Electrical Design Software | Elecdes Design Suite by Scada Systems Ltd

How to Use a Template for Terminals in a Terminal Strip

If you require a special graphical appearance for terminals in a terminal strip, you can use a wiring diagram template for each of them. When the terminal strip diagram is constructed, the templates are inserted into the drawing and the attributes of the symbols inside them are updated to hold the information from the terminals.

Simple superimposed graphical symbol alternative

If you require only additional graphics over the standard wiring diagram then the Wiring Diagram Generator can superimpose a simple graphical symbol without requiring the creation of a wiring diagram template.

For more information see Superimpose an Optional Symbol on a Terminal in the Wiring Diagram Generator Customisation Instructions.

Drawing and linking wiring diagram templates

The details about drawing a wiring diagram template and linking it to a terminal can be found in the section Templates for Terminal Strip Diagrams.

In summary:

  • A wiring diagram template is created using the same tool that creates Multi-Terminal Device symbols.

  • The file name of the template is specified for a terminal in the WD_TPLT column of its catalog record.

Choosing a wiring diagram template

Once the template is created and specified in the WD_TPLT column of the catalog, it will be used automatically when the terminal strip is generated.

If a terminal has a template then the filename of that template will be displayed in the terminal list on the Terminal Strip Editing Dialog under the Template column. The Template column in the device list on the Main dialog will also show the filename of the template if all of the terminals will use the same template, or "Multiple..." if the terminals in the strip use different templates.

Multiple templates

The WD_TPLT column in the catalog can specify multiple templates separated by semicolons if a terminal can be represented by one of a number of different templates. Multiple templates can be used to show the terminals as different sizes or views.

Wirediag will attempt to choose the template with the most "similarity" between the filename of the template and the filename of the schematic symbol. You can choose the specific template that you require.

Procedure

  1. Change to the Terminal Strip Editing Dialog of the Wiring Diagram Generator and select the terminal strip that you want to edit. 

  2. Highlight one or more terminals for which you want to change the choice of template.

  3. Click the [Choose Template] button

  4. Pick a single template from a list of templates specified in the catalog for the selected terminal(s).

  5. The different templates could represent, for example, different tiers in a triple-deck terminal.