A symbol can have up to eight variants with names from A to H, a contact image variant, and a variant for representation as a connection point whereby all variants of a symbol have common properties. They also behave identically, and have the same function. This way they always have the same number of connection points and are only different in their graphical configuration of the connection points.
Generate symbol variants
Precondition:
You have opened a project and are editing a symbol in which all of the variants do not exist yet.
- Utilities > Master data > Symbol > New variant
- In the Create variant dialog select the target variant that you would like to generate from the list of variants that are not available yet.
- In the subsequent Create variant dialog select the variant that is to be used as the Source variant. In this dialog only the already available variants will be listed as possible source variants.
- In the Rotate by field select how many degrees the source variant should be rotated in order to generate the new variant.
- Select the Flip graphic across Y-axis check box if the graphic for the symbol should be mirrored across the Y-axis (through the point of origin).
- Select the Rotate connection point designation check box if the text for the connection point designation should be rotated.
- Select the Rotate placed properties check box if placed properties should be rotated.
- Click [OK].
The variant is generated and displayed on a new page <Symbol library>;<Symbol name>:<Symbol number>;<Variant designation> (for example new.test:1;A for Variant A of the test symbol with the internal symbol number 1 in the symbol library new.slk). On the Symbol editor toolbar the button for the new variant will be switched on so that it is easy to move back and forth between the variants of a given symbol.
Note:
If all variants have been generated, the New variant function is inactive.
Delete symbol variants
Precondition:
You are editing a symbol for which at least one variant exists, in which you have activated the graphical view of the variant to be deleted.
- Select the menu items Utilities > Master data > Symbol > Delete variant.
- Answer the prompt.
Toggle symbol variants
To toggle between graphical views of symbol variants, proceed as follows:
Precondition:
You are editing a symbol for which at least one variant exists.
- Activate the Symbol editor toolbar if it is not already displayed (Popup menu > Symbol editor in the EPLAN main menu or on any toolbar).
- Click the variant button for the graphical view you would like to display.
- If necessary, answer the prompt if changes were made on the current page that have not yet been saved.
Note:
When paging through the symbols in the symbol editor, the same variant of the symbol is always shown. If this variant does not exist for a certain symbol, an empty page will be shown in the editor with the note that this "Variant does not exist".
Symbol 1 has the variants A, B, C and D, symbol 2 has the variants A, B and D, and symbol 3 has the variants A, C and D.
Now, if variant C is specified for symbol 1, and you page through the three symbols in the symbol editor, you will be informed that this variant is not available for symbol 2. Variant C is displayed for symbol 3, as specified.
See also