You create user-defined properties in this dialog. These properties are stored project-specifically and can be used at various objects within a project. For orientation purposes, the project name is also displayed in the dialog title bar.

The user-defined properties used there are stored in the macro when creating macros. When inserting macros and copying to another project, user-defined properties are inserted as well. If the identifying name does not exist in the target project, the property is created in the target project and marked as "Do not use anymore".

Overview of the main dialog elements:

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

Only display 'Do not use anymore':

If this check box is enabled, only properties are displayed in the tree view that are marked as "Do not use anymore". For these properties, the Do not use anymore check box is enabled.

Button	Meaning
(New)	Opens the Generate user-defined property dialog, and allows you to create a property.
(Import)	Allows for user-defined properties to be imported from another project into the current project.
(Export)	Allows for highlighted user-defined properties to be exported to a file in the XML format. Properties identified as "Do not use anymore" will not be exported.

Click (New) above the field to create a property. Then, enter a unique identifying name for the property in the Generate user-defined property dialog. We recommend that you start the name with your company code. The identifying name may contain upper-case and lower-case letters, numbers and the special characters ".-_&". At least one point must be used in the name; however, the point must not be at the beginning or end of the name. The string "EPLAN" at the beginning is not permitted either. Points within the name are treated as substructures and create a sub-level in the tree.

Identifying name:

Here, the unique name is displayed that you specified when you created the property. The property is managed in EPLAN under this name.

Displayed name:

Here, enter the name under which the property will be displayed in the project. Multi-lingual entry is possible.

Input aid:

From the drop-down list, select the type of input that is possible for the property:

• Free input: Any values can be entered manually, e.g., text, numbers or numbers with units.
• Selection list: Only values from a drop-down list can be selected. The possible entries in the drop-down list are defined in the Default values selection list field.
• Self-extending selection list: The values can be selected from a drop-down list or entered manually. The possible entries in the drop-down list are defined in the Default values selection list field. The manually entered values extend the default values in the drop-down list.

Category:

For display in the program, the properties are divided into different categories, that is, in groups of properties which can be displayed independently of one another. From the drop-down list, select the category to which you want to assign the property.

Usage:

Specify the objects for which the property is to be available in the drop-down list. Usage can only be determined when creating the property and it cannot be subsequently changed any more.

• Interruption point: The property is available for interruption points.
• Part reference: The property is available for part references and is therefore 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.
• Project: The property is available in the project properties.
• Page: The property is available for pages.
• Connection: The property is available for connections, connection definition 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.

Default values selection list:

If you selected in the Input aid field one of the options "Selection list" or "Self-extending selection list", you will define here the possible entries in the drop-down list.

Click (New) in order to generate a new row in the list, and then enter the required value. Multi-lingual entry is possible.
Using (Delete), you can delete a value no longer needed.

Do not use anymore:

If this check box is enabled, the property will no longer be displayed in the project. When compressing the project, these properties can be deleted.

See also

Pre-planning

Compressing a Project