The extended reference identification allows for working with a device structure in compliance with the EN 81346 standard. The device structure can be determined, according to the standard EN 81346, by the structuring criteria function, location, and product aspect. An aspect describes in which way an object is seen. Thus the product aspect clearly documents which physical parts make up a plant, a construction unit, etc. In EPLAN devices are structured by means of identifier blocks. The functional aspect is accounted for by the function designation (preceding sign "="), the location aspect by the location designation (preceding sign "+"), and the product aspect by the product aspect identifier (preceding sign "-"). The product aspect is the identifier block for the device.
If the Extended reference identification check box is activated in the Structure tab in the project properties, the behavior with regard to the entry and reporting of the DT is changed:
- The settings in the Product aspect group box of the Extended project structures dialog are available and can be activated. If you want to structure your project by product aspect, the Use for structuring check box must be activated there.
- In the case of structure boxes, the product aspect is passed on to the subordinate elements.
- Functions without displayed DT adopt the superior structures.
- In the project properties, the Superior setting by which terminal strips, plugs, cables, or interruption points are treated like sequentially-numbered devices is not available and grayed out.
- The larger than sign (">") is evaluated per identifier block instead of for the entire DT. The preceding sign ">" indicates that the respective structure identifier is complete with regard to the top hierarchy level. In this case structuring starts with the structure identifier assigned the ">", superior structure identifiers are ignored.
- In the project properties, the Also nest with structure identifier of page setting (on the Inheritance tab) is not available and grayed out.
- In the Full DTdialog, the edit fields for the DT are displayed in a table. In this case, each product aspect (the DT and each subordinate DT) is displayed in its own row.
Tip:
If you use the extended reference identification, the page structure is not used for the structuring of the devices. To nevertheless use various aspects (functional aspect (=), location aspect (+), product aspect (-)) as structure elements for the devices we recommend placing a structure box around the complete page. Then the structure identifiers of the box are inherited to the devices and these structures can also be adapted when pages are copied.
See also