N and Vista Ultimate. The EPLAN platform supports the following 32/64 bit Vista operating systems:

Windows Vista Enterprise Windows Vista Business N Windows Vista Ultimate. Note:

Further information on the operating system is available on the Microsoft website.

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Approved server operating systems

Windows 2003 Server SP2
The EPLAN platform supports the operation system Windows 2003 Server SP2 with all Hotfixes and Updates.

Windows 2003 Server R2

The EPLAN platform supports the operating system Windows 2003 Server R2 with all Hotfixes and Updates. Note: Please note that the EPLAN platform may not be installed on servers that run Back Office products from Microsoft (e.g. proxy servers, SQL, Exchange, domain controllers) or other suppliers (e.g. Novell Netware, Lotus Notes or Linux servers).

Approved database systems for parts management / selection

The EPLAN platform supports the following Microsoft SQL Server for changing the parts database to use an SQL server:

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP2 Express / Workgroup / Standard or Enterprise Edition

This support also applies to setting the internal part selection to use an SQL server. The EPLAN platform supports this Microsoft SQL Server for all client and server operating systems which we have approved.

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Note: Other database systems from other manufacturers are not currently supported.

Unsupported operating systems

Windows 2000 Professional
The EPLAN platform no longer supports the Windows 2000 Professional operating system that is no longer supported by Microsoft.

Windows 2000 Server no longer supported

The EPLAN platform no longer supports the Windows 2000 Server operating system that is no longer supported by Microsoft. Microsoft has ceased official support for this operating system. Note: Further information on the life cycle of operating systems is available on the Microsoft website.

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Hardware requirements
The computer platform is a PC with a Pentium processor or compatible. Minimum requirements: Processor Memory Hard disk Monitor/graphics resolution Comparable to a Pentium 4 at 3 GHz 1 GByte 100 GByte 1280 x 1024

Default configuration: Processor Memory Hard disk Monitor/graphics resolution Comparable to a Dual-Core at 2 GHz 1 GByte 160 GByte 2-screen solution with a resolution of 1280 x 1024

Optimum configuration: Processor Memory Hard disk Monitor/graphics resolution Comparable to a Dual-Core at 2.4 GHz 2 GByte 160 GByte 2-screen solution 21" or 16:10 graphics system with a resolution of 1680 x 1050

Multiple-button mouse recommended for individual function assignment.

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Network requirements
Minimum requirements: Network speed Network speed for multi-user operation 100 Mbit 1 Gbit

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