An extended graphical user interface is now used in the EPLAN platform so that the icons and fonts can be scaled in accordance with the resolution (4K or Ultra HD) when screens with a high resolution are used.
This results in a different look (for example new icons, fonts, etc.) as well as partially changed behavior for the dockable windows (navigators, graphical editors, etc.).
Graphical support for the positioning of windows
When moving undocked windows (navigators, graphical preview, pages), multiple docking elements are displayed. You can use these user interface elements to specify the docking position of such a window:
Docking element |
Meaning |
---|---|
|
Docking laterally to a tab group or as a tab of a tab group. |
|
Docking to the left-hand area of a tab group or of the EPLAN main window. |
|
Docking to the right area of a tab group or of the EPLAN main window. |
|
Docking to the top area of a tab group or of the EPLAN main window. |
|
Docking to the bottom area of a tab group or of the EPLAN main window. |
If you move a window onto a docking element in the case of moving, the pre-selected position is highlighted in color (blue).
Grouping navigators, pages, etc. in a window
The navigators - as in the past - can be placed on top of each other. In contrast to the previous versions the dialogs are now grouped in one window in such a case. Editors (pages, symbols, forms, etc.) can also be located in this window.
In the supplied workspace "Standard", the page and device navigator are, for example, grouped in a window. The figure shows those two navigators as tabs in an independent window.
Tip:
By using the shortcut key [Ctrl] + [F7] you can switch between the tabs arranged on top of each other in a window, and bring a different tab to the front.
Previously undocked navigators and pages could only be arranged separately on a second screen. You can, for example, now place a window with multiple tabs in an undocked state on the second screen.
Displaying navigators such as project pages as tabs
All the navigators, the graphical preview, opened project pages, forms, etc. can now be docked as a tab. In contrast to the previous tabs for opened editors, the tab is now displayed in the upper left. To close such a window again, click directly on the button on the tab.
Benefit:
You can arrange the EPLAN Platform for yourself more clearly by placing windows with huge space requirements (such as EPLAN Cogineer, EPLAN Data Portal, etc.) like a tab over the open project pages. Cumbersome moving or temporary resizing of windows is no longer required.
The following options are available to dock an undocked window as a tab:
- Select the popup menu item Dock as tab in the popup menu for the title bar of the window.
- When moving, position the window in the center of the cross-shaped docking element.
Multiple windows arranged as tabs on top of each other form an optical unit - a so-called Tab group.
Tip:
By using the shortcut key [Ctrl] + [F6] you can switch between the tabs of a group and bring a different window to the front.
If multiple docked windows with tabs exist, you can arrange these windows in different tab groups. To do so click a tab and select the popup menu items New tab group > Horizontal or New tab group > Vertical.
Arranging a window as a flyout
The windows of navigators, pages, etc. can be pinned as flyouts at the right, top and lower margin of the main window. To do so click the (Pin) button in the title bar of a docked window and select the Flyout menu item in the popup menu.
The window is then hidden and is only visible as a tab at the margin. When you move the cursor onto this tab, the "hidden" window appears again and you can carry out a selection. If the cursor is located outside the window, the flyout disappears again. As soon as you click the (Unpin) button in the visible state or if you select the Flyout menu item again, the window is docked again.
Benefit:
Since the windows are arranged as flyouts and are only visible temporarily, more space is available for the editors (graphical editor, symbol editor, etc.) in the EPLAN main window.
Extensions for toolbars
Extended tooltips for toolbars
The information from the status bar is now displayed additionally in the tooltip below the buttons in the toolbars. You specify in the new tab Options of the modified Customize dialog whether the tooltips and additionally the respective shortcut keys are displayed.
Extended popup menu for toolbars
By means of the popup menu of the toolbars you can now not only display and hide toolbars but also dockable windows. In this popup menu all the currently and previously open windows are shown until a new workspace has been selected.
Influencing the display of the buttons
If you have selected the popup menu Customize, you now have an additional popup menu available for the toolbars. By means of this popup menu you can influence the display of the buttons. This way you can have the respective popup menu items for a button displayed, for example also a text or image and text instead of an image.
What is not possible anymore?
- In the case of open editors (pages, symbols, forms, etc.) below no tabs (Workbooks) are displayed anymore. If a window is docked at a tab, the tab can now be found in upper left and cannot be hidden anymore. The menu item View > Workbook has been removed accordingly.
- The Minimizing / Maximizing of editors or docked navigator windows is not possible anymore. Instead you can now group multiple editors and / or navigators in a window on top of each other. The Windows standard buttons belonging to the editor have been removed. The button existing in the title bar of the navigators is not used to minimize navigators that are on top of each other. Instead it is used to open a menu (for example with menu items for the window position).
- Toolbars cannot be arranged vertically between two navigators anymore and neither between a navigator and an opened page. A vertical arrangement at the left or right window frames of the EPLAN platform window is possible.
- Because of the extended user interface to support monitors with high resolution, Workspaces from previous EPLAN versions (Version 2.7 or earlier) are not supported anymore and can neither be used nor imported. New EPLAN workspaces are made available in the master data during the installation.