Block Editing: Principle

Block editing is used similarly for all objects. First, you must select the objects to be edited. Then you call up the properties dialog. Then you can change or adapt the shared properties of the objects.

However, there are still some object-specific differences regarding block editing of projects, pages, components, project data, and parts:

Projects

Project properties can only be edited by blocks in the project management. The projects involved must be selected in the tree view of project management. The properties of the marked projects are then immediately displayed in appropriate tabs and can be changed together after activation of the processing mode.

Pages

Page properties can only be block edited for a particular project in the page navigator. For this purpose you must select the pages of the project in the tree or list view. After the Properties popup menu item has been called up, the properties of the selected pages appear in a separate properties dialog and can then be changed in one step immediately.

Note:

In the page navigator, block editing of pages from different projects is not possible!

Component

Components in the schematic have a variety of different properties. "General" devices have different properties to (e.g.) terminals or cables. If one then compares terminals and cables, then these different objects also have their own, very typical properties. Therefore components are objects which can be differentiated by their properties. Objects of the same type always have the same properties.

The block editing of components is only possible in the currently open schematic page. First, the components must be selected. If the selection contains different object types, e.g., "general" devices, terminals, and cables, the Object selection dialog is opened when you select Edit > Properties. In this dialog, you select the object type whose properties you want to change together. After the object selection is made, the Properties <...> dialog for the selected object type is opened. EPLAN highlights the different values of properties in this dialog via the <<...>> field entry. You then overwrite these, or other concrete entries with the values you wish to assign to all selected objects. Once block editing is finished, the edited properties of all selected objects of the same type have identical values.

Non-function-specific properties of components

EPLAN also makes it possible to change the properties of different object types, that is, components of different kinds, in a single step. This form of block editing is also known as function-independent block editing.

With this form of block editing, however, only properties which all types of component have in common, that is properties which are function-independent, are edited. For instance, the function text, the engraving data, or technical characteristics of general devices, terminals, and cables, can be edited together.

To edit components in the function-independent block editing mode, a schematic area with components must first be selected - just as for normal block editing. After the selection you then open the Property overview via the menu items Edit > Property overview. In this dialog you can then edit and standardize the non-function-specific properties of the selected components via a delivered scheme for the property configuration.

Other objects on pages

The other objects which can be block-edited on pages include texts and graphical elements. The block editing of these objects is done in basically the same way as for components. You select the desired objects and edit the properties in a common dialog. If the selected objects are of different types, then an object type must be selected before block editing starts.

Note:

Grouped graphical elements can also be block edited.

Project data

Project data can be shown in separate windows, the navigators, which provide a tree view and a list view of the functions in the project, and their properties.

These windows include the page navigator, the device navigator, and other function-specific navigators, for example the dialogs Terminal strips - <Project name> or Cables - <Project name>. In these windows, the block editing of function-dependent properties is possible. The corresponding functions must be selected in the tree or list view of the corresponding window for this purpose.

If different object types are within the selection, e.g., general devices, terminals, and cables, then the Object selection dialog is opened. There, you can select the desired object type whose properties you want to change. Then the properties dialog for the selected object type is opened.

Notes:

In all navigators, the block editing of function-dependent properties in multiple projects is not possible!
In the device navigator, placed and unplaced functions in the current project can be block edited.

Parts data

If you simultaneously edit several objects (parts, accessory lists, etc.) those lines that have different values are identified by the string <<…>> in the parts management as well. If the number of lines differ, only those lines that are common to all the selected objects can be edited. If a new line is added to the selected objects, this is generated behind the last common part.

Example:

In the Accessories tab of the parts management 3 parts each have the following accessories with the two columns corresponding to the user interface elements Required and Part number / Name:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

In block editing of the 3 parts the display is as follows:

As you can see, you can only edit the first two lines which all 3 objects have in common. If you now want to assign a new part to all 3 objects via the (New) button, it is added in the 3rd position, whereby the content of the currently marked row is adopted as default setting.

Blockwise deleting of all lines is also possible, even if these do not exist at all the edited objects.