A cable is an assembly of one or more conductors or fiber optic strands, often within a protective sheath.
An empty cable is a fully defined cable with unspecified (latent) wire connections. A typical scenario for using empty cables is the placement of the whole insulation structure into the workspace / workdesk and in the second step the activation of the wire connections via the Import wires command. The wires can be activated manually by using the Activate wire popup menu command.
Empty cables can be pulled through bundles (including those with surface protections) and leading parts. Ties can, however, not be placed on cables.
Two types of interpolation are available for empty cables: Spline and Rounded corners. These can be set in the command bar during empty cable placement, or in the properties bar for empty cables that are already placed. With interpolation set to spline, the empty cable will pass through control points. If the interpolation is set to rounded corners, a bending radius can be set. The empty cable then follows a straight-line path between two control points, and bends with the given radius around any middle control points.
Place empty cable in workspace
- Select the Insert > Place empty cable menu item or click the
(Place empty cable based on library part) button in the toolbar.
The Part navigator dialog is opened. - Select the desired cable and click [OK]. The Part navigator dialog is closed.
- Click in the working window to determine the first end point of the cable's top-level subpart (insulation or twisted layer).
- Determine the other control points of the cable by clicking anywhere in the working window, or switch to the command bar and determine their coordinates.
The Interpolation can be set in the command bar.
- If you accidentally place an unwanted control point, press the [Backspace] key to remove it. The command remains active.
- Right-click to finish placing the top-level cable layer (or click on a grouped pin or connection pin to connect the whole cable content).
- After finishing the top level, continue with placement of the lower levels in the same way. Note that any level of a multi-level cable can be ended on a grouped pin / connection pin or in space.
- Repeat the command by using the space bar, if desired.
Note:
If you click on a grouped pin (or a connectable object with a grouped pin) or a connection pin, the whole cable content (i.e. all its components) will be connected to this "pin".
Note:
The end point of a superior level from which the lower-level part originates is always highlighted.
Place empty cable in workdesk
- Select the Insert > Place empty cable menu item or click the (Place empty cable based on library part) button in the toolbar. The Part navigator dialog is opened.
- Select the desired cable and click [OK]. The Part navigator dialog is closed.
- Place any additional points to guide the empty cable by entering their coordinates in the command bar or clicking in the working window.
The control points are automatically snapped to the global grid in the workdesk working window.
The Interpolation can be set in the command bar.
You can switch between the Cartesian and the polar coordinate system in the System section of the command bar. You can also switch between absolute and relative coordinates in the
Measurement section of the command bar.
- If you accidentally place an unwanted control point, press the [Backspace] key to remove it. The command remains active.
- Right-click to place the empty cable.
The so-called "active dimensions" are inserted within the empty cable. You can edit their values, and the empty cable changes accordingly.
- Repeat the command by using the space bar, if desired.
See also