EPLAN NEWS

for Version 2.4

Status: 30.06.2014

EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG

Technical Information
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Copyright 2014 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 the delivery, performance, and use of this material.

This document contains legally protected proprietary 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 prior consent of EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG.

The software described in this document is subject to a licensing agreement. The use and reproduction of
the software is 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, EPLAN Pro Panel and EPLAN Harness
proD are registered trademarks of EPLAN Software& Service GmbH& Co. KG.
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft
Access, and Notepad are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation.
PC WORX, CLIP PROJECT, and INTERBUS are registered trademarks of Phoenix Contact GmbH
& Co.
AutoCAD and AutoCAD Inventor are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc.
STEP 7, SIMATIC and SIMATIC HW Konfig. are registered trademarks of Siemens AG.
InstallShield is a registered trademark of InstallShield, Inc.
Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc.
TwinCAT is a registered trademark of Beckhoff Automation GmbH.
Unity Pro is a registered trademark of Schneider Electric.
RSLogix 5000 and RSLogix Architect are registered trademarks of Rockwell Automation.

All other product names and trade names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective own-
ers.

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 Web site: http://www.7-zip.org

EPLAN uses the open-source software Open CASCADE, Copyright by Open CASCADE S.A.S. The
source code of Open CASCADE is subject to the Open CASCADE Technology Public License. The
source code of Open CASCADE and details on this license can be found on the following Web site:
http://www.opencascade.org

EPLAN provides an import function which uses eCl@ss. Usage of the eCl@ss standard is subject to
license and requires registration and ordering in the DownloadPortal: http://www.eclassdownload.com

2
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Table of Contents
Preface 11
Notes for the Reader 13
EPLAN Preplanning 15
Extensions to the User Interface 17
New features in the property dialogs 17
Containers as a New Segment of Pre-Planning 19
Extended Numbering Settings for PCT Loops and Segments 20
Creation of Schematics from the Pre-Planning 21
Updating Macros 23
Synchronizing Pre-Planning Parts with the Detailed Planning 23
Segment Templates 24
Segment Template Navigator 24
Create Segment Templates 26
Assign Segment Templates 27
Editing Segment Templates 28
Segment Templates and Macros 29
Reports in the Pre-Planning 30
Building Automation in the Pre-Planning 32
Data Import of EPLAN PPE Projects 33
Improved Inclusion of pre-Planning in the EPLAN Platform 36
Subprojects and Extensions for the Defined Working Sections 38
Defining Defined Working Sections for Subprojects 39
Improved Division of Sequentially Numbered Projects 40
Consideration of the Pre-planning in the Defined Working Sections 41
Managing Subprojects 42
File off subprojects 45
Further Information about the Subprojects 46

3
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Store subprojects 48
New Check Run Messages for Subprojects 50
New Features of the Entire EPLAN Platform 51
Fitting Text 51
Fitting Text in Alignment Boxes 54
New Check Run Messages for Texts 57
Change and Device Protection 58
The New Change Protection 59
Configure Protection 60
Extensions in Device Protection 63
Representation in the Navigators 64
Change Protection for Structure Identifiers 65
Remove Protection 65
User-Defined Properties 66
Creating User-Defined Properties 67
Using User-Defined Properties 69
Removing User-Defined Properties 70
Conversion of the User-Defined Supplementary Fields 70
Extended Support of EN Standard 81346 72
Extensions for Reference Identification 73
Use Object Identifier for Structuring 75
New Master Data for the Extended Reference Identification 77
Graphical Editor 78
Hyperlinks to cross-references 78
Extension for Structure Boxes with Recesses 79
Cross-references 79
Form-based contact image 79
User Interface 83
New design for EPLAN icons 83
Displayed Values for the Settings from the Layer 83

4
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Further Displayed Units of Measure 86

Less Control Elements for More User-friendliness 87
Uniform Designations for Devices 96
Renamed Dialog for the Directory Selection 97
Project Editing 97
Extended project databases 97
SQL Server Database for the Project Management 98
Icon for Exclusively Opened Projects 100
Devices 101
Improved Representation of the Full DT 101
Part Selection 103
Taking account of function templates 103
Easier identification of hyperlinks from the parts management 103
Defined Devices 104
Standardized behavior during transfer of the plug DT and the channel
designation 104
Project Data Navigators 105
New icon for devices that are not placed in the schematic 105
Structure Identifier Management 106
Improved representation of the structure identifiers 106
Connections 108
Association of connections 108
Renamed Connection Symbols 109
Message Management 109
Checking the part master data 109
Form Editor 113
Improved design of dynamic areas 113
Extended Next Forms 115
Reports 120
Creating an assembly / module overview 120

5
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Reports with Deviating Form 121

Parts Management 125
Update the parts database 125
Importing Part Data to the eCl@ss Standard 126
Storing the ATEX Identification 126
Mounting Depth for Item Placements on Mounting Surfaces 127
Renamed Field for Mounting Data 128
Removed Fields 129
Settings 130
Common settings dialog for part selection and parts management 130
Moved Setting for Zooming Texts as in Previous EPLAN Versions 134
Utilities 135
Extensions when synchronizing functions 135
New Features in the "EPLAN Multi Language Translation" Extension Mod-
ule 136
Specifying the scope of translation for the parts management 136
New Features in the "EPLAN Revision Management" Extension Module 139
Extended property comparison for pre-planning 139
Project-specific Storing of the Comparison Results 141
Properties 142
Renamed Properties for Structure Identifiers 142
New Features for EPLAN Electric P8 144
Terminals / Plugs 144
New settings for numbering 144
Connection Splicers / Line Connectors in Electrical Engineering 147
General Information About Connection Splicers and Line Connectors 148
Connection Splicers in the Topology 149
New Check Run Messages for Connection Splicers 151
New Features in the "EPLAN FieldSys" Extension Module 152
Drawing a Topology Routing Path as a Polyline 152

6
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Determine Fill Capacity of Topology Routing Path 153

Extensions for Terminal Strips in Routing Path Networks 155
Routing Connections between Different Identification Structures 156
New Features in the "EPLAN PLC & Bus Extension" Extension Module 158
Rack-Oriented Display in PLC Navigator 160
Graphic Determining of the Bus Configuration 161
Restructuring of the PLC Objects 165
Extensions at the Addresses / Assignment Lists 166
Data Exchange with PLC Configuration Programs 168
New and Updated Interfaces for the PLC Data Exchange 171
New Features for EPLAN Pro Panel 172
Extended Toolbar "Pro Panel Options" 173
Extensions in the Device Logic 174
Defining Several Surfaces on the Same Space Level as a Mounting Surface 174
Simplified Procedure when Defining Mounting and Base Points 175
Changing the Description of a Mounting Point 177
Defining and Editing Placement Areas in Schematic Projects 177
Rotating Objects about a Freely Selectable Axis 177
Extensions at the Model Views 181
Display of routing paths and curves in model views 181
Display of the routing accessories in the model views 181
Configurable Representation of the Navigator Dialogs for the Model View 182
Property Arrangement for the Model Views 182
Extensions when Placing Parts 183
Integrating mounting panels in the hierarchy of the layout space 183
Writing Back Dimensions when Placing Parts 185
Place Parts of Several Terminal Strips 185
Selection List when Interactive Points and Areas Overlap 186
Parts Management during Transfer of the Connection Point Patterns
Opened Directly 187

7
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Drilling Patterns from External Manufacturing Information 188

Generating Drilling Patterns from NC Data 189
Generating Drilling Patterns from DXF / DWG Files 190
Defining Drilling Patterns Graphically 193
New Check Run Messages for Drilling Patterns 193
Calculation of the Total Power Dissipation of Switch Gears 194
New Extension Module "Design Space Exchange" for Importing and
Exporting Design Spaces 195
New Features in the "EPLAN Project Processing" Extension Module 197
Improved process during the importing of devices and routing connections 197
New Features in the "Process Copper" Extension Module 203
Busbars with edgewise bending 203
New Features in the "Process Wiring" Extension Module 208
Settings for bundling as a scheme 209
Improved Inclusion of Phase Busbars 214
Wiring Cut-Outs as the Starting or End Points of Routing Paths or Curves 218
New Features for EPLAN Fluid 219
Identification according to DIN ISO 1219-2:2012 219
Device Tags 220
New Project Settings 221
New Properties 224
New Trades 225
New Check Run Messages 227
Editing the Assignment to a Trade in Tables 228
Online Numbering 228
Identification of Fluid Lines 230
Identification of Interruption Points 232
New Master Data 232
EPLAN Fluid Hose Configurator the New Hose Line Configurator 233
New Features for EPLAN Harness proD 235

8
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features in the "EPLAN API Extension" Extension Module 241

New Features in the Master Data 246
Master Data: Symbols 246
Master Data: Forms and Plot Frames 257
Master Data: Projects and Templates 259
Master Data: Macros 260
Other New Features and Information 261
EPLAN Solution Center The New Support System 261
Logging Into the EPLAN Solution Center 262
Validation Code 263
Retrieving the Validation Code Online 263
Software Requirements and Approvals 265
General requirements 265
Operating systems 266
Microsoft products 266
SQL server 267
Autodesk products 267
PDF redlining 267
PLC systems (PLC & bus extension) 267
64-bit version of the EPLAN Platform 268

9
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

10
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Preface
Dear EPLAN users,

Worldwide initiatives such as "Industry 4.0", "Smart Manufacturing" and

"The Internet of Things" require the manufacturing industry to use ever more
intelligent items and automated tools for engineering. With consequences
and new challenges for engineering and increased expectations for the
design systems.

The future increase in data and communication requires higher data quality,
consequent data consistency, highest system compatibility and an improved
interaction of the design systems and tools and in the interplay with existing
ERP, PDM and PLM solutions. The aim: More efficiency in the product devel-
opment and a high-quality documentation for manufacturing, mounting, test-
ing, commissioning and maintaining.

The EPLAN Platform aims to support the goals of these initiatives lastingly.
One the one hand through rapid acquisition and structuring of the data for
engineering and on the other hand through higher quality and consistency of
the data throughout all process steps of the product development and pro-
duction.

Extended support for the standard IEC 81346 with function, location and
product aspects provides you with new and improved possibilities to struc-
ture your projects and to automate many of your daily tasks in engineering.
The quality and structure of the documentation is also decisive to this pur-
pose the EPLAN Platform also supports the IEC 61355 standard.

11
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The interaction of the diverse design systems in engineering is a further issue

for EPLAN. For this reason we have strongly simplified some interactions in
the current version for example the definition of the PLC bus topology,
user-defined properties and the new cross-reference techniques.

We see an important obligation in the continuous attuning of our solutions to

your processes in enclosure and switchgear design. With EPLAN Pro Panel
2.4 drilling information from external systems such as in the form of DXF /
DWG data or of manufacturing data from the libraries of the machine tools
can be integrated into EPLAN Pro Panel and used further in the designing
process.

In this form the extended functionality of the EPLAN Project Processing

extension module contributes further to process optimization: Importing
device tag and connections lists from other E-CAD or ERP systems or in the
form of MS Excel lists, comparison specifically with the contents of the cur-
rent project and usage for mounting layout in 3D and the virtual wiring con-
sistent project planning also without a schematic.

In the field of fluid power we have further integrated the EPLAN Fluid Hose
Configurator. This hose line configurator now increases your productivity dur-
ing the definition and creation of hydraulic hose lines lastingly.

Get a head start and discover numerous further functionalities and improve-
ments that have been integrated into the EPLAN Platform Version 2.4.
Please visit our website at www.eplan.de/en for more information.

We wish you much success with your new EPLAN platform 2.4.

Your EPLAN Software & Service team

12
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Notes for the Reader

Important information:
Before installing the version, please note the information in chapter
"Other New Features and Information" (starting on page "261"). Pay
special attention to the section "Software Requirements and Approvals"
(see page "265").

If you want to use old projects that were created with previous EPLAN
versions in EPLAN Version 2.4, these projects have to be updated. For
more information, please read the section "Project Editing" (see
page"97").

If you want to use an "older" parts database, you will first have to update
such a parts database. For more information, please read the section
"Parts Management" (see page "125").

We used "EPLAN Electric P8" when creating the images for this docu-
ment. If you use a different program of the EPLAN Platform, a different
program icon will be displayed in the dialog of your program.

Before you begin reading, please note the following symbols and styles used
in this document:

Warning:
Text preceded by this symbol contains a warning; you should be absolutely
sure to read this warning before proceeding!

Note:
Text preceded by this image contains extra notes.

13
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Tip:
Useful tips to facilitate your interaction with the program are presented
after this image.

Example:
Examples are highlighted by this symbol.

User interface elements are marked in bold (and blue) so they can imme-
diately be located in the text.

Italic Italic or bold text provides particularly important information that you
should definitely pay attention to.

Code examples, directory names, and direct input (among others) are dis-
played in a non-proportional font.

Function keys, keyboard keys, and buttons within the program are shown
in square brackets (e.g., [F1] for the "F1" function key).

To improve the flow of the text, we often use "menu paths" in this docu-
ment (for example, Help > Contents). In order to find a particular pro-
gram function, the menus and options shown in a menu path must be
selected in the sequence shown. For example, the menu path mentioned
above calls up the EPLAN help system.

In combination with settings or fields (e.g., check boxes) which can only
be switched on or off, in this document we often use the terms "activate"
(after which the setting is active ) and "deactivate" (after which the set-
ting is inactive ).

14
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

EPLAN Preplanning
With EPLAN Preplanning you can realize initial planning activities regarding
technical aspects in the engineering process early on in the EPLAN platform.
The engineering process of a machine / higher-level function consists of indi-
vidual phases through which the concept is adjusted and specified from initial
rough drafts and ideas, until all documents and information have been cre-
ated that are necessary for the manufacture and construction of the machine.

In the project phase of pre-planning, concepts are worked out for the tech-
nical scope of machines / plants and estimates are done on initial quantity
structures. The goal is to determine the concept that is most advantageous
technically speaking, and to define the defaults for the subsequent detailed
planning. Based on pre-planning, later on schematics can be created and
details of the plant worked out.

After we presented the pre-planning as an optional extension for the EPLAN

Platform for the last version, EPLAN Preplanning is now available both as a
stand-alone variant and as an add-on variant.

EPLAN Preplanningis optionally available as an add-on variant for the fol-

lowing program variants:

EPLAN Electric P8 Select

EPLAN Electric P8 Professional
EPLAN Electric P8 Professional+
EPLAN Fluid
EPLAN Fluid Professional.
For EPLAN Electric P8 Ultimate the add-on is part of the delivery scope by
default.

15
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

As a stand-alone variant EPLAN Preplanning additionally provides extensive

functionalities for the graphical creation of P&I diagrams (P&IDs).

Notable extensions in the pre-planning

The data transfer has been extended for this version so that you can now
transfer not only P&ID projects, but also complete EPLAN PPE projects in
the course of a migration from EPLAN PPE to EPLAN Preplanning.

You can now predefine the relevant data for a specific segment in a so-called
"segment template". You can repeatedly use these predefined data when cre-
ating new structure elements, planning objects, etc. Management and edit-
ing of the segment templates existing in a project are carried out in a new
dialog the segment template navigator. In addition you can out reports for
the segment templates.

It is now also possible to output function lists for building automation con-
forming to the standards VDI 3814 and DIN EN ISO 16484-3 in the pre-
planning. These function lists contain the information required for the
planning and implementation of building automation systems and instru-
mentation and control systems. We make special master data (project tem-
plates, forms, etc.) for the creation of these reports.

Benefit:
The segment templates allow you to create fundamental standards for the
project planning, transfer predefined data automatically to the segments so
that you do not have to enter the data individually at each segment.
Special templates and master data allow the output of function lists for
building automation conforming to the standards VDI 3814 and DIN EN
ISO 16484-3.

16
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"Extensions to the User Interface" on page "17"

"Creation of Schematics from the Pre-Planning" on page "21"
"Segment Templates" on page "24"
"Reports in the Pre-Planning" on page "30"
"Building Automation in the Pre-Planning" on page "32"
"Data Import of EPLAN PPE Projects" on page "33"
"Improved Inclusion of pre-Planning in the EPLAN Platform" on
page"36".

Extensions to the User Interface

New features in the property dialogs
Structure segments
In the properties dialog of the structure segments the structure identifiers are
now displayed in a well-structured form in the table Structure identifier. This
allowed the Properties group box to be moved from the Further tab to the
first tab and the Further to be removed.

17
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Planning objects
The order of the tabs has been changed in the properties dialog of the plan-
ning objects. The Macro tab has been moved between the two other tabs
Parts and Templates. In the course of this change the previous tab PLC /
Documents has been divided amongst the two new tabs PLC and Docu-
ments / Pages.

Assigning a segment template

In the properties dialogs of the segments the new Segment template box is
displayed on the first tab. This field displays the segment template which is
assigned to the segment. For more information, see "Segment Templates"
(see page "24").

Assigning documents and / or pages

In the pre-planning you now have the possibility to assign external doc-
uments and / or project pages to the segments. The new tab Documents /
Pages is available to this purpose both at the structure segments and the
planning objects.

18
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

You can specify any documents, which can be output as hyperlinks in

reports, in the Documents table of this tab.

The pages that are linked to a segment are listed in the Pages table of the
Documents / Pages tab. By means of the assignment of pages you can eas-
ily see at the segment on which pages there are associated data.

You use the (New) to open the dialog Page selection where you select
the pages that are to be assigned to a segment. You use (Delete) to
remove a selected page from the table.

For more information on this topic, go to the online help and look up the sec-
tion "Linking Segments with Pages".

Containers as a New Segment of Pre-Planning

The "Containers" are now available as new segments in pre-planning.

In process engineering, containers belong to the apparatus group. They can

be a plant element and are inserted below a structure segment level.

Containers are managed in parallel to general planning objects, and behave

in a way similar to them in the pre-planning. Function templates and external
documents / pages can be stored at a container, but not PLC addresses,
parts or macros. Accordingly the properties dialog of a container only dis-
poses of the Container general tab, which corresponds to that of a planning
object, and of the Documents / Pages and Templates tabs.

A container can be inserted in pre-planning below a structure segment, but

not below a planning object or a PCT loop. The containers themselves can
also contain PCT loops and planning objects in their structure.

19
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Extended Numbering Settings for PCT Loops and Segments

The settings for the PCT loops in the pre-planning have been extended for
this version so that not only the settings for the PCT loop number exist in the
settings dialog, but also numbering settings for other pre-planning segments.
Therefore the dialog has been renamed to Settings: Numbering / PCT
loops (menu path: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" >
Pre-planning > Numbering / PCT loops).

You can now carry out separate specifications for the automatic numbering
of segments and PCT loops in the new fields Minimum number of digits,
Filler character, Start value and Increment.

On the basis of these settings EPLAN automatically suggests a designation /

PCT loop number when creating segments / PCT loops, when copying and
pasting or when inserting macros with these objects. In the case of PCT
loops the settings for the PCT loops with identical designation are also taken
into consideration during numbering.

20
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Creation of Schematics from the Pre-Planning

Based on the pre-planning, multi-line schematics can be generated by drag-
ging-and-dropping planning objects (PCT loops, PCT loop functions) with
assigned macros into the page navigator.

For this you have the following new options:

Assigning a change protection to pages during creation

Placing several window macros next to each other on one page.

These extension have resulted in a new group box Generate schematic in

the general settings for the pre-planning (menu path: Options > Settings >
Projects > "Project name" > Pre-planning > General.)

Change protection when creating pages:

If this check box is activated, a change protection is assigned automatically
to the pages generated from the macros. This means that the Change pro-
tection (ID 3014) property is assigned automatically to these pages. The
pages and the functions placed on them are thus protected against changes

21
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

and can no longer be edited, deleted, etc. Changes through the pre-planning
are possible by using the functionality Update detailed planning.

If the check box is deactivated, the pages generated from the macros remain
unprotected and can be edited subsequently.

Notes:
Objects for which the change protection has been activated are iden-
tified in the tree views of the navigators by the icon.

The previous protection for devices, functions or planning objects has

been renamed to "Device protection" in this version. In the course of
this modification the setting for protecting functions in the pre-planning
has been renamed to Device protection when creating functions.
For more information on this topic, go to the online help and look up the
section "Protected Segments".

Place several macros on one page:

If you activate this check box, the macros are placed automatically next to
each other on one page as long as there is sufficient space when you drag
planning objects several times onto an existing page. Then a new page is
generated and the next macros are placed there. If, by contrast, you drag a
planning object onto a hierarchy level in the tree, new pages are always gen-
erated.

If the check box is not selected, a separate page is generated for each
macro.

You can use the other two settings Distance to margin and Space
between the macros to influence the distance when several window mac-
ros are to be placed on one page.

22
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Updating Macros
In order to update macros placed on project pages or their data the following
two new functionalities are now available in the pre-planning navigator:

Place macro again:

If a stored macro is replaced by a different macro at a planning object in
pre-planning, you can replace the macro placed on the project page by
using the Place macro again popup menu item in the pre-planning nav-
igator. The previously placed macro for the planning object marked in the
pre-planning navigator is then deleted and the new macro subsequently
placed.

Update detailed planning:

Placeholder objects in macros can be used to apply data from the proper-
ties of planning objects to the placed functions in the detailed planning. If
you have modified the planning object data in pre-planning (e.g. selected
another value set for a placeholder object in the macro), you can use the
Update detailed planning popup menu item to apply the modified data
to the placeholder object placed in detailed planning.

Synchronizing Pre-Planning Parts with the Detailed Planning

It is possible that you may have to change the parts at the segments in the
pre-planning although the associated main functions have already been
placed in the detailed planning. In such a case you can synchronize the pre-
planning parts with the parts in the detailed planning. In the process the part
information at the main functions in the detailed planning is deleted and
replaced by the part information of the assigned segments.

23
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

To carry out a synchronization select the menu items Utilities > Syn-
chronize > Parts > Pre-planning --> Main function. As is usual in the
EPLAN Platform, the scope of the synchronization depends on which seg-
ments you have marked in the pre-planning navigator. After you have con-
firmed the subsequent message with [OK], the parts information of the
marked segments including all the subordinate segments is synchronized.

For more information on this topic, please refer to the online help in the sec-
tion "Synchronizing Pre-Planning Parts with the Detailed Planning".

Segment Templates
You can predefine all the relevant data for a segment in a segment template.
You can repeatedly use these predefined data when creating new structure
elements, planning objects, etc. Through the assignment of a segment tem-
plate the data defined there are transferred to the segment and you do not
have to enter the data individually at each segment. The data of the assigned
segment template can be displayed at the segments.

Segment templates are stored project-specifically. Each segment template

has a unique indentifying name, a description and a segment definition. The
segment template continues to dispose of all the properties of a segment
with the same segment definition.

Segment Template Navigator

You can now use the new segment template navigator for the display and
editing of the segment templates existing in a project, . To open this nav-
igator, select the menu items Project data > Pre-planning > Segment tem-
plate navigator.

24
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Tree view
In the Tree tab, the segment templates are displayed in their hierarchical
structure. The top hierarchy level is the project. Below that the segment tem-
plates of a project are structured in the following hierarchy levels:

Basic segment definitions (for example "Structure segment", "Planning

object", "PCT loop", etc.).

Segment definitions (for example "Structure segment general", "Planning

object general", "Loop").
The New segment template popup menu item for creating segment tem-
plates is available on this level.

Segment templates: The user-defined segment templates are displayed

on the lowest hierarchy level. Segment templates are identified by the pre-
ceding icon . Otherwise, the same icons are displayed for the basic seg-
ment and the segment definitions as in the pre-planning navigator.

Note:
After the data import of an EPLAN PPE project further predefined planning
objects (such as "Sensor", "Actuator", "Pick-up", etc.) and segment tem-
plates are available in the segment template navigator. These segment
templates are based on the specifications from EPLAN PPE. During con-
version the specification number in PPE becomes the identifying name of
the segment template.

25
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

List view
In the List tab, the segment template name, the segment template descrip-
tion, the segment definition name, the designation and the description of the
segment, as well as structure identifiers for the identifier blocks "Higher-level
function" and "Mounting location" are displayed by default. In addition, fur-
ther structure identifiers and properties can be displayed by using the Con-
figure representation popup menu.

Create Segment Templates

To do so first select the segment definition for which you want to create the
template (for example the "Loop") in the segment template navigator and
then select the popup menu item New segment template.

The properties dialog then opened has the same tabs as the corresponding
segment of the selected segment definition. In addition, the Segment tem-
plate tab is displayed in which you enter the identifying name and an optional
description for the new segment template.

Segment templates can furthermore be created in the segment template nav-

igator as follows:

Copying and pasting an existing segment template.

Duplicating of an existing segment template.

Dragging & dropping from the pre-planning navigator to the segment tem-
plate navigator. In the process all the data of the segment are transferred
to the segment template.

Exporting and importing of segment templates.

26
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Assign Segment Templates

A segment template from the current project can be assigned to each seg-
ment. In the pre-planning navigator this is identified by an additional icon ( )
which superimposes the icon of the segment. Segment and segment tem-
plate always have the same segment definition.

In the properties dialog of a segment an assigned segment template is dis-

played on the first tab in the Segment template field.

During assignment the properties of the segment template are transferred to

the segment. In the process only empty values are filled, existing property val-
ues are not overwritten. In addition, you can assign further properties to the
segment or overwrite the values imported from the segment template.

Segment templates can be used as follows in the project and assigned to a

segment:

Dragging & dropping from the segment template navigator to the pre-plan-
ning navigator. In the process a new segment to which the segment tem-
plate is assigned is created.

Dragging & dropping from the segment template navigator to the graph-
ical editor (on a pre-planning page). In the process a new segment to
which the segment template is assigned is created and placed.

Dragging & dropping with the [Ctrl] + [Shift] keys pressed from the seg-
ment template navigator to a segment in the pre-planning navigator. The
segment template is assigned to the existing segment (if both have the
same segment definition).

In the properties dialog of a segment via the Segment template field.

In order to assign a segment template to an existing segment, click the
[] button next to the Segment template field. In the subsequent dialog

27
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Select segment template the segment templates existing in the project

that match the segment definition of the current segment are listed.

Editing Segment Templates

The following functionalities are available for editing segment templates in
the Segment template navigator:

Deleting segment templates:

Segment templates can only be deleted in the segment template nav-
igator if they are not in use in the project, meaning that they are not
assigned to a segment.

Changing a segment definition:

You can assign a different segment definition (from the same basic seg-
ment definition) to a segment template in the segment template navigator
by using the Change segment definition popup menu. This is only pos-
sible, if the segment template is not assigned to a segment.

Moving segment templates:

You can move segment templates via Drag & Drop to a different point
within the same basic segment definition in the tree view of the segment
template navigator, in as far as these segment templates are not yet used
in the project. In the process the segment definition below which the seg-
ment template was moved is assigned automatically to it. If you keep the
[Ctrl] key pressed while dragging, the marked segment templates are
copied.

28
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

You can furthermore carry out the following functions for segment templates
in the pre-planning navigator:

Removing the assigned segment template from the segment:

An assigned can be removed again. To do so, open the respective prop-
erty dialog of the segment with the <Segment display name> tab. Click
(Delete) next to the Segment template field. The property values
defined in the segment template will be deleted at the segment.

Resetting to values of the segment template:

You can use the new popup menu item Reset to segment template to
reset the changed property values of a segment to the values pre-defined
in the segment template.

You can use the new check run message 028018 "Difference between seg-
ment and segment template (property '%1!s!')." from the message class 028
"Pre-planning" to find out at which segment there are differences between
the segment and the assigned segment template.

Segment Templates and Macros

Segment templates are transferred into the macro during the creation of pre-
planning macros. During the insertion of pre-planning macros segment tem-
plates not existing in the project are transferred into the project, existing seg-
ment templates are not overwritten in the process. Only the reference to the
existing segment template is entered at the segment.

29
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
The project-specific segment templates allow, for example, manufacturer-
independent macros to be created. If you change the part in the segment
template and select for example a part of a different manufacturer, the
parts are then changed at all the planning objects linked to this segment
template.

Reports in the Pre-Planning

The structure segments (plant, plant part, machine function, etc.) and plan-
ning objects (sensors, actuators, PCT loops, etc.) existing in the pre-planning
can be reported by means of the existing report types "Pre-planning: Struc-
ture segment overview", "Pre-planning: Structure segment plan", "Pre-plan-
ning: Planning object overview" and "Pre-planning: Planning object plan".

The new form property Output all subordinate segments (ID 13119) is
now available in order to output subordinate segments as well during these
report plans (for example all the planning objects of a PCT loop). When this
form property is activated, all the subordinate segments are also determined
and output for each segment in the data area of a report of the type "Struc-
ture segment plan" or "Planning object plan".

Note:
Function lists for building automation can also be output by using the plan-
ning object overview if a suitable form is used.

30
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New reports
In addition the following new report types are available for the pre-planning:

Pre-planning: Segment template overview: Overview of all the segment

templates.

Pre-planning: Segment template plan: One report is created per segment

template. Various properties of the segment template can be output in the
process, for example those parts that are entered at the segment tem-
plate. In addition, the properties of the segments can be output that use
the segment template.

Assembly/Module overview: Overview of all assemblies and modules

used in the project. You can use the Record type property to differentiate
between assemblies and modules. This report type can also be used to
report those assemblies / modules that have been included into pre-plan-
ning through the data transfer of hook-ups in EPLAN PPE projects. For
more information, please read the section "Reports" (see page "120").

Appropriate forms are supplied in the master data for these new reports (see
section "Master Data: Forms and Plot Frames" on page "257").

31
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Building Automation in the Pre-Planning

In building automation in accordance with the standards VDI 3814 and DIN
EN ISO 16484-3 it is usual to output the information required for the planning
and implementation of building automation systems and instrumentation and
control systems in function lists. Special project templates, forms as well as
properties for pre-planning are available in EPLAN to support these function
lists. For more information, please read the sections "Master Data: Forms
and Plot Frames" (starting on page "257") and "Master Data: Projects and
Templates" (starting on page "259").

Function lists
The form for the function lists is divided into sections and columns. The prop-
erties displayed in the form are sorted by sections. In EPLAN the properties
specified by the standard are mapped in part by fixed defined EPLAN proper-
ties and in part by user-defined properties. Section 1 contains fixed defined
EPLAN properties for the display of PLC inputs and outputs. Sections 2 to 8
contain user-defined properties. These properties are already predefined in
the project template for building automation and are available for immediate
use if you use this template.

In order to output function lists for building automation in accordance with the
standard VDI 3814, use the report type "Pre-planning: Planning object over-
view" and assign the form F40_VDI3814.f40 to it.

32
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Graphical display of automation schemes

You can draw a schematic overview (automation scheme) of the planned
plant area in the EPLAN project on a page of the type "P&I diagram". In this
overview the amount of used or required inputs / outputs per planning object
can be displayed. To do so use a property arrangement at the functions
placed in the automation scheme in which the properties for the total number
of the PLC inputs and outputs (for example Total number of digital PLC
outputs (ID 44029)) are selected for display. This information is usually dis-
played path-wise below the drawing.

To implement such a path-wise display you have to change the display set-
ting for the base point for the respective properties. To do so select the set-
ting "Y-coordinate automatic (schematic path)" in the property arrangement
for the display property Base point. The value of the Y coordinate (in relation
to the origin of the page) is determined in the Property arrangement: Auto-
matic Y coordinate (schematic path) (ID 12062) property. This property is
available for plot frames and pages.

Data Import of EPLAN PPE Projects

The data import from EPLAN PPE has been extended so that you can not
only import P&ID projects but also complete EPLAN PPE projects for the pre-
planning.

33
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Converting an EPLAN PPE Project

The previous menu item Convert P&ID project has been renamed and for
the sake of consistency has been moved to the data import menu. In order to
convert an EPLAN PPE project for the pre-planning, you now select the
menu items Utilities > Data import > EPLAN PPE --> Preplanning. As in
the past the information from the EPLAN PPE functional view is imported into
the segments of the pre-planning. The old EPLAN PPE project is retained
under a modified name.

If the EPLAN PPE project contains documents a message is now displayed

in which you can decide whether these documents are to be imported as
graphical pages. Note that this process can take some time. We therefore
recommend that you do not convert documents during the data import, but
rather create only the required documents as graphical pages beforehand in
the EPLAN PPE project.

Converted PPE objects

During the data import the following PPE objects are converted into the corre-
sponding segments or objects of pre-planning:

PPE object Segment / Object

Higher-level function Structure segment

- PI system - Designation
- Designation - Description
The structure identifiers are determined on the
basis of the configuration in EPLAN PPE.

PCT loop PCT loop

PCT loop function PCT loop function

34
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

PCT loop element Planning object

- Device type - Description
- Device group - Segment definition

Specification Segment template

Hook-up Assembly

Orders - Omitted -

Container Container

Property User-defined property. Property groups are dis-

played as part (additional node) of the identifying
property name.

External document Document (stored at the segment)

Document Graphics page. During data import you can decide

whether the documents from EPLAN PPE pro-
jects are to be converted into graphical pages or
are to be ignored.

Importing P&I diagrams from AutoCAD

If you have created the P&I diagrams through the EPLAN PPE P&ID
AutoCAD interface, import these drawings into your EPLAN PPE project
before you convert these into a project with pre-planning data. The menu
items Project > PPE > Import > AutoCAD P&ID are used to this purpose.

When you subsequently convert the EPLAN PPE project into a project with
pre-planning data, the P&I diagrams are then also available there. You can
no longer import the P&I diagrams from AutoCAD into a project that has
already been converted.

35
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

For more information on this topic, please refer to the online help in the sec-
tion "Data import of EPLAN PPE projects".

Improved Inclusion of pre-Planning in the EPLAN Platform

The segments from the pre-planning are now also taken into consideration at
the following components of the EPLAN Platform:

Defined working sections:

When dividing projects into defined working sections you can now also
use the segments from pre-planning. To this purpose properties for pre-
planning are now also available for the definition of the defined working
sections.For more information, please read the section "Consideration of
the Pre-planning in the Defined Working Sections" on page "41". The
defined working sections are a functionality of the "EPLAN Multiuser
Management" extension module.

Placeholder objects:
The segments from the pre-planning can now also be assigned to a place-
holder object. Variables can also be assigned to the user-defined proper-
ties of these pre-planning segments.

Project Options:
The segments from the graphical pre-planning are now also taken into
consideration at the project options "EPLAN Project Options" extension
module. You can create project option sections from the segments placed
on a pre-planning page. The project options with the sections from the
graphical pre-planning can then, for example, be activated and deac-
tivated as usual. If a superior segment forms part of a section and if the
corresponding project option is activated or deactivated, the associated
subordinate segments are then also activated or deactivated.

36
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Editing properties externally:

During external editing it is now possible to export the pre-planning data,
to edit these externally and read them back in. Exporting of the data is car-
ried out by means of schemes. When creating a new scheme for external
editing you can now also select the segments of the pre-planning as an
object type (for example "Segment: Planning objects"). For better dif-
ferentiation the PPE objects are preceded by a PPE in the dialog Object
type (for example "PPE: Loops").
If there are user-defined properties for the pre-planning in the project after
a data import, these properties and furthermore the categories of the pre-
planning are also available to you during the selection of the format ele-
ments.

37
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Subprojects and Extensions for the Defined

Working Sections

Note:
The "EPLAN Multiuser Management" extension module is available as an
optional extra for the following programming variants:
EPLAN Electric P8 Select, EPLAN Electric P8 Professional, EPLAN Elec-
tric P8 Professional+, EPLAN Fluid, EPLAN Fluid Professional, EPLAN
Pro Panel Professional Stand-alone and EPLAN Pro Panel Professional+
Stand-alone.
For the following program variants, this extension module is part of the
delivery scope by default: EPLAN Electric P8 Ultimate

Extensive projects are often edited by a team consisting of several editors.

For this use case you can divide the projects in the EPLAN Platform into so-
called "defined working sections" by using the extension module "EPLAN
Multiuser Management". This makes the display of large projects more trans-
parent and increases the editing speed. Such a procedure only makes
sense, however, if the team only consists of internal persons and a powerful
network is available.

If external persons who do not have access to the company network are to be
used for editing extensive projects, or if editing is to be carried out indepen-
dently of a network connection, you can use the Subprojects functionality to
divide these projects into subprojects. After the division the created sub-
projects can be stored on local workstations by means of a backup or sent to
external editors for further editing.

38
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
The creation and filing off of subprojects allows extensive projects to be
divided so that they can also be edited by external persons (with installed
EPLAN program variants) . Filing a subproject off to a local data medium
allows a defined part of a project to be edited - even when a permanent net-
work connection to the original project is not available.

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"Defining Defined Working Sections for Subprojects" on page "39"

"Managing Subprojects" on page "42".

Defining Defined Working Sections for Subprojects

The functionality of the defined working sections is used for the division of pro-
jects into subprojects. Before you can create subprojects for a project you
therefore first have to activate the selection of defined working sections in the
project properties on the Defined working sections tab.

Then you / the administrator have to use the dialog Define working sec-
tions as project administrator to specify the desired defined working sec-
tions. The sections defined here represent possible subprojects.

Defined working sections must not overlap for the generation of subprojects.
"Overlap" means that certain objects (e.g. pages, layout spaces, or pre-plan-
ning segments) exist in several defined working sections. Objects that exist
in several defined working sections could otherwise cause problems when
storing projects.

39
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Whether the defined working sections are clearly separated from each other
or overlap is shown in the dialogs for defining the defined working sections in
the new Status column by means of an icon.

Icon Meaning

Defined working section does not overlap with other sections.

Parts of this defined working section are also contained in other

defined working sections.

Improved Division of Sequentially Numbered Projects

The division of projects into defined working sections is effected by means of
filter schemes. In the past the sequentially numbered projects could only be
divided into trades. However, such a division often results in overlapping
defined working section. In order to nevertheless allow division of sequen-
tially numbered projects in a subproject the filter criteria for the definition of
defined working sections have been extended.

Therefore not only the properties for the trade and for the structure identifiers
are available for the definition of the defined working sections in the dialog
Criteria selection now, but also the following properties for pages and layout
spaces:

Object identifier (ID 11036)

Page name (ID 11000)
Page subcounter (ID 11013)
Page counter (ID 11012)
Layout space name (ID 20261).

40
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In order to differentiate the numerous criteria better these are divided into dif-
ferent hierarchy levels (page, layout space, etc.). New filter criteria for pre-
planning are now also displayed for selection in this dialog (see the following
section "Consideration of the Pre-planning in the Defined Working
Sections").

Consideration of the Pre-planning in the Defined Working Sections

When dividing projects into defined working sections the segments from pre-
planning can now also be considered. To this purpose properties for pre-plan-
ning are now also available for the definition of the defined working section.

Benefit:
The new filter criteria make it possible to also use the objects from the well-
defined tree structure of the pre-planning navigator in order to divide a pro-
ject into different defined working sections.

The dialog Criteria selection has been extended with the "Pre-planning"
hierarchy level. If you set such a property for structure identifiers or, for
example, the property Segment definition: Name (identifying) (ID 44001)
as the filter criterion, only those segments (including the subordinate seg-
ments) that fulfill this criterion are displayed in the pre-planning navigator. In
addition, all the higher-level segments up to the filtered segment are also dis-
played in the navigator.

41
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Notes:
The pre-planning filter criteria for the defined working sections have no
effect on the segment templates in the segment template navigator. All
segment templates are always displayed.

The two new hierarchy levels "Page" and "Layout space" are addition-
ally displayed in the dialog Criteria selection. Sequentially numbered
projects can now be included better during the division into defined work-
ing sections by using the associated properties.

For more information on the topic "Defined working sections" please refer to
the online help in the section of the same name.

Managing Subprojects
The new dialog Subprojects is now available in the EPLAN Platform for the
management of the subprojects. To access this dialog open a project in the
"Exclusive" editing mode and then select the menu items Project > Sub-
projects. You may only select one project, otherwise the Subprojects menu
item is grayed out.

Note:
The project has to be opened in the "Exclusive" editing mode in order to
work with subprojects. When you select the menu items Project > Sub-
projects, an internal check is therefore carried out whether the project is
opened exclusively. If this is not the case, the project is closed and
automatically opened exclusively. If this is not possible, a message is dis-
played that exclusive access is not possible and the action is aborted.

42
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The subprojects specified by the defined working sections that are possible
for the selected exclusively opened project are displayed in this dialog.

The Subprojects table displays information such as the status, subproject

number, scheme name and description of the associated defined working
section for the subprojects.

The subprojects are numbered consecutively in the sequence of the defined

working sections and supplemented with preceding zeroes (for example
EPLAN-DEMO_[003]). If a defined working section is added later, the next
higher free subproject number is assigned to the associated subproject.

43
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The status of the subprojects is indicated by the following icons:

Icon Meaning

Defined working section overlaps - parts of this defined working sec-

tion are also contained in other defined working sections. Filing off
is not possible.

Subproject stored.

Subproject filed off.

The subproject is not an editable project (*.elk), it cannot be filed

off. Such an icon is for example displayed when a subproject is filed
off additionally via the data backup.

You can create subprojects by using the [File off] / [Store] buttons, i.e. file
off the subproject from the project or insert filed-off subprojects back into the
project. Overlapping defined working sections cannot be filed off. If you have
marked such a defined working section, the [File off] button is grayed out.

If you activate the Only extend subproject check box prior to filing off. the
objects (pages, layout spaces, pre-planning segments, etc.) of the created
subproject have a change protection assigned. The new Change protection
(ID 3014) property is activated automatically for these objects. The sub-
project can then only be extended. This means that you can add new pages,
layout spaces, pre-planning segments, etc. to this subproject, but existing
objects cannot be changed or deleted.

Note:
Objects for which the change protection has been activated are identified
in the tree views of the navigators by the icon.

44
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

For more information about change protection, see the section "Change and
Device Protection" (starting on page "58").

File off subprojects

In order to file off subprojects mark the desired non-overlapping defined work-
ing sections in the dialog Subprojects and click the [File off] button.

This initiates the following:

In the dialogs for the defined working sections the subproject is entered as
the user of the defined working section (indicated by the number of the
subproject). The defined working section is blocked for other users, and
an activation of the check box in the My defined working section
column is also not possible.

The Copy project functionality with the Only header data option is used
when creating a subproject. This ensures that all the project properties,
settings and master data are "inherited" to the subproject. In addition, all
the pages, layout spaces and pre-planning segments of the respective
defined working section are copied into the subproject.
The name of the original project is stored in the subproject in the Sub-
project of (ID 25100) project property so that the association to the ori-
ginal project is retained. In addition the subproject number is also stored
in the project properties.

At the end of the filing-off process a security warning is displayed that you
may not delete or rename the projects or move them to a different dir-
ectory, because the association between the original project and sub-
project is otherwise lost. If you want to pass a filed-off subproject to a
different editor, you have to pass it on by using a data backup.

45
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

All the functions and interruption points in the subproject that have a
cross-reference to an object lying outside this subproject automatically
receive the Cross-reference (external) (ID 25102) property. The cross-
references to the counterpieces located in the original project are stored
by means of this property. In addition, all the objects with a cross-ref-
erence to the original project are protected against changes by means of
the Change protection (ID 3014) property.

In the original project the corresponding pages, layout spaces, pre-plan-

ning segments and structure identifiers are blocked for changes. The
Change protection (ID 3014) property is activated automatically for
these objects. The number of the filed-off subproject is displayed in the
Subproject number (ID 25101) property at the pages, layout spaces and
pre-planning segments of the original project.

The created subprojects are displayed in the page navigator. This con-
tains the name of the original project to which a three-digit number in
square brackets is attached. This is the subproject number (for example
EPLAN-DEMO_[003]).

After being filed off the subproject can either be edited directly or be passed
on to external editors in the form of a data backup.

Further Information about the Subprojects

Renaming or moving of the original project / subprojects is not permitted
because the association between the original project and the subproject is
otherwise lost.

Therefore a corresponding security warning with the possibility to abort the

corresponding action is displayed in the case of renaming, moving or delet-
ing of original projects or subprojects (for example from the project manage-
ment).

46
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Project data and settings

The projects contain many data and settings that exist only once and there-
fore apply for the entire project. After subprojects have been created, these
data and settings may not be changed either in the original project or in the
subproject. This also applies to the master data.

Notes:
Therefore do not change the properties, settings and master data of the ori-
ginal project again until after all the subprojects have been stored. You can
subsequently file off the subprojects again. Previous changes can cause
unexpected results and errors.

Further division of subprojects

The division of a subproject into further subprojects is possible. To do so you
have to also activate the selection of defined working sections in the project
properties for the subproject.

In a subproject the defined working sections have been reset to the original
state. This means that you have to define new defined working sections in
order to divide a subproject further. In the case of such a "sub-subproject" the
subproject number (for example 002) is separated by a further underline and
attached with supplementary zeroes (for example EPLAN-DEMO_[003]_
[002]).

Cross-references to the original project

In a subproject the cross-references to the counterpieces located in the ori-
ginal project are stored in the Cross-reference (external) property. After a
subproject has been filed off, this property is displayed automatically on the
first tab in the properties table at the respective objects with cross-references
(for example interruption points, PLC connection points, coils, etc.).

47
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The following has to be taken into account for the displayed values of this
property:

The "@" in the value of this property stands for the position of the respect-
ive cross-reference in the cross-reference list.

If there are several cross-references to different objects in the original pro-

ject, the external cross-references are listed in several lines.

An external cross-reference to a contact image contains information

about the contact image symbol including the connection point designa-
tions, in addition to the cross-reference.

In order to differentiate the cross-references to the original project from the

other cross-references, you can specify a prefix in the form of any character
or string for these cross-references. The Prefix for cross-reference
(external) input box is available to this purpose in the project-specific set-
tings for the cross-references. (The menu path for the settings dialog is:
Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Cross-references /
contact image > General.)

Store subprojects
The data backup function can be used to send subprojects to external editors
and restore them after editing has been completed.

In order to store a subproject open the original project again in the "Exclus-
ive" editing mode and then branch to the dialog Subprojects. Mark the filed
off subproject and click the [Store] button. A multiple selection of filed-off sub-
projects is also possible here.

48
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

During storing the pages, layout spaces and pre-planning segments are
copied from the respective subproject 1:1 into the original project. In the pro-
cess the respective objects (pages, layout spaces, etc.) in the original project
are overwritten, the external cross-references removed and the change pro-
tection for the respective defined working section removed. The subproject
number as the editor of a defined working section is removed in the dialogs
for the defined working sections. The subproject as such no longer exists
after storing.

Note:
If the protected defined working section was changed in the original project
or if pages, layout spaces or pre-planning segments outside this defined
working section were created in the subproject, a corresponding prompt is
displayed whether the subproject should be stored nevertheless. At the
same time module-specific check run messages are created in the mes-
sage management. (see the following section) "New Check Run Mes-
sages for Subprojects"). This allows you to stop storing and branch to the
causing objects (pages, layout spaces, etc.) by means of the message
management.

After a subproject has been stored, you may have to still correct the sorting of
the structure identifiers and update or create the reports.

Subsequently subprojects can again be generated and edited externally in

the course of further editing by external editors.

49
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Check Run Messages for Subprojects

We are making the following new check run messages available in the new
message class 030 "Subprojects" for checking original projects and sub-
projects during storing.

Message 030001 "Original project contains changes in the defined work-

ing section of a subproject."
Message 030002 "Subproject contains changes outside the defined work-
ing section."

These two check run messages are so-called "module-specific" checks. In

order for such a check to be carried out the "Module-specific" entry has to be
set in the dialog Settings: Messages and checks in the Type of check
column. If corresponding errors occur when storing subprojects, these mes-
sages are displayed in the message management. This allows you to identify
and eliminate the errors.

50
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features of the Entire EPLAN Platform

Fitting Text
Alignment boxes are used in the graphical editor and in the form editor to
adapt texts or placeholder texts to a specific space that is available on a page
or in a form. Various setting possibilities exist in the properties dialog of the
texts / placeholder texts on the Format tab in order to influence the display of
the texts in an alignment box. For example, a text can be adapted to the
width and height of an alignment box by using the two settings Text width
fixed and Text height fixed.

Nevertheless, it could occur in the past that the texts output at generated
reports were too long for the respective alignment box or that after translation
the text no longer fitted into the alignment box at several displayed lan-
guages. In such cases the text was often truncated or becomes illegible
because languages overlap. This had to be corrected manually by reducing
the font size manually until the text "fitted" correctly. With the new version we
now provide the possibility to fit the texts into the alignment box. If the place-
holder texts in forms are prepared correspondingly, fitting is carried out
automatically when generating reports.

51
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
Fitting of the texts in the alignment box can in particular make the structure
of the report pages clearer. Manual time-consuming revision of truncated
texts or texts that are difficult to read is superfluous.

In addition, this new functionality allows simple printing out of labels for
item labeling. The texts for labeling are fitted exactly through the scaling on
the basis of correspondingly designed tables that you place in forms for
reporting or via macros on graphics pages.

The new display property Text fitting permitted is now available in order to
scale a text correspondingly in an alignment box without it being truncated.
This check box allows the scaling of texts. Fitting itself is carried out through a
subsequent action either automatically during reporting or manually via the
menu items Edit > Text > Fit texts in alignment boxes.

52
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In the course of this extension the settings of the existing hierarchy level
Frame were divided up into the two new hierarchy levels Text box and
Alignment box.

53
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Fitting Text in Alignment Boxes

Preconditions
In order for a text to be fitted in an alignment box the following four settings
have to be activated as a prerequisite:

Activate alignment box

Text width fixed
Text height fixed
Text fitting permitted.

Drawing in of the alignment box is not required. When the action Fit texts in
alignment boxes is carried out, the font size of the corresponding texts is
reduced so that the text fits into the alignment box. The calculated font size is
entered automatically in the properties dialog in the Font size setting.

Tip:
As for all other format and display settings you can also transfer these four
settings to other texts / placeholder texts by using the actions Copy format
and Assign format.

Note:
The font size is only reduced when fitting the text. At a subsequent enlarge-
ment of the alignment box the font size cannot be enlarged again by fitting
it in the alignment box.

54
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Carrying out fitting

If the requirements are fulfilled, fitting of texts in the alignment box is carried
out as follows:

Automatically when generating reports:

The output placeholder texts are adapted automatically during the gen-
eration of reports.

Manually by using a menu item:

In the graphical editor (and other editors) the fitting of texts can be carried
out by means of the Edit > Text > Fit texts in alignment boxes menu
items.

As is usual in the EPLAN Platform, the scope of the fitting process via the
menu item depends on what you have marked. If, for example, you have
selected a schematic page in the page navigator, all the texts for which the
requirements are fulfilled are fitted.

If you have marked invisible texts in the graphical editor or in the page nav-
igator during selection, fitting is also applied to these texts.

If you carry out the menu item Fit texts in alignment boxes for a com-
ponent in the schematic, scaling is only carried out at those property texts at
which the requirements (alignment box activated, etc.) are fulfilled for fitting.

55
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:
The following illustrations show the effects of the different settings on a text
in the alignment box. The source text contains one line feed.
Text height fixed and Remove breaks are selected:

Text width fixed and Text height fixed are selected:

Text width fixed, Text height fixed, Text fitting permitted are selected.
After fitting in the alignment box:

Limitations for fitting

Fitting of texts in alignment boxes cannot be carried out in the symbol and
plot frame editor. The menu item Fit texts in alignment boxes is not
available in these editors.

Fitting in an alignment box is also not possible at texts that are combined
with other graphical elements into a block.

Fitting of placed property texts in alignment boxes is only possible if the

corresponding function is placed. The menu item Fit texts in alignment
boxes does not have any effect on unplaced functions.

56
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Check Run Messages for Texts

In order to find out at which points in the project problems with texts may
exist, the following new check runs are now available in the message class
022 "Other":

Message 022026 "Text is displayed truncated."

This check run message checks at the texts at which the Activate align-
ment box check box is activated whether the text is possibly truncated. If
you receive a corresponding message, you can use message manage-
ment to jump to the respective text and decide whether you want to fit in
the text.

Message 022027 "Text is too small."

This check run message finds texts whose font size lies below a specific
minimum size which may then no longer be legible. Very small font
sizes can also originate from fitting text into alignment boxes (if, e.g., sev-
eral languages are displayed after a translation run).

Benefit:
By using the specified check runs you can rapidly check a project for corre-
sponding problems in the test display, if necessary correct them directly
and thus increase the documentation quality notably.

Enter the minimum font size in the new project setting Min. font size for
test. This setting can be found under: Options > Settings > Projects >
"Project name" > Graphical editing > General.

57
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Change and Device Protection

A so-called Change protection is now activated automatically at some new
functionalities in the EPLAN Platform (for example when a subproject is filed
off). Objects that have such a protection cannot be deleted nor can the prop-
erties of these objects be changed.

Benefit:
Objects can now be protected against all changes by means of the new
change protection. Meaning that you can ensure that sections that have
been planned completely or parts that have already been produced can no
longer be changed in the EPLAN Platform. If necessary, you can remove
the protection for a specific purpose.

Since a few versions you have already had the option to protect complete
devices or individual functions or connections. This protection mainly applies
to those parts that have been assigned to a device, but it also prevents func-
tions from being deleted. In order to differentiate this type of protection better
from the change protection function, it is now called Device protection.

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"The New Change Protection" on page "59"

"Configure Protection" on page "60"
"Extensions in Device Protection" on page "63"
"Representation in the Navigators" on page "64"
"Change Protection for Structure Identifiers" on page "65"
"Remove Protection" on page "65".

58
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The New Change Protection

The change protection serves to project the objects in a project (pages, func-
tions, segments from the pre-planning, etc.) against any kind of change. The
respective objects cannot be edited, deleted, etc. subsequently and all the
fields are grayed out in the respective property dialogs. If changes cannot be
carried out due to the change protection, a corresponding message is dis-
played.

When the change protection is activated at the selected objects, the new
properties Change protection (ID 3014) and Change protection (hier-
archical) (ID 3015) are activated automatically. Only the property Change
protection (hierarchical) is activated for subordinate objects, for example
the functions of a page with change protection. These properties serve only
for display and cannot be edited manually.

Automatic change protection

The change protection is carried out automatically by the program at some
functionalities in the EPLAN Platform (for example when a subproject is filed
off). However, you can use the Configure protection dialog to assign a
manual change protection specifically to one or more pages, functions or seg-
ments.

The various application cases of change protection act additively. A page cre-
ated in pre-planning with change protection can, for example, have an auto-
matic change protection assigned to it again when subprojects are filed off. In
such a case this page disposes of two types of change protection due to the
actions carried out. When the subproject is filed back on, the change pro-
tection through filing off becomes invalid, while the other change protection
through the pre-planning remains.

59
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

An automatic change protection becomes effective at the following applic-

ations in the EPLAN Platform.

In EPLAN Pro Panel:

When 3D models are imported from CAD programs, the imported 3D
objects in the design space are protected against change. The required
components from EPLAN Pro Panel can nevertheless be added to the 3D
models for the 3D mounting layout.

In pre-planning
When pages are created by using macros, the created pages can be pro-
tected against changes. The project-specific setting Change protection
when creating pages has to be activated to this purpose.

In subprojects:
When subprojects are created, the filed i-off objects (pages, layout
spaces, etc.) are protected in the original project against changes. In addi-
tion, a change protection can also be assigned to the filed-off subprojects.

Configure Protection
The new dialog Configure protection is now available to help you in man-
aging the various protection mechanisms in the EPLAN Platform better. To
open this dialog, select the menu items Edit > Other > Configure pro-
tection.

Note:
The availability of the dialog Configure protection can be specified in the
"User Rights Management" extension module.

60
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Information about the protection of the marked objects is displayed in this dia-
log. You can recognize whether an automatic or manual change protection
and / or device protection is activated for the respective objects.

The Currently activated for field shows whether an automatic change pro-
tection is activated for the marked objects and which type of change pro-
tection this is. The entries in this field cannot be modified.

You have the following options during the configuration of the protection:

61
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Deactivate automatic protection temporarily:

It may be necessary to deactivate an automatic change protection tem-
porarily to carry out corrections. In this case you can activate the check
box Deactivate automatic protection temporarily. This check box is
only available for objects with automatic change protection.
If this check box is activated, the protection is rescinded temporarily and
you can carry out changes at the "unlocked " objects. The information
about the type of automatic change protection is retained. After you have
completed the correction be sure to activate the change protection again
by deactivating the Deactivate automatic protection temporarily
check box.

Warning:
Please note that changes to or deleting of protected objects can result is
faults at the associated functionalities (for example when storing sub-
projects)!

Activating and deactivating the manual change protection:

You can use the Manual protection check box in the Change pro-
tection group box to specifically assign a manual change protection to
one or more objects (pages, functions, segments without automatic pro-
tection). This check box is only available for objects without automatic
change protection.

Activating and deactivating the device protection:

You can use the Device protection check box to assign a device pro-
tection to one or more marked objects (functions / segments). This check
box is only available for objects without change protection. For objects
with such a protection the Device protection (ID 20475) property is activ-
ated.

62
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

As is usual in the EPLAN Platform, the data displayed in the dialog Con-
figure protection and the scope of the configuration depend on which
objects you have marked. If, for example, you have selected the node
=EB3+ET1 in the page navigator in the example project, and activate a
manual change protection, all the pages below this node as well as the
objects located on the pages are protected.

Extensions in Device Protection

As already mentioned the previous protection for devices or functions has
been renamed to "Device protection". In the course of this modification the
associated property as well as the menu items for activating and deactivating
the device protection at devices have been renamed:

Old name: New name: ID:

Locked function Device protection 20475

Activate protection Activate device protection

Deactivate protection Deactivate device protection

The device protection is used to protect a device so that the associated func-
tions / planning objects and thus the corresponding predefined data are not
changed unintentionally through graphic actions. Please also note the fol-
lowing for device protection:

In order to activate or deactivate the device protection for all the functions
of a device, you still select the renamed menu items Project data >
Device > Activate device protection or > Deactivate device pro-
tection.
The device protection can now also be assigned to the segments from the
pre-planning.

63
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The device protection can now no longer be activated by using the Device
protection property for individual functions. This property cannot be
edited manually in the properties dialog. In order to activate or de-activate
the device protection for functions or segments, you now use the dialog
Configure protection. The Device protection field is then displayed to
this purpose.
The assigned parts cannot be changed at devices / functions / segments
with device protection. Neither is a device selection possible. Function
templates cannot be assigned to a segment with a device protection.
Objects with device protection cannot be deleted in the respective project
data navigator (for example, device / pre-planning navigator).
A change protection can be activated additionally for an object with device
protection. Objects at which a change protection is activated, cannot have
a device protection assigned additionally.

For more information on this topic, please refer to the online help in the sec-
tion "Device protection".

Representation in the Navigators

Those objects for which the change protection is activated are identified by
an icon with a lock in the tree view of the navigators. An icon with an orange
circle is displayed at functions / segments with a device protection. The fol-
lowing icons are displayed for protected objects:

Icon Meaning

Object (e.g. page, function,segment) with change protection

Object (e.g. function,segment) with device protection

64
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Change Protection for Structure Identifiers

The structure identifiers of a project are also protected automatically against
changes at some functionalities in the EPLAN Platform (for example when a
subproject is filed off). This protects the structure identifiers themselves and
the respective describing texts.

Structure identifiers for which the change protection has been activated are
identified in the new tree view of the structure identifier management by the
icon. (For the new features in the structure identifier management please
also refer to the section "Structure Identifier Management" on page "106").

The lines of the protected structure identifiers are grayed out and cannot be
edited in the List view of the dialog Identifier. To facilitate recognition of pro-
tected structure identifiers in the list you can additionally use the dialog Con-
figure representation to have the two properties Change protection and
Change protection (hierarchical) displayed as columns.

In order to assign a change protection manually to structure identifiers or to

deactivate an automatic change protection temporarily, you can also branch
from the structure identifier management into the configuration dialog for the
protection. The new popup menu item Configure protection is available to
this purpose in the tree as well as in the list.

Remove Protection
In special situations it may be necessary to remove the change and / or
device protection completely from a project. You can use the compressing of
projects function (via the menu items Project > Organize > Compress) to
do so. Several settings are available to this purpose in the dialog Settings:
Compression in the new hierarchy level Remove protection. These can be
used to remove the respective protection selectively.

65
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

User-Defined Properties
EPLAN provides several options for creating additional user-defined proper-
ties. These properties extend the properties existing by default and are used
for the entry and display of additional information.

This functionality for the segments and segment definitions of pre-planning

were introduced in Version 2.3. With the new version you can also use the
user-defined properties at other objects (project, pages, functions, etc.) of the
EPLAN Platform. These properties are stored project-specifically and trans-
mitted together with the project.

Benefit:
Through the user-defined properties we provide you with a consistent
concept for the input and display of additional information, with which you
can adapt the EPLAN Platform to your individual requirements.
Through the specification of default values for selection lists at the user-
defined properties the users can choose between predefined values
instead of entering own values. This results in uniform entries and guar-
antees correct results during the use of user-defined properties when fil-
tering reports.

The extended user-defined properties replace the previous user-defined sup-

plementary fields in the EPLAN Platform. Correspondingly you can no longer
select the "User supplementary fields [1] [100]" in the property dialogs of
the project, of pages and functions, and the associated settings dialog Set-
tings: Supplementary fields has been removed.

66
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

When an "old" project with user-defined supplementary fields is opened in

Version 2.4, an automatic conversion of the "User supplementary fields" into
the new concept of the user-defined properties is carried out.

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"Creating User-Defined Properties" on page "67"

"Using User-Defined Properties" on page "69"
"Removing User-Defined Properties" on page "70"
"Conversion of the User-Defined Supplementary Fields" on page "70".

Creating User-Defined Properties

To create and configure user-defined properties select the menu items
Options > Configure properties.

67
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The user-defined properties that exist in the current project are displayed in a
tree view in the left-hand section of the dialog Configure properties. This
field is empty if you have not created any properties yet.

You can create new user-defined properties, export them and import them
from a different project into the current project by using the buttons above the
tree view.

In the right-hand section of the dialog you specify the identifying name and
the displayed name for a new user-defined property.

Notes:
Within a project, the identifying name must be unique and cannot be
subsequently changed any more.

If the Display identifying numbers setting is active, the identifying

name is displayed in the user interface. This corresponds to the display
of the property numbers (IDs) of the EPLAN properties.

For the further configuration of the property you can specify which type of
input is possible, which default values are available in a selection list and in
which category the property is displayed.

The Usage drop-down list is new in the dialog. Through the list you specify
the objects for which the property is to be available.

Interruption point: The property is available for interruption points.

Part reference: The property is available for part references and is there-
fore displayed in the Parts tab of the properties dialog of main functions.
In addition one indexed property is automatically generated at each object
which can have a part.
Function: The property is available for any functions in all trades.

68
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Project: The property is available in the project properties.

Page: The property is available for pages.
Connection: The property is available for connections, connection defin-
ition points, potential definition points, and net definition points.
Pre-planning: The property can be used at segments in pre-planning and
when creating segment definitions.

Note:
Usage can only be determined when creating the property and it cannot be
subsequently changed any more.

Using User-Defined Properties

If user-defined properties exist in a project, these properties are then avail-
able in the respective property dialogs of the objects. You can use the prop-
erty selection to select the user-defined properties for display in the property
tables.

In the corresponding navigators (page, device navigators, etc.) the user-

defined properties can be used as filter criteria and can be displayed in the
list view as a column.

You can furthermore use user-defined properties at the following points in the
program:

In the forms editing when inserting placeholder texts. This means that you
can also output the user-defined properties and their values in the reports.
In the settings for labeling during the selection of the format elements for
the header, label and foot areas. This means that you can also output the
user-defined properties and their values in the labeling.
When exporting data for external editing.

69
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

When inserting special texts (user-defined properties for project / page).

When defining block properties (user-defined properties for project /
page).

Removing User-Defined Properties

You can use the Do not use anymore check box in the dialog Configure
properties to mark a user-defined property that you want to delete. The prop-
erty is then no longer displayed in the project.

In order to delete such properties that are marked as no longer to be used

from the project, you can use the project compressing function (menu path:
Project > Organize > Compress). To do so, activate the User-defined
properties not to be used anymore check box in the Remove project
data hierarchy level of the dialog Settings: Compression.

For further information about the user-defined properties and the further pos-
sibilities for entering and displaying additional information (supplementary
fields, free properties in the parts management) please refer to the online
help in the "User-defined properties" section.

Conversion of the User-Defined Supplementary Fields

If you open an "old" project with user-defined supplementary fields, the "User
supplementary fields" are converted automatically into the user-defined prop-
erties.

Since the property number of a previous user-defined supplementary field is

retained, the forms, labeling schemes, block properties, etc. of an "old" pro-
ject can continue to be used.

The identifying name of a user-defined property created through the con-

version is as follows:

70
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

EPLAN.[Property user].UserSupplementaryField[Number]

Property user: Can be one of the following values: Function (= func-

tion), Page (= page), PartRef (= part reference), Project (= project).
This depends on the object for which the user-defined supplementary
field was used.
Number: Property number (ID) of a user-defined supplementary field.

The displayed name of such a converted user-defined property is formed by

the previous name of the supplementary field. This name was specified in
the previous settings for the supplementary fields.

The further configuration of a user-defined property created through the con-

version is as follows:

"Free input" input aid

"Data" category
Usage "Project", "Page", "Function" or "Part reference" depending on the
object for which the user-defined supplementary field was used.

Removal of superfluous "User supplementary fields"

All the user-defined supplementary fields for which no values have been
entered or for which no names have been determined in the settings can be
removed by compressing projects. The menu path is as follows: Project >
Organize > Compress.

The new Unused and unnamed user supplementary fields check box in
the Remove project data hierarchy level on the settings dialog Settings:
Compression is available to this purpose.

71
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Extended Support of EN Standard 81346

Since Version 2.3 it is possible in the EPLAN platform to also use the product
aspect as a structuring element for devices. This improves identification of
the devices in accordance with the standard DIN EN 81346.

The various structuring criteria from the standard (functional, location and
product aspect) are mapped in the EPLAN Platform by means of the higher-
level function (functional aspect; preceding sign "="), the mounting location
(location aspect; preceding sign "+"), and the product aspect (product
aspect; preceding sign "-").

In addition to some extensions in the field of reference identification (product

aspect) you can now also use object identifiers for the structuring of pages in
the EPLAN Platform.

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"Extensions for Reference Identification" on page "73"

"Use Object Identifier for Structuring" on page "75"
"New Master Data for the Extended Reference Identification" on
page"77".

72
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Extensions for Reference Identification

Moved project setting
In this version the Extended reference identification check box that allows
the use of product aspects has been moved from the dialog Extended pro-
ject structures into the Structure tab of the project properties. This makes
the setting for the reference identifier faster to reach.

When this check box is activated, the settings in the Product aspect group
box are then available in the dialog Extended project structures. As
already mentioned in the News 2.3, the program behavior also changes with
this setting. For more information on this, look up the online help on the Struc-
ture tab.

Simplified representation for the full DT

If the Use for structuring setting is activated in the dialog Extended project
structures for product aspects the dialog Full DT is now represented sim-
plified.

73
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In this case the identifier block for the device is no longer divided into prefix,
identifier, counter and subcounter in the DT field, but rather displayed as a
product aspect in the Structure identifier table. This table only lists the struc-
ture identifiers that have been specified as "identifying" or "describing" in the
project structure. For more information on the modifications in this dialog
please refer to the section "Devices" (see page "101").

Changed behavior for interruption points

If the Use for structuring setting is activated, product aspects are now also
nested at interruption points. This means that interruption points that are
placed in structure boxes also include the structure identifiers (including the
product aspects) of all other structure boxes in which the interruption points
are located.

74
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Product aspects at the structure box

If the Use for structuring setting is activated, the product aspect at the struc-
ture boxes is displayed not only in the Structure identifier table of the dialog
Full DT, but also in the table of the same name in the properties dialog on the
first tab Identifier.

Product aspects in the structure identifier management

If you use the product aspects for structuring, the product aspects are now
also displayed in the structure identifier management. Analog to the other
structure identifiers you can include describing texts (structure descriptions)
for the product aspects here. Further changes in the structure identifier man-
agement are described in the section "Structure Identifier Management"
(see page "106").

Use Object Identifier for Structuring

The EPLAN Platform now also allows an identification of the pages in accord-
ance with the standard DIN EN 61355-1. In this kind of identification a so-
called "object identifier" is used for structuring. In doing so, the object iden-
tifier assigns a document (i.e. a project page) to a certain object (e.g. a func-
tion, a location, or a product).

Notes:
To use the object identifier for structuring, the extended reference iden-
tification must have been activated in the project properties (Extended
reference identification check box in the Structure tab).

In addition you have to specify that the object identifier is used to struc-
ture the pages. To do so activate the Use for structuring check box in
the dialog Page structure for the object identifiers while creating a pro-
ject.

75
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The object identifier may only be used in combination with the Docu-
ment type identifier block. A combination of object identifier and other
identifier blocks is not possible.

In the case of such structuring, the full page name consists of the object iden-
tifier, the document type, and the page name. The contents of the object iden-
tifier can be the structure identifier of an identifier block (e.g., the mounting
location or the product aspect) or a free text.

Example:
The full page name K01.Q01&EFS/1 is made up of the following ele-
ments:
Object identifier: -K01.Q01, here, the product aspect is used as object iden-
tifier.
Document type: EFS
Page name: 1

If the Use for structuring check box is activated, the behavior regarding the
input and evaluation of the page structure changes. Thus, for example, the
object identifier is displayed in the Structure identifier table in the dialog
Full page name. You can edit the object identifier. For more information on
this topic please refer to the online help for the dialog Page structure.

76
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Tip:
If you use the extended reference identification, the page structure is not
used for the structuring of the devices. To nevertheless use various
aspects (functional aspect (=), location aspect (+), product aspect (-)) as
structure elements for the devices we recommend placing a structure box
around the complete page. Then the structure identifiers of the box are
inherited to the devices and these structures can also be adapted when
pages are copied.

New Master Data for the Extended Reference Identification

We are supplying some special master data with Version 2.4 as an improved
consideration of the standard DIN EN 81346 under simultaneous usage of
the object identifiers for the structuring of pages.

You can use the new project template IEC_tpl002.ept for the creation of
projects. In this template the Extended reference identification setting and
further settings for the product aspect are activated by default in the project
properties. In the page structure the object identifier is used for structuring,
the product aspect for the device structure.

For more information, please read the section "New Features in the Master
Data" (starting on page "246").

77
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Graphical Editor
Hyperlinks to cross-references
The cross-references displayed in the graphical editor for interruption points,
in the contact image, etc. now behave like hyperlinks. If as you are used to
in MS Word you press the [Ctrl] key and move the cursor to the displayed
cross-reference, the form of the mouse cursor changes to a hand. With a
mouse click you can jump to the counterpiece of the respective cross-ref-
erence.

Benefit:
The direct and intuitive jumping of cross-references by means of the jump
function facilitates your navigation in the project.

On report pages you can also use this method to jump to cross-referenced
objects in the schematic.

In the course of this extension the behavior during the opening of hyperlinks
has been generally standardized. If an inserted hyperlink is to be opened by a
mouse click, you have to press the [Ctrl] key beforehand.

Cross-references in PDF
The displayed cross-references in an exported PDF file now also behave like
hyperlinks. It is not necessary to press the [Ctrl] key, the possible jump
points in the PDF are displayed directly.

78
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Extension for Structure Boxes with Recesses

Since Version 2.3 the upper left-hand corner of structure boxes can be
spared and the device tag be placed there. To make this possible specific
requirements have to be fulfilled (position of the property texts at the top left
and inside) and the project-specific setting Draw structure box with recess
has to be activated.

In the property arrangements of the structure boxes (and other devices), the
DT (displayed) property (ID 20010) is defaulted for the display and place-
ment of the device tag. In the case of structure boxes with recesses, one of
the following properties can now be used as an alternative:

DT (full) (ID 20006)

DT (identifying) (ID 20005).

Cross-references
Form-based contact image
In the EPLAN Platform you now have the possibility to represent the contact
image at contactors and motor overload switches in different tabular forms.
In order to be as flexible as possible in this new tubular representation, we
use form technology here. In such a form-based contact image the con-
nection point designations, the symbol graphic and the cross-reference can,
for example, be listed for each contact of a device.

79
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
The new technique of a form-based contact image allows you to represent
the contact image in different tabular forms. This also makes contact
image tables possible as they are usual in Japanese schematics or special
factory standards.. You can form the tables individually by adapting the
forms.

Example:
The following image shows a form-based contact image in tabular form
with symbol graphics.

80
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The use of form-based contact images can be specified both project-wide in

the settings for the cross-references / contact image as well as individually at
the device (coil, motor overload switch). To this purpose the new option
Embedded form is available in the settings dialogs for the contact image
and in the Contact image setting at the device. (The menu path to the set-
tings is: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Cross-ref-
erences / contact image .)

81
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

When you activate the Embedded form option, the Form field located under
it is enabled and all the settings below the Standard option are grayed out.
You can select a form for the tabular contact image by means of the drop-
down list of the Form field. Subsequently the contacts of the contact image
are represented in the desired tabular form.

Tip:
The cross-references that are displayed in a table of a form-based contact
image act like hyperlinks (see the section "Graphical Editor" (starting on
page "78")).

Forms for the contact image

The new form and report type "Distributed device list" (*.f45) is used for the
representation of the form-based contact image and the cross-references.
The corresponding forms are supplied in the master data (see the section
"Master Data: Forms and Plot Frames" (starting on page "257")).

Outputting a distributed device list as a report

You can additionally use the new report type "Distributed device list" when
generating reports. A corresponding entry is available in the Select report
type field of the dialog Select report to this purpose.

In such a function-specific report one report page is generated per device at

an unfiltered output. In a distributed device list a device, its associated cross-
reference functions and properties of the functions (for example placements,
function texts, symbol graphic, etc.) are displayed.

A possible application is, for example, the placement of a distributed device

list for a contactor whose coils and contacts are distributed across several
schematic pages as an embedded report on an existing project page.

82
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

User Interface
New design for EPLAN icons
As of Windows 8 a new design was introduced for the user interface. EPLAN
has followed this trend and designed the icons in the user interface corre-
spondingly. In this process the icons in the EPLAN Platform have been con-
ceived so that they remain visually attractive under Windows 7.

Example:
The following figure shows you the Standard toolbar in the new design (for
an opened project).

Displayed Values for the Settings from the Layer

The "From layer" entry has been revised so that you can recognize the dis-
play / format settings in the properties dialogs faster during graphical editing.
If you now set such a value for a display property (for example Font size,
Color), the corresponding icon (From layer) as well as the value set in the
layer management are displayed.

Benefit:
The values for the display properties that take their setting from the selec-
ted layer are recognized immediately. The detour through the layer man-
agement is no longer required.

83
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:
The layer "EPLAN400, Property placement.Device tags" is set by default
for the DT (displayed) property displayed in a property arrangement. The
values for the display properties Font size and Color that were specified
for this layer in the layer management are now displayed in the Assign-
ment column.

Consistently clear tabs for display properties

The format and display settings of components are texts were already
redesigned for an previous version of the EPLAN Platform. The settings of
the properties for the font size, color, frame, etc. is now carried out in a clearly
structured table with a tree structure. In the course of the extension men-
tioned above for the layer settings this redesign of the display properties was
continued for further objects (for example cables, boxes, definition points,
graphical elements, etc.).

In the properties dialogs of these objects the various tabs for graphical rep-
resentation (for example Format, Rectangle, Connection graphic, etc.)
have been combined into one dialog or into a tab with table structuring of the
properties. In the process the previous tabs in the tree-like structure of the dis-
play properties have been converted into the various "settings areas" such as
"Format", "Rectangle", etc..

84
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:
The followng figure shows the redesigned dialog Properties (rectangle)
as an example.. At the graphical elements the various tabs were combined
into a dialog.

Tip:
At a polyline the individual line segments "Segment 1", "Segment 2", etc.
were represented below the "Segments" tree node. If you have selected
such a segment in the tree, you can use the (New) and (Delete) but-
tons or the corresponding popup menu items in the dialog Properties
(polyline) to create a further segment or to delete an existing one.

85
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Further Displayed Units of Measure

You can use the display setting Displayed measuring unit on the Display
and Format tabs to influence the display of the entered values at many prop-
erties (such as Technical characteristics). The values entered (for example
in a properties dialog) do not change but are only converted internally in
accordance with a set suitable unit and displayed in the user interface or in
the reports.

83 new displayed units of measure have been added in this version. These
are in particular units from the U. S. system of units (such as "mile", "pt" (=
pint), "gal" (= gallon) etc.). These new units are distributed between the vari-
ous groups of units as follows:

Length (mile)
Area (mile)
Volume (mm, cm, cl, dl, dm, in, ft, yd, fl.oz, pt, gal)
Mass (tn.sh)
Mass per length (lb/in, lb/ft, lb/yd, oz/in, oz/ft, oz/yd)
Power (hp, PS, kJ/s, kJ/min, kJ/h, BTU/s, BTU/min, BTU/h)
Mass flow (t/h, t/min, t/s, tn.sh/h, tn.sh/min, tn.sh/s, lb/h, lb/min, lb/s, oz/h,
oz/min, oz/s)
Volume flow (mm/h, mm/min, mm/s, ml/h, ml/min, ml/s, cm/h,
cm/min, cm/s, cl/h, cl/min, cl/s, dl/h, dl/min, dl/s, dm/h, dm/min, dm/s,
hl/h, hl/min, hl/s, m/h, m/min, m/s, in/h, in/min, in/s, ft/h, ft/min, ft/s,
yd/h, yd/min, yd/s, fl.oz/h, fl.oz/min, fl.oz/s, pt/h, pt/min, pt/s, gal/h,
gal/min, gal/s).

86
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
Please note that the units which do not belong to the International System
of Units (SI) are based on the U. S. system of units (for example "mile",
"feet", "fl.oz"). This aspect is important in such cases where there is a dif-
ferent between the U. S. measure and other variants of the unit (for
example at volume measure such as "pt" (= pint), "gal" (= gallon) etc.).

Less Control Elements for More User-friendliness

For version 2.4., too, several settings, menu items, and functionalities have
been removed from the program. Some of these functionalities can be car-
ried out in other, much easier ways. Other GUI elements were completely
removed since the associated functionalities were rarely used by our users or
they made the EPLAN platform unnecessarily complex.

Each decision if a menu item should be removed was also influenced by the
findings from our "customer-focused improvement program". Your par-
ticipation makes it possible for us to continuously enhance user-friendliness
and performance of the EPLAN platform!

Benefit:
More transparent settings and menus as well as uniform control elements
in the EPLAN platform will make it easier for you to navigate the program.

87
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Settings
The following unnecessary settings have been removed:

The User-defined supplementary fields settings..

The user-defined supplementary fields have been replaced by the user-
defined properties as of Version 2.4. Therefore the associated project-spe-
cific settings dialog Settings; Supplementary fields has been removed.
For more information, please read the section "User-Defined Properties"
(starting on page "66").

The Standard-independent icons in tree view setting.

In the Settings: User interface dialog, this user-specific setting has
been removed. Concerning the icons of the project structure levels
(higher-level function, mounting location, etc.), the standard-compliant dis-
play is now always used in the tree views.

The Size of system messages file setting.

This workstation-specific setting was now replaced by a fixed value and
removed from the user interface of the Settings: System dialog. The set-
ting does, however, still exist in the settings database and has a default
value of "30 MB".

Menu items
In the Project menu, the following menu item was removed:

New (Wizard).
New projects can be created just as easily by means of the Project >
New and Project > PPE >New menu items or in project management.
If you create new projects in such a way, the settings that were distributed
across the different tabs in the project wizard (Project, PPE, Structure,
etc.) can be determined in the subsequent dialogs of the menu items and

88
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

in various project-specific settings dialogs.

The settings that were part of the wizard's Numbering tab can now be
found in the Settings: Pages, Settings: Numbering (online), and Set-
tings: PLC dialogs of the EPLAN platform.

In the View menu the following menu items were removed:

Graphical format and Text format.

These two rarely used menu items for the display of the identically named
toolbars in various editors have disappeared.

In the Edit and Insert menus, the following menu options for macros were
combined:

Create window macro and Create symbol macro.

These two menu items for the creation of macros were combined to the
new Create window macro / symbol macro menu item.
For recognizing more easily which macro type is saved, the File name
field of the subsequent Save as dialog displays the file extension (*.ema
or *.ems) of the selected or last-saved macro in addition to the file name.

Window macro and Symbol macro.

These two menu items for the inserting of macros were combined to the
new Window macro / Symbol macro menu item.

Note:
For inserting window and symbol macros you can both use the [M] key as
displayed in the menu and the [Ctrl] + [Ins] key combination which was
previously used for inserting symbol macros. For generating window and
symbol macros you can correspondingly continue using the [Ctrl] + [F5]
key combination as well as the [B] key.

89
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In the Project data and Utilities menus, the following menu options for set-
tings were removed:

Settings (Number) and

Settings (Number using PLC data )
(in the Project data > Devices menu).

Settings (distributed terminals)

(in the Project data > Terminal strips menu).

Settings
(in the Project data > PLC menu).

Settings,
Settings (cable connections), and
Settings (automatic)
(in the Project data > Cables menu).

Settings
(in the Project data > Connections > Numbering menu).

Settings
(in the Utilities > Automated processing menu).

Settings
(in the Utilities > Translation menu).

90
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
These settings for certain functionalities continue to be available in the pro-
gram. On the one hand, the associated settings dialogs can be opened for
executing the respective functionalities (e.g. the numbering of devices).
On the other hand, you can branch to the corresponding settings dialog in
the settings. Here you can quickly find the desired dialog by means of the
Find functionality.
(The settings for the project data can, e.g., be found below the settings cat-
egory Projects > "Project name" > Devices. Translation settings are dis-
tributed across the settings categories Projects > "Project name" >
Translation and User > Translation.)

The following menu items were additionally removed from the Project data
menu:

PLC > Bus configuration navigator.

Based on the restructuring measures in the area of PLC data, the bus con-
figuration navigator is no longer necessary, and thus the associated menu
item was removed. For more information, please read the section "New
Features in the "EPLAN PLC & Bus Extension" Extension Module" (start-
ing on page "158").

Connections > Correct.

This menu item was used to open the dialog Correct connections. The
previous functionality here, Merge connection definition points, which
was hardly used, has been removed. The other two correction pos-
sibilities for net definition points are now located in the settings for com-
pressing projects (via the menu items Project > Organize >
Compress). The two check boxes Merge net definition points and
Remove superfluous net definition points are now located in the

91
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

dialog Settings: Compression below the Net definition points hier-

archy level.

In the Options menu, the following menu item was removed:

Mini toolbars.
This rarely used menu item for the formatting of text and graphical ele-
ments as well as the associated button of the View toolbar were
removed.

In the Utilities > Data transfer menu, the following menu items were
removed:

EPLAN 21, EPLAN Cabinet, EPLAN PPE > Master data, and EPLAN
PPE > Project.
These relatively unused menu items for the data transfer of older EPLAN
products were removed from the user interface.

In the Help menu, the following menu items were removed:

Index and Find.

Once you have called up the online help by means of the Help > Con-
tents menu items, you can then switch to one of the available tabs with
the other search possibilities of the online help (Index, Find, etc.).

EPLAN on the Web, EPLAN support on the Web, Create EPLAN sup-
port request on the Web, and News about EPLAN on the Web.
These different, confusing menu items for opening EPLAN-specific Inter-
net pages were combined into the new Create EPLAN support request
menu item. Using this menu item you can now open the EPLAN-specific
Internet page for logging on to the EPLAN Solution Center. If required you
can navigate to EPLAN's other Internet pages from here.

92
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In the Popup menu, the following menu items were removed:

Expand and Collapse.

These two popup menu items were removed from the popup menus for
the tree views in the navigators and other dialogs. Opening and closing a
selected hierarchy level in the tree can be done in various other ways (e.g.
by double-click).

Tip:
To open a selected hierarchy level in the tree you can also press the [right]
arrow key or the [+] key. Correspondingly, to close a selected hierarchy
level in the tree, you use the [left] arrow key or the [-] key.

Assign main function.

This popup menu item which was only useful in a very special situation
was removed from the popup menu of various navigators and from the
popup menu of the editors for graphical editing (graphical editor, symbol
editor, etc.). To change an auxiliary function into a main function, the func-
tionality is, of course, still available in the main menu (menu path: Project
data > Devices > Assign main function).

Delete placement.
This popup menu item was removed from all popup menus of the editors
(graphical editor, symbol editor, etc.). To delete a component in the
schematic and retain it as an unplaced function in the project, you can use
the Edit > Delete placement menu items.

Go to (all representation types).

This superfluous popup menu item was removed from the popup menu
for interruption points in the editors (graphical editor, symbol editor, etc.).

93
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Control element "Popup menu button"

Since usage of the popup menu button was difficult for many users to get
used to, this control element was removed from the user interface. The
respective popup menu for a dialog or a field can - as is common in other
applications - still be opened by right mouse click.

Functionality "Basic symbol"

In the EPLAN platform, the basic symbol was used to visualize the structure
of the function, i.e. position and sequence of the connection points. Since this
functionality caused irritation for some users, e.g. during the selection of func-
tion definitions, and since it has become superfluous for the generation of
new symbols, the basic symbols and basic symbol libraries were removed
from the user interface.

Benefit:
By removing the functionalities for the basic symbol, the corresponding dia-
logs become more transparent. The maintenance efforts for the master
data are significantly minimized.

Tip:
If you want to determine the assignment of connection points, place the
symbol and number the connection point designations consecutively. To
do so, manually enter the connection point designations - separated by a
paragraph mark each - in the first tab of the properties dialog in the Con-
nection point designation field. Display in the graphical editor will then
show the sequence of the function connections according to the con-
nection point logic.

94
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The Basic symbol field was removed from the following locations in the
EPLAN platform:

Dialog Function definitions.

(This dialog can, for example, be called up from the Symbol / function
data tab of the properties dialog by clicking [] in the Definition field.)

Dialog Function definition assignment.

(This dialog is displayed during the data transfer of symbol libraries from
EPLAN 5 / fluidPLAN and EPLAN 21 as well as during function definition
assignment for the symbols of a symbol library.)

Dialog Connection point designations and descriptions.

(Menu path: Utilities > Master data > Connection point designation /
description.)

In the Insert menu of the symbol editor, the following menu item was
removed:

Menu item Basic symbol.

During master data generation, new symbols are almost always created
by copying and modifying existing ones.

The Basic symbol library drop-down list was removed from the following
locations in the EPLAN platform:

Dialog Symbol library properties - <Library name>.

(This dialog is opened when generating and copying a symbol library.
Menu path: Utilities > Master data > Symbol library > ....)

Dialog Settings: Symbol libraries.

(Menu path e.g.: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" >
Management > Symbol libraries.)

95
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Uniform Designations for Devices

In the EPLAN Platform electrical-engineering and fluid-power devices are
divided into "general" devices (including motors, valves, etc.) and "special"
devices (including terminals, cables, fluid distributors, etc.). There is no such
differentiation in the mechanical devices.

The terms and the sequence of these device designations in the project prop-
erties, at other points in the user interface and in the function definitions were
standardized as follows for the current version:

Old name: New name:

General DTs General devices

(or Gen. devices)

PLC / Bus boxes PLC

Fluid devices General fluid devices

(or Gen. fluid devices)

General mechanical devices Mechanical devices

(or Gen. mechanical devices)

Part placement, normal item Part placement, general devices

Part placement, PLC card Part placement, PLC

Part placement, fluid device Part placement, general fluid device

96
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Renamed Dialog for the Directory Selection

The [] button is used at many points in the EPLAN Platform (for example
when creating or storing projects) to open a follow-up dialog for the directory
selection. In order to standardize terms the dialog Browse for folder has
now been renamed.

Old name: New name:

Browse for folder Select directory

In addition the [Create new folder] button has been removed from this dia-
log for directory selection. You can still create new directories by using the
popup menu items New > Folder.

Project Editing
Extended project databases
In preparation for the 64-bit version of the EPLAN Platform and further future
developments the project databases have been extended and optimized for
Version 2.4. These modifications and optimizations make it possible to cre-
ate new projects essentially with new project databases.

Consequences for legacy projects

In order for old projects to be edited (or also just viewed) in the new EPLAN
version, updating of the project databases is absolutely essential for these
projects. Old projects are updated the first time they are opened with the cur-
rent EPLAN version. At the time, you will be prompted whether you wish to
import the project in the current version.

97
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

If you confirm with [Yes], the project is first updated and then opened. In addi-
tion, a backup copy with the not-updated project databases is created in the
project directory.

If you do not update an old project, you will not be able to open this project in
the version 2.4.

Warning:
New projects and old projects that have been updated will no longer be
able to be opened with old EPLAN versions.

SQL Server Database for the Project Management

An Access database has always been used in the past for the project man-
agement. In the new version, the project management can now also be
based on an SQL server database. This way, users can use the project man-
agement in the 64-bit version of the EPLAN Platform, even though the
Microsoft Office applications (including Microsoft Access) are installed on the
computers in the 32-bit version.

You can now choose between an Access and SQL server database in the set-
tings for the project management database. In the corresponding setting dia-
log you can use the two options Access and SQL server. (The menu path to
this setting is: Options > Settings > Company > Management > Project
management database.)

If you have selected an Access database, you can use [...] to branch to a file
selection dialog where you select the project management database
(*.mdb).

If you want to use an SQL server database, select the SQL server option
and click [...] to define the settings for using an SQL server in the SQL

98
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

server setting dialog. The entries here are required for the SQL server
logon.

Creating a project management database

It is also possible to create a new project management database in the set-
tings dialog. To do so, click the (New) button for the respective option
(Access or SQL-Server). Depending on the selected option a new Access or
SQL database is created.

To this purpose you can also assign a name freely for the project manage-
ment database instead of the previous specification Projects.mdb. The
newly created database will then be entered in the settings as project man-
agement database and is therefore automatically selected.

Notes:
During an initial installation of the EPLAN Platform in the 32-bit version
an empty project management database called Projects.mdb is sup-
plied and displayed in the Access field. In the case of an update install-
ation an existing database is retained and also displayed in the Access
field.

This behavior also applies to an initial or an update installation of the 64-

bit version. If you use the Microsoft Office applications (including
Microsoft Access) in the 32-Bit version in this combination, the EPLAN
project management cannot be opened with the set Access database
due to incompatible drivers.
In this case a corresponding message is displayed when the project
management is opened. After confirmation with [OK] the settings dia-
log for the project management database is opened, and you can cre-
ate a suitable SQL-Server database for the 64-bit version.

99
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

To see which versions of the Microsoft SQL server are supported for the con-
version of the project management to an SQL server by the EPLAN platform,
see the section "Software Requirements and Approvals" (see page "265").

Icon for Exclusively Opened Projects

When opening projects you can open a project in miscellaneous editing
modes. In the dialog Open project you select the desired editing mode
"Default", "Exclusive" or "Write-protected" by using the Mode drop-down list.

Exclusively opened EPLAN projects are now highlighted by a special icon. In

the tree view of the page navigator, the other project data navigators, and pro-
ject management, such projects that can only be edited by you are identified
by the icon.

100
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Devices
Improved Representation of the Full DT
The used structure identifiers are displayed in the dialog Full DT together
with the visible device tag of the function and can be changed by you. This
dialog was changed for Version 2.4 so that an improved representation and
layout of the identifiers is achieved.

The two fields Displayed DT and Full DT are now located in the dialog
above the structure identifiers. The structure identifiers themselves are now
positioned in a table. In the process only those identifier blocks are listed that
are specified as "identifying" or "describing" in the project structure in the
Structure column of the Structure identifier table. The adjacent column dis-
plays the associated prefixes.

In the Value column, the structure identifiers can be edited. In order to select
an existing structure identifier click in the respective cell on [] and then
branch to the selection dialog.

101
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

A tree view was extended to the selection dialog for the structure identifier.
This corresponds to the changes in the structure identifier management (see
section "Structure Identifier Management" on page "106"). In addition you
can use a filter to reduce the number of displayed structure identifiers in the
selection dialog.

Note:
The structure identifiers are now displayed in table form also at the struc-
ture boxes in the Identifier tab and in many other dialogs (such as Full
page name, Structure identifier of layout space etc.).

The further layout of the dialog depends on the settings for the project struc-
ture. Different editing fields are displayed for the DT:

Group boxes for the DT: If you are working without extended reference
identification, the known DT and Subordinate DT group boxes are
shown.

Table: If you are using the extended reference identification, the editing
fields for the DT are shown in a table (see section "Extensions for Refer-
ence Identification" on page "73").

Table for fluid power functions: If you have specified by means of a project
setting that the trade identifiers are to be used as identifiers (media
codes), the table for the DT at fluid power functions disposes of column
headers in accordance with the standard DIN ISO 1219-2. For more
information, please read the section "New Features for EPLAN Fluid" on
page "219".

102
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Part Selection
Taking account of function templates
The "main template" is now taken account of during the part selection. The
main template is the first function template in the Function templates tab of
the parts management whose function definition is set to "Main function".

The value from the Technical characteristics field in the Technical data
tab is only transferred during the part selection if no value is entered for this
property at the "main template" or if there are no function templates.

Further information about the data transferred during the part selection is
available in the Online Help in the section "Overview of the transferred part
data".

Easier identification of hyperlinks from the parts management

You can store up to 20 external documents for a part on the Documents tab
of the parts management. At various points in the EPLAN Platform at which
you select parts you can use the Open hyperlink popup menu to open the
external documents stored for a part. For example this popup menu item for
a part is available in the part selection, in the Part tab of the properties dialog
and in the part master data navigator.

Wherever you can open an external document as a hyperlink, the designa-

tions entered in the Documents tab are now offered instead of the submenu
items External document 1, External document 2 etc.

103
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
By using "talking" designations you can now identify a hyperlink i.e. an
external document more easily. Access and handling of the linked doc-
uments has been facilitated greatly also for occasional users (for example
in Service).

Defined Devices
Standardized behavior during transfer of the plug DT and the channel
designation
During the configuration of devices data are transferred to the components at
specific actions. In the past the transfer of the plug DT and of the channel
designations did not behave the same at all the actions. This behavior has
now been standardized. The Plug DT property is only transferred from the
part to the target components in the following cases:

A value is already entered at the Plug DT property at the target com-

ponent. An existing plug DT is, however, never overwritten by an empty
value.

No plug DT is entered at the target component, but an incorrect value for

the Plug DT (automatic) property would arise through the DT transfer.

This behavior applies while creating a device, while inserting a device, while
placing a function through the use of a macro, during the device selection,
when using unplaced functions / function templates and while assigning func-
tions / function templates to a component.

104
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
The same behavior also applies to the Channel designation and Chan-
nel designation (automatic) properties.

For more information on this topic, please refer to the online help in the sec-
tion "Transfer of the Plug DT and of the Channel Designation".

Project Data Navigators

New icon for devices that are not placed in the schematic
In the navigator dialogs 2D panel layouts and 3D mounting layout the part
status is in part indicated by means of icons (for example placed device
through the icon ). Devices and part placements that were placed in the lay-
out space / on the 2D mounting panel, but not included in the schematic pro-
ject, were marked by the icon in the part.

In order to avoid confusion with the exclamation mark that is displayed in the
navigators of functions (such as the device navigator) for functions that have
errors after check runs, EPLAN Platform now uses the new icon in such a
case.

105
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Structure Identifier Management

Improved representation of the structure identifiers
The structure identifier management was revised for this version. In the dia-
log Identifier - <Project name> the identifier blocks existing in the project
(for example "higher-level function", "mounting location", etc.) are now no
longer displayed as tabs, but rather in a tree structure in the left-hand section
of the dialog. If you select an identifier block here, all the associated structure
identifiers are then displayed in the right-hand section.

In addition to display in table form in the List tab, the structure identifiers of
an identifier block are now also represented as a tree (in the Tree tab).

106
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
The tree view provides a better structured and clearer display of the struc-
ture identifiers in projects that have a substructure. The tree view allows
rapid predefinition of structure identifiers.

The following has to be taken into account for the tree view of the structure
identifier management:

The dialog New identifier is opened in the tree view by means of the
(New) button. This view can be used to create a new structure identifier
and at the same time enter the various structure descriptions.

You must take into account which hierarchy level is currently marked in
the tree view when executing most functions. If, for example, you have
marked the <Empty identifier> node, a new main identifier is created
when the (New) button is used. If an existing identifier is selected, a
sub-identifier is created by the same means.

Analog to the tree view of the project data navigators you can also have
the structure descriptions displayed in the tree of the structure identifier
management. The Configure representation menu item in the popup
menu is available to this purpose.

The functionalities of the two buttons [Sort] and [Extras] are only avail-
able in the list view.

107
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Connections
Association of connections
In the past you could use the two properties Cable connection (ID 31058)
and Conduit connection (ID 31086) to specify for a connection whether the
respective connection is a part of a cable or a conduit. In reality these two
properties are mutually exclusive, but could be activated simultaneously for a
connection in the past.

Since further "multi-part" connections ("Phase busbar connection", "Line")

have been added to this version, you now specify the association by using
the new property Connection: Association (ID 31142). You can select one
of the following values in the drop-down list of this property:

0 = Individual connection
1 = Cable
2 = Conduit
3 = Phase busbar
4 = Line.

Benefit:
Contradictory settings at the connection definition points are avoided
through the new property Connection: Association.

The properties Cable connection and Conduit connection are no longer

offered for selection When configuring filters for reports, labeling and block
properties, but rather the property Connection: Association.

108
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Conversion of "old" connections

Automatic adapting of the connection properties is carried out when "old" pro-
jects / macros are opened. If there are contradictory specifications in the data
(Cable connection and Conduit connection properties activated), the func-
tion definition is used to decide whether it is a cable or a conduit.

Renamed Connection Symbols

Connection splicers and line connectors can now also be configured in elec-
trical engineering. The distributors / connectors previously only available in
fluid power or process engineering have therefore been extended and
renamed in the EPLAN Platform:

Old name: New name:

Distributor / connector Connection splicer / line connector

For more information, please read the section "Connection Splicers / Line
Connectors in Electrical Engineering" (starting on page "147")

Message Management
Checking the part master data
The message management offers you the possibility to check whether the
part master data created by you and stored in the parts database are correct
and complete.

109
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
You have the possibility to rapidly check the quality of your master data by
means of the new check runs for the parts master data. The previous time-
consuming manual checking of the individual data in the parts manage-
ment is superfluous. The quality of the master data is decisive for high-qual-
ity project planning and can be ensured in the long term through the new
check runs for parts data.

To check the part master data you can use the following nine check run mes-
sages in the message class 501 "Part master data":

Message 501001 "The macro %1!s! entered at the part does not exist."
Message 501002 "The image file %1!s! entered at the part does not
exist."
Message 501003 "The document %1!s! entered at the part does not
exist."
Message 501004 "The function definition %1!s! entered at the part is
obsolete."
Message 501005 "The layer %4!s! assigned to the macro %1!s! (%2!s! /
%3!s!) is user-defined."
Message 501006 "The elements of the macro %1!s! (%2!s! / %3!s!) are
not grouped."
Message 501007 "The height and/or width is not specified at the part:
Height=%1!s! Width=%2!s!."
Message 501008 "The connection point pattern %1!s! entered at the part
does not exist."

110
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Message 501009 "The drilling pattern %1!s! entered at the part does not
exist."

Procedure
A project has to be opened in the page navigator so that check runs can be
executed. Therefore first create a project that serves as a so-called "test pro-
ject". The test project may not contain any project pages. In this project the
check run settings that are required to check the parts database are carried
out.

After the test project has been created, we recommend the following pro-
cedure:

If necessary - configure the display of the message management so that

the new column Part number is displayed here. The part number of the
faulty part is displayed here.

Select the parts database to be checked in the parts management.

Create a check run scheme for the parts master data. If desired, store a
describing text here, for example the name of the parts database to be
checked.

Specify the scope of the check run and store it in the scheme. For
example, set the type of check to "No" for all check run messages and
assign the "Parts master data" type of check "Offline" to the desired
check run messages.

Specify the master data that are to be checked in the parts master data
navigator and carry out the check run.

111
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
The scope of a check run depends on the respective selection. If you have
marked a project (or a page) in the page navigator, the selected project
data are checked. If, on the other hand, you have marked a hierarchy level
in the tree of the parts master data navigator, the parts master data are
checked. In this case only one project may be opened.

Result
After you have carried out the check run the result is displayed in the dialog
Message management - <Project name>. Faulty or incomplete parts can
be identified in it on the basis of the output part number. You can use the
Properties popup menu item to jump directly to the reported part in the parts
management.

Display of faulty parts master data

Parts with faulty or incomplete information are identified in the parts master
data navigator and in the parts management by a red exclamation mark.

If you want to display only those parts that were reported as faulty in the parts
master data navigator or in the parts management, you can create a field-
based filter to this purpose and use the Messages in message manage-
ment (ID 20930) property as the filter criterion.

If you have eliminated the fault for a part and then repeat the check run, the
corresponding message is no longer displayed in the message management
and the exclamation mark at the parts disappears.

112
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Form Editor
Improved design of dynamic areas
The positioning and editing of placeholder texts in the dynamic areas has
been improved in this version for the form editor. It is now possible, for
example, to distribute the placeholder texts evenly in an area.

Benefit:
The improved editing and positioning of placeholder texts facilitate the lay-
out and design of tables on report pages. Convincing and informative struc-
turing of the machine / plant documentation also facilitates processes
downstream of the engineering, such as the manufacturing, commis-
sioning and servicing.

When you insert or open such an area in a dynamic form, the new tab Place-
holder texts is now available in the dialog Dynamic area.

113
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In this tab all the placeholder texts that are assigned to the respective area
are listed in a table. In a newly inserted dynamic area you can then quickly
and easily specify new placeholder texts and settings for the position of these
placeholders for the report.

In the table you can carry out settings for the most important display proper-
ties of the placeholder texts (Activate alignment box, Draw alignment
box, Width of the alignment box). Please note the following:

You can use the (New) button to insert a new line for a placeholder
text.

By clicking in the respective cell of the Placeholder texts column you

branch to the familiar dialog Properties - placeholder text and there
select the desired placeholder text. In this dialog you can edit all the dis-
play properties of a placeholder text.

Multiple selection of placeholder texts is possible in the table. You can

edit the display properties of several placeholder texts simultaneously by
using the (Edit) button.

The sequence of the placeholder texts in the table determines the

sequence of the placeholders in a dynamic area (from left to right). The
(Move up) and (Move down) buttons can be used to influence the
sequence.

In the Position drop-down list you specify how the placeholder texts are dis-
tributed in the dynamic area. Placeholder texts without activated alignment
box always retain their position irrespective of the selected setting. The fol-
lowing options are available:

114
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Retain position: The positions of all the placeholder texts are retained.

Fit placeholder texts: The placeholder texts are fitted into the area. To this
purpose the cell in the Width column is grayed out for the lowest place-
holder text with activated alignment box. The width of the alignment box
for this placeholder text is calculated from the width of the area minus the
width of the alignment boxes of the other fitted placeholder texts.

Space placeholder texts evenly: The placeholder texts are fitted evenly
into the area. Thus the cells in the Width column for placeholder texts
with activated alignment box are grayed out. The widths of the respective
alignment boxes are calculated so that they fit the set grid of the form.

When you confirm with [OK], the dialog is closed and the settings for the
placeholder texts are implemented. The next time the dialog Dynamic area
is opened again, the Position drop-down list contains the value "Retain pos-
ition" again.

Extended Next Forms

For certain report types (e.g. device tag list, cable assignment diagram, ter-
minal-strip overview, etc.) it is possible to specify a next form. In reports, this
is output based on the current form. With the new version of the EPLAN Plat-
form you can use now not only summarized parts lists but also other report
types as next forms.

115
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In order to insert a different report in a form you can position an insertion

point of the next form at the desired position in the form. To do so, select the
menu items Insert > Insertion point of next form in the form editor.

Select the report type for the next form from the Report type drop-down list.
Depending on the form type of the opened form, different entries are avail-
able for selection here. For most form types, the "Summarized parts list" and
the "Parts list" are available. The table in the section "Available report types"
lists which next form is available for the respective form type.

The dialog Insertion point of next form was redesigned in the course of the
extension described here. You now carry out the further settings for the next
form in a new properties table:

The form of the next form is now entered directly at the insertion point of
the next form. This is carried out in the properties table by using the Form
property. The Value column can be used to select a suitable form or to

116
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

branch to the selection dialog for forms.

In addition, you have the possibility to determine filter and sorting criteria
for the extent and the sorting of the report by using the Filter and Sorting
properties.
Here the same schemes and filter criteria are available as for the gen-
eration of a report of the respective report type. In the case of function-
related report types (such as, e.g., terminal diagram, plug diagram, etc.),
the filter and sorting criteria apply to the functions.

When you change the report type, the settings made for the Form, Filter,
Sorting, and New page properties are removed again.

It is also possible to insert several insertion points of next forms into a

form. The report sequence is determined by the graphics.

Note:
Because the form of the next form is now inserted at the insertion point of
the next form, the Next form column in the user interface of the dialog Set-
tings: Output to pages has been removed. Projects from previous
EPLAN versions with old forms continue to be reported, however the spe-
cified next form cannot be changed.

Report types
Depending on the form type of the opened main form, different report types
are available for next forms. For most form types, the "Summarized parts
list" and the "Parts list" are available. "Identical form type" in the table means
that, e.g., for the "Cable diagram" report type a next form of report type
"Cable diagram" is possible.

117
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Formtype Next form

Summarized Parts list Identical Additional

parts list form type

Assembly / x
module over-
view

Device tag list x x

Cable assign- x x
ment diagram

Cable dia- x x x
gram

Cable over- x x
view

Terminal line- x x Terminal

up diagram overview

Terminal-strip x x
overview

Terminal dia- x x x Terminal

gram line-up dia-
gram

PLC diagram x x x

PLC card x x
overview

Plug diagram x x x

Plug overview x x

118
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Connection x x
list

Topology: x x
Routing path
list

Topology: x x
Routed
cables / con-
nections

Pre-planning: x x
Planning
object over-
view

Pre-planning: x
Planning
object plan

Pre-planning: x
Structure seg-
ment plan

119
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Reports
Creating an assembly / module overview
To generate reports on the module or assembly parts existing in a project,
you can use the new report type "Assembly/module overview" in the Select
report dialog. In this special report an overview is generated for each module
/ each assembly occurring in the project. In such an overview all the parts of a
module / an assembly are listed one by one.

By default both the module parts and the assembly parts existing in the pro-
ject are reported during reporting of this type. You have the possibility of lim-
iting the output to one of the two part types by means of a filter in which you
use the property Record type (ID 20486) as a filter criterion.

When outputting these new report types, the form is used that is specified in
the project-specific Settings: Output to pages dialog for the new form type
"Assembly/module overview (*.f44)".

An example of a practical application for assembly/module overviews is the

reporting of assemblies that are included into pre-planning through the data
transfer of hook-ups in EPLAN PPE projects. An appropriate form is supplied
in the master data for the reporting of these assemblies (hook-ups). You can
furthermore add a graphics to the assembly/module overview by using one
of the techniques common to the EPLAN platform (image file / storing a
macro for module / assembly parts in the parts management; inserting a
corresponding placeholder text in the form).

120
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:
The following figure shows the reporting of an assembly (hook-up) that was
allocated to a planning object of the pre-planning after the data transfer of
an EPLAN PPE project as an example of an assembly/module overview.

Notes:
The modules / assembles are always broken up to the lowest possible
level in an assembly/module overview.

Please also note that the settings in the dialog Settings: Parts do not
have any effect on the creation of an assembly/module overview.

Reports with Deviating Form

When reports are created the form that is entered in the dialog Settings: Out-
put to pages is used by default. In the new version you now have the pos-
sibility to select a form directly during generation that deviates from the
specification in the settings.

121
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In order to use deviating forms you had to go in the past to the report tem-
plates and there assign a different form in the forms property. In the case of
embedded reports (with manual placement of the report on an existing page)
this procedure did not function.

Benefit:
The new setting Form (deviating from settings) allows a simplified pro-
cedure when reporting with deviating forms. You can now furthermore also
create embedded reports with deviating forms.
The machine / plant documentation is upgraded in value through the report-
ing of the project data with informative forms and furthermore facilitates
processes downstream of the engineering, such as the manufacturing,
commissioning and servicing.

After you have determined the report type when generating a report, a dialog
with different settings for the respective report is opened. This dialog now dis-
poses of the new drop-down list Form (deviating from settings).

122
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

All the forms stored in the project are offered for selection in this drop-down
list. Often only the form that is entered in the settings is initially displayed
here. In order to assign a deviating form click "Browse" in the drop-down list
and use the subsequent dialog Select form to select the desired form.

In the course of this extension the dialog was renamed to Settings -

<Report type>.

Further effects:
Report blocks with deviating form:
If you have selected a deviating form when creating a new report, the
form in the dialog Reports is entered in the Form property of the report
block. The property located under it Update using this form is activated.

Editing report blocks:

These two properties can now be edited at all the report blocks. When you
activate the Update using this form property the Form property is
enabled and you can select a different form for an existing report.

Updating reports:
If the Update using this form check box is activated for a report block,
the form entered in the Form property is used when updating reports.

Creating a report template:

If you have selected a deviating form for a report block, this form is
entered in the Form property at the template when the template is cre-
ated.

Reporting templates:
When templates are reported, the forms entered at the associated report
blocks are overwritten! It is irrelevant whether the forms for the templates
are entered at the templates or originate from the settings.

123
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The activated property Update using this form results in the following
effects at Generate project reports:

Embedded reports:
Embedded reports are only updated. The form entered for a corre-
sponding report block is retained.

Report pages:
When a project is reported, the templates existing in the project are used.
This means that report pages with deviating forms are only retained if
there are no templates for the respective report type or if there are tem-
plates at which the deviating form is stored.

Note:
Forms for the report can be stored at some main functions (cable, terminal
strip, plug definitions, etc.). These forms take priority over all other spe-
cifications, i.e. also over the forms entered at the templates.

124
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Parts Management
Update the parts database
When starting the program following an initial installation, the current parts
database will be available to you immediately.

If you work with several EPLAN versions (e.g., when switching to version 2.4)
and have in version 2.4 an "older" parts database, you will be prompted upon
opening parts management to update the parts database. If you answer this
prompt with [Yes], the parts database is updated.

If you click [No], then the parts database is not updated. The parts manage-
ment data fields will then remain empty and cannot be edited.

Other program features which also access the data in the parts database will
output an equivalent message if the parts database does not correspond to
the current version.

Note:
If you work with several EPLAN versions, then we recommend using the
latest EPLAN version when editing and managing the parts database. An
updated parts database can be opened in older EPLAN versions, for
example, to select parts or devices, but cannot be edited.

125
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Importing Part Data to the eCl@ss Standard

eCl@ss is a standardized, cross-trade classification system for product
groups, product characteristics and services with the aim of simplifying elec-
tronic trading of classified products.

As from Version 2.4 the EPLAN Platform supports the importing of parts data
into the parts management in accordance with the eCl@ss standard
"eCl@ss Basic" in Version 8.0. The XML-based format "BMEcat" is used for
this import. The supported version "BMEcat 2005" allows, for example,
importing of multilanguage data.

In order to import data to the eCl@ss classification, the Import records dia-
log includes the new "eCl@ss 8.0" file type. (To open this dialog select the fol-
lowing menu path in the parts management: [Extras] > Import.)

Importing is carried out by means of a scheme that you select in the sub-
sequent dialog. The assignment of classes and characteristics from eCl@ss
to product groups and part properties of the EPLAN parts management are
configured in this scheme.

Note:
The new possibility of importing parts data to the "eCl@ss 8.0" standard is
available for users with a valid Software Service agreement.

Storing the ATEX Identification

You can now also store an identification for the explosion protection in accord-
ance with the ATEX directives of the European Union for a part in the parts
management. The designation ATEX is derived from the French abbrevia-
tion for "ATmosphre EXplosibles".

126
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

To this purpose the ATEX identifier field was added in the Certification
group box of the Prices / Other tab. You can enter up to 50 characters (let-
ters and numbers) here. The corresponding property Certification: ATEX
identifier (ID 22270) can be used like the other certification properties in the
EPLAN Platform (for example as a filter criterion during the part selection or
as a placeholder text for output in reports such as the parts list).

Mounting Depth for Item Placements on Mounting Surfaces

When items are inserted on a mounting surface in the layout space, the
items could in the past only be placed flat on the mounting surface unless a
3D graphical macro is stored. The new Mounting depth field is now avail-
able on the Mounting data tab so that such an item can now project partially
through a mounting surface (for example a door) after the placement.

Benefit:
The mounting depth is taken into account individually during part place-
ment without 3D graphical macro.

With the mounting depth you specify how far an item projects into another
item against the Z-axis and referenced to the mounting surface after the
parts placement.

Enter the mounting depth in "mm" in the Mounting depth field (default is
0.00 mm). This part property is only taken into consideration at a 3D part
placement if no 3D graphical macro is used for the part placement.

127
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:

(1) Item (door), (2) Mounting surface, (3) Part placement, (4) Mounting
depth

Renamed Field for Mounting Data

The Cabinet graphical macro field in the Mounting data tab as well as the
associated part property (ID 22219) have been renamed for Version 2.4:

Old name: New name:

Cabinet graphical macro Texture

You can the [] button to select an image file (*.bmp, *.gif etc.) in this
field. An image file stored in this field will then be displayed in the layout
space during part placement - if the part dimensions exist - on the front side
of the placed 3D object. Using an image file as texture displays the surface of
a 3D model in more detail and more realistically or illustrates the photo of an
original item.

128
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Despite renaming the selection of other file types such as Cabinet drawings,
ACIS files, etc. remains possible. An entered Cabinet graphical macro is only
taken into consideration if the EPLAN parts management was used in the dis-
continued program EPLAN Cabinet.

Removed Fields
The following fields which are no longer used have been removed from the
user interface of the EPLAN parts management in this version.

Identifier (Technical data tab)

Connection point designation (function templates tab)
Symbol library (function templates tab)
Symbol number (function templates tab)
Nominal width (Process engineering tab).

These fields were also removed at other points in the user interface. The
corresponding part properties are no longer available in the filters and config-
uration files.

Note:
The fields listed here were only removed from the user interface of the
mentioned tabs. But for reasons of compatibility, these properties continue
to be included in the parts database.

Tab "Function templates"

As a result of a modified part selection the Part selection group box has
been removed. Only the Technical characteristics field remains and is now
located on the Technical data tab. For more information, please read the
section "Part Selection" (on Page "103").

129
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Tab "PLC data"

Since Version 2.3 the PLC data tab is now also displayed for other parts that
are not part of the "PLC" product group. (Excepted from this extension are
module parts as well as parts for cables, terminals and connections.)

This meant that it was possible to enter the switching capacity and the power
dissipation twice for the respective parts both in the Component data tab
and in the PLC data tab. The following fields have therefore been removed
from the PLC data tab:

Switching capacity
Power dissipation.

The Component data tab is now available for entering the respective data
for the parts of the "PLC" product group.

Settings
Common settings dialog for part selection and parts management
In the past the part selection and the parts management had two different set-
tings dialogs in the EPLAN Platform. This situation with for example differing
tree configuration for the part selection and parts management made hand-
ling in part more difficult. With the new version the two previous settings dia-
logs have been replaced by a single common settings dialog.

Benefit:
Uniform and well structured settings for the parts facilitate the handling of
the part selection and the parts management.

130
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The new dialog Settings: Part is located, for example, in the settings under:
Options > Settings > User > Management > Parts. The settings for the
database and the part selection in this dialog continue to be stored as a
scheme.

Settings for the database

Only one database is now still used for the part / device selection and the
parts management. You can now select between the following options in the
database settings:

Access
SQL server
API.

131
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In contrast to the previous version, you no longer have to branch to a follow-

up dialog at the settings for the database of part / device selection in order to
recognize which database is set here.

You do not need set an ODBC part selection any more. The evaluation of
our customer-focused improvement program showed that both this setting
and the possibility to set the part properties which are stored in the project are
only used by very few users.

Notes:
The API option continues to apply only for a part / device selection via
API. If you have selected this option, the program uses the entered
Access or SQL-Server database as the database for the part / device
selection, even if the respective option is not activated. If databases are
entered for both options (Access and SQL-Server), the EPLAN Plat-
form accesses the Access database.

With Version 2.4 all the part properties are now always stored in the pro-
ject. Therefore the table with the settings for storing part properties has
been removed. If you do not want to store certain parts data (such as
prices) permanently in the project, you must explicitly delete the corre-
sponding part properties by using the menu items Utilities > Parts >
Delete stored properties before you pass on the project.

132
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Setting the tree configuration

Only one setting possibility now still exists for the tree configuration of the
part selection and the parts management.

If different tree views are required (for example one for designing and one for
master data editing), you can create several schemes with a different tree
configuration in the part settings to this purpose and then change rapidly
between the tree views by selecting a scheme.

Further settings for the part selection

The selection of a further data source from which the technical EPLAN parts
data can be supplemented by commercial data from linked systems is car-
ried out by means of the setting Extend parts data using. The required spe-
cifications are now carried out in a follow-up dialog that you access via the
[] button next to the setting.

The following settings for the part selection remain unchanged:

Break up assembly
Show conflict dialog
Modification allowed during selection
Placeholder object: Adopt part number without synchronizing
parts.

Further settings for the parts management

In order to carry out further settings for the parts management, click the
[Other] button.

133
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In the subsequent Settings: Parts management dialog further settings

already known for the parts management were moved (List / tree sorting,
Measuring unit - import / export, etc.). The fields of the previously sep-
arate dialog Currencies have now also been integrated into this dialog.

The settings of this follow-up dialog are not stored in the scheme for the part
settings.

Moved Setting for Zooming Texts as in Previous EPLAN Versions

The project-specific setting Zoom in text for graphical editing allows you to
specify that texts are displayed zoomed by approximately 20%, as in pre-
vious EPLAN versions.

Since this setting will no longer be supported by EPLAN in the long term, the
associated check box was moved into the dialog Settings: Compatibility.
(The menu path for this settings dialog is: Options > Settings > Projects >
"Project name" > Management > Compatibility.)

134
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Utilities
Extensions when synchronizing functions
A function can occur more than once in the schematic in different rep-
resentation types (multi-line, overview function, etc.). You can synchronize
the functions in order to harmonize the properties of the functions that are dis-
played in a distributed manner.

When doing this, you now also have the option of applying the properties of
the selected topology functions or the properties of the selected functions
with the "Functional" representation type to the other representation types.
To this purpose the following menu items were added to the menu Utilities >
Synchronize > Functions:

Topology --> All representation types

Functional -- > All representation types.

The functionality for converting superfluous main functions has been adapted
(menu path: Utilities > Synchronize > Functions > Correct main func-
tions). The previously missing options Topology, P&I diagram and Func-
tional have been added to the dialog Correct main functions. In addition,
all the options were arranged in the sequence of the representation types dur-
ing global editing.

When you select one of the options, the main functions with this rep-
resentation type are retained and all the superfluous main functions are con-
verted into auxiliary functions during correction.

135
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features in the "EPLAN Multi Language Translation"

Extension Module

Note:
The "EPLAN Multi Language Translation" extension module is available as
an optional extra for the following programming variants:
Electric P8 Select.
This extension module is by default part of the scope of delivery for the fol-
lowing program variants:
EPLAN Electric P8 Professional, EPLAN Electric P8 Professional+,
EPLAN Electric P8 Ultimate, EPLAN Fluid, EPLAN Fluid Professional,
EPLAN PPE, EPLAN PPE Professional, EPLAN Pro Panel Professional
Stand-alone,EPLAN Pro Panel Professional+ Stand-alone.

This version includes extensions also in the Translation utility, the "EPLAN
Multi Language Translation" extension module.

Specifying the scope of translation for the parts management

It is now possible to specify the scope of translation for a translation in the
parts management. You can select which multi-language fields in the parts
management are to be translated and which not.

Benefit:
The new translation settings result in improved consistency and uniform
handling in the translation function. Only the desired parts data are trans-
lated, so that a possible revision of these data is not required.

To this purpose the new settings dialog Settings: Parts management has
been added to the EPLAN platform. The menu path to this dialog is: Options
> Settings > User > Translation > Parts management.

136
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In this dialog you can select which multi-language fields in the parts manage-
ment are to be translated. To this purpose all the relevant properties from the
parts management are listed in the Describing properties field. If the check
box in front of the property is activated, the property is translated in the next
translation run.

Open the settings in the parts management

You can also open these new settings for the scope of translation in the parts
management from the dialog Parts management. Select [Extras] > Set-
tings > Translation in the parts management to this purpose.

137
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In the subsequent Settings: Translation dialog, you can find all translation-
relevant settings for translation in parts management. Thus, in addition to the
previously displayed project-independent settings (now: Project-inde-
pendent tab) the new settings for the extent of the translation are shown on
the Parts management tab and the settings for the dictionary on the User
tab.

Renamed property
In the course of extending the translation settings, the Description property
from the Address tab has been renamed to differentiate it better from other
description texts:

Old name: New name: ID:

Description Description (address) 22922

138
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features in the "EPLAN Revision Management" Exten-

sion Module

Note:
The "EPLAN Revision Management" extension module is available as an
optional extra for the following programming variants:
EPLAN Electric P8 Select, EPLAN PPE.
This extension module is by default part of the scope of delivery for the fol-
lowing program variants:
EPLAN Electric P8 Professional, EPLAN Electric P8 Professional+,
EPLAN Electric P8 Ultimate, EPLAN Fluid, EPLAN Fluid Professional,
EPLAN PPE Professional, EPLAN Pro Panel Professional Stand-alone,
EPLAN Pro Panel Professional+ Stand-alone.

Via Revision control, the "EPLAN Revision Management" extension module,

modifications of existing machine and plant documentation can be detected
and documented automatically.

Extended property comparison for pre-planning

The segments from pre-planning were not included in the past in property
comparisons of projects in revision control. With the new version, you can
now also include the properties of pre-planning when running a property com-
parison.

For this reason the dialog Settings: Property comparison of projects has
been extended. (The menu path to this dialog is, for example: Options > Set-
tings > Company > Management > Property comparison of projects.)
The following new categories are available to you here:

139
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Pre-planning placements:
With this category you compare the graphical placements of the seg-
ments. Accordingly you can select the placement properties (Graphical
placement, Page name, etc.) for the comparison at this object type.

Pre-planning segments:
This category is used to compare the segments existing in the project
(placed or unplaced). The Properties for planning objects and structure
segments are offered in the Do not compare field for this object type.
In addition, you can select the user-defined properties of pre-planning for
the property comparison here. The property group (for example data, set-
tings, etc.) in which the user-defined properties are displayed depends on
the configuration of the properties.

Example:
After you have created a reference project, change the properties of a
placed segment (for example the property Expenditure planning). Sub-
sequently you specify in the settings for the property comparison that the
Expenditure planning property (from the "Data" property group) is to be
compared in the "Pre-planning segments" category. In a subsequent prop-
erty comparison a change marker is added both to the segment in the pre-
planning navigator and to the placement in the graphical editor.
If, however, only the graphical placement of the segment is modified (e.g.
the segment is moved on the page), then neither the associated segment
of the pre-planning navigator nor the placement is marked in the case of a
properties comparison with identical setting (because the property to be
compared, Expenditure planning has not changed).

140
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The popup menu item Synchronize selection has been added to the dialog
Results of property comparison - <Project name> to help you find the
changed segments in the project. When you select this popup menu item for
a segment, the respective segment is marked in the opened pre-planning
navigator.

Project-specific Storing of the Comparison Results

The results of a property comparison of projects are now no loner saved in an
MS Access database. Instead all the results are written into a so-called "revi-
sion results list". This list is stored in the project database of the current pro-
ject.

Benefit:
Removal of the MS Access database in the revision control is a further step
in ensuring problem-free migration to the 64-bit version of the EPLAN Plat-
form. In addition, the removal of the database selection provides results in
a simplified workflow for a property comparison of projects.

By default, the revision results list is overwritten during each new project com-
parison. If the comparison result is to be retained, you can use the new set-
ting Collect comparison results in the dialog Compare properties of
projects.

If this check box is activated, the revision results list is not overwritten during
a properties comparison of projects, but the results are appended to the exist-
ing list.

141
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
At each call up of the dialog, the check box is deactivated and must be con-
sciously activated by the user before the start of the project comparison, if
so required.

Change in "Add revision markers"

Deleted revision markers are now restored from the revision results list.
However, the workflow has been simplified through the removal of the data-
base. If you now select the menu items Utilities > Revision control > Prop-
erty comparison of projects > Add revision markers, the revision
markers are restored directly (without having to select the database).

Properties
Renamed Properties for Structure Identifiers
Non-uniform designations are in part used in the properties for sub-iden-
tifiers. The terms were standardized for this version.

The following table lists these changes using "Higher-level function" as an

example. The changed terms are analog for the properties of the other iden-
tifier blocks (functional assignment, mounting location, etc.).

142
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Old name: New name: ID:

Sublevel function Higher-level function (sub-iden- 1121

tifier, complete)

Sublevel function 1-9 Higher-level function (sub-iden- 1101-

tifier 1-9) 1109

Description: Higher-level Higher-level function (main iden- 1130

function tifier): Description

Description: Complete Higher-level function: Description 1150

higher-level function

Description: Sublevel func- Higher-level function (sub-iden- 1131-

tion 1-9 tifier 1-9): Description 1139

143
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features for EPLAN Electric P8

Terminals / Plugs
New settings for numbering
Two new settings are now available in the dialogs for numberings terminals
or plugs.

144
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

For the numbering of terminals the dialog is called Number terminals and
for the numbering of pins Number pins. To open the respective dialog
select, for example, the menu items Project data > Terminal strips > Num-
ber terminals or the menu items Project data > Plugs > Number pins.

Allowing changing of the sorting

By default the sorting and thus the sequence of the terminals / pins within the
terminal strip / plug is retained during numbering.

With the new version you can now also allow a change in the sorting during
numbering. If the new check box Allow change in sorting is activated to
this purpose, the sorting and thus the sequence of the terminals / pins within
the terminal strip / plug can change during numbering, if the sort code of the
terminals / pins is empty. Manually entered sort codes remain unchanged
and are taken into consideration in the numbering sequence.

Fill gaps
The new check box Fill gaps can be used to specify that existing designa-
tions within the terminal strip / plug are to be taken into consideration during
numbering. (This check box is available if the Only number marked ones
option is activated.)

Benefit:
Existing designations can now be taken into consideration when num-
bering terminals or pins. This avoids duplicate designations.

If the Fill gaps check box is activated, the first free designation starting from
the start value is assigned to the first terminal (or first pin) marked with a "?".
Subsequently, numbering is continued using the specified increment, with
existing designations being skipped.

145
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

By default, the check box is deactivated and existing designations are not
taken into consideration during numbering. In this case multiple designations
within the terminal strip / plug can occur.

Example:
In this example eight general terminals are numbered, with the Only num-
ber marked ones option being activated. The start value and the incre-
ment are set to the value "1".

Fill Designation before num- Designation after num-

gaps bering bering

Enabled 1, ?, 3, 4, ?, ?, 7, 8 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Disabled 1, ?, 3, 4, ?, ?, 7, 8 1, 1, 3, 4, 2, 3, 7, 8

146
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Connection Splicers / Line Connectors in Electrical Engin-

eering
Connection splicers and line connectors can now also be configured in elec-
trical engineering. Properties such as device, symbol, function, as well as
parts data can be assigned to these logical connection symbols. The proper-
ties of these objects can be evaluated and e.g. output in connection lists and /
or bills of materials.

You can insert the following connection symbols by means of the following
menu path Insert > Connection splicer / line connector, that has also
been renamed:

Connection splicer
Connection splicer (double junction)
Line connector (angle)
Line connector.

When multi-line schematic pages are inserted, corresponding symbols are

used, such as they already exist for fluid or process engineering in the
SPECIAL symbol library. For more information, please read the section "New
Features in the Master Data" (starting on page "246").

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"General Information About Connection Splicers and Line Connectors"

on page "148"
"Connection Splicers in the Topology" on page "149"
"New Check Run Messages for Connection Splicers" on page "151".

147
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

For more information about these logical connection symbols, please refer to
the online help in the section "Connection Symbols: Connection Splicers and
Line Connectors".

General Information About Connection Splicers and Line Connectors

Connection splicer
Connection splicers dispose of several connection points and serve the dis-
tribution or branching of connections. The corresponding logical connection
symbols can be inserted into the schematic as a T-node or double junction.

In electrical engineering connections or cables are branched by means of

connection splicers. Connection splicers are often inserted into a continuous
connection without cutting it, for example clawed into a wire. A multiple con-
nection splicer can also be used to branch a complete cable. Such a con-
nection splicer is also called a cable branch.

Line connector
Connections can be connected with each other through line connectors. The
corresponding logical connection symbols can be inserted into the schematic
as angles or straight lines.

In electrical engineering for example crimp connectors are set to connect the
conductors of a cable.

148
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Connection splicers and connections

By default connections end at a connection splicer. By means of the new
property Continuous connection between the connection points (ID
20331) you can however specify at a connection splicer the connection
points between which a continuous connection is to run (for example 2;3 for
a connection splicer with three connection points). Such connection splicers
with continuous connections can, for example, occur in wire harnesses.

When connections are created, a continuous connection is created from the

partial connections at the connection points that are set for continuous con-
nections. During the output of connection lists and during connection num-
bering the continuous connections (and not the partial connections) are taken
into consideration.

Connection Splicers in the Topology

Note:
In order to plan routing path networks in the topology you require the
"EPLAN FieldSys" extension module. This extension module is available
as an option for EPLAN Electric P8 Select, EPLAN Electric P8 Pro-
fessional, and EPLAN Electric P8 Professional+. This extension module is
part of the default scope of delivery for EPLAN Electric P8 Ultimate. For
more information, please read the section "New Features in the "EPLAN
FieldSys" Extension Module" (starting on page "152").

If you have configured connection splicers in the multi-line planning, you also
have to take these logical connection symbols into consideration when struc-
turing the routing path networks in the topology.

149
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Connection splicers can be inserted as topology functions into a routing path

network. If several connection splicers are used in one device, only one (the
main function) may exist with the "Topology" representation type, and it rep-
resents the complete device.

Connection splicers without continuous connections

Connection splicers without continuous connections are treated like normal
devices. Connections that end at a connection splicer are routed like any
other connection directly from the source to the target.

Connection splicers with continuous connections

If you have configured connection splicers with continuous connections in a
multi-line representation, the respective connections contain the information
about which connection splicers they run through. This information is stored
in the new property Connection splicers passed through (ID 31136) and is
taken into consideration during routing. This property can be used in the
reports for the topology (Topology: Routing path diagram, Topology: Routed
cables / connections).

In order for a routing connection to pass through a connection splicer, you

have to define the position of this connection splicer by means of a routing
point. To do so you place the connection splicer near a routing point through
which the routing track runs. During routing an automatic routing path from
the connection splicer to the routing point with the length "zero" is then cre-
ated. Alternatively, you can connect the connection splicer via a manually
inserted routing path to the routing point.

150
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

During routing the connection splicers are determined that are connected via
routing points directly to the routing track. The DT of these connection
splicers is entered in the new property Topology: Connection splicers
passed through (sorted) (ID 31137). This property can also be output in the
topology reports mentioned.

New Check Run Messages for Connection Splicers

To check the connection splicers, you can use the following new check run
messages in the message class 005 "Connections" as well as the message
class 027 "Topology":

Message 005081 "Unrealistic continuous connection at the connection

splicer"
Message 027026 "Connection splicer %1!s! is missing in the topology rep-
resentation"
Message 027027 "Connection splicer %1!s! is not located on the routing
track of the connection".

The Connection splicers passed through property determines which con-

nection splicers the routing connection in the topology have to pass through.
If not all the connection splicers are found during routing, for example
because a connection splicer does not exist as a topology function or a con-
nection splicer does not lie on the routing track, one of the module-specific
messages (027026 or 027027) is output. In this case change the position of
the connection splicer or change the routing of the connection so that the
routng track passes the connection splicer.

151
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features in the "EPLAN FieldSys" Extension Module

Note:
The extension module "EPLAN FieldSys" is available as an option for
EPLAN Electric P8 Select, EPLAN Electric P8 Professional, and EPLAN
Electric P8 Professional+. This extension module is part of the default
scope of delivery for EPLAN Electric P8 Ultimate.

You can plan routing path networks in a topology by using the extension mod-
ule. Such routing path networks are used to route connections, such as
cables, conductors, and wires. This way, you can generate reports, on the
basis of the routing path networks, for graphical, possibly properly scaled
overviews of a machine shop, a plant, etc.

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"Drawing a Topology Routing Path as a Polyline" on page "152"

"Determine Fill Capacity of Topology Routing Path" on page "153"
"Extensions for Terminal Strips in Routing Path Networks" on page "155"
"Routing Connections between Different Identification Structures" on
page "156".

Drawing a Topology Routing Path as a Polyline

When a routing path is inserted by using the menu items Insert > Topology
> Routing path a topology routing path is now drawn in the graphical editor
as a polyline. Only starting and end point are used as snap points, any other
points in between are pure graphics. The polyline cannot be closed.

152
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
The drawing of topology routing paths as polylines means that you can
now change the direction of topology routing paths without having to place
additional routing points.

The various intermediate points of the routing paths are placed by left clicks.
The polyline is completed with a click on a routing point, a topology function
or a topology interruption point. This places the end point of the routing path
and the properties dialog of the routing path is opened.

Tip:
If you want to place the target of a routing path (for example a routing point)
later, you can place the end point of a routing path freely by pressing the
[Space] bar or by using the context menu item Complete routing path.

In the Format tab of the properties dialog of a routing path you can edit the
specific settings of the polyline. The topology routing paths inserted in pre-
vious versions are retained as lines.

The automatic length of a topology routing path drawn as a polyline (property

Topology: Routing length (automatic)) is determined automatically from
all the sections of the routing path (segments of the polyline).

Determine Fill Capacity of Topology Routing Path

After connections have been routed, the program will know the routing paths
through which these connections run. If the cross-sections of the routing
paths and the external diameters of the connections are known, you can use
the new menu item Determine fill capacity to estimate whether the routing
paths are dimensioned sufficiently large in order to accommodate all con-
nections.

153
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
The fill capacity function provides feedback on the space reserves in topo-
logy routing paths. This way, you can see where you must modify specific
routes in order to force routing through less crowded routing paths.

Certain prerequisites have to be fulfilled so that the fill capacity can be cal-
culated:

The connections passing through the routing paths are assigned parts
with defined external diameters.

You have defined the cross-sections of the routing paths. For this you
must enter the routing path cross-section with unit in the property Topo-
logy: Routing path cross-section for the routing paths for which the fill
capacity is to be calculated.

You have routed connections in the routing path network.

If these prerequisites are fulfilled select the new menu item Determine fill
capacity in the menu path Project data > Topology. The fill capacity (as a
percentage) is calculated and entered into the new property Topology: Fill
capacity (ID 20332) of the respective routing paths. Calculation of the fill
capacity is carried out project-wide.

Tip:
To display the fill capacity on the schematic page add the Topology: Fill
capacity property to the property arrangement of the routing paths. This
property shows the fill capacity in percent.

154
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In addition you can also use the property Topology: Fill capacity for the
column configuration of the list view in the topology navigator or as a place-
holder text in the forms for the topology reports (Topology: Routing path list,
Topology: Routing path diagram).

Note:
Connections which have cable connection points but are not assigned to a
cable (via cable definition line) are not taken into consideration during the
fill capacity calculation.

Extensions for Terminal Strips in Routing Path Networks

In topology only terminal strips can be managed as topology functions, but
not the individual terminals. The terminals are managed via the terminal
strip. If a terminal strip occurs in several routing path networks, the con-
nection point pattern will be extended automatically during routing now. Only
connection points which are connected with topology functions within the rout-
ing path network will be placed in the connection point pattern at the terminal
strip.

Benefit:
The fact that the connection point pattern is extended automatically during
routing at terminal strips that occur in routing path networks makes manual
and time-consuming adapting of the local connection point patterns super-
fluous.

To make this possible a terminal strip with the "Topology" representation

type may occur in several routing path networks, but only once within the
same routing path network.

155
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

To check this you can use the following new check run messages in the mes-
sage class 027 "Part master data":

Message 027025 "Terminal strip definition exists several times in the

same routing path network."

Routing Connections between Different Identification Structures

In order to route connections that run between different identification struc-
tures (for example connections between two enclosures at different mount-
ing locations) the connected functions have to exist as topology functions. In
such a situation you now have the possibility to automatically generate these
topology functions and the associated routing paths.

Benefit:
The automatic generation of topology functions at routing points allows you
to route connections between different structures simply without having to
tediously determine the affected functions in a project and placing them
individually as topology functions.

Starting point for this procedure are the routing points where you select the
desired functions. Unplaced topology functions are generated for the selec-
ted functions and these are connected through unplaced routing paths with
the routing point. Through subsequent routing you create routing connections
between the functions in the Identification structure 1 and the functions in the
Identification structure 2.

Generating topology functions

To route connections between two identification structures after multi-line
planning in the topology, first insert two routing points and connect them
through a routing path with each other. The routing points and the routing

156
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

path can, but do not have to be, placed on a topology page. It is also possible
to route connections between more than two identification structures. In this
case, further routing points are required.

Mark the first routing point on the topology page of in the topology navigator.
Then select the new menu item Generate topology functions in the menu
path Project data > Topology.

The main functions existing in the project that do not yet exist as topology
functions are listed in the Generate topology functions dialog then opened.
Select the desired functions for the first identifying structure by moving them
into the section New topology functions by using the arrow button .

After you have closed the dialog with [OK], the unplaced topology functions
are generated and connected via unplaced routing paths with the routing
point. Use the same procedure to generate unplaced topology functions and
routing paths for the second identification structure at the second routing
point.

Routing connections
Subsequently route the connections by using the menu items Project data >
Topology > Route. In the process unplaced routing connections are gen-
erated between the functions in the first identification structure (selected at
Routing point 1) and the functions in the second identification structure (selec-
ted at Routing point 2).

Placing topology functions and routing paths

If you want to place the topology functions and routing paths subsequently,
first place the unplaced topology functions on the schematic page of the rout-
ing point and then use the functionality of the automatic placement of
unplaced routing paths.

157
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features in the "EPLAN PLC & Bus Extension" Exten-

sion Module

Note:
The "EPLAN PLC & Bus Extension" extension module is available as an
option for EPLAN Electric P8 Select. This extension module is part of the
standard scope of delivery for EPLAN Electric P8 Professional, EPLAN
Electric P8 Professional+, and for EPLAN Electric P8 Ultimate.

The "EPLAN PLC & Bus Extension" extension module helps you to design
PLC controllers and bus systems.

New concept for the bus configuration

With the new EPLAN version we are introducing a new concept for designing
the bus configuration. The beginning of designing in EPLAN Electric P8 is
simplified correspondingly.

The bus systems are now drawn graphically by means of bus ports in single-
line display. From this graphical display EPLAN then determines the PLC
configuration.

In view of these changes the communication units as well as the navigator

dialog Bus configuration which has become superfluous as a result have
been removed.

158
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
The new concept facilitates the designing of the bus structure. EPLAN Elec-
tric P8 determines the bus configuration on the basis of a simple single-line
drawing with bus ports. Other devices (inverters, motors, valves, etc.) with
bus ports can now also be part of a bus system. Devices with several dif-
fering bus systems are supported better.

An overview of the changes:

The bus data are now no longer entered at the communication units at
the PLC boxes but rather at the bus ports.

A general performance improvement could be achieved for the PLC data

through internal restructuring of the PLC objects. In the course of this
modification some properties and fields were furthermore moved in the
user interface. Properties no longer required have been removed.

A CPU has to be selected for the export or import of assignment lists. The
new popup menu item allows you to rapidly create a specific filter for the
desired CPU.

Importing of PLC data has also been simplified. During importing you are
now supported by new easy-to-understand messages. The complicated
dialog Synchronize / import PLC data has been removed.

We are furthermore providing new interfaces to further PLC configuration

programs for the PLC data exchange function.

159
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"Rack-Oriented Display in PLC Navigator" on page "160"

"Graphic Determining of the Bus Configuration" on page "161"
"Restructuring of the PLC Objects" on page "165"
"Extensions at the Addresses / Assignment Lists" on page "166"
"Data Exchange with PLC Configuration Programs" on page "168"
"New and Updated Interfaces for the PLC Data Exchange" on page "171".

Rack-Oriented Display in PLC Navigator

As already mentioned, the bus configuration navigator has been removed in
this version. Displaying of the rack can now be carried out in the PLC nav-
igator.

If you want to have such a view displayed for the PLC data in the tree, select
the menu items View > Rack-oriented in the popup menu. The PLC data is
ordered by assignment of modules to racks. Racks are marked with an
orange icon, with the modules (icon ) and their bus addresses listed
below. The functions contained by the modules are displayed below each
module.

The configuration project and the station name are now additionally dis-
played as the highest hierarchy level - also at the address-oriented view.

160
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Graphic Determining of the Bus Configuration

In the past the bus configuration was determined by means of complex
entries in the properties dialog of the PLC boxes. In the new concept the bus
configuration, meaning the bus systems and bus ports, is always drawn in
single-line mode.

Example:
Design of a bus configuration in single-line representation in the example
project EPLAN-DEMO:

In the single-line representation a bus port represents a plug of a PLC device.

Enter the plug DT (this is identifying together with the displayed DT) corre-
spondingly at the bus ports in the PLC connection point tab.

161
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Based on the connection information of the placed functions, the configura-

tion data is determined for the exchange with external PLC configuration pro-
grams. Bus connection points must not exist in the project once again with
another representation type, with the exception of the "Overview" rep-
resentation type.

As a result of these changes, the Bus data tab is now no longer available at
the PLC boxes, but only at single-line PLC connection points with the function
definition "Network / bus cable connection".

In this tab, you define the properties for the selected bus port that it has within
a bus system.

Extended function definitions

In preparation for the new concept the function definitions for network / bus
cable connections were already extended in the last version (e.g. switch con-
nection point). In this version the new function definition "Network / bus cable
connection point, end" has been added.

162
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Participation of further devices in the PLC exchange

In addition to PLC functions, general functions (e.g. converters, motors,
valves, etc.) can now also be part of a bus system or network. To this pur-
pose these functions require an associated bus port with the same device
tag. In order for the functions to be taken into consideration during data
exchange with PLC configuration programs, you have to store corresponding
part data in the parts management.

Effects on master data

You have to prepare your master data correspondingly in order to use the
new concept of the graphics determination of the bus configuration.

You have to store the right function definitions (type "Network / bus cable
connections") in the Function templates tab for the bus ports at all the
devices in the parts management that have a bus port.

Enter the PLC-specific data in the PLC data tab of the parts manage-
ment. The "PLC type designation" is the identifying identifier for the data
exchange with the respective PLC configuration program. This tab is now
also available at other devices (for example motors, valves, etc.).

The PLC macros also have to be adapted. Thus, PLC boxes at which data
for communications units are entered have to be preplaced by bus ports.
The data have to be transferred to the bus ports. The bus ports used in the
macros have to have the "Single-line" representation type and a suitable
function definition (type "Network / bus cable connections").

163
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Transferring the bus data

When "old" projects from previous EPLAN versions are opened no automatic
migration of the bus data takes place in the current version. The data of the
communication units still exist invisibly at the PLC boxes and have to be
transferred by you to the single-line bus ports. To this purpose you have to
ensure that all the bus ports have to be designed in single-line mode.

The new check run message 004045 "Communication unit at the PLC box"
from the message class 004 "PLC / Bus" allows you to determine the hidden
bus data of the PLC boxes. When you carry out such a check run for an
imported project with corresponding data, the data of the PLC boxes are lis-
ted in the dialog Message management. Subsequently you can transfer the
data manually to the single-line bus ports.

Tip:
In order to transfer the bus data from the PLC boxes to the bus ports, we
recommend that you export the PLC data from the previous EPLAN ver-
sion, open the project in the new EPLAN Version 2.4, and subsequently
import the PLC data. In the process the bus data are transferred from the
PLC boxes to suitable single-line bus ports. You have to use a respectively
suitable format both for exporting and for importing.

When the bus data have been transferred to the PLC connection points, you
can use the compression of projects function to remove the invisible data at
the PLC boxes that are now superfluous. To do so, activate the new check
box Remove communication units at PLC boxes in the dialog Settings:
Compression in the Remove project data hierarchy level.

We have provided a Migration guideline (in German and English) to give you
more detailed information about this new concept.

164
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Restructuring of the PLC Objects

Several fields and properties of the PLC boxes (such as Configuration pro-
ject, Rack, CPU, etc.), that were previously located on the PLC box tab have
been moved to the new PLC structure data tab in the course of the restruc-
turing of PLC objects.

In the new PLC structure data tab you determine the properties for the
entire PLC card within a bus system. In addition you determine the assign-
ment of the PLC card to a rack.

165
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Data such as the configuration project, station ID, etc. can now only be
entered at a main function. If the Main function check box is deactivated for
a PLC box, this tab is no longer available.

PLC-specific settings for a CPU

In the past the PLC-specific settings were only saved project-specifically.
With the new version you can now also assign a manufacturer-specific
scheme to each CPU.

To do so activate the check box of the CPU property in the property table of
the PLC structure data tab. This enables the new property PLC-specific
settings (ID 20315) and you can select a manufacturer-specific scheme
instead of the entry "From settings" (= scheme from the project settings).
New schemes are created as in the past through the settings.

Assigning PLC boxes to one or more CPUs

Through the new properties CPU: Name [1] to CPU: Name [4] you assign
one or more CPUs to the PLC box. All PLC addresses with the same CPU
belong in an assignment list. By entering different CPUs, multiple PLC con-
trollers can be managed in one project. This means that inputs can be
addressed by CPU 1 and outputs by CPU 2.

If the PLC box is itself a CPU, activate the CPUcheck box, enter its name in
the CPU: Name [1] property and leave the other three properties empty.

Extensions at the Addresses / Assignment Lists

To limit the display of the PLC addresses in the dialog Addresses / assign-
ment lists to a specific range you can now define a filter instead of the pre-
viously used CPU drop-down list.. To this purpose use the [] button that is
located next to the Filter field to branch to the configuration dialog and there
create a filter manually.

166
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Create filter for CPU

Alternatively you can use the new popup menu item Create filter for CPU in
the table with the addresses. Through this popup menu item you can
automatically create a filter for the display of the PLC addresses from the
data of the marked line. The values of the Configuration project (indirect),
Station ID (indirect), and CPU (indirect) properties are used as filter criteria
here.

Note:
A CPU is now uniquely identified by specification of configuration project,
station, and CPU name; the complete CPU name is made up of these prop-
erties. Only the CPU name is displayed by default in the dialog
Addresses/ assignment lists. If desired, you can use the configuration of
the display to also have the configuration project as well as the station ID
displayed as columns.

Exporting and importing of assignment lists

A CPU has to be selected for the export or import of assignment lists. There-
fore set the filter for the dialog Addresses / assignment lists so that only
the PLC addresses of one CPU are displayed.

During importing you can now decide whether the PLC addresses are to be
imported into the CPU currently displayed or into a new CPU: The two new
submenu items are available to this purpose under [Extras] > Import
assignment list:

167
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Displayed CPU: Opens the dialog Import / synchronize assignment

list.

New CPU: Opens the dialog New CPU and allows you to create a new
CPU. Subsequently the dialog Import / synchronize assignment list is
opened.

Since you can now assign a scheme for the PLC-specific settings to each
CPU, the dialogs for exporting and importing the assignment list have also
been adapted. The scheme of the selected CPU is displayed in the new field
PLC-specific settings of the dialogs Export assignment list and Import /
synchronize assignment list. This scheme cannot be changed here. If no
scheme is assigned to the CPU, the scheme specified in the project settings
is used.

Data Exchange with PLC Configuration Programs

Only a limited amount of data are exchanged during a PLC data exchange
between EPLAN Electric P8 and the PLC configuration program. The impor-
ted data are enriched with further information both in EPLAN Electric P8 and
in the respective PLC configuration program.

During importing from a PLC configuration program EPLAN Electric P8 sup-

plements these data with the matching data from the parts management. As
already mentioned at another point, you have to process and prepare your
parts data correspondingly (enter function definitions for bus ports, PLC type
designation, etc.).

168
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New export version

The export file can now be output in two versions during the export of the PLC
data in PLC standard exchange format:

Format of the export file V 1.0:

Format of the export file up to EPLAN Version 2.3.
Format of the export file V 2.0:
Format of the export file as of EPLAN Version 2.4. A file in this format con-
tains detailed information about the bus connection points.

If you click the [Options] button in the dialog Export PLC data, the corre-
sponding settings are available in the subsequent dialog. You can also
choose between these two versions when exporting the following formats:

ABB Automation Builder

B&R Automation Studio
3S Codesys
Mitsubishi GX Works2.

Note:
The PLC manufacturers of these formats currently only support the format
of the export file in Version 1.0 when importing into their PLC configuration
program.

The other PLC manufacturers use own formats (Beckhoff TwinCAT, Sch-
neider Unity Pro, Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7, RSLogix Architect) and are not
affected by this change.

169
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Import support through new check run messages

In addition to the Check run message 004045 "Communication unit at the
PLC box" already mentioned, we have also provided further new check run
messages in the message class 004 "PLC / bus" . The following module-spe-
cific check run messages support you in importing PLC data:

Message 004050 "Connection from %1!s! to %2!s! missing. "

Message 004051 "Connection missing! %1!s! is not connected with the
bundle / network '%2!s!'."
Message 004052 "Connection to the wrong bundle / network! '%1!s!' has
to be connected with the bundle / network '%2!s!'."
Message 004053 "Too many differences were found between the bundle
/ network configuration in the import file and in the project! Please check
all the bundle / network connections."
Message 004054 "Connection only in project! The connection to %1!s!
only exists in the project."
Message 004055 "More than one rack was found during importing.
Ensure that you use the right hardware for connecting."
Message 004056 "Part with PLC type designation '%1!s!' not found!
Import of '%2!s!' may be faulty."
Message 004070 "No matching bus port (output) at the predecessor
address '%2!s!' was found for the bus port (input) at '%1!s!' ."

In the course of these extensions several "old" check run messages for the
communication unit have been removed. These are the messages with num-
bers 004008, 004011, 004012, 004014, 004015, 004026, 004032, 004033.

170
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New and Updated Interfaces for the PLC Data Exchange

In this version, several new interfaces for the data exchange with PLC config-
uration programs have been added. These interfaces allow the exchange of
PLC data between EPLAN Electric P8 and the respective PLC configuration
software.

The following properties are new:

"ABB Automation Builder" from ABB

"3S Codesys" from 3S-Smart Software Solutions GmbH
"Mitsubishi GX Works2" from Mitsubishi Electric.

In addition several interfaces for the PLC data exchange were updated.
EPLAN now also supports the following versions:

"Unity Pro" from Schneider Electric in Version 8.0

"RSLogix Architect" from Rockwell Automation in Version 21.

Corresponding formats of the export / import file are available for the various
interfaces in the two dialogs for data exchange (Export PLC data and
Import PLC data).

171
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features for EPLAN Pro Panel

EPLAN Pro Panel stands for customized enclosure engineering solutions in
enclosure construction and automation technology. Electrical engineering
planning, 3D mounting layout, manufacturing, and mounting merge, through
a uniform data basis, to form a fully integrated solution.

The new functionalities described in the first sections are part of both EPLAN
Pro Panel and EPLAN Pro Panel Professional:

"Extended Toolbar "Pro Panel Options"" on page "173"

"Extensions in the Device Logic" on page "174"
"Rotating Objects about a Freely Selectable Axis" on page "177"
"Extensions at the Model Views" on page "181"
"Extensions when Placing Parts" on page "183".
The new functionalities described in these sections are part of the Pro-
fessional version:

"Parts Management during Transfer of the Connection Point Patterns

Opened Directly" on page"187"
"Drilling Patterns from External Manufacturing Information" on
page"188"
"Calculation of the Total Power Dissipation of Switch Gears" on
page"194"
"New Extension Module "Design Space Exchange" for Importing and
Exporting Design Spaces" on page"195"
"New Features in the "EPLAN Project Processing" Extension Module" on
page"197"

172
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

"New Features in the "Process Copper" Extension Module" on

page"203"
"New Features in the "Process Wiring" Extension Module" on page"208".

Extended Toolbar "Pro Panel Options"

In the Pro Panel options toolbar two further buttons are now available for
existing functionalities. This means that is now possible to add new bending

positions ( ) as well as to fit in length-variable rails and wire ducts ( ) by

using the toolbar. The associated icons precede the corresponding menu
items - as is usual in Windows:

Edit > Graphic > New bending position

Edit > Graphic > Fit rails / wire ducts.

Note:
In order to add a new bending position to a placed copper rail,you require a
license for the "EPLAN Pro Panel - Process Copper" extension module.
This extension module is available as an option for EPLAN Pro Panel Pro-
fessional and EPLAN Pro Panel Professional+ .

173
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Extensions in the Device Logic

Defining Several Surfaces on the Same Space Level as a Mounting Sur-
face
After importing STEP data, you can generate mounting surfaces on the
imported 3D objects. If several surfaces separate from each other exist in an
imported 3D object on the same space level, it is now possible to combine
these surfaces into a common mounting surface when editing the device
logic.

Benefit:
The combination of several different sized mounting surfaces into one
space level defines a common mounting surface. This facilitates the place-
ment of items and the processing in 3D mounting layout.

If after selecting the menu items Edit > Device logic > Mounting surface,
you now click a surface in a 3D object that lies on the same space level as
other surfaces, this is recognized by the program.

In such as case a query is displayed with which you can combine the respect-
ive surfaces into a common mounting surface. In addition, the surfaces found
on the same space level are displayed within yellow frames.

Click [Yes] to combine them. If you click [No] at the query, only the originally
selected surface is defined as a mounting surface. After this query has been
answered the properties dialog for the mounting surface is opened.

174
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:
The yellow highlighted surfaces in the left-hand section of the figure lie in
the same level. The right-hand section shows the common mounting sur-
face that would arise if these two surfaces were combined.

In the layout space the defined mounting surfaces are only displayed
graphically when placing components or when the size of the mounting sur-
face is changed.

Simplified Procedure when Defining Mounting and Base Points

The procedure for defining mounting and base points has been simplified. As
at the specification of the connection point direction during the graphical defin-
ition of connection points, mounting and base points now use the Z-direction
from a previously selected surface. The Z direction indicates how the object
to be placed on the mounting point is to be oriented later.

Benefit:
The new procedure for the definition of mounting and base points allows
the positioning of these points independently of the coordinate system of
the layout space. This significantly simplifies the insertion of mounting and
base points on non-orthogonal surfaces.

175
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
The defining of mounting points are part of both EPLAN Pro Panel and
EPLAN Pro Panel Professional. The defining of base points is a func-
tionality of EPLAN Pro Panel Professional and of EPLAN Pro Panel Pro-
fessional+

The new procedure for defining mounting points is shown below. The defin-
ition of base points is analog.

After you have selected the menu items Edit > Device logic > Mounting
point, click in the layout space on the surface whose Z-direction you want to
use for the mounting point. The mounting point to be defined is shown at the
cursor. The alignment of the X-, Y-, and Z-axes of the mounting point is also
indicated by a coordinate cross.

Using the shortcut key [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [R] you can rotate the alignment of
the XY plane in steps of 90. Through the Placement options popup menu
you can additionally set any rotation angle for the X-axis in the dialog Place-
ment options. This ensures that the 3D object to be placed on the mounting
point is rotated.

Subsequently click to place the mounting point. Enter the corresponding val-
ues in the fields Name and Description of the properties dialog then opened.
The setting options for the direction and rotation have been removed here.

You can carry out a subsequent change of the rotation or alignment of a

mounting or base point by using the menu item Rotate around axis. For
more information, please read the section "Rotating Objects about a Freely
Selectable Axis" on page "177".

176
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Changing the Description of a Mounting Point

In the past the description of a mounting point could only be entered when
defining a new mounting point. With any subsequent processing of a mount-
ing point, the Description field was grayed out and could not be edited. With
the new version this field can be edited and thus be modified later. After con-
firmation with [OK] a modified description text is stored. In the process all the
mounting points in the project are determined and the new description is
applied for all the mounting points of the same name.

Defining and Editing Placement Areas in Schematic Projects

In order to be placed correctly on other 3D objects in the mounting layout,
imported 3D graphics require information about the area with which they are
placed and the direction in which they may have to be turned. This inform-
ation is stored in the imported 3D graphic by the definition of a placement
area.

In the past the definition and editing of placement areas was only possible in
macro projects. With the new version the submenu items below the menu
path Edit > Device logic > Placement area are also available in schematic
projects.

Rotating Objects about a Freely Selectable Axis

The Rotate around axis functionality rotates one or several objects in the
layout space (e.g. 3D bodies imported from STEP files) around the center of
the invisible rectangular body enveloping them. In the past rotating was only
possible around one of the specified axes of the coordinate system. In this
version the functionality has been extended so that you can now also use
edges, auxiliary lines or an axis of a mounting point or a base point as the
axis of rotation.

177
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The following example illustrates the principle of operation of rotating: The

selected axis of rotation (1) is projected into the center of the enveloping rect-
angular body. Rotation is then carried out around this projected axis of rota-
tion (2).

Benefit:
The fact that the edges or auxiliary lines can be used as the axis of rotation
makes it possible to rotate 3D objects also around non-orthogonal lines
and surfaces, independently of the coordinate system of the layout space.
This helps, for example, when doors have to be installed with door version
left or right and door leaf, hinges or locks have to be rotated in to the correct
position and collision checks carried out in different installation positions.

Tip:
Select the menu items View > Mounting aids to display mounting point-
s,base points and your 3D coordinate systems in the layout space.. The X,
Y, and Z axes of these coordinate systems can be used as axes of rotation.

178
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In the course of this extension the submenu items X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis
for selecting the respective axis of rotation were removed. Now select the
menu items Edit > Graphic > Rotate around axis.

After you have selected the object or objects to be rotated, you have to spe-
cify the axis of rotation. When you move the cursor over a possible axis of
rotation, it is highlighted. Click the desired axis, edge or line.

If you have selected an edge or a line as an axis of rotation, specify with

the next entry in which direction the object is to be rotated around the axis
of rotation. Click an end point of the edge or line determined as axis of
rotation.

Example:
30 rotation around the edge with different starting points on the axis of rota-
tion

Selected axis of rota- Starting point on axis of Result

tion: Edge rotation

Left Rotation to the

left

Right Rotation to the

right

179
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

If you have selected an axis as the axis of rotation, this step is super-
fluous.

Subsequently enter the angle of rotation in the input box. The possible values
for the angle may be positive or negative.

Example:
30 rotation around edge or line

Axis of Rotation Result

rotation

Edge

Line

180
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Extensions at the Model Views

Display of routing paths and curves in model views
Manually inserted routing paths and curves can now also be displayed in a
model view. As for other 3D objects you can specify the visibility of the spe-
cified routes in the properties dialog of a model view by using the [Toggle]
button. In the subsequent dialog Show / hide 3D objects routing paths and
curves are deactivated by default.

Analog to other items the labeling of routing paths and curves in the model
view can be set through the item labeling by using the function definition.

Display of the routing accessories in the model views

It was already possible in the last version to influence the visibility of cable /
tubing clamps in the model views. In the course of the change mentioned
above the model views were extended so that you can now also control the
visibility of the other routing accessories (cable / tubing ties, cable / tubing pro-
tection) in the model views by using the dialog Show / hide 3D objects. In
the tree view the objects for the cable / tubing ties and for the cable / tubing
protection are located below the hierarchy levels for the manual curves or
routing paths.

In order for those cable / tubing ties that were already placed in a previous ver-
sion to be shown correctly in the model view, the corresponding 3D objects
have to be placed again in the layout space.

181
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Configurable Representation of the Navigator Dialogs for the Model

View
The display and sequence of the respective data can be specified for the com-
ponents displayed in the layout space navigator by using the dialog Con-
figure representation. The two navigator dialogs of the model view the
dialog 3D object selection and the dialog Show / hide 3D objects can
now also be configure like the layout space navigator itself.

To this purpose the context menu item Configure representation was

added to the tree and list view of these two dialogs.

Benefit:
With the configurable tree view for 3D object selection, the identifying of
identically named 3D objects (e.g., logic items) is facilitated by the display
of additional identifying information (such as the item description).

Note:
The same configuration is used for the three dialogs Layout space - <Pro-
ject name>, 3D object selection, and Show / hide 3D objects. If you
change the configuration of tree or list view for one of these dialogs, the
change affects the others, too.

Property Arrangement for the Model Views

In a model view only the description was displayed in the past as a property
text of those properties of the model view Further properties of the model
view (such as Remark, Model view: Layout space name etc.) could not be
displayed. In the new version you can now configure the properties for dis-
play in the model view.

182
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

To this purpose the known drop-down list Property arrangement and the
corresponding buttons have been added to the Display tab for the model
views. The (New) button can be used to select, amongst others, one of
the following properties for the property arrangement of the model view:

Remark (ID 20045)

Model view: Basic item (ID 36509)
Model view: Layout space description (ID 36505)
Model view: Layout space name (ID 36504)
Model view: Description (ID 36500)
Model view: Apply viewpoint to mounting surface (ID 36508)
Model view: Frozen (ID 36502)
Model view: Scale (ID 36510)
Model view: Name (ID 36503).

The selected properties can be stored by the usual method as user-defined

property arrangements and are then available at the other model views in the
project.

Extensions when Placing Parts

Integrating mounting panels in the hierarchy of the layout space
In the past mounting panels or enclosures were placed in the hierarchy of the
layout space navigator directly under the layout space parallel to an exist-
ing enclosure during the insertion of these items. With the new version you
now have the possibility of inserting the mounting panels and enclosures to
be placed so that these are integrated afterwards in the hierarchy below the
item on which inserting took place.

183
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Benefit:
With the new placement option you can control during the insertion of
mounting panels and enclosures how and where these items are to be clas-
sified into the hierarchy of a layout space.

The new Integrate into enclosure hierarchy check box is now available in
the dialog Placement options in order for these to be integrated into the hier-
archy. This check box is only available when items with the "Mounting panel"
or "Enclosure" function definition are placed.

If the check box is activated, an item (mounting panel or enclosure) that is

to be placed in an enclosure is integrated in the hierarchy of the layout
space navigator below the item on which inserting took place. This setting
allows, for example, mounting panels to be placed on each other with spa-
cing, with each additionally placed mounting panel being located hier-
archically below the mounting panel on which it was placed.

This check box is deactivated by default. In this case the mounting panels
and enclosures to be placed are integrated in the hierarchy directly below
the layout space node. This setting allows mounting panels to be placed
adjoined with them placed located in the same hierarchy level.

184
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Tip:
You can use the Move functionality if you want to change the hierarchy
assignment of mounting panels or enclosures in existing projects sub-
sequently. When the item is located at the cursor, select the Placement
options popup menu item, activate the Integrate into enclosure hier-
archy check box and then move the item to the desired target item. During
renewed placement the moved item is subordinated in the hierarchy struc-
ture to the item onto which it was moved.

Writing Back Dimensions when Placing Parts

When placing a part in the layout space (for example by using Insert >
Device) the selected part has to include specific information. If no device-spe-
cific measures are entered for the part in the parts management and no 3D
graphical macro is stored, the dialog Dimensions is opened since the Ver-
sion 2.3. Use this dialog to enter manually the part dimensions of the part to
be placed prior to the placing of electrical engineering, Fluid power, and cer-
tain mechanical parts.

For the new version the Write back dimensions to part check box was
added to the dialog Dimensions. If this check box is activated, the values
entered in this dialog for the Width, Height, Depth fields are written back to
the mounting data of the parts management after the part has been placed.
When this part is placed the next time, the dimensions are thus defined com-
pletely and the dialog Dimensions is no longer displayed.

Place Parts of Several Terminal Strips

In the 3D mounting layout navigator it has for some time been possible to
place a terminal strip completely if no part of this terminal strip has been
placed yet. To this purpose you have to mark a terminal of the terminal strip
and select the popup menu Place.

185
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

With the new version you can now also place several terminal strips com-
pletely. Prerequisite is again that no part of these terminal strips may have
been placed yet. If you now mark several terminals from different terminal
strips in the 3D mounting layout navigator, the prompt Place parts of sev-
eral terminal strips is displayed after you have selected the Place popup
menu item.

If you respond with [Yes], you can subsequently place several terminal strips
completely. If you respond with [No], you can only place the selected ter-
minals individually on the respective rail one after the other.

Selection List when Interactive Points and Areas Overlap

In the past undesired results could occur during the placement of parts in the
layout space when, for example, a standard mounting point of a mounting
surface and a user-defined mounting or base point overlapped at the corre-
sponding position. When you place a part on such a position in the layout
space, a selection list is displayed.

Benefit:
Thanks to the selection list you can achieve a clear selection of the desired
point (mounting point or base point) in the layout space in the case of over-
lapping interactive points and areas.

186
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The found interactive points and areas are listed in this selection list. You can
select the individual entries in the list by clicking on them or by using the
cursor keys. The respective associated point or associated area is high-
lighted and a preview of the placement to be expected at this point is dis-
played. The desired entry is selected for placement with a double-click or
[Input].

Parts Management during Transfer of the Connection

Point Patterns Opened Directly
While editing the device logic in the layout space a local connection point pat-
tern can be transferred directly into the parts management for a 3D parts
placement by using the popup menu item Generate connection point pat-
tern.

In the process a new connection point pattern is now not only created in the
parts management below the "Connection point pattern" hierarchy, but the
parts management with the new connection pattern is also opened at the
same time. This allows you to directly change the automatically generated
name of the connection point pattern (for example New_1, New_2, etc.) in the
opened parts management and, if appropriate, assign the connection point
pattern to a part.

187
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Drilling Patterns from External Manufacturing Information

In order to support the automation of manufacturing, machine manufacturers
usually supply extensive libraries with item, part, drilling, cutting and milling
information. The drilling information that was exported beforehand with the
machine software can now be imported into EPLAN Pro Panel Professional
and used for the creation of drilling patterns in the parts management. A
purely graphical definition of drilling patterns is furthermore possible through
the drawing of item outlines and drill holes.

Benefit:
The drilling patterns already existing in the manufacturing information of
the machine manufacturer can be transferred into the EPLAN Pro Panel
Professional master data and be used further there. This and the possibility
of defining drilling templates graphically make it easier for you to create
drilling templates, reduce the work required work for master data creation
overall and makes it possible for you maintain the master data centrally in
one instance, the EPLAN parts management.

The following is possible:

Drilling templates are created from Kiesling item files.

User-defined outlines that can be used to create drilling patterns in the

parts management are created from Kiesling outline files.

Graphical elements from DXF/DWG files (for example exported from

Steinhauer eCAB or a CAD system) are combined into drilling patterns
using the drilling pattern frames.

188
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The drilling pattern originating from importing and graphical definition can
be assigned to existing parts and thus be used for further engineering and
machine manufacturing.

Generating Drilling Patterns from NC Data

Select the menu items Utilities > Generate drilling patterns / outlines >
From Kiesling NC files to create drilling patterns or outlines from Kiesling
NC files.

In the subsequent selection dialog select the Kiesling NC files to be imported.

The following file types are available for this purpose:

"Kiesling item (*.PBT)"

"Kiesling variable items (*.PVB)"
"Kiesling outlines (*.PBU)".

In the dialog then opened, Generate drilling patterns / outlines, select the
scheme for the Kiesling NC machine that is to be used when exporting the
Kiesling NC data. The drill type and diameter for the drill holes in the drilling
patterns are determined from these settings. Now also specify the directory
in which the outlines are to be created for the Kiesling outline files (*.PBU).

After confirmation with [OK] the outlines are created in the specified directory
or the drilling patterns in the parts management. A corresponding message
is displayed.

189
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Notes:
With this method only drilling patterns for individual items can be gen-
erated from Kiesling item files (*.PBT or *.PVB). The definition of com-
plete mounting panels as a drilling pattern is not possible.

A user-defined outline is created from a Kiesling outline file (*.PKU).

A"NC Kiesling" record is already assigned to this outline. After the
import you create a drilling pattern with drill type "User-defined outline"
that uses the outline created by the import of the PKU file in the parts
management.

Importing of drilling data from Steinhauer eCAB machine tools can be

effected through an export as a DXF file and subsequent import into
EPLAN Pro Panel.

Generating Drilling Patterns from DXF / DWG Files

DXF / DWG graphics with drilling patterns can be imported into EPLAN and
used for the creation of drilling patterns by means of so-called "drilling pattern
frames". In this drilling pattern frame the cut-outs, the placement data and
the size values of the associated drilling patterns are specified.

By this means you can, for example, use the drilling information from Stein-
hauer NC files to create drilling patterns. Importing of drilling information from
Steinhauer NC files with the file extension *.CNC is not possible directly,
since a CNC file always contains all drilling information for all the com-
ponents of a mounting panel. In order to make this information available the
CNC file in the Steinhauer machine software has to be exported into the DXF
/ DWG format.

190
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Preconditions:
The project has to be a macro project.

A special import scheme is required for the identification of the objects as

items, cut-outs or outlines during importing. Select the menu items
Options > Settings > User > Interfaces > DXF / DWG export and
import and create a new scheme.
To ensure that the DXF / DWG elements are imported in a scale of 1:1,
set the Scaling factor setting on the Export tab to "1".
Assign the four new EPLAN layers for the drilling pattern creation
(EPLAN802 - EPLAN805) to the respective CAD-specific layer names for
items, drill holes, threads and outlines on the Layers tab. These layer
names are specified in the company-specific dialog Settings: NC Export
DXF.

Example:

Name (layer) Description CAD name

EPLAN802 Graphic.Drilling pattern gen- Component

eration.Items

EPLAN803 Graphic.Drilling pattern gen- Drilling

eration.Drill holes

EPLAN804 Graphic.Drilling pattern gen- Thread

eration.Threaded holes

EPLAN805 Graphic.Drilling pattern gen- Contour

eration.Outlines

191
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Use the previously created import scheme to import the DXF / DWG
graphics (for example by using the menu items Page > Import > DXF /
DWG as new pages of the project).

After importing you have to break up the blocks possibly contained in the
DXF / DWG graphics.

The outlines contained in the DXF / DWG graphics have to be closed.

Inserting drilling pattern frame and generating drilling patterns

In order to combine the graphical elements of an imported DXF / DWG graph-
ics that are to belong to a drilling pattern insert a drilling pattern frame on the
corresponding page. To do so select Insert > Box / connection point /
mounting panel > Drilling pattern frame.

Enter the name, a description and a directory for the user-defined outlines to
be created in the properties dialog of the drilling pattern frame. The name of
the drilling pattern frame is used for the file name of the drilling pattern to be
created.

To create the drilling patterns select the menu items Utilities > Generate
drilling patterns / outlines > Automatically from macro project. A query
is displayed whether the process is to be applied to the entire project or only
to the marked drilling pattern frame. After the query has been answered, the
drilling patterns are created in the parts management in a top view.

192
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Defining Drilling Patterns Graphically

You also have the possibility of defining drilling patterns graphically in a
macro project.

To do so first draw the outlines of the item and the required drill holes true-to-
scale on a graphics page with a scale of 1:1. In the properties dialog assign
the respective layer for the drilling pattern creation to each graphical element
(for example the layer EPLAN802, Graphic.Drilling pattern cre-
ation.Items to the outline of an item).

The drawn item outlines and drill holes that belong to an item are also com-
bined by means of a drilling pattern frame. After you have used the menu
items Insert > Box / connection point / mounting panel > Drilling pat-
tern frame to insert a drilling pattern frame, enter at least the drilling pattern
name in the corresponding properties dialog.

You can subsequently use the menu items Utilities > Generate drilling pat-
terns / outlines > Automatically from macro project to generate the
drilling patterns automatically. The new drilling templates are displayed in the
parts management with the name of the drilling pattern frame.

New Check Run Messages for Drilling Patterns

We are making the following new module-specific check run messages avail-
able in the new message class 032 "Drilling pattern" in connection with the
generation of drilling patterns:

Message 032001 "Drilling pattern could not be created or not completely.

%1!s!"
Message 032002 "The drilling pattern name %1!s! is repeated".

193
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Several causes are possible for the first check run. These are output in the
placeholder text "%1!s" of the message:

No drilling pattern name available.

Block not broken up.
Outline not closed.
No cut-out identified.

Calculation of the Total Power Dissipation of Switch Gears

EPLAN Pro Panel provides a functionality that calculates the total power dis-
sipation of a switch gear. The total power dissipation consists of the power
dissipation of the devices and the power dissipation of the busbars. The res-
ults of this calculation can be transferred to programs for heating calculation
(such as Rittal Therm), so that air-conditioning solutions can be defined
(selection of a suitable cooling device).

The following is possible:

Definition of the general conditions: The basis for the power dissipation
calculation is the definition of general conditions per project or per enclos-
ure. All the factors for the definition of the general conditions are proper-
ties of the parts or of the part placements whose values the user has to
specify in the project planning.

Calculation of the power dissipation of devices and busbars: Specific part

properties are evaluated for the calculation of the power dissipation of the
individual devices and busbars.

Calculation of the total power dissipation: Calculation of the total power

dissipation is started by using the menu items Utilities > Reports >

194
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Calculate total power dissipation. The power dissipations of the

installed devices and those of the busbar system are used for each air-
conditioning field when the total power dissipation is calculated.

The result of the total power dissipation calculation is entered separately for
each air-conditioning field in the project properties.

New Extension Module "Design Space Exchange" for

Importing and Exporting Design Spaces

Note:
The "EPLAN Pro Panel - Design Space Exchange" extension module is
available as an option for EPLAN Pro Panel Professional and EPLAN Pro
Panel Professional+.

The new extension module "EPLAN Pro Panel - Design Space Exchange"
now makes it possible in EPLAN Pro Panel Professional to import geometry
models from 3D CAD programs and to enrich them with all the relevant
information on the mounting layout. The geometry model enriched in EPLAN
Pro Panel with information can be exported back to the 3D CAD program to
have an integral fully parametric 3D model there. This technique is called
Design Space Exchange (DSE).

The 3D CAD program makes a geometric space available (for example in

the form of an enclosure housing) into which the electrical devices are to be
installed. This geometric area is called the design space. When this design
space is imported into an EPLAN layout space, the imported geometry is
then protected against changes.

195
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The following is possible:

Importing of model data in STEP format that were exported from 3D CAD
programs

Automatic interpretation of the geometry model

Realization of the required 3D mounting layout in EPLAN Pro Panel in the

geometry model from the 3D CAD program. Insertion of information
about drill holes, threads, standard form cut-outs or outline-based cut-
outs

Exporting of the EPLAN data generated in 3D mounting layout (mounting

rails, wire ducts, information about drill holes, threads, cut-outs) in the
form of an XML file

Integration and interpretation of the data from the XML file in Autodesk
Inventor into the original 3D CAD file

Automatic placement of the mechanical and electrical devices in the para-

metric 3D model in Autodesk Inventor

Automatic interpretation of the NC-relevant information from EPLAN Pro

Panel

Automatic implementation of the NC-relevant information from EPLAN

Pro Panel in fully parametric Inventor geometry components (drill holes,
threads, slotted holes, cut-outs, etc.).

These results are available:

In the electrotechnical field: A fully developed control system enclosure

including as-built documentation for the manufacturing.

196
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In the mechanical field: A complete parametric 3D model supplemented

with information from EPLAN as the basis for the manufacturing integ-
ration and documentation of the housing.

The functionalities for importing and exporting are called up through the fol-
lowing menu items: Layout space > Design space > Import / Layout
space > Design space > Export.

The settings for importing and exporting the design space are called up
through the following menu items: Options > Settings > User > Interfaces
> Design space import and export.

New Features in the "EPLAN Project Processing" Exten-

sion Module

Note:
The "EPLAN Project Processing" extension module is available as an
option for EPLAN Pro Panel Professional and EPLAN Pro Panel Pro-
fessional+.

This extension module is used to import data from external programs (other
CAE systems, ERP systems, MS Excel, etc.) into an EPLAN project. Based
on the devices and connections imported, it is possible to create a complete
panel layout including routing connections.

Improved process during the importing of devices and routing con-

nections
For this version both the settings as well as the process during the importing
of devices and routing connections have been changed. You are now sup-
ported during importing by a sequence of dialogs and status displays. An
overview of the changes:

197
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Importing of MS Excel files:

In addition to the text files already possible you can now also import MS
Excel files (*.xls, *.xlsx, *.xlsb, *.xlsm).

Reduced settings:
Only the settings for the field assignment are still displayed in the project-
specific settings for importing.

Synchronizing during importing:

Synchronization with devices and routing connections already existing in
the project can be carried out during importing.

Assigning parts:
Parts can additionally be assigned to the devices and routing connections
during synchronization.

Benefit:
Importing with a sequence of various dialogs and status recognition makes
it possible for you to control the process interactively. Importing of external
data is simplified. You can use a synchronization dialog to consciously
decide which data are to be imported. It is also possible to delete devices
or routing connections that only exist in the EPLAN project.

Importing the data

As in the past importing of devices and routing connections is carried out in
two separate steps be means of the following menu items:

Project data > Devices > Import

Project data > Connections > Import (routing connections).

198
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The two import dialogs Import device data and Import connection data
that are opened through these menu items have been changed in view of the
extensions already described.

The new field Type of data source is used to specify whether you want
to import MS Excel or text files.

Select the file to be imported by using the [] button of the Data source
field.
You can carry out some settings (Number of headers, Separator at text
files) in the follow-up dialog Select data source which were available in
the Options tab of the dialog Settings: Import tab in versions prior to
2.4.

In the Field assignment field you select an assignment scheme for the
data to be imported.
Correct assignment between the data fields in the data source and the
EPLAN properties is important for successful importing. You can use the
[] button to branch to the dialog Field assignmentin which you can edit
the assignment and store it as a scheme.
You are supported by program when editing the assignment. Various
icons in the Status column are used to indicate whether a data field exists
in the data source and can be identified or whether a data field does not
exist.

Synchronizing data during importing

After you have carried out your settings in the import dialog a synchronization
dialog is opened. The dialogs Synchronize devices and Synchronize rout-
ing connections display the device data / connection data from the data
source and if they exist the corresponding data from the EPLAN project in
a table.

199
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In order to reduce the amount of data displayed in the dialog you can select a
filter or create own filter schemes. In addition you can reduce the displayed
scope by filtering according to the status of the data by means of the Filter
(status) drop-down list.

The data from the source file are displayed in the left-hand section of the
table next to the Status column. In the process the EPLAN properties to
which the external data field designations from the source were assigned are
used as column headers. The columns in the right-hand sections next to the
Status column show data of devices / routing connections that already exist
in the project.

The Status column displays whether devices / connections are not yet con-
tained in the project, whether they already exist in the project, or whether the
devices / connections in the data source and in the project have different edit-
ing states (for example other property values).

200
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Different actions are possible for the devices / routing connections depending
on the displayed status:

Status Meaning Possible

action

New: The device / routing connection in the data Import or

source is not yet contained in the project. None

Identical: The device / routing connection in the data None

source is already contained in the project and will not
be imported once more. All property values are
identical.

Additional: The device / routing connection is only con- Delete or

tained in the project, but not in the data source. None

Changed: The device / routing connection is contained Change

in the data source and in the project. One or more or None
property values differ, for example the part number.

Invalid (no routing connections) None

Note:
Fields with changed property values have a dark-gray background.

Assigning a part
Often, part numbers which do not exist in the EPLAN parts management are
assigned to the devices / routing connections in the external data source, or
no part numbers are assigned. In this case you can assign suitable parts
from the parts management to the data being imported if other part proper-
ties can be used for identification of the parts.

201
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
Part numbers that do not exist in the parts management are displayed in
the synchronization dialogs in the Part number column, formatted in bold.

The following requirements apply for the assignment of parts:

Devices:
In addition to the part number the order number and / or the type number
has to be assigned to a device in the data source.

Routing connections:
In addition to the part number the connection color / number and / or the
connection cross-section / diameter has to be assigned to a routing con-
nection in the data source.

For field assignment, these external data fields must be assigned the
corresponding EPLAN properties.

In order to assign a suitable part from the parts management to a device /

routing connection, mark the corresponding row in the table in the syn-
chronization dialog and select the popup menu Assign part.

If a part is found in parts management for which the prerequisites of above

are fulfilled, this part will be assigned.

If no assignment is possible, click the [...] button in the Part number column
to open the part selections and select a part there manually.

The import is carried out with the selected actions after the synchronization
dialog has been closed with [OK]. This creates multi-line unplaced main func-
tions with one or several parts or non-routed routing connections in the pro-
ject.

202
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

For more information on this topic, go to the online help and look up the sec-
tion "Importing Devices and Routing Connections into a Project".

New Features in the "Process Copper" Extension Module

Note:
The "EPLAN Pro Panel - Process Copper" extension module is available
as an option for EPLAN Pro Panel Professional and EPLAN Pro Panel Pro-
fessional+.

With this extension module individual copper rails and connection elements
for switchgear construction can be designed freely. The data obtained on the
basis of a virtual prototype with bending and drilling information can be trans-
ferred to NC machines subsequently for the manufacturing of copper items.

Busbars with edgewise bending

In EPLAN Pro Panel Professional copper items in the layout space are real-
ized with the Busbar (bending) functionality. The bent busbars cannot only
be displayed with flat bending, but now also with an edgewise bending.

Benefit:
The bending forms of copper rails occurring in reality can now be imple-
mented using the various bending possibilities (edgewise bending, flat
bending) with EPLAN Pro Panel Professional.

When placing a busbar in the opened layout space select the Insert > Bus-
bar (bending) menu items. In the dialog then opened Busbar (bending) the
two options Flat bending and Edgewise bending are now available for the
selection of the bending type.

203
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Flat bending:
With this setting, the busbar is bent around the edge which is defined in
the "Width" value of parts management.

Edgewise bending:
With this setting, the busbar is bent around the edge which is defined in
the "Depth" value of parts management. For an edgewise bending a far
larger bending radius is required than for a flat bending.

204
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

After you have selected a suitable part and a form drawing, entered the bend-
ing radius and specified the bending type, the busbar is placed at the desired
position by a single click.

Mounting surface Copper

When placing busbars a "Mounting surface Copper" is now created on each
surface of a straight segment. This means that new bending positions can be
inserted on all the surfaces of a busbar. This now makes edgewise bending
possible as well.

Editing edgewise bending

Irrespective of whether a busbar with flat bending or edgewise bending was
created, placed copper rails can be changed using the following func-
tionalities:

Change length
Change angle
Change bending positions
New bending position
Delete, Copy, Paste, Cut, Move, Duplicate, Edit properties, Unite, Rotate
around axis.

Adding a new bending position

It is possible to add further bending positions with any bending type to a
placed bent busbar with a specific bending type (flat bending or edgewise
bending) . Select the menu items Edit > Graphic > New bending position.

Alternatively you can click the new button (New bending position) on the
Pro Panel options toolbar.

205
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

If a flat bending is to be inserted, all entries have to be made in an iso-

metric 3D viewpoint on the surfaces of the top or bottom side of the rail
segment.

If an edgewise bending is to be inserted, all entries have to be made on

the lateral surfaces of the rail segment.

Flat and edgewise bendings can be inserted together at one individual

busbar; this way, the item can be defined as bent by different axes in the
space.

Display in the copper unfold

Note:
For the creation of the copper unfold you must have created a bending
table which contains the bending angles and bending radii available for the
copper items to be unfolded for each material thickness. The menu path to
this setting is: Options > Settings > Company > Machining > Copper
bending.

The edgewise bendings are also displayed in an unfold placed on a project

page. Such a bending is provided with the following bending notes:
"Edgewise <Bending angle value><Bending radius value>"
(e.g. Edgewise 90 R5.00mm).

In the case of edgewise bending, an arrow at the bending line indicates the
side of the busbar where it is to be bent edgewise.

206
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:
Section of a bent copper rail with two bending positions to illustrate the dif-
fering representation of bending positions in unfolding: (1) Edgewise bend-
ing, (2) Flat bending

Unfold:

207
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The numbers in the unfold shown have the following meanings: (1) Outer
outline, (2) bending line, (3) bending extents, (4) bending notes, (5) arrow
for identification of an edgewise bending.

Export of manufacturing information

The information for edgewise bendings are also taken into consideration dur-
ing the export of manufacturing data via the menu items Utilities > Reports
> Machining > Copper NC or Copper DXF.

To allow for mechanized cutting of copper rails, all the unbent busbars with
the "Busbar" function definition are included in the export via the above-men-
tioned menu items. Only unbent busbars with a length that is equal to the
delivery length of the busbar part are excepted.

New Features in the "Process Wiring" Extension Module

Note:
The "EPLAN Pro Panel - Process Wiring" extension module is available as
an option for EPLAN Pro Panel Professional and EPLAN Pro Panel Pro-
fessional+.

Thanks to this extension module, you can wire and place tubes in your mount-
ing layout virtually, determine optimal routing tracks and required connection
lengths, optimize net-based schematics, and provide data for the manual or
automated fabrication of connections.

208
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Settings for bundling as a scheme

A functionality is now available in EPLAN Pro Panel Professional with which
you can combine generated routing connections into bundles. Using the inter-
faces for wire fabrication, you can evaluate this information and transfer to
the manufacturing robots that produce the appropriate combined and labeled
bundles.

In this version the bundle functioanlity has been extended so that the settings
for bundling can now be stored as a project-specific scheme. Through the
selection of several schemes with different criteria for bundling you addition-
ally have the possibility to specify a sequence of actions for bundling.

Benefit:
The fact that you save the settings for bundling as a scheme means that it
is no longer necessary to adapt the bundling settings constantly. The set-
tings can be adapted rapidly to the requirements from the enclosure
manufacturing by means of the various criteria.

Settings for bundling

The detailed settings for a bundling scheme are specified in the new dialog
Settings: Bundle. This settings dialog can be accessed, for esample,
through the menu path Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" >
Routing connections > Bundle. Each bundling scheme can contain further
schemes for filtering, sorting, and bundling criteria.

In comparison to the previous versions many more criteria for bundling are
available when specifying these schemes.

209
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In addition, you can carry out specifications for the position in connection
point pattern in the sort settings and the settings for a new bundle. The set-
tings in the By connection point position group box can be used to com-
bine the wires per connection point layer in one bundle. This is important for
devices whose connection points are located on two or more connection
point layers over each other. These are wired during production from bottom
to top.

Bundling Connections
In order to bundle routing connections you select, for example, the popup
menu item Bundle in the connections navigator.. The appearance of the dia-
log subsequently opened, Bundle routing connections, has been modified
due to the extensions.

210
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Select the scheme or schemes that you want to use for the bundling of rout-
ing connections in the Bundling scheme column in the Settings table.

If you mark a scheme in the Bundling scheme column, you can use the [...]
button to also branch to the dialog Settings: Bundling. There you can select
a different bundling scheme, change the filters and criteria of a scheme or cre-
ate a new scheme.

211
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The toolbar above it can be used to add new schemes to the table or to
remove schemes. In addition, the sequence of the schemes can be changed.
According to the sequence determined here, bundles are created suc-
cessively with a consecutive bundle number per scheme.

Example:
Bundle scheme arrangement:
Topmost scheme:
Filter criterion: Connection color / number = RD (red)

Second scheme:
Filter criterion: Connection color / number = BK (black)

Third scheme:
Filter criterion = no filter.

In this arrangement with three bundling schemes the criteria for sorting
(connection cross-section / diameter) and for a new bundle (connection
cross-section / diameter) are the same for all schemes.
Result:
First, all red wires are individually bundled by cross-section (Bundle
number e.g. 1).

Then, all black wires are also individually bundled by cross-section

(Bundle number e.g. 2,3).

Finally, all other colors except red and black are bundled by cross-sec-
tion (Bundle number e.g. 4,5,6).

212
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The settings Start value, Increment, Apply to entire project and Preview
of result were already contained in the "old" dialog and have remained
unchanged.

The Bundle by enclosures setting has been removed. Use the Grouping
sign for item designation (automatic) (ID 36002) property now as the sort-
ing criterion if the bundling is to be carried out separately for each enclosure
or each mounting panel.

By contrast, the following fields are new:

Number of wires per bundle maximum:

The maximum number of wires per bundle is the number of wires that the
wire fabrication machine can combine into one bundle. If the determined
number is exceeded, a new bundle is automatically created. If the setting
remains empty, a bundle can contain an unlimited number of wires.

Total conductor cross-section maximum:

The maximum total of conductor cross-sections is the machine-specific
limit value for the sum of the cross-sections of all wires. If the determined
sum is exceeded, a new bundle is automatically created. If the setting
remains empty, the sum of the conductor cross-sections is unlimited.

Bundle daisy chains with priority:

If this check box is activated, routing connections in a net which contains
more than one connection are combined in one bundle prior to all other
routing connections.

After you have closed the dialog Bundle routing connections with [OK],
bundling is carried out. The connections are assigned to the bundles determ-
ined. The bundle number is entered in the Bundle property of each con-
nection.

213
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Improved Inclusion of Phase Busbars

To reduce wiring expenditure, devices in the 3D mounting layout are gen-
erally connected to each other by single or multi-phase phase busbars.
Instead of wiring, an electro-mechanical item is used here, which is cut to
size and mounted depending on the use case. In EPLAN Pro Panel Pro-
fessional the connections created by the use of phase busbars are identified
by the Phase busbar connection function definition.

In the past phase busbar connections were usually not taken into account
in the schematic. Already in the last version it was therefore possible to
convert the connections designed in the schematic into phase busbar con-
nections retroactively. The creation of phase busbar connections by this
method has been simplified. In addition you can now assign the DT of a
phase busbar and a part to the phase busbar connections.

With the new version phase busbars can now also be inserted in the
schematic as a device directly during designing. The resulting con-
nections are also identified by the function definition "Phase busbar con-
nection". With the assignment of a part the phase busbar can also be
placed later on in the 3D mounting layout.

Irrespective of how these phase busbar connections have arisen, these con-
nections are no longer considered when calculating the wiring and during
wire fabrication.

Generating phase busbar connections

To generate phase busbar connections as in the past mark the placed
items in the layout space for whose associated connections you want to gen-
erate phase busbar connections and then select the menu items Project
data > Connections > Generate phase busbar connections.

214
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In addition to the two columns Source and Target, the columns DT (identi-
fying) and Function definition are now displayed by default in the dialog
Generate phase busbar connections.

The generation and deleting of phase busbar connections has been sim-
plified. In this dialog mark the respective connections and then select the
popup menu items Generate phase busbar connection or Delete phase
busbar connection. The dialog no longer has to be closed to apply such a
change. The changed function definitions are displayed directly. The proper-
ties that were entered at the respective connection are deleted when phase
busbar connections are generated or deleted.

Assign phase busbar

In EPLAN Pro Panel Professional it is now also possible not only to generate
phase busbar connections, bur also to configure the phase busbars yourself
and to assign device tags for these devices. In the process the phase bus-
bars behave analog to the cables and conduits. A phase busbar combines
several phase busbar connections by means of a device tag.

In the course of this extension the new context menu item Assign phase
busbar is available in the dialog Generate phase busbar connections.
This popup menu can be used to assign the connections selected before-
hand to a phase busbar. In the process the selected connections are con-
verted into phase busbar connections, in as far as not done yet.

215
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

After the popup menu item has been selected, a subsequent dialog of the
name is called up. In the DT field enter the desired device tag for the phase
busbar, or select the DT via the [] button by means of the dialog DT selec-
tion. The identifier "W" is used by default for phase busbars.

In addition you also have the possibility to assign a part to a phase busbar
here. To do so, click the [] button that is located next to the part field, after
which you can select a suitable part for the phase busbar in the part selec-
tion. As a result the phase busbar is displayed in the 3D mounting layout nav-
igator and can be inserted afterwards as a 3D part placement in the layout
space.

In the dialog Generate phase busbar connections the associated DT is dis-

played at all the selected connections after the assignment of a phase bus-
bar. You can change a made assignment by calling up the dialog Assign
phase busbar again.

Inserting phase busbars in the schematic

Phase busbars can now also be taken into consideration in the schematic dir-
ectly during designing. As at a cable definition a definition line is inserted and
several connections running parallel as combined as a phase busbar.

To insert a phase busbar on a schematic page select the menu items Insert
> Phase busbar. After you have drawn the definition line over the desired
connections, the properties dialog is opened.

A device tag is entered automatically in the DT field on the new Phase bus-
bar tab. You can select a suitable part for a phase busbar through the device
or part selection.

216
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The following points furthermore have to be observed for inserting phase bus-
bars:

A connection definition point is placed automatically on each intersection

of the connections with the phase busbar definition line. The value "Phase
busbar" is set at such a connection definition point for the new property
Connection: Association (ID 31142).
This ensures that the function definition "Phase busbar connection" is
assigned to the connections passing under the phase busbar definition
line. Such of connections are no longer be considered when calculating
the wiring and during wire fabrication.

The phase busbars are also displayed in the device navigator as devices.

When you have assigned a part to a phase busbar, the device is also dis-
played in the 3D mounting layout navigator. From there the phase busbar
can be dragged-and-dropped in the opened layout space (for example
onto the connections of a motor overload switch).

To allow inserting of phase busbars, the new symbol PHSDL as well as a

new function definition (Phase busbar under Electrical engineer-
ing // Electrical engineering special function // Phase
busbar definition // Phase busbar definition) have been
added to the master data in the SPECIAL symbol library.

Remove unplaced connections

During the conversion of connections into phase busbar connections, the
routed connections (connections with the "3D mounting layout" rep-
resentation type) become unplaced routing connections.

217
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In order to delete such connections from the project, you can use the project
compressing function (menu path: Project > Organize > Compress). To do
so activate the check box for the hierarchy level Remove unplaced con-
nections in the dialog Settings: Compression.

For more information on the topic "Phase busbar connections" please refer
to the online help in the section "Phase busbar connections: Principle".

Wiring Cut-Outs as the Starting or End Points of Routing Paths or

Curves
Wiring cut-outs are used to steer connections during routing to the back of
mounting panels, partitions, or other enclosure items. During routing through
the wiring cut-outs only the automatic routing paths that arise during the cre-
ation of the routing path network were taken into consideration.

In the new version the edges of wiring cut-outs can also be used as the start-
ing or end points of routing paths or curves. You can now route directly
through the wiring cut-outs by means of these manual routing tracks.

218
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features for EPLAN Fluid

Identification according to DIN ISO 1219-2:2012
The identification specifications for items, connection references and lines of
1995 have been modified through the revision of the fluid power standard
DIN-ISO 1219-2, Part 2 "Circuit diagrams" in 2012. To be able to also use the
modified identification specifications in EPLAN Fluid, we provide you with
new functionalities and master data.

Benefit:
By means of the functional extensions and new master data you can edit
schematics of fluid power plants in accordance with the current standard.

We discuss the following topics in the next sections:

"Device Tags" on page "220"

"New Project Settings" on page "221"
"New Properties" on page "224"
"New Trades" on page "225"
"New Check Run Messages" on page "227"
"Editing the Assignment to a Trade in Tables" on page "227"
"Online Numbering" on page "228"
"Identification of Fluid Lines" on page "230"
"Identification of Interruption Points" on page "232"
"New Master Data" on page "232".

219
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Device Tags
The latest version of the DIN ISO 1219-2 standard stipulates the following ID
code for fluid power items:

Plant designation (higher-level function number, entered without pre-

ceding sign)
- (fixed pre-defined separator)
Media code (trade identifier)
Circuit number
. (fixed pre-defined separator)
Item number (consecutive number).

Example:

1 = Higher-level function number

- = Separator
P = Media code (trade identifier for "Pneumatics")
2 = Circuit number
. = Separator
3 = Item number

220
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The plant designation, consisting of a digit or a character according to the

standard, is represented in EPLAN Fluid by the "Higher-level function num-
ber" identifier block. This allows identifier schemes to be created in which
only the higher-level function number is identifying for fluid devices.

The EPLAN Fluid settings have now been extended so that the other com-
ponents of the ID code (media code, circuit number and item number) are
included in the identification of fluid devices.

New Project Settings

Two new check boxes have been added to the dialog Settings: DT for fluid
engineering in accordance with DIN ISO 1219-2:2012. These project settings
can be accessed under Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name"
> Devices > DT.

221
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Fluid power: Use trade identifier as identifier (media code):

If this check box is activated, an identifier structure according to the DIN ISO
1219-2 standard is supported for fluid devices. In this case the trade identifier
is used automatically as the media code when fluid symbols or macros are
inserted.

In the process the value of the Trade property (ID 20466) is queried internally
and the associated trade identifier entered into the new property Media code
(ID 20316).

In addition, this setting has the following effects on program behavior:

The project-specific Prefix setting (under Options > Settings > Projects
> "Project name" > Devices > DT syntax check) is automatically set
to "Prohibit" and grayed.

In the Full DT dialog, the edit fields for the DTs of fluid power functions
are shown in a table and the designations according to the standard DIN
ISO 1219-2 used for column headers. For this, the prefix in the DT of fluid
power functions must be empty.

222
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:
The following figure shows the column headers conforming to the standard
for a fluid device in the dialog Full DT after activation of the setting Fluid
power: Use trade identifier as identifier (media code).

Note:
The general changes in the Full DT dialog are described in the "Devices"
section (see page "101").

In accordance with the DIN ISO 1219-2 standard the media code can be omit-
ted if only one medium is used within the higher-level function. This require-
ment can be fulfilled by using the second new setting.

223
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Fluid power: Hide identifier (media code) in the graphics:

If this check box is activated, the media code is hidden in the placed property
text for the displayed DT, i.e., it is not displayed on the schematic page. In the
properties dialog, the media code continues, however, to be displayed in the
displayed DT and in the full DT.

If the check box is deactivated, the media code is displayed both in the prop-
erties dialog and on the schematic page.

For further information on this identification of fluid devices see the section
"Online Numbering" on page "228".

New Properties
The following new properties are used in order to assign the designations for
fluid power used in the DIN ISO 1219-2 standard to the existing properties of
the EPLAN Platform:

Circuit number (ID 20317): This property shows the content of the prop-
erty DT: Counter (ID 20014).

Item number (ID 20318): This property shows the content of the prop-
erty DT: Subcounter (ID 20015).

Media code (ID 20316): This property shows the content of the property
DT: Identifier (ID 20013). If the project setting Fluid power: Use trade
identifier as identifier (media code) is activated, the trade identifier is
displayed.

224
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

The following trade identifiers are used:

Trade: Trade identifier:

Hydraulics H

Pneumatics P

Cooling C

Lubrication L

Cooling lubricant K

Gas technology G

New Trades
Further trades were added to the EPLAN Platform so that the modified iden-
tification regulations can be applied. The following new trades are thus avail-
able in the parts management (in the dialog Trade / subtrade), in the page
property Trade (ID 11037) and in the property Trade (ID 20466):

Cooling lubricant
Gas technology.

The property Trade (ID 20466) can be used, for example, to also set the
trade in the properties dialog of a fluid device. The following entry is fur-
thermore also available for this property and for the trades in the parts man-
agement:

Fluid power (undefined).

You can, for example, use this "trade" if you are uncertain about how to clas-
sify a part / function in a specific fluid-power trade and want to assign a
unique trade later on.

225
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

General extension for fluid connections

The two new trades "Cooling lubricant" and "Gas technology" are also taken
into consideration at the fluid connections. The following extensions were car-
ried out in the following project-specific settings.

Settings for connections:

The Settings: Properties dialog has been supplemented with the two
new tabs Cooling lubricant and Gas technology. Here you can carry
out separate, project-wide default settings per trade for specific properties
(function definition, cross-section / diameter, color / number) of the fluid
connections.

Settings for routing connections:

The two group boxes Cooling lubricant and Gas technology were
added to the Global extra length tab in the settings dialog for routing con-
nections. This allows you to also set separate settings for the global extra
length for the new trades. This extra length is added to the length of rout-
ing connections during calculation.

Inserting of devices
When devices are inserted into the schematic (for example by using the
menu items Insert > Device) the trade that is entered at the part is assigned
to the functions of the device. If more than one trade is assigned to a part,
only the alphabetically first trade was always assigned. In such a case the dia-
log Select trade is now displayed.

226
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

This dialog offers all fluid power trades assigned to the part as well as the
additional "Fluid power (undefined)" trade for selection. You must select one
of these trades. This trade will then be assigned to the functions of the
device.

Filtering by undefined trade

You have the possibility to filter by the "Fluid power (undefined)" trade and
then apply a special trade to the corresponding functions. For this purpose,
the new "Fluid power undefined" filter is available in the device navigator. In
this scheme from the new master data for the DIN ISO 1219-2 standard, the
Trade property (ID 20466) is used as filter criterion. The value for this filter is
set to "Fluid power (undefined)".

New Check Run Messages

To check the identification according to DIN ISO 1219-2:2012, you can use
the following new check run messages in the 024 "Fluid" message class:

Message 024006 "Media code does not suit the trade"

Message 024007 "Main function with undefined trade".

The first check run checks the media code used in the device tags of the fluid
devices and outputs a corresponding message if the identification does not
conform with the standard. The second check run is used to determine those
functions that are not yet assigned to a clear trade.

If the project setting Fluid power: Use trade identifier as identifier (media
code) is activated, the check run 017003 "Incorrect identifier" no longer
checks fluid devices.

227
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Editing the Assignment to a Trade in Tables

When editing in a table you can now also edit the assignment of a function to
a trade. To do so, mark the project, a page or a schematic section and select
the menu items Edit > In table.

You have to set a corresponding column configuration in order for the Trade
column to be displayed in table editing (for example by using the "Fluid
devices" scheme). You specify a different trade for a fluid-power function in
the Functions by selecting a different value (Pneumatics, Cooling, etc.) from
the drop-down list in the Trade column.

This method allows you assign a specific fluid-power trade to the functions
with undefined trade that were determined using the check run 024007 "Main
function with undefined trade".

Online Numbering
When inserted into a schematic from a symbol library, or when macros are
inserted, fluid devices are automatically identified and numbered. This pro-
cedure is called online numbering. The program first only takes into account
the fixed DT elements defined in the numbering format.

If you have specified in the DT settings that the trade identifier is to be used
as an identifier (media code) and you insert a fluid symbol or macro into the
schematic, a media code, a circuit number (beginning with "0") and an item
number are assigned to the components.

When symbols are inserted, the trade last used is set by default. If you use
the Trade property at a function to change the association to a trade, the
media code and thus the displayed DT are adapted correspondingly. In the
case of macros, the trade is stored at the associaated functions.

228
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Preferred numbering
You make numbering settings to define how the program is to perform num-
bering of fluid DTs. (These settings are located in the menu path: Options >
Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Devices > Numbering (online).)

If you have selected the With prompt option, the dialog Insertion mode is
displayed when a macro is inserted or a copied or cut symbol is pasted. If you
select the Number option here, you can let either the circuit number or the
item number be incremented. By default the item number is incremented dur-
ing online numbering. If you activate the Number circuit number if exist-
ing check box instead, the circuit number is incremented.

Example:
You copy the fluid device with the identifier -P1.1 and paste the copy three
times. In the dialog Insertion mode you select a numbering format for
fluid power (for example "Identifier + counter fluid power").

Device Newlycopiedfluiddevice
source

Number circuit number if -P1.1 -P1.2, -P1.3, -P1.4

existing deactivated ( )
Number circuit number if -P1.1 -P2.1, -P3.1, -P4.1
existing activated ( )

The Higher-level function number identifier block belongs to the DT struc-

ture of the project and is not changed in all numbering methods.

229
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Identification of Fluid Lines

The standard DIN ISO 1219-2 requires that fluid lines be identified in accord-
ance with a specific ID code. This ID code is formed from the following com-
ponents:

Line number (optional)

- (fixed pre-defined separator)
Technical information (mandatory; consisting of the diameter sign fol-
lowed directly by a sequence of digits and characters)

Depending on the line type, tube or pipe, the technical information can con-
tain different data:

Tube:
At this line type the tube nominal size has to be specified.
Pipe:
At this line type either the Nominal external diameter together with the
wall thickness in mm has to be specified or the External diameter and the
Inner diameter in mm.

230
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:
Possible line identifiers with the use of a line number:

Identification Line type

2-20 Tube with line number 2 and nominal size 20.
1-30x5 Pipe with line number 1, nominal external diameter 30
mm and wall thickness 5 mm.

3-10/6 Pipe with line number 3, external diameter 10 mm and

inner diameter 6 mm.

EPLAN Fluid supports norm-compliant identification of lines in accordance

with DIN ISO 1219-2 for fluid connections. In addition to the possibility of
manual assignment of the connection designation, EPLAN Fluid also offers
the option of automatically placing line-specific connection definition points
on fluid connections and of assigning connection designations by using the
connection numbering function.

For this purpose we provide several new schemes for the various trades of
Fluid power in the master data for connection numbering. Trade-specific
numbering is possible through the use of filters.

Accordingly, the settings for connection numbering have been extended to

include the two new trades "Cooling lubricant" and "Gas technology" as filter
criteria. (The menu path for the corresponding settings dialog is, for example,
Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Connections > Con-
nection numbering).

231
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Identification of Interruption Points

The norm-compliant identification of interruption points was already realized
earlier on. You can use the BPF interruption point symbol to insert cross-ref-
erences in a fluid schematic that comply with the connection references of
the DIN ISO 1219-2 standard.

Here corrections were only carried out for the project property Block prop-
erty: Replacement text [5] in which the replacement texts were defined for
the property Block property [5] and the trade identifiers for the missing
trades (cooling lubricants, gas technology) were added. The project template
for Fluid power FL_1219-2_tpl001.ept, which is part of the scope of deliv-
ery of version 2.4, was correspondingly updated with regard to these issues.

For more information on the identification of interruption points please refer

to the online help in the section "EPLAN Fluid: Interruption points".

New Master Data

A whole package of master data is provided with Version 2.4 in order to cover
the standard DIN ISO 1219-2:2012 and norm-compliant identification of fluid
devices.

You should now use our new fluid project template FL_1219-2_tpl001.ept
with an identification structure in accordance with ISO 1219-2 for new pro-
jects. The Fluid power: Use trade identifier as identifier (media code)
setting is activated by default in this template.

This master data package furthermore contains a new plot frame, several
new forms as well as new filter schemes for the device navigator and the con-
nection numbering.

232
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

In addition, the fluid-power symbols and macros have also been updated.
These master data have now been adapted so that they can be used both for
the standard DIN ISO 1219-2:2012 and for the standard IEC 81346.

For more information, please read the section "New Features in the Master
Data" (starting on page "246").

EPLAN Fluid Hose Configurator the New Hose Line Con-

figurator
EPLAN Fluid Hose Configurator allows hydraulic hose lines to be defined con-
forming to standards, rapidly, simply and comfortably and the generated data
to be created and represented graphically.

EPLAN Fluid Hose Configurator, called the "hose line configurator" below, is
available both as an add-on and a stand-alone program. The add-on is part
of the standard scope of delivery for all module packages of EPLAN Fluid.

In the basic version of the hose line configurator the standard DIN 20066
forms the pre-defined standard. The hose line configurator can be used to
automatically generate a hose line identification and a type code for each
hydraulic hose and to transfer it to EPLAN Fluid for reporting purposes in
accordance with the specifications of this standard.

The hose line configurator offers the following possibilities and advantages:

Thanks to the created type code conforming to standard, clear and

defined ordering of a hose line from any manufacturer or supplier is
ensured.

The program simplifies the hose line planning and helps to avoid errors.

233
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Data from the manufacturing are included automatically in the doc-

umentation and ensure standard-compliant documentation of the hose
lines (reports).

If required, hose line configurations can be adapted completely indi-

vidually to international standards and special type codes of man-
ufacturers.

234
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features for EPLAN Harness proD

EPLAN Harness proD is a leading technological expert solution for efficient
designing of wire harnesses in 3D und 2D, determination of the connection
lengths and bundle diameters as well as provision of the documentation for
order processing, materials planning and manufacturing.

The following section provides information on the various new features of the
EPLANHarness proD.

Style library
EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 users can see a realistic visualization of all 3D
objects. This means you can, for example, easily differentiate between
plastic and metal elements or between different surface protection or wire
types.

EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 furthermore allows the creation of free, adaptable
2D hatchings. With this functionality users can easily create elements that
correspond to the standards of their company.

Both the 3D materials as well as the 2D hatchings are included in the EPLAN
Harness proD library. New materials and hatches can be managed,
exchanged and adapted easily after being inserted into the design.

EPLAN Harness proD and EPLAN Integration Suite

All PDM and ERP systems common on the market can be accessed in
EPLAN Harness proD through the EPLAN Integration Suite.

This is also an advantage for users of EPLAN Electric P8 who already use
the Integration Suite platform or plan to use it provides them access to the
same familiar configuration parameters.

235
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Improved recognition of 3D source data properties

In order to improve the precision and to simplify the placement of items in the
3D environment, EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 automatically recognizes import-
ant properties of the imported geometry, such as drill hole centers, edges,
surfaces and important key points.

Position conditions
A group of objects is often defined on the basis of relative positions and fixed
distances. In EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 users no longer have to concern
themselves with the relative positioning of the individual objects. When the
superior object is moved, all the dependent objects are also moved as a
group automatically. This powerful functionality allows the creation of con-
dition chains and thus reduces the time required for the positioning of indi-
vidual items. It also offers the possibility of later editing individual objects that
are already placed.

Interactive placement of components

In EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 a preview is available for the entire placement
process of 3D object. This allows many errors to be avoided that can occur
during the first placement. In EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 all the objects can be
placed directly at the suitable positions without later revising being neces-
sary. In combination with the recognition of 3D source data properties and
the creation of position conditions, this new functionality ensures con-
siderable acceleration of the design process.

236
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Extended hiding / showing and user-defined view

Very often users have to hide or show items in a window temporarily so that
other objects which would otherwise be hidden can be seen and edited. The
current hiding / showing functionalities ("Show only these" and then "Show
all") function well. However, if a large number of objects are hidden, the
"Show all" functionality destroys the complete work and the corresponding
objects have to be hidden again manually.

The user-defined views have been extended notably. With the additional new
functionality you can now rapidly access the user-defined views. The pre-
view, the perspective and the visibility of the objects are stored in every view.
This functionality notably reduces the required time that arises through the
change between different positions in larger design environments.

Data exchange with wire fabrication machines

EPLAN Harness proD covers the usual manufacturing documentation as soft-
ware. To ensure seamless integration in automatic wire fabrication systems,
EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 allows you to create system-specific files for the
most common systems on the market (Komax, Metzner Kabelcenter, Sch-
leuniger, etc.).

Revisioning of EPLAN Harness proD project files

In EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 users can create a "snapshot" or their current
work. You have access to previous editing stages even without an external
PDM system.

Each EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 project document can be revised. The revi-
sion also contains all the associated documents such as bills of materials or
nailboards that can be derived from the basic document.

237
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Nailboard history and change checking

Sometimes it can be difficult to recognize changes that have been carried out
by editors from other departments. The new EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 com-
mand for the project history and change checking notably simplifies the
search for changed or added design items .

Attached documentation for Library items

EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 provides a direct connection between Library
items and a detailed supplier documentation. Each Library item can be linked
with any documentation that is available during the entire design process, or
embed these.

Improved Tooltips
EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 users can see the global properties of items dir-
ectly without having to select a 2D or 3D design beforehand.

Simplified replacement
A new group of 13 commands allows the replacement of surface protection,
sheaths, insulation tapes, flexible tubes, braided tubes, shrink sleeves, blank-
ing plugs, chamber seals, multiple chamber seals, stop parts, linked items,
labels and cable ties directly in the design without their properties having to
be defined again manually.

Moving wire harness components

The new command "Move wire harness component" simplifies the editing of
complete wire harnesses. Individual wire harnesses can be moved and
rotated both in the Workspace environment and in the Workdesk envir-
onment including all the additional components.

238
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Extended nailboard templates

In order to simplify the work in the nailboard environment and to reduce repet-
itive procedures, the templates in EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 have been exten-
ded by a number of new information items, such as user-defined graphics,
adapted drawing headers, adapted grids, wire tables, bills of materials, sur-
face protection tables and drawing grids.

An additional standardization of the drawing header, drawing grid and plot

frame will be introduced in the next version. This will simplify working with
these elements and make many adaptable options available to the users
with which the final drawing can be created on the basis of company stand-
ards..

Connected source elements

In the nailboard or reporting environment users often require direct access to
source objects in the 3D design. In EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 this is possible
through a simple mouse click, thus saving a lot of time.

Nailboard prototypes and surface protection tables

In adaptable nailboard prototypes users can recognize the difference
between the various surface protection types at a glance. It is also possible to
create company standards.

In addition, two new tables are available in the EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 nail-
board environment: The surface protection table (in which the surface pro-
tection used and the associated properties such as length, width, etc. are
listed) and the surface protection legend (legend for the used surface pro-
tection in the form of a simple table).

239
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New prototype command in Library and Studio

Prototypes are very helpful in 3D design. They make many manual steps
superfluous and strongly reduce the errors resulting from the manual place-
ment of objects.

EPLAN Harness proD 2.4 contains a new command in the 3D environment

that not only allows the usual creation of prototypes, but also future redefin-
ition and editing of this prototype. The command furthermore provides a pre-
view of the future component position.

240
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features in the "EPLAN API Extension"

Extension Module

Note:
The "EPLAN API Extension" extension module is available as an option as
part of our EPLAN Application Developer Network (EADN) as a
developer's package for the following program variants:
EPLAN Electric P8 Professional, EPLAN Electric P8 Professional+,
EPLAN Electric P8 Ultimate, EPLAN Fluid, EPLAN Fluid Professional,
EPLAN PPE, EPLAN PPE Professional, EPLAN Pro Panel Professional,
EPLAN Pro Panel Professional+.

A unified, and especially high-performance, programming interface (API,

Application Programming Interface) is available for EPLAN platform
products. This extension module the EPLAN API allows you to develop
your own customized solutions in collaboration with EPLAN or other part-
ners. For more information about EPLAN API and EADN, visit the EPLAN
web pages under the heading "Solutions > Integration > EPLAN API
Developer Network".

The following section provides information on the various new features of

EPLAN API. To use the new EPLAN API version to develop your own applic-
ations, you will require the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0.

241
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Creating User-defined Properties

In the user interface user-defined properties can now not only be created for
the segments of pre-planning, but also for other objects (projects, pages,
functions, etc.) of the EPLAN Platform. The new class UserDefinedProp-
ertyDefinition is now also available in the namespace Eplan.Epl-
Api.DataModel of the EPLAN API for the creation of user-defined
properties.

New namespace for pre-planning

The namespace Eplan.EplApi.DataModel.Planning is now available for
the segments of the pre-planning in the EPLAN API. This namespace con-
tains corresponding classes for the various pre-planning segments (structure
segments, planning objects, PCT loops, etc.) .

New actions for subprojects

In version 2.4 of the user interface of the EPLAN platform you now have the
possibility to split exclusively opened projects into subprojects. In order to
also file off or store subprojects by means of command line parameters, per
script, or via the EPLAN API, we now provide the two new actions
SpExportSubProject (File off) and SpImportSubProject (Store).

Extensions to the bus ports

In the EPLAN Platform the bus configuration can now be determined on the
basis of a single-line drawing with PLC bus ports (see Section "New Features
in the "EPLAN PLC & Bus Extension" Extension Module" (starting on
page"158")).

242
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

To implement this concept a new Eplan.EplApi.DataModel.EObjects

class is now provided in the BusTerminal namespace. In the course of this
extension the two classes CommunicationEntity and Communication-
EntityContainer for communication units have been classified as out-
dated and may no longer be used by you.

New methods for the PLC addresses / assignment lists

In the course of restructuring the PLC objects the outdated methods
ExportAssignmentList and ImportAssignmentList from the PlcSer-
vice class have been replaced by new methods with the same name. In
these methods for exporting and importing addresses / assignment lists you
have to specify the configuration project and the station name in addition to
the CPU name. The new method ReadressTerminalsForCPU is now avail-
able for reassigning PLC addresses in an assignment list.

Adding rights to rights management

Using the two methods AddRight and DeleteRight (from class User-
Rights), you can add your own rights to the rights management of the
EPLAN platform and remove them again. Due to the introduction of a new file
format for rights management for version 2.3, the rights defined via the
EPLAN API cannot be directly stored in rights management any more.

In the new version, the rights added via the EPLAN API are now stored in a
separate user-defined file. Since this file is not deleted during an installation /
deinstallation of an EPLAN program variant, any rights defined via the
EPLAN API will be retained.

The names of the categories in the rights management that EPLAN API uses
to add rights have been changed. Please adapt your methods, if necessary.

243
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Removed PLC exchange format

The "EPLAN Electric P8 Version X" PLC exchange format was removed
from the user interface for the current version 2.4 and is not supported any
more. For this reason, the two methods ImportData and ExportData for
import and export of PLC data from class PLCService now use the PLC
standard exchange format as default.

Centering for property texts

You can specify whether a block of property texts (i.e. main + docked proper-
ties) is to be centered by using the new property Centered from the Prop-
ertyPlacement class of EPLAN API.

Generate routing connections between defined connection points

Because of the enhancement of method Create from class Connection3D
you can now generate manual routing connections in the layout space. For
this you have to determine both the corresponding 3D part placements (as
source and target object of the connection) and the index of the connection
point position. In the user interface of the EPLAN platform this corresponds to
the Insert > Routing connection menu items.

Insert devices directly on a page

When inserting devices via EPLAN API, to date unplaced functions were first
generated and then the page had to be specified where the devices should
be placed. Because of the enhancement of method CreateDevice (from
class DeviceService) you can now place the devices directly on a page just
as in the user interface.

244
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Rename entire device

In the new version of the EPLAN API, the new method RenameDevice is now
available in class NameService using which you can rename an entire
device (e.g. a terminal strip with associated terminals).

Determining how up-to-date model views are

In order to determined via EPLAN API whether a model view is up-to-date,
you can now use the new property IsUpToDate from the ViewPlacement
class.. If required, the model view can then be updated automatically using
the known Update method.

Access to contact image

With the help of the EPLAN API, you can now modify the display and the pos-
ition of the contact image at coils and motor overload switches. A new Cont-
tactImage class is now provided for this in the Eplan.EplApi.Data-
Model.Graphics namespace. Using the new ContactImage property from
class Function, you can query or determine the current settings of a contact
image.

245
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New Features in the Master Data

Master Data: Symbols

Notes:
The following pages show a number of illustrations of new symbols
from different symbol libraries. The illustrations show variant "A" of the
respective symbols in multi-line or single-line representation. The name
and number of the symbol are shown underneath the symbol.

Several symbols dispose of the same symbol graphic. These symbols

do, however, differ with regard to usage in the trades, the function defin-
itions, the symbol properties and their positions. New symbols that have
the same symbol graphic are displayed together.

IEC, GOST, and GB standards

New symbols have been added to the symbol libraries IEC_symbol,
GOST_symbol and GB_symbol. The following new symbols, among oth-
ers, are available to you here:

FTR_DU // 1274 FLTR_DU // 1275 FTR_DU3 // 1277 FLTR_DU3 // 1278

246
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

LSW1A // 1407
S_ZG_R // 1296 S_ZG_L // 1297
ZG_Z // 1300 LSW2A // 1408
O_ZG_R // 1298 O_ZG_L // 1299
LSW3A // 1409

New symbols have been added to the symbol libraries IEC_single_sym-

bol, GOST_single_symbol and GB_single_symbol. The following new
symbols, among others, are available to you here:

FTR_DU // 1274 FLTR_DU // 1275 FTR_DU3 // 1277 FLTR_DU3 // 1278

LSW1A // 1407
LSW2A // 1408 BS_CBOX // 1575 BS_CBOX_PLUG // 1576 BS_CBOX_PLUG_1 // 1577
LSW3A // 1409

247
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

BS_CBOX_PLUG_ BS_CBOX_PLUG_ BS_CBOX_LEFT BS_CBOX_LEFT_

M // 1578 FEM // 1579 // 1580 PLUG // 1581

BS_CBOX_LEFT_ BS_CBOX_LEFT_ BS_CBOX_LEFT_

PLUG_1 // 1582 PLUG_M // 1583 PLUG_FEM // 1584

NFPA standard
New symbols have been added to the symbol library NFPA_symbol. The
following new symbols, among others, are available to you here:

FTR_DU // 1274 FLTR_DU // 1275 FTR_DU3 // 1277 FLTR_DU3 // 1278

248
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

LSW1A // 1407
S_ZG_R // 1296 S_ZG_L // 1297
ZG_Z // 1300 LSW2A // 1408
S_ZG_R // 1298 O_ZG_L // 1299
LSW3A // 1409

New symbols have been added to the symbol library NFPA_single_sym-

bol. The following new symbols, among others, are available to you here:

FTR_DU // 1274 FLTR_DU // 1275 FTR_DU3 // 1277 FLTR_DU3 // 1278

LSW1A // 1407
LSW2A // 1408 BS_CBOX // 1575 BS_CBOX_PLUG // 1576 BS_CBOX_PLUG_1 // 1577
LSW3A // 1409

249
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

BS_CBOX_PLUG_ BS_CBOX_PLUG_ BS_CBOX_LEFT BS_CBOX_LEFT_

M // 1578 FEM // 1579 // 1580 PLUG // 1581

BS_CBOX_LEFT_ BS_CBOX_LEFT_ BS_CBOX_LEFT_

PLUG_1 // 1582 PLUG_M // 1583 PLUG_FEM // 1584

Fluid power
Further adaptations in the symbol graphic have been carried out for the
updated standard DIN ISO 1219-2:2012 in the symbol libraries HYD1ESS,
HYD2ESS and PNE1ESS. In the process old symbols for piston rod con-
nections were replaced by the following new symbols:

Z14.1.2_08 // 1531, Z14.1.2_09 // 1532,

Z14.1.3_08 // 1533, Z14.1.3_09 // 1534,
Z14.1.2_08_1 // 1535, Z14.1.2_09_1 // 1536,
Z14.1.3_08_1 // 1537, Z14.1.3_09_1 // 1538.

250
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Example:

Symbols Example usage in the graphic

Old: Z14.1.3_09_a // 484

New: Z14.1.3_09 // 1534

In the symbol library OS_SYM_ESS 6 new symbols with property arrange-

ments are available for use in operational sequence sheets (without sym-
bol graphic; in part for use in GRAFCET diagrams). These are the
symbols FPB1 // 5, FPB2 // 6, FPB3 // 7 for the functional place-
ment of general devices and the symbols FPF1 // 9, FPF2 // 10, FPF3
// 11 for the functional placement of general fluid-power devices.

251
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Process engineering
In the PID_ESS symbol library, the symbols were adjusted to the updated
DIN ISO 10628-2:2012 standard. At the same time, the symbol graphic
was corrected for other symbols.

All in all, the symbol graphic was adjusted or corrected for the following 82
symbols:

V_02 // 15, VS_01 // 16, VAS_01 // 17,

V_3W_01 // 18, V_3WS_01 // 19, V_KH_01 // 20,
V_KHS_01 // 21, V_EV_01 // 22, V_EKH_01 // 23,
V_EV_03 // 24, V_EKH_03 // 25, V_03 // 26,
V_04 // 27, V_3W_05 // 29, KL_01 // 32,
RFV_01 // 33, RFV_02 // 34, RFV_04 // 36,
RSKL_01 // 37, RV_01 // 38, RV_STET_02 // 46,
VS_STET_01 // 47, KL_STET_01 // 48, BEH_04 // 81,
BEH_HK_07 // 101, RUE_01 // 141, RUE_02 // 142,
FP_03 // 148, FP_04 // 149, FP_05 // 150,
FP_06 // 151, FP_10 // 155, VD_02 // 161,
VD_03 // 162, VD_06 // 165, VD_12 // 171,
VD_15 // 172, VD_13 // 203, VD_14 // 204,
WAA_03 // 210, VTL_01 // 211, VTL_02 // 212,
VTL_03 // 213, V_3W_02 // 246, V_3W_04 // 248,
F_03G // 1002, F_06G // 1005, F_07G // 1006,
F_13G // 1012, F_14G // 1013, F_15G // 1014,
V_4W_01 // 1054, V_21 // 1055, V_EV_04 // 1056,
V_EV_05 // 1057, ZUB_09 // 1079, ZUB_16 // 1086,
FABS_02 // 1106, FABS_04 // 1108, FABS_06 // 1110,
FABS_07 // 1112, FABS_11 // 1116, FABS_13 // 1118,

252
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

SZ_08 // 1125, SZ_09 // 1126, SZ_10 // 1127,

T_08 // 1136, T_09 // 1137, T_10 // 1138,
Z_05 // 1143, Z_06 // 1144, Z_11 // 1147,
SZ_04G // 1193, SZ_05G // 1194, SZ_06G // 1195,
T_04G // 1203, T_05G // 1204, T_06G // 1205,
Z_14 // 1206, Z_16 // 1208, Z_02G // 1212,
ANT_11 // 1241.

In the PID_ESS symbol library, 51 symbols were additionally replaced by

new symbols with changed symbol graphic. These new symbols have
"inherited" the names of already existing symbols. The old symbols
received the ending "_a", and the respective symbols were locked.

Symbols with new symbol graphic:

New symbol Replaced symbol New symbol Replaced symbol

RL_02 // 9 RL_02_a // 11, RL_03 // 10 RL_03_a // 12,

BEH_E_01 // 83 BEH_E_01_a // 85, BEH_E_02 // 84 BEH_E_02_a // 86,

BEH_E_05 // 88 BEH_E_05_a // 89, BEH_HK_03 // 94 BEH_HK_03_a // 97,

BEH_HK_04 // 95 BEH_HK_04_a // 98, BEH_HK_05 // 96 BEH_HK_05_a // 99,

WT_02 // 182 WT_02_a // 103, WT_03 // 183 WT_03_a // 104,

WT_04 // 184 WT_04_a // 105, WT_05 // 185 WT_05_a // 106,

WT_06 // 186 WT_06_a // 107, WT_07 // 187 WT_07_a // 108,

WT_08 // 188 WT_08_a // 109, WT_09 // 189 WT_09_a // 110,

WT_10 // 190 WT_10_a // 111, WT_11 // 191 WT_11_a // 112,

WT_12 // 192 WT_12_a // 113, WT_13 // 193 WT_13_a // 114,

WT_14 // 194 WT_14_a // 115, WT_16 // 196 WT_16_a // 117,

WT_17 // 197 WT_17_a // 118, WT_18 // 198 WT_18_a // 119,

F_06 // 122 F_06_a // 127, F_07 // 123 F_07_a // 128,

253
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

New symbol Replaced symbol New symbol Replaced symbol

F_08 // 124 F_08_a // 129, F_09 // 125 F_09_a // 130,

F_10 // 126 F_10_a // 131, ABS_01 // 134 ABS_01_a // 135,

ABS_03 // 136 ABS_03_a // 137, ABS_05 // 143 ABS_05_a // 139,

ABS_06 // 144 ABS_06_a // 140, FOE_01 // 207 FOE_01_a // 205,

WT_25 // 225 WT_25_a // 224, WT_26 // 227 WT_26_a // 226,

WT_29 // 234 WT_29_a // 233, WT_31 // 236 WT_31_a // 235,

WT_27 // 238 WT_27_a // 237, ZUB_28 // 770 ZUB_28_a // 769,

F_12G // 1010 F_12G_a // 1011, ZUB_10 // 1069 ZUB_10_a // 1080,

ZUB_25 // 1098 ZUB_25_a // 1095, ZUB_26 // 1099 ZUB_26_a // 1096,

FS_04 // 1152 FS_04_a // 1103, FS_07G // 1158 FS_07G_a // 1156,

FABS_06G // 1164 FABS_06G_a // 1165, Z_08G // 1220 Z_08G_a // 1218,

Z_09G // 1221 Z_09G_a // 1219, ANT_02 // 1233 ANT_02_a // 1232,

BEH_DR_01 // 1255 BEH_DR_01_a // 1251.

Special symbol library

The following new symbols, amongst others, for network / bus cable con-
nections have been added to the SPECIAL symbol library for the planning
of PLC data:

NWBCP_OV // 227 NWBCPP_OV // 228 NWBCPPO_OV // 229 NWBCPPM_OV // 230

NWBCP // 236 NWBCPP // 237 NWBCPPO // 238 NWBCPPM // 239

254
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

NWBCPPFEM_OV // NWBCPPJIC_OV // NWBCPPOJIC_OV // NWBCPPJICM_OV //

231 232 233 234
NWBCPPFEM // 240 NWBCPPJIC // 241 NWBCPPOJIC // 242 NWBCPPJICM // 243

NWBCPPJICFEM_O // 235
NWBCPPJICFEM // 244

6 new connection splicer / line connector symbols for electrical engineer-

ing have been added to the symbol library SPECIAL:

TE // 321 TEND // 322 CRE // 329 LPE // 331

255
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

LE // 332 COE // 335

Note:
The symbols from the "Connection splicer / line connector" category exist
for electrical engineering, fluid power and process engineering. The sym-
bols from the various trades differ in their symbol names, function defin-
itions and properties.

In addition, a new symbol for the phase busbar definition is available in

the symbol library SPECIAL:

PHSDL // 81

A new symbol for black boxes has been created for the symbol library
SPECIAL. These symbols allow boxes to be drawn as polygons in process
engineering:

256
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

DCPE2 // 55

Master Data: Forms and Plot Frames

Four new forms have been created for form-based contact images:

F45_001_AB.f45 (Distributed device list with symbol graphic)

F45_001_C.f45 (Subform for the form F45_001_AB.f45)

F45_002_AB.f45 (Distributed device list with text instead of symbol

graphic)
F45_002_C.f45 (Subform for the form F45_002_AB.f45)

Within the framework of the extensions for the DIN EN 81346 standard, the
following plot frame was created:

FN1_012.fn1.

Fluid power
For the realization of the DIN ISO 1219-2:2012 standard, 13 new forms were
created:

F01_FT006.f01 (file type "Parts list")

F01_FT007.f01 (file type "Parts list"; for a lubrication / maintenance list)

F03_FT001.f03 (file type "Device tag list")

F03_FT002.f03 (file type "Device tag list")

F03_FT003.f03 (file type "Device tag list")

257
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

F18_FT001.f18 (file type "Enclosure legend")

F18_FT002.f18 (file type "Enclosure legend")

F18_FT004.f18 (file type "Enclosure legend"; for embedded reports)

F18_FT005.f18 (file type "Enclosure legend"; for embedded reports)

F18_FT006.f18 (file type "Enclosure legend")

F27_FT004.f27 (file type "Connection list")

F27_FT005.f27 (file type "Connection list")

F27_FT006.f27 (file type "Connection list").

Within the framework of the extensions for the DIN ISO 1219-2:2012 stand-
ard, the following plot frame was created:

FN1_FT007.fn1.

Four new forms have been created for the hose line configurator (EPLAN
Fluid Hose Configurator):

F01_DIN_20066.f01 (file type "Parts list"; for the output of hose lines in a
parts list)
F26_DIN_20066.f26 (file type "Title page / cover sheet")

F45_DIN_20066.f45 (file type "Distributed device list"; for the output of

hose lines in a distributed device list)
F46_DIN_20066.f46 (file type "Conduit / line plan"; for standard-com-
pliant display of hose lines).

258
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Pre-planning
Four new forms have been created for pre-planning:

F40_004.f40 (File type "Pre-planning: Planning object overview"; for a

PCT loop element overview)
F40_VDI3814.f40 (File type "Pre-planning: Planning object overview";
function lists for building automation)
F42_001.f42 (File type "Pre-planning: Segment template overview")

F43_001.f43 (File type "Pre-planning: Segment template overview").

In addition, the following new form was created:

F44_001.f44 (File type "Assembly/Module overview").

Master Data: Projects and Templates

The new project template IEC_tpl002.ept has been created in the
course of the extended support of the standard DIN EN 81346. In this tem-
plate the Extended reference identification setting and further settings
for the product aspect are activated by default in the project properties. In
the page structure the object identifier is used for structuring, the product
aspect for the device structure.

Fluid power
A new project template FL_1219-2_tpl001.ept and a new basic project
FL_1219-2_bas001.zw9 have been created for fluid power as an imple-
mentation of the standard DIN ISO 1219-2:2012. In these templates the
identification structure and the settings related to this standard are
already preset.

259
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Pre-planning
A new project template Preplanning_tpl001.ept has been created for
pre-planning. The two templates VDI3814_tpl001.ept (project tem-
plate) and VDI3814_bas001.zw9 (basic project) have been created for
the output of function lists for building automation.

Master Data: Macros

Fluid power
For version 2.3 and now again for version 2.4, several symbols in the
Fluid power symbol libraries (HYD1ESS, HYD2ESS, and PNE1ESS) were
adapted to the updated DIN ISO 1219-2:2012 standard. These changes
were now also carried out for the symbols of Fluid power macros. In addi-
tion, the identifiers of the symbols in the macros were adjusted to the DIN
EN 81346-2:2009 standard.

260
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Other New Features and Information

EPLAN Solution Center The New Support System
Since the start of 2013, you have been able to access our new support sys-
tem online the EPLAN Solution Center.

Benefit:
The EPLAN Solution Center is an optimized support system with improved
service. As a result, we can now process your individual support requests
even more efficiently.

Your inquiries are created and managed in the EPLAN Solution Center on
the basis of simple, ergonomic dialogs. Settings once configured are stored
automatically for future inquiries. You can view the processing status of your
inquiry at any time.

A knowledge database has been integrated into this support system, which
already contains a large number of answers to frequently asked questions.
As soon as your inquiry is received, the knowledge database the EPLAN
Knowledge Center automatically suggests initial solutions, provided the
topic has already been dealt with before. The knowledge database is expan-
ded continuously.

A link to the EPLAN form is also integrated into the EPLAN Solution Center.
This allows you to use the discussion platform directly.

For the time being, the EPLAN Solution Center is only available on the Ger-
man EPLAN webpages. In the future, we will localize the new support system
for further EPLAN languages and install it on a global basis.

261
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Logging Into the EPLAN Solution Center

Login to this support system is only possible for Software Service customers.
To access it, please register online with EPLAN Support. You can reach the
registration page, for example, by clicking the "EPLAN Solution Center"
hyperlink from within our support section.

From within the EPLAN platform it is also possible to directly jump to the log-
in page. For this select the Create EPLAN support request menu item from
the Help menu. Your Internet browser will then open on the page for logging
into the EPLAN Solution Center.

262
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
Please note that you cannot use your login information that you use for log-
ging into EPLAN Support. You must register once before being able to use
the EPLAN Solution Center. Enter the e-mail address that you have used
so far also for communicating with EPLAN Support in the E-mail field, and
then click [Send].

To log into the EPLAN Solution Center, enter in the fields User name and
Password the data that you received in a reply e-mail from EPLAN.

Confirm your information by clicking [Login]. The first time you log in, you
will be prompted to change the password that was assigned to you. Then, the
start page of the EPLAN Solution Center opens.

Validation Code
To use this new version of EPLAN, you need a new validation code. This is
provided on the delivery note sent with your storage medium. In addition, you
have the option of retrieving the validation code via the internet (see the fol-
lowing section).

Retrieving the Validation Code Online

EPLAN enables you to carry out the final installation step quickly and easily
by allowing you to retrieve the validation code required for licensing via the
internet. After the required data have been transmitted, the validation code is
automatically copied into the license dialog.

263
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Note:
Please note that you must be connected to the internet to download the val-
idation code. You cannot retrieve a validation code for network licenses or
licenses without a dongle.

The Enter validation code dialog has been enhanced to allow you the
option of retrieving the validation code online.

This dialog, for example, opens when you start the application for the first
time after an installation. Click the new [Retrieve online] button.

The Company name and Serial number are automatically entered into the
open Set validation code online dialog. This data is needed to retrieve the
validation code successfully.

Up-to-date information
If you would like to receive information in the future (such as our
eNewsletter), please activate the I would like to receive further inform-
ation check box. EPLAN will then save your personal details (Name, Phone,
E-mail address, etc.).

264
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Internet settings
The settings for the existing internet connection are adopted by default. You
can also use a proxy server as a network component via the [Settings] but-
ton and the dialog that then opens. If this is the case, you must enter the
corresponding information on Address, Port, etc. Please consult with your
administrator about the settings in this area.

Returning the validation code

Click [Send] to send the encoded data to EPLAN. If your details are already
held by EPLAN and are valid, a validation code is created and sent to the
license dialog. Then start the application by clicking [OK].

Software Requirements and Approvals

Note:
The programs of the EPLAN Platform are available as a 32-bit version and
as a 64-bit version in the current Version 2.4. As of Version 2.5 the EPLAN
Platform will only be available in the 64-bit version.

All release information refers to the 32-bit version of the products, unless
stated otherwise.

General requirements
The Microsoft .NET framework 4.0 is required to operate the EPLAN plat-
form. Further information and the current version of this Microsoft com-
ponent are available for download from the Microsoft website.

You will find .NET Framework 4.0 on your EPLAN storage medium. Switch
here to the following directory:
cd-rom\Services\Net Framework 4.0\en_US

265
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

To install .NET Framework, double-click the file DotNetFx40_Full_x86_

x64.exe.

Operating systems
The EPLAN platform supports the 64-bit variants of the Microsoft operating
systems Windows 7 and Windows 8.
The installed EPLAN language must be supported by the operating system.

The EPLAN platform has been cleared for the following operating systems:

Workstation
Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit) Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate
Microsoft Windows 8 (64-bit) Pro, Enterprise
Microsoft Windows 8.1 (64-bit) Pro, Enterprise

Server
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 (64 bit)
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit) Terminal Server with Citrix
XenApp 6
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 (64 bit)

Microsoft products
Prerequisite for the generation of Microsoft Office file formats from EPLAN is
an executable installation of an Office version approved by EPLAN.

Microsoft Office 2010

Microsoft Office 2013 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9
Microsoft Internet Explorer 10
Microsoft Internet Explorer 11

266
 EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

SQL server
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2
Microsoft SQL-Server 2012

Autodesk products
AutoCAD 2014 (32 bit and 64 bit)
AutoCAD 2015 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Autodesk Productstream Professional 2011
Autodesk Vault 2013
Autodesk Vault 2014

PDF redlining
Adobe Reader Version X
Adobe Acrobat Version X Standard / Pro / Pro Extended
Adobe Reader Version XI
Adobe Acrobat Version XI Standard / Pro

PLC systems (PLC & bus extension)

ABB Automation Builder 1.1
B&R Automation Studio 4.0
Beckhoff TwinCAT 2.10
Beckhoff TwinCAT 2.11
3S Codesys
Mitsubishi GX Works2
Rockwell RSLogix professional 20
Rockwell RSLogix professional 21

267
EPLANNEWS
for Version 2.4
Status:30.06.2014

Schneider Unity Pro 7.0

Schneider Unity Pro 8.0
Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7 version 5.4 SP4
Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7 version 5.5

64-bit version of the EPLAN Platform

If you use the EPLAN Platform in the 64-bit version, observe the following
special points:

If you want to use Access databases for the parts management, the project
management and the dictionary, both the Microsoft operating system and
the Microsoft Office applications (inter alia Microsoft Access) have to be
installed completely in the 64-bit version.

If you have installed the Microsoft Office applications in the 32-bit version,
you have to use SQL Server databases for the parts management, the pro-
ject management and the dictionary.

A changeover to SQL Server databases is not possible for EPLAN PPE. In

order to use EPLAN PPE in the 64-bit version, both the Microsoft operating
system and the Microsoft Office applications (inter alia Microsoft Access)
therefore have to be installed completely in the 64-bit version.

268