Structure identifier management in EPLAN Electric P8

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This functionality is only available for certain module packages.

The management of structure identifiers in EPLAN Electric P8 (for example, “Higher-level function” [preceding sign “=”] and “Mounting location” [preceding sign “+”]) affects two important areas of the electro-technical documentation, which may also operate independently of each other.

The order of schematic pages in a project.

The order of the schematic pages becomes visible in the page navigator, and is also the output order for printing and export (PDF, DXF etc.).

The order of the schematic objects (devices, terminal strips, plugs, PLCs, cables, etc.) in a project.

The order of schematic objects influences the sequence in the navigators for devices, terminal strips, plugs, PLCs and cables.
Another, and partially more important, effect of the order of the above schematic objects becomes visible in the logic evaluations of the schematics, e.g., the source and target of a cable in the cable layout.

Both the schematic pages and schematic objects can contain structure identifier independently of each other. Thus, it is possible to find structure identifiers in a schematic object for which there is no schematic page.

If a new schematic page or new schematic object is created in EPLAN Electric P8 (regardless of whether directly or via EEC), all new structure identifiers will be entered in the central structure identifier management. In the process, only new structure identifiers are created, and always, by default, added to the end of the list.

The management of structure identifiers in EPLAN Electric P8 is opened via the menu Project data > Structure identifier management….

The following table shows an example of structure identifier management (tab List):

Row
Complete structure identifier
Structure description
Original description
Usage
Status

1
<Empty identifier>

<Empty identifier>
?

2
B

3
A

4
CA

5
CA1

The order of the entries in structure identifier management is the determining order both for the schematic pages and also for all other schematic objects where structure identifiers play a role.

Previously, structure identifiers could be moved from within EEC only via the schematic pages in EPLAN Electric P8. In the process the structure identifiers in accordance with the order of creation of the schematic pages in EEC (the order of the schematic pages in the ECAD structure of EEC project) were entered into the EPLAN Electric P8 structure identifier management.

image/svg+xml

ECAD

WiringDiagram

Page2

Page1

Mechatronic

EEC.

ECAD

WiringDiagram

Page1

Page2

Mechatronic

EEC.

Plant1

Location1

1 Page 1

=Plant2+Location2/1

Plant2

Location2

1 Page 2

WiringDiagram

Plant2

Location2

1 Page 2

Plant1

Location1

1 Page 1

WiringDiagram

=Plant1+Location1/1

=Plant2+Location2/1

=Plant1+Location1/1

In many cases is necessary for the identifier structure to have a different order in EPLAN Electric P8 than that created by default via the creation of schematic pages from EEC. Therefore the structure identifiers need to be manipulated independently of the creation of schematic pages and / or schematic objects.

Generally, there are two ways of manipulating structure identifiers:

Before

the schematic pages and / or schematic objects in a schematic are created.

The structure identifiers (their order and any descriptions) are created first in an empty project. All schematic pages / schematic objects that are created in the schematic afterwards (and that contain existing structure identifiers) are sorted according to this order.

After

the schematic pages and / or schematic objects in a schematic are created.

Here, the order and, if appropriate, the description of the structure identifiers in a schematic in which pages and objects already exist is changed.

Note:

In general all structure identifiers can be assigned to the devices in the EEC. Depending on the number of pages and objects in the schematic this can take longer.

Example for change of the structure identifier:

management before:

Row
Complete structure identifier
Structure description
Original description
Usage
Status

1
<Empty identifier>

<Empty identifier>
?

2
B

3
A

Structure identifier management afterwards:

Row
Complete structure identifier
Structure description
Original description
Usage
Status

1
<Empty identifier>

<Empty identifier>
?

2
A
Higher-level function 1

3
B
Higher-level function 2

Changing the order of the structure identifiers before the schematic pages / schematic objects are created:

To change the order of the structure identifiers from within EEC before the schematic pages / schematic objects are generated, a corresponding model variable is available for each structure identifier:

Default name of the parameter

Parameter Name For Equipment List
SKAnlage

Parameter Name For Equipment Number List
SKAnlagennummer

Parameter Name For Installation Site List
SKAufstellungsort

Parameter Name For User Defined Structure List
SKBenutzerdefiniert

Parameter Name For Document Type List
SKDokumentenart

Parameter Name For Location List
SKEinbauort

Parameter Name For Functional Assignment List
SKFunktionaleZuordnung

The output value is a list that consists either only of designations or pairs that are composed of a designation and a description.

If the generation process adds further structure identifiers, they will be added to the existing ones in EPLAN Electric P8. If an order already exists for a structure identifier in structure identifier management, EEC will try to merge the two lists.

For example, if the order is already defined in the project template as ‘B’, ‘C’, and EEC requests ‘A’, ‘C’, these elements do not contradict each other in terms of the order, and after the generation process, this produces either the list with ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ or ‘B’, ‘A’, ‘C’, because the order between ‘A’ and ‘B’ has not been defined.