KNX Project Design ETS5:

Basic

KNX Association
KNX BASIC COURSE

Table of contents
1 General information about ETS .................................................................................. 4
1.1 General aspects ............................................................................................................ 4
1.2 The ETS concept ........................................................................................................... 4
1.3 System requirements ................................................................................................... 4
1.4 Installation of ETS......................................................................................................... 5
1.5 Licences ....................................................................................................................... 6
1.6 Project Design with ETS – The principles ....................................................................... 7
1.7 Starting ETS .................................................................................................................. 8
1.8 Dashboard Tabs ........................................................................................................... 9
1.8.1 Overview tab ................................................................................................................................... 9
1.8.2 Bus tab........................................................................................................................................... 11
1.8.3 Catalogs tab .................................................................................................................................. 11
1.8.4 Settings tab ................................................................................................................................... 12

1.9 The import functions .................................................................................................. 14

1.9.1 Product data import ...................................................................................................................... 14
1.9.2 Project import ............................................................................................................................... 16
1.9.3 Particularities for plug-in software................................................................................................ 16

1.10 The export functions .................................................................................................. 17

2 Opening a project with ETS ...................................................................................... 18

2.1 Creating a new project ............................................................................................... 18
2.2 Opening existing projects ........................................................................................... 19
2.3 Project details ............................................................................................................ 20
2.3.1 Details index card .......................................................................................................................... 20
2.3.2 Project log index card .................................................................................................................... 21
2.3.3 Project files index card .................................................................................................................. 21

2.4 Project Design views................................................................................................... 21

2.4.1 Buildings window .......................................................................................................................... 23
2.4.2 Group Addresses window .............................................................................................................. 24
2.4.3 Topology window .......................................................................................................................... 25
2.4.4 Devices window ............................................................................................................................. 26
2.4.5 Project Root window and Catalogs window ................................................................................. 26
2.4.6 Side Bar ......................................................................................................................................... 26

3 Quick project design with ETS .................................................................................. 27

3.1 Starting the project design.......................................................................................... 27
3.2 Creating a building structure....................................................................................... 28
3.3 Catalogs ..................................................................................................................... 30
3.3.1 Searching products ........................................................................................................................ 30
3.3.2 Inserting devices............................................................................................................................ 30

3.4 Properties of the devices ............................................................................................ 31

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3.4.1 Product information ...................................................................................................................... 31

3.5 Device parameters ..................................................................................................... 32

3.6 Editing group objects .................................................................................................. 33
3.6.1 Setting the flags ............................................................................................................................. 34

3.7 Configuring group addresses....................................................................................... 38

3.8 Assignment of group addresses .................................................................................. 39
3.8.1 Sending group address .................................................................................................................. 40
3.8.2 Group speaker flag ........................................................................................................................ 41

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1 General information about ETS

1.1 General aspects

KNX is a fully integrated system for home and building automation for the implementation
of upward compatible, flexible and cost-effective solutions. Its functional versatility cannot
only be used in simple and limited installations but also enables solutions for the entire
building sector. KNX thus corresponds to the requirements of the electrical trade including
project design and installation, commissioning, operation of the bus system and mainte-
nance.
The planning, project design and commissioning of a KNX installation requires a software
tool for building designers and electrical installers that is clearly structured and simple to
use.

The project design of a building, in which KNX should be used, initially does not differ from
conventional electrical planning. The following aspects must be clarified by the planner in
the preliminary stages:
✓ the type and use of the building,
✓ the building system components that are to be implemented and their functions,
✓ type and frequency of changes of use,
✓ special requirements of the clients,
✓ budget

The planning of the electrical installation is carried out as for a conventional installation ac-
cording to the generally recognised rules of technology, the connection conditions of the
utility as well as the usual planning guidelines, regulations for the implementation and di-
mensioning guidelines.

1.2 The ETS concept

For the planning, project design and commissioning of KNX systems, a uniform program for
the project design and commissioning of the KNX system is available for planners and install-
ers. ETS stands for Engineering Tool Software. ETS ™ is a registered trademark of the KNX
Association. ETS5 is the current version of ETS. On the one hand, ETS5 is a newly developed
software program: during its development particular emphasis was placed on keeping the
user interface very similar to that of the previous versions.
An extensive online Help file is available to the user. The user can at any time access help for
the currently opened window via the F1 button or via the icon in the menu bar.

1.3 System requirements

The following operating systems are supported in principle:
✓ MS Windows 7/8 x64/x32
✓ MS Windows Server 2008/2012 x64
Details about this and the required hardware can be found on the KNX home page on
http://www.knx.org/knx-en/software/ets/installation-
requirements/ets5/index.php?navid=480195480195
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1.4 Installation of ETS

You can only obtain ETS from KNX Association via internet in the KNX online shop (address
https://my.knx.org/en/shop.)
If you have downloaded the software from the internet and have unzipped the downloaded
file, you can start the installation by executing the installation program ETS5Setup.exe.

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1.5 Licences

Button for
licencing

Figure 1: Licensing

There are four versions available:

✓ Demo: Full functionality, max. 5 devices per project, this version is free of charge.
✓ Lite: Full functionality, max. 20 devices per project.
✓ Professional: Full functionality, no restrictions as regards number of devices which can
be installed and the number of projects which can be created.
✓ There is also the Supplementary version. This version is intended as an additional licence
for the full Professional version on a second PC (commissioning PC/Notebook).

ETS5 does - on the contrary to ETS4 - not support any host-ID-licenses (license allocated to a
PC, to be used without a dongle), but exclusively dongle-based licenses. This means, that in
order to work with ETS5 a dongle, on which the licenses have been stored, has to be present
(exception: ETS Demo). An additional memory space of 4 GB is available on the dongle. The
license including the dongle can be obtained from the MyKNX portal.
To begin with ETS has to be installed completely. In which mode ETS will run thereafter de-
pends on the available license. After installation, the program first runs as a demo version.
The procedure to install the licenses stored on the dongle can be accessed immediately after
having started ETS5 by clicking on the button licenses of the ETS5 window.
Since the introduction of ETS 4.1 it is possible to extend the functionality of ETS via programs
called “Apps”. These Apps are also available in the KNX Online Portal and they are licensed in

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the same way as described before. Some Apps are developed by KNX Association, others by
KNX manufacturers. Examples of such Apps are: Online product catalog, Graphical configura-
tion of ETS projects, Project compare, Replace product…. For some of these apps a fee needs
to be paid.

1.6 Project Design with ETS – The principles

The following steps represent the chronological order for project design with ETS.
✓ Carry out the ETS settings
✓ Read in or convert product databases
✓ Create the project with the necessary data
✓ Set up the structure of the project (building structure/bus topology)
✓ Insert KNX products (devices with corresponding application) into the building structure
✓ Set the parameters of the KNX products according to requirements
✓ Create group addresses
✓ Link the group objects of the KNX products with the group addresses
✓ Assign the configured KNX products to the bus topology (final definition of the individual
address)
✓ Assign the configured KNX products to the installed functions (optional)
✓ Check the project design
✓ Print out the documentation
✓ Save the project

It is possible to deviate from this sequence in individual cases. Some steps can be omitted
for smaller projects. Additional steps are necessary in large projects (team projects).

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1.7 Starting ETS

After the installation, ETS can be started by clicking the icon

on the desktop or via the newly created program group called KNX.

When you open up ETS, a window appears which is referred to as the dashboard.

3
Figure 2: "Dashboard"

It contains the following elements:

✓ A bar  with tabs for the different functions of the dashboard.

✓ The workspace  with the functions selected by means of the tabs.
✓ A status bar  with information to ETS, to licenses and Apps.

You can access the dashboard again at any time by clicking on the small green ETS field in
the top left-hand corner of the ETS window.

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1.8 Dashboard Tabs

1.8.1 Overview tab

When ETS is opened, the Overview tab is selected so that the fields displayed in figure 3 are
visible in the workspace:

Figure 3: Dashboard, Overview tab selected

By double clicking on a project in the window area, you can select the project that is to be
edited or you can create a new project. In area  up-to-date news on KNX Association is
displayed provided that ETS is connected to the internet.

For projects to be edited difference is made between

✓ projects being available on the local PC (your projects) and
✓ centrally – possibly also on a server – administrated projects (project archive).

Switching between the project types is made by means of the symbol  next to the text
your projects resp. project archive. Projects of the project archive are centrally administrated
and can be used at a given time only by one user. The memory locations of the projects are
defined under the tab Settings. A local project can be moved from the area your projects into
the project archive by means of the context-sensitive menu. In the context-sensitive menu
also functions for checking in and checking out centrally stored projects are available.

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Figure 4: Dashboard, tab overview, project properties

Figure 4 shows how you can access the properties of a project by clicking on a project.
How you create a new project or select a project to be edited and how you set the proper-
ties of such a project is explained more deeply further down in chapter 2: Opening a project
with ETS.
You can also import and export projects by means of this window. Further details to the ex-
port and import are described further down in a separate chapter.

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1.8.2 Bus tab

Figure 5: Dashboard, Tab Bus

Below the tab Bus you find on the one hand the functions to select and to set the interface
between ETS and the KNX-System and on the other hand the functions for diagnostics and
troubleshooting of the KNX-System.
The settings for the interface are described in the part Commissioning of the training docu-
mentation.
Details of the functions for analysis and error diagnostics: Monitor, Diagnostics and Individu-
al Addresses can be found in the chapter ETS5 Diagnostics of this training document.

1.8.3 Catalogs tab

Under the tab catalogs the product data of the manufacturers are administrated. After the
installation ETS does not dispose yet of product data of the manufacturers. In order to be
able to insert product data into an ETS project, product data of the manufacturers have to
be imported before into the ETS catalog (product store). This can be done by means of the
import function of ETS. Details to import and export are shown in a separate chapter.

You can get the product data of the manufacturers free of charge via the internet. The win-
dow being visible after the selection of the tab Catalogs is also used later on during the pro-
ject design when selecting devices. Further down in this chapter you will find a more de-
tailed description of this window (see: Catalogs).

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1.8.4 Settings tab

Figure 6: Dashboard, tab Settings selected

The settings are subdivided in eight different sections, which you can select by clicking on
the terms in the left part of the window:
✓ Presentation. In this section you can influence the behaviour and the appearance of ETS.
The functions are described in the online help of ETS.
✓ Language. In this section you can select the language of ETS
✓ Online Catalog. In this section the settings for the ETS App Online KNX Product Catalog
are made. For details please refer to the online help of ETS.
✓ Data Storage. In this section you set the paths for the storage of the product data, of the
local projects and of the project archive.

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Figure 7: Dashboard, Tab Settings, Submenu Data Storage

✓ Troubleshooting. The settings for the ETS troubleshooting are made here. You can set
amongst others how detailed your work with ETS will be documented in the log files
which can be helpful later on for the error diagnostics by KNX Association.
✓ Import/Export. Settings for the extent of exported files.
✓ Shortcuts. Here you can see all shortcuts and you can adapt them to your habits.
Shortcuts allow to the experienced user an even faster work with ETS.
✓ Label Printer. Settings for the ETS App Label Printer.

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1.9 The import functions

The import function enables both the import of product data as well as projects. You can
retrieve this function from different places in ETS. From the dashboard you can access it un-
der the tab Overview for the import of projects and under the tab Catalogs for the import of
product data. In both cases you have to use the buttons resp. .
But also later on, when you work in the project design window of ETS, you can access the
import function at any time in the window Catalogs by means of the button
When you import data, the import wizard will assist you.

1.9.1 Product data import

Product data can be obtained from the manufacturers either via the internet in form of
downloadable files or in case of an active internet connection via the ETS App Online KNX
Product Catalog.

Difference is made between the following file extensions:

✓ Files with the extension .knxprod are product data in the XML-Data format for ETS4 and
ETS5.
✓ Product data for ETS3 und ETS2 have the file extension .vd?. The question mark is for the
numbers between 1 – 5 or for an x, depending for which ETS version the data had been
intended for.
After clicking on the button Import you get the following selection box.

Figure 8: Selection of files of the import function

Select the file and click on Open in order to have a list of all the products which are con-
tained in the file.

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Figure 9: Import-Wizard, product selection

If you do not wish to import all products of this file, you can select „Import only selected
products“. When selecting the products a search function is available. Mark any products
that are to be imported simply by clicking on them. With the help of the Shift key, you can
mark a whole range of products. With the Ctrl button, you can select several products.

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Figure 10: Import-Wizard, successful product import

While importing product data you can still select, if you want to import all language versions
of the products’ text elements (parameters, dialogs etc.) into your database or only those
languages selected by yourself. If you do not import all languages, you can speed up the im-
port procedure.

1.9.2 Project import

The import of projects follows the same pattern as the product data import. During the pro-
ject import, all project design data such as building structure, comments, group addresses,
individual addresses etc. of the corresponding project is imported. In addition, all required
product data of the devices contained in this project is imported as well.
You can retrieve the project import function in the dashboard under the tab Overview by
means of the button .

1.9.3 Particularities for plug-in software

The following explanatory notes concern both product as well as project data imports of
projects containing devices with plug-in software.
For many products, additional software is installed when importing the manufacturer data in
the ETS database, called ‘plug-in software’.
You can now decide whether these plug-ins should always be installed immediately after the
import or at a later date or after a single request. They are only required by ETS when the
device is retrieved for the first time. If a plug-in had not yet been installed, this can be done
at this point. This however frequently requires administrator rights. Many users therefore
prefer plug-ins to be installed immediately. Sometimes the installation of plug-ins can re-
quire a considerable amount of time. In this case, the immediate installation of the plug-in is
skipped, particularly if all products of a manufacturer should be imported at once.

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1.10 The export functions

You can export product data and entire projects from an ETS database.
✓ Product data export
Product data export is possible from two windows: from the Catalogs tab on the dash-
board and in the project design from the catalog window. Depending on the selection in
the respective window, individual products, whole product groups, all the products of a
manufacturer or all the products of this database are exported. A file with the extension
.knxprod is created.
The data format of this file is XML and the products can be imported back into ETS. It is
not possible to create product data for importing into older ETS versions.
✓ Project export
If in the project administration area and having selected the tab Overview on the dash-
board, you are able to export a project. All the project-related data is exported into a file
with extension .knxproj. This file also contains the entire product data of all devices used
in this project, so that you can work on the project immediately after importing it into an
empty database.

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2 Opening a project with ETS

Figure 11: Creating a new project

2.1 Creating a new project

A new project can be created on the dashboard via the button (New Project) under the
Overview tab. The New Project dialog appears on the screen. A name must be entered in this
dialog window. The medium that has been used is also specified here (TP for Twisted Pair
and IP for Ethernet). If you have selected the function Create Line 1.1, the area 1, main line
1.0 and line 1.1 are created immediately. Otherwise the project has no topology structure.
The medium of line 1.1 can be chosen between TP, IP, PL (for Powerline) and RF (Radio fre-
quency).
Finally, one can set the group address style. By means of the button “Create project” the
new project will be created and opened immediately thereafter.

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2.2 Opening existing projects

Double-click

Figure 12: Opening an existing project

From the dashboard you can open existing projects. Under the tab Overview double-click on
a project under Your Projects.
A project from the project archive can only be opened, after having been checked out from
the project archive previously.

Figure 13: Opening a project from the project archive

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2.3 Project details

If you select a project in the dashboard under the tab Overview, you will see the details of
this project. The details consist of three index cards, which you can select by tabs.

Figure 14: Project details

2.3.1 Details index card

On this index card, you can change the name of the project and there are further fields for
specifying the project.
You define here which group address style should be used for this project and you can assign
a project password and a BCU password for BCUs supporting this feature. With a project
password, a project can be protected against unauthorised access. Each time the project is
opened, the password is requested.
With the BCU password (BCU=bus coupling unit), BCUs supporting this feature can be pro-
tected against unauthorised tampering. The entered BCU password applies to all BCUs with-
in this project.
The BCU password consists of 8 hexadecimal digits (possible values 0 to F).
Caution: If you forget the project password, it is no longer possible to access the project as
the password in encrypted in the database.

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2.3.2 Project log index card

This index card is used to structure, check and evaluate the project history. With the help of
the Add button, the project history can be extended. You need to mark the corresponding
line in order to modify an entry or to see the exact description. The entry can then be edited.

2.3.3 Project files index card

Under Project files, you can add other files to the project, which should be saved together
with this project in the database. They can be e.g. Word or Excel files or files with drawings.

2.4 Project Design views

When you open up a project, you access the project design view of ETS. The following
screenshot shows the elements of this view.

Figure 15: Project design view

The numbers in the screenshot designate the following elements:

1: Menu bar

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2: Toolbar
3: Panels
4: Navigation bar (side bar)
5: Status bar

To a large extent, the project design of a KNX installation is done in the panels. They can be
used simultaneously. Panels can be arranged according to the editing process. The following
panels are available:
✓ Group addresses, ✓ Devices,
✓ Topology, ✓ Catalogs
✓ Project root, ✓ Reports

and as special case

✓ Side bar

Figure 16: Panels

Elements of the panels are:

1: Title bar. By clicking on the title, you can select which panel should be displayed.
2: Toolbar. The available tools depend on the respective panel (context-sensitive)
3. Tree view
4: List view. The list view can have up to three index cards which you can select via the
tabs below.
Further panels can be opened via the toolbar: View / Open New Panel.
Projects can be ordered according to building, function or bus structure hierarchies. One
uses the Buildings and the Topology view to structure one’s project more clearly.

A combination of panels and their exact appearance can be saved as a Workspace. You se-
lect the workspaces via the Workspaces container in the side bar. Further information about
the creation and storage of workspaces is described in the section on complex project de-
sign.

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2.4.1 Buildings window

Figure 17: Window Buildings

The Buildings view is the central view of ETS. The Buildings view is used to structure the KNX
projects according to the actual building structure and to insert the KNX devices.
The following elements are available to structure the building
✓ Buildings,
✓ Building parts,
✓ Floors,
✓ Corridors,
✓ Stairways,
✓ Rooms and
✓ Cabinets
✓ Functions
The buildings, building parts and floors are only used for structuring and cannot directly con-
tain devices.
Devices can be inserted in rooms, corridors, stairways or cabinets.

A hierarchical view is very useful for maintaining an overview in the case of large projects.

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2.4.2 Group Addresses window

Figure 18: Group Addresses window

The Group Addresses window is used to generate and define group addresses. This view is
required together with the Building view to link the group addresses to the corresponding
group objects. The group addresses in the Group Addresses window are represented in a
two-level, three-level or free style, depending on the pre-set option.

The representation of the group addresses in different levels has no functional effect. It only
enhances lucidity. The 3-level structure is used in this documentation. If you select a sub-
group, the group objects that have been assigned to the group address are displayed in the
right-hand list view.

The tree view (left-hand side) displays the available group addresses (in this case group ad-
dresses on three levels).

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2.4.3 Topology window

Figure 19: Topology window

The Topology window is used to define the actual bus structure and the assignment of indi-
vidual addresses to the devices. This view can be used simultaneously with other views and
displays the KNX project as regards bus structure. The view shows the devices as they are
assigned to the different lines. Twisted Pair-, Powerline-, RF- and IP-lines and -areas are rep-
resented with different symbols.

The tree view (left-hand side) shows the existing bus topology of the KNX project while the
right-hand side displays a list view of the elements marked in the left-hand window.

The structure of the topology is normally generated automatically when individual addresses
are assigned elsewhere. All higher-order elements such as areas and main lines are inserted
according to the assigned addresses.

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2.4.4 Devices window

Figure 20: Devices view

All devices of your project are displayed in the Devices window, including those that have
not yet been assigned to a room, function or line. As a result, you can often gain a good
overview of your project, for example whether there are devices without an assigned indi-
vidual address.

With the devices displayed in this window, you can carry out all the tasks that can also be
performed in the Buildings window or Topology window: editing devices, editing objects etc.

2.4.5 Project Root window and Catalogs window

The Project Root window combines together the Buildings, Group Addresses, Topology and
All Devices windows in one window.
One often opens the Catalogs window indirectly when inserting devices in the Buildings
window or in the Topology window.

2.4.6 Side Bar

The Side Bar bundles functions and information one frequently requires during project de-
sign and commissioning.
The side bar is always displayed, except in conjunction with the dashboard. It is located on
the right-hand side of the screen. Via the symbol you can collapse the side bar in order
to have more space in your actual window.
Settings for the Side Bar can be made under the menu function Workplace / Sidebar.

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3 Quick project design with ETS

Figure 21: Creating a new project

3.1 Starting the project design

On the basis of this example, the project design of small KNX projects is explained.
The project Goethe School is an example of a “quick project design”.
By means of the symbol In the dashboard, the window Create new project is opened.
The project name must be entered in the Name: field (in this case: Goethe School). The
Group Addresses view is set to three levels (main group / middle group / subgroup).
Clicking on the button Create project results in opening the new project. Depending on the
previously made settings of ETS one or more windows will be opened. At the beginning it
makes sense two have two windows open. Therefore close windows if too many are opened
or open a second window under the menu item Workplace/Open new panel.

For practical reasons you should select the Building and Group addresses panel. This can be
done in the title bar of the windows under the item Topology, Devices, Project root or Re-
ports and by selecting Buildings resp. Group addresses. You thus have two relatively large
Buildings and Group Addresses panels to work in.
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3.2 Creating a building structure

Figure 22: Creating a building structure

In the Buildings window, devices can only be inserted in rooms, corridors, stairways or cabi-
nets. Hence, a minimum building structure must be created first. When creating a project a
building with the name of the project (here: Seminar building) has already been created.
If you want to create further buildings, please proceed as follows:

1. Select Buildings in the Buildings window in the left half (tree structure).

2. Click on the symbol in the toolbar. A window opens in which you can enter
the name of the new building. If you do not enter a name, the building is designated
as New building by ETS. This building should be given an appropriate name, in order
to maintain the overview of one’s project.
3. You can rename this building at any time. To do so, double click on the corresponding
building in the tree structure. In the property-container of the side bar you can enter
in the field Name a new identifier for the building.

You can now introduce building parts and floors into the building as system structures. How-
ever, to keep this example as simple as possible, we will only insert one room.

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Figure 23: Adding a room

This can be done e.g. via the right mouse button function Add/Rooms. This opens the dialog
Add Rooms, where you can immediately give the room a useful name.

Further rooms as well as corridors, stairways or cabinets can now be added to the building.
You can now also insert devices.

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3.3 Catalogs
To insert devices, use the Catalogs window. Via the Catalogs window you can insert the de-
vice in the currently marked object. It may therefore be useful to select e.g. a room in the
building window before opening the Product Finder. You can call up the Catalogs window via

the symbol in the toolbar of the Buildings window. A further Catalogs window is
opened.

Figure 24: Window Catalogs

3.3.1 Searching products

Various functions are available to select the required product/device. On the one hand, you
can choose a manufacturer and a product group in the tree structure in the left half of the
window: this will limit the number of devices displayed in the list view considerably. It is
however also possible to limit the display in the list view with the search function. The selec-
tion in the tree structure hereby overrides the search function and the filter function. The
narrower the search selection, the fewer products are displayed.

3.3.2 Inserting devices

To insert a product with the corresponding application, select the product in the list view of
the Catalogs window with the mouse. Then press the Add button (or double click on the
product with the mouse). It is possible to insert in one go a device several times by entering
the number of elements that are to be inserted.

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The individual addresses are automatically assigned by ETS in ascending order in the respec-
tive current line. The topic ‘current line’ is rather complex. If required, consult the help fea-
ture of ETS for further information.
You can change the individual addresses at any time under the properties of the devices.

3.4 Properties of the devices

Figure 25: Properties container of the devices in the side bar

The inserted device is displayed in the list view if the associated room has been marked. It
will also be shown in the tree structure of the Building view underneath the room. If a device
is selected in the workspace, the properties-container (if opened) shows further information
to the device. The container offers up to three index cards which can be selected by means
of tabs. Some index cards only have informative character, i.e. you cannot make entries in
these cards. Most important is the card Settings.
It is possible here to change the individual address of the device. A change in the “Individual
address” field automatically assigns the device to another line and/or another area in the
bus topology

Note: Only free addresses can be assigned!

It is also possible to add comments about the device in the Name field. A description along
the lines “what is the device, where is it installed and what is it used for” is good practice.
Collating information here pays off later during commissioning and fault diagnostics.
Further in the field Description comments to the device can be entered.

3.4.1 Product information

The Properties container of the devices contains further information about a product under
the Information tab.

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Here you can find information about the application of the device. It is also possible to
change the application of a device in this container. There is also an index card with catalog
information about the respective product.

3.5 Device parameters

Figure 26: Device parameters

You access the device parameters via the Parameters tab at the bottom of the list view in
the Buildings window. To do so, a device must of course be marked in the tree view in the
left-hand side of the window. The device parameters can be set here. The parameters define
the concrete function of the application program. E.g. in the above example timers for short
and for long pressing can be set.

The “Parameters” window is product-dependent. More detailed information about the indi-
vidual parameters, application descriptions are available from the manufacturers.

The parameters are divided into groups which are listed in the left-hand column of the pa-
rameter window. By selecting the individual groups in this list, you access the associated
parameters in the right-hand side of the window.
The parameters can be reset to the original values as set by the manufacturers via the De-
fault parameters button in the toolbar. The Show Parameter Changes button marks all pa-
rameters modified by the user with a red exclamation mark.

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3.6 Editing group objects

Figure 27: Editing objects

The group objects of devices (further down referred to as ‘objects’) are displayed in the tree
view (left half of the window) below the devices and in the list view (right half of the win-
dow) if you have marked a device in the tree view.
If you have marked an object in the tree view, you see under the “Associations” tab in the
list view all group addresses that are assigned to this object. You can also make modifica-
tions e.g. you can delete the assignment to this object.
In the property container of the side bar the properties of the objects can be set. To do so
the corresponding object has to be selected in the opened property container. By means of
the context menu the property container can also be opened directly.
It is possible to change the default priority of the transmitted telegrams for group objects, as
originally set by the manufacturer. The following priorities are possible:
✓ Low Low priority for non-critical time functions
✓ High Normal priority for manual functions
✓ Alarm High priority for critical time functions

Note: The priority should only be changed in special cases.

The flag of the group objects can moreover be set here.

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Figure 28: Representation of the flags

3.6.1 Setting the flags

The behaviour on the bus can be set for each group object with the help of the flags (data
flow regulation).

Below you will find the 4 most important basic settings, depending on the object type:

Figure 29: Minimum settings of the flags for actuator objects

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Figure 30: Minimum settings of the flags for sensor objects

Figure 31: Minimum settings of the flags for status objects

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Figure 32: The update flag

For certain masks (System B), it is also possible to set the “Read at Init” flag: if set, the group
object will automatically send a Read Value telegram after voltage recovery to initialise the
value of the group object.

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Each group object has flags which are used to set the following properties:

COMMUNICATION  The group object has a normal link to the bus.

Telegrams are acknowledged. The group object is not modified.



READ  The object value can be read via the bus.

 The object value CANNOT be read via the bus.

WRITE  The object value can be modified via the bus.

 The object value CANNOT be modified via the bus.

TRANSMIT  A telegram is transmitted when the object value (at the sensor) has
been modified.

 The group object will generate a response only when receiving a read
request.

UPDATE  Value response telegrams are interpreted as a write command. The

value of the group object is updated (always enabled in System 1 de-
vices)

 Value response telegrams are NOT interpreted as a write command.

The value of the group object remains unchanged.

READ ON INIT  The device independently sends Read value commands for the initiali-
sation of the group object after return of current (only available on cer-
tain masks)

 After return of current the device does not initialise the value of the as-
signed group object via Read Value commands

Please note: The default flags should only be changed in exceptional circumstances.

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3.7 Configuring group addresses

Figure 33: Configuring group addresses

In the case of KNX, devices that should perform a specific function together are “logically
wired” via group addresses.
Group addresses can be divided into two or three levels or one can create one’s own struc-
turing of group addresses.
In the two-level style, the group address consists of a main group (0 to 31) and a subgroup (0
to 2047).
In the three-level style, it consists of a main group (0 to 31), a middle group (0 to 7) and a
subgroup (0 to 255).
The group address is specified by separating the levels by a “/” (slash) (e.g. /0/ ).
The levels of the group addresses can be set on the dashboard in the Projects tab under De-
tails / Group Address Style.
It is advisable to use the structure of the group addresses as an organisational feature.
The group addresses are generated in the Group Addresses window.
The group address structure displayed in the screenshot (left window half of the Group Ad-
dresses window) is generated via the corresponding buttons of the toolbar in the same way
as the building structure of the Buildings window.

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3.8 Assignment of group addresses

Figure 34: Assignment of group addresses

In order to ensure that sensors and actuators know which of their group objects should
communicate with each other to realize a specific function, the group addresses must be
assigned to the group objects. The group objects are linked logically with each other via the
corresponding group addresses (“wired”).

In order to assign the group addresses to the objects, it is useful to have two panels open at
the same time: the Group Addresses window and e.g. the Buildings window. There are sev-
eral ways to assign group addresses.
The fastest method is via drag and drop:
You drag the required group address from the Group Addresses window onto the corre-
sponding object in the Buildings window (or the object onto the corresponding group ad-
dress) with the mouse – keeping the left mouse button held down – and then release it. In
this way, group addresses are assigned to objects.

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3.8.1 Sending group address

Figure 35: Sending group address

A group object may have multiple connections by assigning several group addresses. If the
group object has the function of a sensor, then the first assigned group address is used as a
target address in the telegram (sending group address). If you wish to modify which group
address should be the sending group address, this can be done in the Buildings window via
the right mouse button, i.e. in the list view (right window half) of the group objects.

Note: There are also sensors, permitting only one address per group object. The number of
group addresses that can be assigned to a group object and the number of maximum associ-
ations (number of assignments per product) are product-dependent.

It is only possible to create connections with group addresses between group objects of the
same type (1 bit, 4 bit, etc.). The group address receives the type of the group objects with
the first assignment.

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3.8.2 Group speaker flag

Figure 36: Group speaker flag

In the case of Powerline devices, the group speaker flag must be set for one object per group
address. To do so, you select an object in the Group Address view and click in the list view on
the field in the ACK column (PL). A pull-down menu then opens, in which you click on Yes, in
order to set the group speaker flag for this object.

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