3D Macro Technique: Principle

The macro technique in the 3D mounting layout is largely based on the conventional procedure in EPLAN for organizing, generating and using macros.

3D macros are managed in a macro project.
The extended possibilities of the macro navigator can be used for a well-structured display and management of the prepared 3D macros stored in a macro project. The 3D macros contained in a 3D macro project can thus be structured without having to form an auxiliary structure or separation of the macros beforehand.
3D window macros (*.ema) and 3D symbol macros (*.ems) can be generated and used.
3D macros are assigned to a part in the parts management. This allows the part to be displayed in a detailed and realistic manner. The content of the graphical macro defines the graphics. If there is no graphic macro for the part, the graphic is implemented as a cuboid by entering the height, width, and depth.

Recommendations for working with 2D and 3D macros

For the sake of optimal performance in your work with the EPLAN platform, you should save 2D and 3D data not in a single macro file, but only in separate macro files. This way you can ensure that 2D users do not necessarily have to access the extensive 3D data volume.

We recommend that you store the macro file with the 3D data and the "3D mounting layout" representation type in parts management on the Mounting data tab in the Graphical macro field. The macro file with the 2D data and the other representation types (Multi-line, Overview, etc.) should be entered, as before, in the Technical data tab of parts management in the Macro field. The files could be distinguished, for example, on the basis of name extensions (e.g., 3D macro ABC.12345_3D.ema and the corresponding 2D macro ABC.12345_2D.ema).

In all actions in the 3D environment for which a part macro is used (e.g., Insert devices), it is the "graphical part macro" that is checked first. If on the Mounting data tab a graphical macro has been entered for the part, and if it contains the desired "3D mounting layout" representation type, this macro will be used. If not, the "technical part macro" defined on the Technical data tab will be used. In the 3D environment an outline drawing stored in the Graphical macro field of the Mounting data tab is used preferentially against one stored in the Technical data tab.

3D macros in the layout space

Macro boxes are not used to create 3D macros in a macro project. 3D macros are always contained in a layout space. The macro project contains a separate layout space for each macro. On automatic generation of 3D macros from the macro project a macro is generated from each layout space. A model view of a 3D macro can be placed on a 2D page. You can jump from this view to the corresponding layout space via the popup menu.

3D macros have the following layout space properties:

Macro: Name
Macro: Description
Macro: Variant
Macro: Version
Macro: Source / reference

These properties are defined automatically when you save a macro manually or when it is generated automatically.

Tip:

If you want to assign a prepared layout space to several macros, use the Tab Macro definition of the property dialog. Enter the respective name and the description of the macros to be generated in the lines of this tab. During automatic generation the same content (same layout space) is then stored in several macros.

Position and handle of 3D macros

All 3D macros are saved as standard in a horizontal alignment (X/Y alignment). You can change the position of the item subsequently using editing functions. The Edit > Device logic > Handle function can be used to define 3D snap points.

Grouping in 3D macros

A 3D macro (in other words a layout space in a macro project) can contain several individual bodies if there were several bodies included in the imported source file. Although a geometrical addition of bodies is not possible, the Edit > Graphic > Unite function can be used to group all components of the layout space in such a way that the 3D macro is treated like one item (for display in the navigator or for selection).

Note:

The uniting of 3D bodies is not suited to reduce the amount of data in the macro to be generated. If the imported STEP file contains several identical and very detailed parts, this may lead to an increase of the amount of data after uniting. This directly influences the size of the macro files since macros cannot be compressed due to the system's way of operation.

To reach an acceptable size of the macro file you should thus refrain from uniting imported common parts and generate the macro with the imported single parts.

Placeholder objects in 3D macros

Placeholder objects can be inserted into 3D macros. The definition method and behavior are similar to those of placeholder objects in 2D macros, but the following differences apply:

Instead of properties for pages, properties for a layout space can be selected and provided with variables.
The placeholder object is not displayed as an anchor symbol in the graphic, as it is on a project page, by as an "anchor" icon in the layout space navigator's tree view.