Segment Templates

You can predefine all the relevant data for a segment in a segment template. You can repeatedly use these predefined data when creating new structure elements, planning objects, etc. Through the assignment of a segment template the data defined there are transferred to the segment and you do not have to enter the data individually at each segment. The data of the assigned segment template can be displayed at the segments.

Segment templates are stored project-specifically. Each segment template has a unique indentifying name, a description and a segment definition. The segment template continues to dispose of all the properties of a segment with the same segment definition.

Each segment can have a reference to a segment template from the current project. In the pre-planning navigator this is identified by an additional icon () which superimposes the icon of the segment. Segment and segment template always have the same segment definition.

The properties of the segment template are transferred to the segment. In the process only empty values are filled, existing property values are not overwritten. In addition, you can assign further properties to the segment or overwrite the values imported from the segment template.

Create segment templates

Segment templates can be created in the segment template navigator as follows:

Through the New segment template popup menu item.
Copying and pasting an existing segment template.
Duplicating of an existing segment template.
Dragging & dropping from the pre-planning navigator to the segment template navigator. In the process all the data of the segment are transferred to the segment template.
Exporting and importing of segment templates.

Assign segment templates

Segment templates can be used as follows in the project and assigned to a segment:

Dragging & dropping from the segment template navigator to the pre-planning navigator. In the process a new segment to which the segment template is assigned is created.
Dragging & dropping from the segment template navigator to the graphical editor (on a pre-planning page). In the process a new segment to which the segment template is assigned is created and placed.
Dragging & dropping by pressing the [Ctrl] + [Shift] shortcut key from the segment template navigator to a segment in the pre-planning navigator. The segment template is assigned to the existing template (if both have the same segment definition).
In the properties dialog of a segment via the Segment template field.

Subordinate segment templates

It is also possible in the segment template navigator to create nested segment templates - this means segment templates with subordinate segment templates. The Subordinate segment templates table is available in the Segment templates tab to this purpose.

You can generate nested segments by dragging & dropping such a segment template in the pre-planning navigator. The subordinate segments generated in this way are also identified in the pre-planning navigator by the additional icon (With segment template). For the subordinate segments, the Automatically generated property additionally displays the value "Segment template".

If the segment templates with subordinate segment templates are modified, you can transfer the modifications from the segment template navigator to the segments by using the popup menu item Update segments. If subordinate segment templates were deleted in a segment template, you receive a query while updating to check whether the subordinate segments in the pre-planning navigator should also be removed.

The check run 028032 in the message class 028 "Pre-planning" is available to find differences between the nested segments in the pre-planning navigator and the nested segment templates in the segment template navigator. Subordinate segments that were manually added to the nested segments are not considered.

Highlighting of differences to the segment template

Differences to the assigned segment template are highlighted by a yellow background color in the fields of the property dialogs of segments. You can reset the values to the segment template and thus remove the highlighting by using the popup menu item Reset to segment template in the pre-planning navigator.

Note:

Only those fields for which a value was entered at the segment template are highlighted by a yellow background color. Entries in identifying fields (such as Designation, Measurand, Number, etc.) or in fields for structure identifiers or product aspects are not highlighted.

For the popup menu item Reset to segment template, also take into account the Note for nested segments that was generated from segment templates with subordinate segment templates.

Change the value sets of placeholder objects from segment templates

If you have entered a macro at the segment templates for planning objects, the macro is also transferred to the planning object during the assignment of the template and can later be used for the creation of the detailed planning. If such a macro contains placeholder objects with variables, you can - if necessary - change value sets of the placeholder objects originating from the segment templates in the Macro tab.

In this case, too, differences to the assigned segment template are highlighted by a yellow background color. As usual for the segment templates, manually changed values are retained during the transfer of the template, if a macro with corresponding placeholder objects is also assigned to this segment template.

Segment templates in pre-planning macros

Segment templates are transferred into the macro during the creation of pre-planning macros. During the insertion of pre-planning macros segment templates not existing in the project are transferred into the project, existing segment templates are not overwritten in the process. Only the reference to the existing segment template is entered at the segment.

The project-specific segment templates allow, for example, manufacturer-independent macros to be created. The segment templates contained in the pre-planning macro define the type of the planning objects. The segment templates stored in the project define the part. If you change the part in the segment template and select for example a part of a different manufacturer, the parts are then changed at all the planning objects linked to this segment template.