Connection Preview Window
Connection Preview
The Connection Preview window is a separate "floating" window that shows a graphical preview of the connections associated with the component or conductor that is currently selected in the tree or list view. This is the same graphical preview that is shown in the bottom pane of Connection View, except the Connection Preview window remains visible no matter which view is in use.
If multiple items are selected in the list view, the Connection Preview window will show the connections for each selected component or conductor in separate rows.
The Connection Preview window is separate from the main window of Instrument Manager and can be re-sized and moved, even to a second monitor. It remains on top of Instrument Manager if placed in the same area.
When the preview shows a loop, the service and/or description is shown above each component.
Choose
from the menu.Show Terminal Strip with input and output connections only
This toolbar option is only available when terminal strips are being previewed.
When the user selects a terminal strip component, the preview window will show all of the terminals of that terminal strip and its conductors.
There are two preview modes available for the components connected to the terminal strip. In both modes you will view all of the terminals of the selected terminal strip(s).
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Firstly, you can show the terminal strip and only the components that are directly connected to the terminal strip.
To enable this mode of terminal strip viewing, select the button "Show Terminal Strip with input and output connections only".
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In the second viewing mode, all of the conductors connected to the strip have their signals traced outward to their destination. This can show you any loop diagrams which are connected though the terminal strip.
To enable this mode of terminal strip viewing, DE-select the button "Show Terminal Strip with input and output connections only".
Notes:
You can also change this setting using the menu option
from the menu.
Join Components across loops
By default, when multiple items are selected in the list view, the Connection Preview will show the connections for each selected component in separate rows.
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The connections for the selected components may contain some "common" components; the same components appearing in more than one circuit. By default, these common components will be drawn separately in their respective circuit rows in the Connection Preview.
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Enabling the toolbar option will cause any common components to be joined and drawn as a single component in the Connection preview if possible.
Rules:
The circuits containing a common component must be in adjacent rows. To assist, the Connection Preview will automatically try to reorder the circuit rows to allow for common component joining.
A common component must be in the same column in each circuit. To assist, the Connection Preview will automatically try to align the components in the circuit columns to maximize common component joining.
Notes:
Where the Connection Preview must align common components in order to join them, the alignment use the following properties (in order from highest priority to lowest priority):
- Components in the same Enclosure and of the same type
- Components of the same type
- Components in the same Enclosure
- Components in the same Area
- You can also enable the option to draw "power connection" circuits and join those "power connection" circuits with the selected component's circuit in the Connection Preview using the Loop Generation settings. For more information about "power connection" circuits and enabling the option to draw and the option to join "power connection" circuits, see Loop Generation Settings.