2.4 BeginnersGuide P8

Getting Started
10 / 2014
Copyright 2014 EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG

EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG assumes no liability for either technical or printing errors, or
for deficiencies in this technical information and cannot be held liable for damages that may result directly
or indirectly from the delivery, performance, and use of this material.
This document contains legally protected proprietary information that is subject to copyright. All rights are
protected. This document or parts of this document may not be copied or reproduced by any other means
without the prior consent of EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG.
The software described in this document is subject to a licensing agreement. The use and reproduction of
the software is only permitted within the framework of this agreement.
RITTAL is a registered trademark of Rittal GmbH & Co. KG.
EPLAN, EPLAN Electric P8, EPLAN Fluid, EPLAN PPE, EPLAN Pro Panel and EPLAN Harness
proD are registered trademarks of EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG.
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft
Access and Notepad are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation.
PC WORX, CLIP PROJECT, and INTERBUS are registered trademarks of Phoenix Contact GmbH
& Co.
AutoCAD and AutoCAD Inventor are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc.
STEP 7, SIMATIC and SIMATIC HW Konfig. are registered trademarks of Siemens AG.
InstallShield is a registered trademark of InstallShield, Inc.
Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc.
TwinCAT is a registered trademark of Beckhoff Automation GmbH.
Unity Pro is a registered trademark of Schneider Electric.
RSLogix 5000 and RSLogix Architect are registered trademarks of Rockwell Automation.
All other product names and trade names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
EPLAN uses the Open Source software 7-Zip (7za.dll), Copyright by Igor Pavlov. The source code of
7-Zip is subject to the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). The source code of 7-Zip and details
on this license can be found on the following Web site: http://www.7-zip.org
EPLAN uses the open-source software Open CASCADE, Copyright by Open CASCADE S.A.S. The
source code of Open CASCADE is subject to the Open CASCADE Technology Public License. The
source code of Open CASCADE and details on this license can be found on the following Web site:
http://www.opencascade.org
EPLAN provides an import function which uses eCl@ss. Usage of the eCl@ss standard is subject to
license and requires registration and ordering in the DownloadPortal: http://www.eclassdownload.com
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
7
Introduction
Notes for the Reader
Remarks on the Sample Project
Starting EPLAN
10
Getting to Know the EPLAN User Interface
13
User Interface What You Need to Know in Advance
14
Interface Elements
15
15
15
16
17
18
19
Title bar
Menu bar
Popup Menu
Toolbars
Status bar
Window size adjustment
Changing the User Interface
Docking and undocking control elements
Hiding and Displaying Toolbars
Selecting workspaces
Restoring the original view
Creating a Project
19
19
21
23
24
25
Projects What You Need to Know in Advance
25
Creating Project from Project Template
26
Creating and Editing Pages
31
Pages What You Need to Know in Advance
31
Creating Pages
Closing a page
32
33
35
36
Opening Pages
37
Editing Page Properties
39
Creating cover sheets

Creating additional schematic pages
EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 3
Table of Contents
Opening and Closing a Project
43
Opening a Project
43
Paging Through the Project Pages
45
Creating a View
47
47
48
51
Turning on the grid display

Using window zoom
Deleting and restoring elements
52
Closing a Project
Creating a Schematic
54
Schematics What You Need to Know in Advance
54
Inserting "Angle" Connection Symbols
55
56
Generating connection lines automatically

Inserting Potential Connection Points
57
Inserting "T-node" Connection Symbols
60
Inserting Graphical Elements
62
62
63
Drawing rectangles
Draw lines
Inserting General Devices
Selecting a symbol
Determining properties
Inserting Other General Devices
Inserting Terminal Strips and Terminals
Inserting a terminal strip definition
65
65
68
71
76
79
Drawing Cable Definition Lines
80
Updating Connections
82
Inserting Path Function Texts
83
Inserting "Interruption Point" Connection Symbols

Inserting more action lines
84
86
Generating Cross-references
87
Cross-references What You Need to Know in Advance
87
Automatically Generating Interruption Point Cross-references
88
Table of Contents
Changing display settings for the interruption points
89
Inserting More Connection Symbols and General Devices
92
Inserting Contactor Coils and Contact Images
95
97
Inserting another contact for the coil

Inserting Contacts and Contact Image for Motor Overload Switches
Changing the contact image position
99
102
105
Selecting Parts
Part Selection What You Need to Know in Advance
105
Assigning a Part
106
Generating Reports
114
Reports What You Need to Know in Advance
114
Generating a Terminal Diagram
115
Performing Settings for Parts Lists
121
Printing Other Report Pages
123
Creating and Inserting Macros
128
Macros What You Need to Know in Advance
128
Creating Window Macro
128
Inserting a Window Macro
131
Finding and Replacing Project Data
135
Finding and Replacing Device Tags
135
138
Replacing device tags

Finding Text and Editing Search Entries
Completing and Updating Reports
140
143
Updating Reports - What You Need to Know in Advance
143
Updating Reports
144
Generating Report Templates
145
Generating Project Reports
147
Printing a Project
149
Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction
Dear users,
The team at EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG is pleased to welcome you as a new user.
This guide is for users who have never used EPLAN. Using an example project, we will familiarize you with the basic functions of EPLAN.
Since this documentation is designed as an introduction to EPLAN, many of
the more complicated functions and relationships will be ignored. These
details are covered in our trainings, where you can also find help with your
own individual and company-specific tasks. You should definitely take part in
our training program in order to make the best use of the functionality and
possibilities of the system.
In the program itself, we provide you with an extensive online help system. In
addition to conceptual information and dialog descriptions, here you will also
find "step by step" instructions for most program functions. The "Proceed as
follows" section of the operating information gives you step by step instructions for using the program. Once you have started the program and require
information on a particular dialog, you can then call up the appropriate help
by simply pressing the [F1] key.
Many thanks for your interest in EPLAN Electric P8. We hope that the beginner's manual will give you a thorough insight into the many different options
and features of your EPLAN software.
Your EPLAN Software & Service team

Before you begin reading, please note the following symbols and styles used
in this handbook:
Note:
Text preceded by this image contains extra notes.
Tip:
Useful tips to facilitate your interaction with the program are presented
after this image.
Example:
Examples are highlighted by this symbol.
User interface elements are marked in bold so they can immediately be
located in the text.
Italic text provides particularly important information that you should definitely pay attention to.
Directory names and direct entries (among other things) are displayed in a
non-proportional font.
Function keys, keyboard keys, and buttons within the program are shown
in square brackets (e.g., [F1] for the "F1" function key).
To improve the flow of the text, we often use "menu paths" in this document (for example, Help > Contents). In order to find a particular program function, the menus and options shown in a menu path must be
selected in the sequence shown. For example, the menu path mentioned
above calls up the EPLAN help system.
The operating information provides step-by-step instructions for reaching

specific targets, and in many places, after the right-arrow symbol
also find the reaction of the program to your action.
you'll
In combination with settings or fields (e.g., check boxes) which can only be
switched on or off, in this document we often use the term "activate" (after
which the setting is active
inactive ).
) and "deactivate" (after which the setting is

In the following chapters, you will gradually create and evaluate a small
sample project. So that you can successfully follow the instructions, we
assume that you have already installed EPLAN and have the required software protection (dongle) and license.
While writing this guide, we used the fully licensed program with its entire
scope of functionality. If you have not licensed all the modules, this documentation (or some figures in this documentation) may possibly go beyond
the scope of functionality of the software you have purchased, that is, functions are also described which may not be available to you.
All settings can be made in a central location in the program (in the Options
menu under the menu item Settings). For the sample project, we almost
exclusively used the default settings of the project template being used. Don't
change these settings while working with the sample project; otherwise you
may see different results.
You can control EPLAN using both the mouse and the keyboard. To quickly
call up program functions, you often also have additional buttons on the toolbars and / or key combinations (e.g., [Ctrl] + [C] to copy elements). Since a
list of the different call-up options would make this guide much larger, we usually use the mouse controls in the action instructions.
Starting EPLAN
Starting EPLAN
In this chapter, you will learn how to start EPLAN easily.
During program installation, a program icon is created on the Windows
Desktop. You can use this icon to start EPLAN immediately.
1. Double-click the EPLAN icon
EPLAN starts.
If you are not working with EPLAN rights management, the Select scope
of menu dialog will open. Here, you specify the user mode in which you
would like to define the displayed scope of the menu.
2. In the Select scope of menu dialog, select the Expert user mode.
You can also change the defined mode for the next time you start the program.
3. Click [OK].
In addition to the main EPLAN window, EPLAN will by default then open
the Tip of the day dialog. In this informational dialog, which is auto-
Starting EPLAN
matically shown every time you start the program, you are shown useful
information on program functions.
4. Deselect the Show tips at startup check box if you do not wish this dialog to appear every time the program is started.
5. Click on [Close] to close the Tip of the day.
The dialog Customer-focused improvement program is opened. With
this program statistical information is recorded and sent in anonymous
form to EPLAN Software & Service. We use insights gained from such
information to further improve the user-friendliness and performance of
the software.
6. Leave the preset option Decide later activated and click [Close] to terminate this dialog.
Before you create a project, you will first see a little more information about
the user interface in the next chapter.
Starting EPLAN
Note:
In the Select scope of menu dialog, if you activated the Do not show
this dialog again check box, this dialog will no longer be shown when you
start EPLAN, and the currently specified menu scope will be used. Dialogs
that you have deactivated in this manner can be reactivated under Options > Settings > User > Display > User interface using the Reactivate
suppressed messages check box.
Tips:
If later on you want to participate in the improvement program or want to
terminate your participation, you can access the dialog at any time by
using the menu items Help > Customer-focused improvement program.
You can leave EPLAN at any time by first closing all open dialogs with
[Esc], [Cancel], or by clicking the mouse on
then selecting the menu item Project > Exit.
in the title bar, and

In this chapter, you will learn about the most important elements of the program interface. You will also learn how to change the interface easily.
When first started, EPLAN begins with a pre-configured interface. Besides
various other interface elements, you see the Page navigator and the
Graphical preview on the left side of the main window. When you first start
the program, these two windows are empty. The area on the right side with
the background image will be used later as a working area for the opened
pages.

What is the EPLAN main window?
The main window is the entire working area of the program; its size and position can be changed. For many other interface elements (e.g., menu bars,
toolbars, "dockable" windows like the Page navigator) the main window is
more or less the "frame". You can attach ("dock") these elements to the window edges inside the main window.
What is the Page navigator?
The Page navigator is a window in which EPLAN shows the pages of all
open projects. You can choose between two representation types. In the tree
view, the pages are displayed hierarchically by page type and identifier (such
as higher-level function, mounting location, etc.). In the list view, this information is shown arranged in a table. You can switch between the two views by
clicking on the corresponding tab. In the Page navigator, you can edit the
pages of one project, for instance, copy pages, delete them, or change page
properties. Multiple pages from different projects can not be edited at one
time.
Tip:
To show and hide the Page navigator quickly, you can use the [F12] key.
What is the Graphical preview?
The Graphical preview is a preview window for the minimized display of
highlighted pages, symbols, image files, macros, forms, etc. For example, if
you have highlighted one or several pages in the page navigator, they will be
displayed in a minimized window in the Graphical preview. Using this window, you can quickly search through all the pages of a project.
Interface Elements
Interface Elements
Title bar
The horizontal bar at the top edge of a Windows application is the title bar. It
contains the program icon with the system menu, the program name, and
the buttons controlling the size setting of the window.
If you have opened a project, the name of the current project including file
path will also be shown in the title bar by default. The name of a currently
opened page is additionally displayed in square brackets in the title bar (e.g.
[=ANL+SCP/1]).
Menu bar
The menu bar is located below the title bar. It contains the most important
commands and dialog calls.
In order to show all the menu items of a menu, left-click on the corresponding
menu. Until you have opened a project and a page, you will not be able to
select many of the menu items. These menu items are shown in a grayedout view.
Some menu items work like a switch, that is, they can be turned on or off.
This applies particularly to the View menu for the Graphical preview menu
item. If the option is switched on, then this is indicated with a preceding check
mark
Popup Menu
Example:
The following example shows the "switched-on" menu item Graphical preview in the View menu.
Tip:
In the Graphical preview, the pages you have selected in the Page navigator are shown in a reduced view. Using this window, you can, for
instance, quickly search through all the pages of a project.
Popup Menu
In many places in the program (in fields of windows or dialogs, in an opened
page) you can open up a popup menu by right-clicking. The popup menu
shows the most commonly used menu items for the object in question.
Example:
The figure shows the popup menu for the Page navigator, opened by
using the right-hand menu button.
Toolbars
Toolbars
As standard, the toolbars are located below the menu bar and consist of buttons allowing you to directly call up the most important EPLAN functions.
Here, too, you do not initially have all the buttons available.
Example:
The following figure shows you the Default toolbar for an opened project.
Status bar
Status bar
The status bar is located at the lower edge of the window. When you point the
mouse at a menu item or a button in a toolbar, a brief informative text relating
to the action called by this command is displayed here.
If you have the cursor in an opened page, the status bar shows you information about the cursor position, grid, and logical status, along with data about
the currently selected element, in some cases.
Example:
In the sample project we will create later, we opened the first schematic
page (full page name =ANL+SCP/1) as an example, and positioned the
cursor on a certain point.
RX:44,00 RY:17,00
RX and RY represent the horizontal and vertical position (coordinates) in
grid increments. On logic pages (such as this schematic page), the

coordinates are entered in grid increments; and on graphics pages, they
are entered in millimeters or inches.
On: 4.00 mm
means that the Snap to grid option is activated and that the grid size for
this page is 4 mm.
Logic 1:1
means that this page is a logic page with a scale of 1:1. Device data is
reported on logic pages.

The ability to modify the size of the EPLAN main window (and also other dialogs) is indicated by three diagonal lines in the lower right-hand corner of the
window. In the maximized view of the main window, the diagonal lines are
not shown. To show them, the window must be reduced in size, for instance
using the
button.
You can change the window size by positioning the mouse pointer in the
frame at the edge of the window, and then pulling the window frame left / right
or up / down while holding down the left mouse button.
Changing the User Interface

You can change the view of the user interface to fit your own work habits.
Many dialogs, such as the Page navigator, which you often use for editing
your data, can be permanently positioned on your screen while working with
EPLAN and undocked from the EPLAN main window in the same manner as
independent windows.
You can position any of these "Windows" (in an undocked state), and every
other dialog, by pulling the title bar of the dialog to the desired position while
holding down the left mouse button.

Some user interface control elements, such as the menu bar, the toolbars or
various windows like the Page Navigator, can be positioned inside or outside of the EPLAN main window.
1. In the title bar of the EPLAN main window, click the
imize).
The EPLAN main window will be minimized.
button (Min-
2. Next click the title bar of the Page navigator with the left mouse button
and keep the button pressed.
3. Press [Ctrl] to avoid docking, and pull the Page navigator to a free position on the Windows Desktop.
If the borders of the respective control element are displayed with a thick
line, EPLAN positions the control element as an independent, undocked
element on the Windows desktop.
4. Repeat this procedure for additional control elements. To do this for a
toolbar or the menu bar, click on a "free" spot within the bar.
Practice docking control elements, too.
5. To do this, click the title bar of the desired undocked control element
(e.g., the Page navigator) with the left mouse button and keep the button pressed.
6. Pull the element to the desired position in the EPLAN main window.
To dock the undocked element to the border of the EPLAN main window
(or the border of another dockable element), you must move the cursor
exactly to the border of the EPLAN main window. You can recognize this
by the border of the element being displayed as a thin line. This will be a
horizontal or vertical line, depending on whether you wish to position the
control element at the top, bottom, left, or right. You can recognize the orientation from the thinly drawn preview rectangle.
When the program is exited, EPLAN saves the last settings of these elements (docked, undocked, size, position) and restores them the next time
the program is started.
Example:
The following illustration shows the EPLAN user interface reconfigured by
docking and undocking control elements. Moreover, another toolbar ("Symbols") has been hidden and two more moved around inside the main window ("Graphics", "Connection symbols").

In EPLAN, there are a number of predefined toolbars for the different program areas. To avoid unnecessarily reducing the size of your EPLAN user
interface, you have the option of hiding the toolbars you don't need.
1. Click the right mouse button on a free area in the menu bar or toolbar.
The popup menu shows all the available toolbars. Displayed toolbars are
marked with a preceding checkmark
2. Select the Standard toolbar, for instance, and click the check box in front
of the toolbar name.
EPLAN closes the popup menu and hides the toolbar.
3. Repeat the procedure and deactivate some more toolbars.
Practice displaying (unhiding) toolbars too. To do this, call up the popup

menu again and click on the name of a hidden toolbar (e.g., Standard).
Tip:
For the hiding and displaying of toolbars, you also have the Customize dialog available. You can call up this dialog in the popup menu of the menu
bar or tool bar via the Customize menu item. You can also use this dialog
to customize and extend the predefined toolbars and create your own toolbars.
Once you have changed the EPLAN user interface to suit your needs, you
can save this arrangement as a "workspace." In an EPLAN workspace, the
size and position of the EPLAN main window are determined, as well as the
position, size and settings of dockable dialogs, menus, and toolbars.
Using the workspace, you can quickly adapt the EPLAN interface to different
tasks. We provide you with a few predefined workspaces which you can use
as templates for your own workspaces.
1. Select the menu item View > Workspace.
The Workspace dialog opens.
2. From the Scheme drop-down list, select the entry Connections as an

example of a workspace.
3. Click [OK].
The interface changes you made disappear. Besides the Page navigator,
the main window now also contains the two windows Potentials and Connections. In these special navigators, all the potentials and connections of a
project are shown.

1. Select the menu item View > Workspace.
The Workspace dialog opens.
2. From the Scheme drop-down list, select the entry Default.
3. Click [OK].
EPLAN now shows the view displayed when it first started up. Using this
action, you can reset an EPLAN user interface that you may have changed
back to the original state.
You can find more detailed information about the user interface for
instance, how you can define your own workspaces in the EPLAN online
help.
Creating a Project
Creating a Project
Now that you have learned something about the operation of the user interface in the last chapter, you will learn how to create a project quickly and
easily using a project template.
Projects What You Need to Know in Advance

What is a project?
In EPLAN, schematics and attached documents such as lists and overviews
are created as pages within projects. A project consists of a collection of different types of documents. Projects are stored and organized in a special
database "Project Management".
What is a project structure?
In EPLAN, "Project structure" means the combination of all identifier structures used in the project for objects, pages, devices, and functions. All
objects in a project (pages, devices, and functions) must be identified and placed in a hierarchical structure within the project. In a hierarchically arranged
project structure, for instance, you can store and find pages and devices
more easily. The identifiers for project structure are called "structure identifiers".
What is a project template?
In order to create a new project, you always need a template. When using the
project template, you create a project in which some settings are already predefined. For instance, the structure of page identifiers and device tags are stored in a project template. The file extension for project templates is *.ept.

Based on a project template, you can create a project quickly and easily. The
project settings and project data from the selected template are then applied
to the new project. After creating your project, you can adjust the project data
and settings in the new project.
1. Select the Project > New menu option.
The Create project dialog opens.
2. In the Project name field, enter the name for your first project. Name the
project EPLAN_start.
3. Select the storage location for the project. To do this, click [...] next to the
field Storage location.
The Select directory dialog is opened.
4. By default, your projects are managed in the Projects directory in a "company folder" created during installation. Select this "company folder", and
select the popup menu New > Folder menu items.
A new folder is created below the currently selected "company folder",
whose temporary name New Folder is highlighted with an edit frame.
5. Here, enter the name EPLAN_start and click [OK].
The Select directory dialog is closed and you are returned to the Create
project dialog.
6. Select a project template. To do this, click the [...] button next to the Template field.
The Select project template / basic project dialog opens.
7. In the File type field, select the EPLAN project template (*.ept)
option.
The available project templates are displayed in the list.
8. Select the IEC_tpl001.ept project template.

9. Click on [Open].
The Select project template / basic project dialog is closed, and the
name for the project template is accepted for the Template field.
10. Activate the check boxes Specify creation date and Specify creator.
The current date and your user code are entered in the project properties
when creating the project.
11. Click [OK].
The project is created, and the project templates are copied into the new
project. This procedure may take some time.
The Project properties: EPLAN_start dialog is opened. In the Structure tab, the page and device structure applied from the project template
is displayed and you can modify it here. In this sample project we do,
however, leave the settings unchanged.
12. Click [OK].
The Project properties: EPLAN_start dialog is closed, and the project
EPLAN_start is displayed in the Page navigator. Projects form the first
level in the tree (icon: ). The levels with the project pages are typically
below the level with the project name.
You have just created a project, but the project still has no pages.
The selected project template enables hierarchically arranged structures for
all objects in the project. It has a project structure already determined. Structure identifiers for the "higher-level function" and the "mounting location" are
used to identify pages and devices. This will, for example, be visible later
when editing the page properties in the Full page name dialog (see
page"40").
The next chapter will describe how to create and edit pages. There, you will
also read how to assign structure identifiers for the pages.
Note:
Once you are more familiar with EPLAN, you can use the Properties and
Structure tabs of the Project properties: <Project name> dialog to
change the default settings from the project template with regard to project
properties and device structure. The page structure can only be determined when a project is created, and cannot later be changed.

In the last chapter you have created an empty project. In this chapter, you will
learn how to create pages and edit their page properties.
In EPLAN, every page is assigned a particular page type. A project generally
consists of pages of different types. The page types help structure a project.
The page type is generally assigned when the page is created, but it can also
be changed later.
Pages What You Need to Know in Advance

What is a title page or cover sheet?
A page with the Title page / cover sheet page type contains general
project information such as project name, a description of the project, the drawing number, revision information, and so on. The title page or cover sheet is
usually the first page of a project.
What is a schematic multi-line page?
A schematic multi-line page is a page for which the schematic documentation has multi-line symbols. It has special editing capabilities for the
creation and analysis of schematic diagrams. For instance, symbols inserted
are automatically connected with one another.
What is a graphical editor?
A graphical editor is the part of the program you use to create and edit schematics and mechanical drawings. It is started when you open a page. Besides the window in which the page is displayed, the menu bar also has
numerous program functions (such as the Insert menu) available for graphical editing.
The window is dockable and has its own standard Windows buttons. In a
"maximized" view, the window of the editor fits into the main window in such
Creating Pages
a way that the title bar is integrated into the menu bar of the main window
(see also the illustration on page "37"). In the "minimized" view, the window
has its own title bar.
Creating Pages
For schematic editing in the chapter after next, you will need another page of
the Schematic multi-line type.
1. In the tree view of the Page navigator, select the project EPLAN_start.
2. Select the menu items Page > New.
EPLAN opens the New page dialog. The Page type field is automatically
prepopulated with Schematic multi-line(I).
3. In the Page description field, enter the text, Power supply.

4. Click [OK].
The new page is shown in the tree view of the Page navigator below the
level of the EPLAN_start project and opened in the Graphical editor.
Tips:
To create new pages, you can also use the
Page toolbar.
(New page) button in the
In the Page navigator, you can also select Popup menu > New. Any
page or structure level may be selected when you do this.

Next you will create a cover sheet for your project.
1. In the tree view of the Page navigator, select the 1 Power supply
page.
2. Select the menu items Page > New.
EPLAN opens the New page dialog. Most property fields already have
values. EPLAN accepts the properties of the selected page and automatically suggests the next free page for the Full page name.
3. Click on [Clear fields].
The contents of some properties fields (such as the Page description
field) are deleted. The automatically suggested Full page name and the
prepopulated Page type are kept.
4. Next to the Page type field, click the [...] button.
The Add page type dialog opens.
5. In the Add page type dialog, select the entry, Title page / cover
sheet (A), and click [OK].
6. In the Page description field, enter the text Cover sheet.
7. For the Form name property, click in the Value field next to it, and then
click the
button that appears.
8. From the list that drops down, select the F26_001 entry.
No value needs to be entered for the Plot frame name property. The plot
frame used for a page is already predefined in the project settings. The
other displayed properties, Scale and Grid, are already prepopulated
with correct entries.
9. Click [OK].
The cover sheet is shown in the tree view of the Page navigator and opened in the Graphical editor.

Next, you will add another page of the Schematic multi-line type. To do
this, in the Page navigator, select the page you just created, 2 Cover
sheet, and select the menu items Page > New. Then, in the Page type
field, select the entry, Schematic multi-line (I), and in the Page description field enter the text, Control ET1. Now you have created the pages
you need for editing the schematic.
Closing a page
Closing a page
Since you don't immediately need the second schematic page, close it again.
1. Select the menu item Page > Close.
The page 3 Control ET1 is closed.
Tip:
If you have the cursor in an opened page, then you can also close the page
using the key combination [Ctrl] + [F4].
Opening Pages
Opening Pages
As you can already see from the different icons in the Page navigator, the
two pages of your project, EPLAN_start, have different page types. Page 2
is a Title page / cover sheet type (icon for reporting pages:
pages 1 and 3 are Schematic multi-line types (icon: ).
), and
1. In the tree view of the Page navigator, select the page 2 Cover sheet.
2. Select the menu item Page > Open.
EPLAN opens the page in the Graphical editor. The cover sheet of the
project is shown.
The page name is displayed not only in the title bar of the main window,
but also as a tab under the graphic. (This is the case, if in the View menu,
you activated the menu item Workbook.)
Opening Pages
In the Page navigator, you can recognize the opened page from the fact
that the page name and description (2 Cover sheet) are now in bold.
Tip:
To open a page selected in the Page navigator, you can also double-click
on the page or press the [Enter] key.
Open the page 1 in the same way. This will automatically close the first page
and display the empty schematic in the Graphical editor.
Tip:
In EPLAN, you also have the option of viewing multiple pages on the
screen at one time. For instance, select page 2 again, then from the popup
menu of the Page navigator select the menu item Open in new window.
EPLAN opens the page in another window of the Graphical editor. For
every opened page, a tab is shown below the graphical editor window. You
can quickly switch between pages by clicking these tabs.

For the sample project, you selected a project template with predefined identifier structures. The pages created, however, don't yet have structure identifiers. In the following section, we describe how you can assign the identifier
by editing the page properties.
1. In the tree view of the Page navigator, select the cover sheet (page 2
Cover sheet).
2. Then, select the menu items Edit > Properties or press the keyboard
shortcut [Ctrl] + [D].
The Page properties dialog opens.
3. Change the value in the Full page name field. To do this, click the [...]
button next to the field of the same name.
EPLAN opens the Full page name dialog. Here, you can enter the structure identifier and the name of the page (e.g., the page number).
4. Enter the value ANL in the Higher-level function line.

5. Enter DBT in the Mounting location line.
6. In the Page name field, change the entry from 2 to 1.
7. Click [OK].
The Full page name dialog is closed. The structure identifiers are accepted for the field of the same name in the Page properties dialog.
8. In the Page properties dialog, click [OK].
The cover sheet will then be placed in the tree view of the Page navigator according to the assigned structure identifiers (full page name
=ANL+DBT/1). For the "Higher-level function" structure identifier level with
, the icon
will be used; and for the "Mounting location" structure iden-
tifier level with the identifier DBT, the icon
will be used.
Repeat this action for the schematic page (page 1 and 3). In the Full page
name dialog, as the structure identifier for the Higher-level function, enter
the designation ANL again. For the Mounting location, enter the designation
SCP for the schematic pages. And for the second schematic page, in the
Page name field, change the entry from 3 to 2.
Tip:
You can also determine structure identifiers and page names in the Full
page name dialog when you create a page.
Now all pages in the project have structure identifiers. To display all pages in
the Page navigator, click the plus sign in the tree in front of the identifiers
ANL, DBT, and SCP. You may first have to enlarge the Page navigator window a little before you can read all the page descriptions.
Note:
If you have made a change during page editing (for instance, changed
page properties, inserted graphical elements, etc.), then EPLAN saves
these changes immediately. There is no separate save necessary, and so
there is no corresponding menu item in the program!

Before you start with the actual creation of a schematic, you will first look at a
predefined demonstration project in this chapter. You will also learn how to
open and close a project, and you will learn a few basic commands for viewing and editing a project.
Opening a Project
1. Select the menu items Project > Open.
The Open project dialog opens. Here, the projects are shown which are
located in your predefined project directory by default.
2. If they are not in the standard directory, click the Path field and then
select the popup menu Go to default.
3. Select the project EPLAN-DEMO.elk.

4. Click [Open].
Opening a Project
The page description is displayed in the Page navigator.

5. Click on the plus sign in front of the project name EPLAN-DEMO in the
tree view. Then repeat this for the plus sign in front of the structure level
CA1, then for the next to the structure level EAA.
The first section of the tree is opened. The pages are now displayed in
the "lowest" project level.
6. Now open the first page of the sample project with the description, Title
page (=CA1+EAA/1), for instance, by selecting the tree view and then
double-clicking.
The cover sheet of the project, EPLAN-DEMO, is shown in the Graphical

editor.
First, page through the pages of this extensive project.
Tip:
For instance, if you want to show all the pages of a project in the tree at
once, then select the (closed) hierarchy level with the project name, and
press the [X] key on the numeric block of your keyboard. For a larger project, this process can take some time.

Using the appropriate program functions, you can look at the pages of a project one after the other in the Graphical editor.
1. Select the menu items Page > Next page to page to the next page of the
EPLAN-DEMO project.
EPLAN shows you the next page in the window of the Graphical editor.
2. Repeat this action a few times and look at the contents of the pages in
the Graphical editor.
The pages are shown one after another in the Graphical editor. If the
tree structure in the Page navigator was not yet completely opened, this
will be done while paging through the pages. The page name and the
description of the currently opened page are highlighted in bold in the
Page navigator.
3. Page back a few pages, too. To do this, select the menu item Page >
Previous page.
4. Finally, finish paging and select the first schematic multi-line page
(=EB3+ET1/1 with the description Power supply) of the demo project.
Tip:
To page through the project pages, you can also use the keys [PgDn] /
[PgUp] or the buttons
/
in the Page toolbar. However, if your cursor
is located in the Page navigator, the keys will not page through the pages
but will cause the cursor to jump to the bottom or top page shown in the
tree view.
Creating a View
Creating a View
Using the page =EB3+ET1/1 now opened in the demo project, we would like
to introduce you to a few functions which will be useful later when you create
schematics.
Turning on the grid display

A glance at the two menu items View and Options will show you that in
EPLAN there are numerous program functions which make it easier for you
to draw schematics.
You can work with a grid to make the positioning of elements easier. By
default, in the Options menu, the menu item Snap to grid is activated.
If this option is activated, the graphical elements and symbols are positioned
directly on the grid points of the grid during the drawing process.
The size of the grid used is stored as a page property. In the graphical editor,
you can modify the grid size set by default to the respective page type. Using
the
to
buttons in the View toolbar, you can switch between five different grids, for which different grid sizes have been stored in the user settings.
Please keep the Snap to grid option activated during the subsequent schematic generation and use Grid C with the default grid size 4.0 mm.
Using window zoom
The grid size used is displayed in the status bar. The "ON" or "OFF" text in
the status bar in front of the grid size indicates whether the snap to grid is
activated or not (see example regarding status bar on page "18").
1. Select the menu item View > Grid to activate the grid view (or in the
View toolbar, click the
(Grid) button).
The use of grid snap is independent of the grid display options. If this view
bothers you later when creating the schematic, then turn the grid display off
in the same way.
Using window zoom

Normally, the entire page is shown in a window of the Graphical editor. For
schematic editing, it is often a good idea to enlarge a certain screen segment
in order to be able to see details better. For instance, you can use the "window zoom" in order to show a certain window segment in an enlarged view.
1. Select the menu item View > Zoom > Window (or in the View toolbar,
click the
(Zoom window) button).
In addition to the mouse pointer, a magnifying glass will also be displayed.
2. Left-click the mouse in the upper left corner of the schematic, and use
the mouse to open an area which includes about a quarter of the schematic page.
The area to be enlarged is outlined with a thick frame while it is being
selected.
Using window zoom
3. Click the left mouse button again.

The selected area is displayed at maximum size.
Using window zoom
If the entire page should be displayed later, select the menu items View >
Zoom > 100% (or in the View toolbar click the
(Zoom 100%) button).
Tip:
You can also use an optional mouse wheel to zoom in EPLAN. By default,
during scrolling the mouse wheel acts in the same way you are familiar
with from other CAD programs. If you scroll up / down with the mouse
wheel, the page is enlarged / reduced. In the settings, you also have the
option of changing the scrolling behavior so that it matches the behavior of
text editing programs. In this case, when you scroll with the mouse wheel,
the visible section of the page is moved upwards or downwards.

1. Move the mouse pointer onto the element with the designation -Q1.
The element is displayed in a different color. Below the symbol, a small
text window (Tooltip) is displayed with information about the element.
2. Select the element by clicking on it.

The color of the element changes again.
3. Select the menu item Edit > Delete (or press [Delete]).
The element -Q1 is completely deleted. You can, however, use the Undo
command to reinsert the element.
4. Then select the menu item Edit > Undo.
Note:
When editing elements in the Graphical editor, besides the usual Windows operating methods (first select elements, then call command), in
most cases the reverse order of operation (first call the command, then
select elements) is also supported.
Practice this once for the element -Q1 you just inserted.
1. Select the menu item Edit > Delete.
Closing a Project
In addition to the mouse pointer, two other symbols are also displayed.
The box with the red X is the symbol assigned to the delete function, and
the box with the dashed line stands for the area to be selected.
2. Left-click the mouse button on the upper left of the element, and use the
mouse to drag a frame around -Q1.
The element -Q1 is removed.
3. This time, press the key combination [Ctrl] + [Z] to undo the Delete command again and to reinsert the element.
Closing a Project
1. Select the menu item Project > Close.
The EPLAN-DEMO project is closed.
If your cursor is in the Page navigator, then the project for which you have
selected one or more pages is closed.
Note:
Please note that the menu item Close in the popup menu Page navigator
only closes the page currently located in the foreground. If you want to
close a project using the popup menu of the Page navigator, then you
need to select the menu items Popup menu > Project > Close.
Tip:
In the Project menu, beneath the menu item Print attached documents,
a list of the last projects opened is displayed. You can use this list to open a
corresponding project without needing to use the menu item Open.
Closing a Project
Example:
Also consider the following example. You have just closed the demo project. Now click on the Project menu and select the EPLAN-DEMO.elk entry.
EPLAN opens the demo project again. After it opens, practice closing it
again.
Now that you have looked at the complicated demo project in this chapter, in
the next two main sections you will create a much "simpler" schematic.
In this chapter, you will begin with the creation of a simple schematic. If
necessary, to do this, first open the schematic page =ANL+SCP/1 in your
sample project with the description, Power supply.
Schematics What You Need to Know in Advance

What is a symbol?
A symbol is a graphic which is used in EPLAN to show functions. By default,
symbols do not contain any logical data. These are generally stored in the
functions.
What is a component?
A component is a graphical element for the representation of a function. It
consists of the function and symbol. The function contains the logical data
and the symbol contains the graphical data. A component has a device tag,
connection point designations, and so on.
What are devices?
Devices are logical electronic or fluid-technical units that work together. They
are named with a device tag (DT) such as M1, K1, X1, XS1, W1.
What are coordinate systems?
A number of different coordinate systems are available in EPLAN for positioning the cursor. Depending on the page type, a certain coordinate system
will be the default. On electrical engineering schematic pages, the coordinate
system is of the type, Electrical engineering. This has its origin in the upper
left corner of the drawing surface. The coordinates are indicated in grid increments RX and RY and displayed in the status bar.

As the first elements, insert a few angles into your schematic. Angles and
other elements (T-nodes, interruption points, etc.) are considered in EPLAN
to be connection symbols, used to show the paths of connections in the
schematic.
1. Select the menu item Insert > Connection symbol > Angle (down,
right).
The angle hangs on the cursor.
2. Select Options > Coordinate input.
The Coordinate input dialog opens.
3. In the Current cursor position group box, for X: enter 10 and for Y:
enter 10.
4. Click [OK].
The Coordinate input dialog is closed. Along with the cursor, EPLAN
places the angle at the given position. The current cursor position is also
shown in the bottom left corner of the status bar.
5. You can immediately insert more angles. To do this, call Coordinate
input again, as shown above, and place more Angles (down, right) at
the positions RX:12 / RY:11 and RX:14 / RY:12.
6. Then select Popup menu > Cancel action to terminate the action.
Notes:
In the entire sample project, we place the different schematic elements
into precisely defined positions to make it possible to compare the results. This kind of determination of insertion coordinates is not absolutely
necessary when editing your own schematics. To do this when inserting
as described above you can use Coordinate input or position the
elements at the given coordinates using the mouse or the cursor keys.
If you use the Coordinate input dialog to do this, each element is directly placed after confirming the coordinates with [OK].
If you position the element using the mouse or keyboard, then after positioning you must still left click or press [Enter] in order to place the element on the page.
Please note that when inserting to specific coordinates outside of the
coordinate systems in use, the grid size being used will also play a role.
The grid size for pages of the type, Schematic multi-line, has a
default of "4.00 mm". If, for example, in the Page properties you
changed the default Grid from "4.00 mm" to "2.00 mm", then the angle
that you inserted first (previous position RX:10 / RY:10) would now be in
the position RX:20 / RY:20.
Tip:
To call the Coordinate input quickly, you can also press the [P] key.

Repeat the "Insert angle" procedure for the symbol Angle down, left (menu
path: Insert > Connection symbol > Angle (down, left)) and insert three
more angles at the coordinates RX:84 / RY:10, RX:86 / RY:11, and RX:88 /
RY:12.
Once the connection points of two angle symbols are directly horizontally (or
vertically) aligned in the schematic, they are automatically connected with a
connection line. This is called "autoconnecting", in which the connection lines
created this way are called "autoconnect lines". Only these autoconnect lines
are recognized and reported as electrical connections between symbols.
Autoconnecting is always performed if the connection points of two symbols
are aligned horizontally or vertically. When inserting and moving symbols, a
preview of the autoconnect lines is shown.

The potentials in the schematic can be defined by potential connection
points.
1. Select the menu item Insert > Potential connection point.
The symbol for the potential connection point hangs on the mouse
pointer.
2. Position the first potential connection point at the coordinates RX:10 /
RY:48 and click the left mouse button to place it.
The Properties (components): Potential connection point opens.
3. On the Potential definition tab in the properties dialog, for the Name of
potential, enter the value L1.
4. In the Properties group box for the Potential type, select the value L
from the drop-down list.
5. Click [OK].
The properties dialog is then closed.
You can immediately insert more potential connection points. First position
the connection points L2, L3 (both with potential type L) at the coordinates
RX:12 / RY:48 and RX:14 / RY:48 and the connection point PE/N (with potential type Undefined) at the coordinates RX:16 / RY:48.
Then place two more potential connection points PE and N (with potential
types of PE and N) in the schematic at the coordinates RX:16 / RY:35 and
RX:19 / RY:38. After the symbols are placed, a different symbol variant must
be selected in the properties dialog. To do this, click on the Symbol data tab
in the properties dialog and, in the Variant field, select Variant C.
Finish this action by selecting the menu item Cancel action from the popup
menu or pressing the [Esc] key.
Tip:
If there are different variants of a symbol (such as for a potential connection point), then you already have several possibilities during positioning to select between the different variants. For instance, if the symbol
is hanging on the mouse pointer, you can press the [Ctrl] key and move
the cursor in a circle. The various variants are displayed. Once you have
decided on a variant, first release the [Ctrl] key, then click the left mouse
button to place the symbol. A different way to page between the variants
available consists of pressing the [Tab] key while inserting.

There are T-nodes for four different directions. For each direction, there are
then four variants.
1. Select the menu items Insert > Connection symbol > T-node (right).
The T-node hangs on the mouse pointer.
2. Position the T-node at the coordinates RX:16 / RY:42 and click the left
mouse button to place it.
3. End the action using Popup menu > Cancel action.
4. Then select the menu item View > Insertion points.
The insertion points of all placed schematic elements are shown in the
schematic as "black squares".
5. Double-click on the insertion point of the T-node.
The T-node right dialog opens.
6. Here, select the option 1st target below, 2nd target right.
7. Click [OK].
Repeat this action for the connection symbol T-node down (menu path:
Insert > Connection symbol > T-node (down)), and insert two more Tnodes at the coordinates RX:44 / RY:10 and RX:48 / RY:11. No variant selection is necessary.
Insert another Angle up, left as well (menu path: Insert > Connection symbol > Angle (up, left)), and place it at the coordinates RX:19 / RY:42.
If you do not want the insertion points to be shown, select View > Insertion
points again.
Tips:
For fast display and hiding of the insertion points, you can also use the [ i
] key.
By double-clicking the insertion point, you can also open the respective
properties dialog and then edit the properties for other symbols, texts
and graphical elements that are placed in the graphical editor. Alternatively, you can select the respective object and select the Properties
menu item in the popup menu.

Graphical elements are elements like lines, circles, rectangles, and so on,
which contain no information relevant to the schematic. To draw these elements, you have several commands available in the Insert > Graphic
menu.
Drawing rectangles
1. Select the menu item Insert > Graphic > Rectangle.
The rectangle hangs on the mouse pointer.
2. Position the cursor at the coordinates RX:7 / RY:51.
3. Click the left mouse button to determine the starting point of the rectangle.
4. Then move the cursor to the coordinates RX:19 / RY:45 and click the left
mouse button to place the end point of the rectangle.
Draw lines
Note:
When inserting graphical elements, a small text window for inputting numbers is displayed on the cursor by default. This text window is called the
"input box".
The values entered in the input box relate to the graphical coordinate system with its origin at the bottom-left and which is reported in "mm" or
"inch", according to the preset displayed measuring unit.
If the Input box function is enabled in the Options menu, you can use the
input box, for example, to position graphical elements quickly and precisely
on graphical pages. On such pages, the graphical coordinate system is preset.
Draw lines
1. Select the menu item Insert > Graphic > Line.
The symbol for the line hangs on the mouse pointer.
3. Click the left mouse button to determine the starting point of the first line.
mouse button to place the end point of the first line.
5. Repeat this action, and position the starting point of the second line at the
coordinates RX:18 / RY:38. Place the end point of the second line at the
coordinates RX:21 / RY:38.
6. Then select the Cancel action popup menu item to terminate the action.
Draw lines
To "visually" highlight the action line, change the formatting properties of the
lines inserted.
7. Double-click, for instance, on the "PE" line (the first line).
The Properties (line) dialog is opened.
8. In the properties dialog click the plus sign before the Format hierarchy
level in order to expand the hierarchy level.
9. Change the settings here. For instance, select a different Line
thickness, Color, Line type, Pattern length, and / or Line end style.
10. Click [OK].

Repeat this action for the second action line. To differentiate the lines, select
different formatting properties (e.g., a different color or a different line type).

Unlike other symbols (such as the connection symbols), general devices can
only be selected via symbol selection.
Selecting a symbol
In Symbol selection, you can select symbols from a tree or list view. In the
tree view, symbols are divided neatly into different groups based on their
function definitions. Here, you can page through the different groups until you
find the symbol you want.
Selecting a symbol
Example:
The following illustration shows symbol selection through the tree view for
the first device to be inserted.
If you select a symbol in the tree, below the tree a symbol description of
that symbol is displayed. On the right side in the dialog, the Symbol selection presents you with a preview. Once you have selected the desired symbol in the preview, you can then accept it with a double-click.
For the sample project, we are using a symbol selection from the list view.
You can also select a symbol very quickly using direct entry in the list view.
Note:
The symbol selection via direct entry described below works only if you
leave the columns of the list configured so that the name of the symbol is
in the first column.
Selecting a symbol
1. Select the menu item Insert > Symbol.

The Symbol selection dialog is opened.
2. In the Symbol selection dialog, select the List tab.
3. To reduce the number of symbols shown, select a filter now. To do this,
from the Filter drop-down list, apply the IEC symbols, multi-line
entry.
4. Select the Active check box to activate the filter settings.
The various symbols are managed in so-called "symbol libraries". Now
the list only shows the multi-line symbols from the IEC_Symbol symbol
library.
5. In the Direct entry field, enter Q1.
After you enter the first character, the cursor jumps to the first symbol
whose name begins with that character, and selects it.
The selected symbol is displayed in the preview window on the right side,
with all existing variants. The first variant of each is selected in the preview window. The symbol will also be displayed in the Graphical preview.
6. In the list, select the three-pole switch Q1 and click [OK].

The symbol hangs on the mouse pointer and can be placed on the current page in the Graphical editor.
7. Position the symbol at the coordinates RX:10 / RY:23 in the schematic
and then click the left mouse button.
After placing the switch on the page, the Properties (components) dialog
opens. Some fields are already prepopulated with entries. In EPLAN, devices
are automatically numbered by default when inserted. This behavior is called
"online numbering". In the settings, you can deactivate online numbering and
also change the predefined numbering format (menu path: Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Devices > Numbering (online)).
1. In the Properties (components): General device dialog, switch to the

Switch / pushbutton tab.
The fields Displayed DT, Connection point designation, and Connection point description are already prepopulated with entries.
2. Enter the value 63 A into the Technical characteristics field.

3. In the Function text field, enter the text Load interrupter.
4. Click [OK].
You have now inserted a switch with three NO contacts into the schematic.
-Q1 is shown as the displayed DT. In the schematic, you also see the connection point designations entered and the function text.
Tip:
To call up Symbol selection quickly, you can also use the [Insert] key or
the
button (Symbol) in the Symbols toolbar.

Proceed in the same fashion as above for the components listed below. In
the list view, select Symbol selection using direct entry. To do this, enter
the symbol name given below for each one, and leave the IEC symbols,
multi-line filter filter activated.
Symbols of the same type can be inserted immediately one after the other.
Before you can then select a different symbol, you must finish the action and
then call Symbol selection again.
Position the symbols on the given coordinates and fill in the properties of the
components inserted, if necessary. The entries of the prepopulated properties are given in parentheses in the following listing.
No. Symbol description

1.
Fuse, single-pole, general

Symbol name for direct entry:
Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
Connection point designation:
Technical characteristics:
2.
F1
RX:44 / RY:17
(-F1)
(12)
6 A

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
3.
Entries
F1
RX:48 / RY:17
(-F2)
(12)
6 A
Single-phase transformer with two windings

and shield
Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
T11
RX:44 / RY:23
(-T1)
400V24V0V0VPE
In order to enter the character, which is already prepopulated for the T11
symbol and used here as a separator for the individual connection points,
use the keyboard shortcut [Ctrl] + [Enter]. You can also select the menu
item Line break from the popup menu.

4.

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
5.
RX:44 / RY:30
(-F3)
(12)
6 A
G22
RX:44 / RY:37
(-V1)
24+0-
Fuse, three-pole, general

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
7.
F1
Rectifier, bridge, 2-phase, secondary 2 connection points

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
6.
Entries
F3
RX:84 / RY:17
(-F4)
(123456)
Power circuit breaker / motor overload switch with

switch mechanism and line
Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
Function text:
QL3_1
RX:84 / RY:23
(-Q2)
(123456)
Motor overload switch
8.
Power NO contact of a contactor

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
SL
RX:84 / RY:30
-K1
(12)
For the other NO power contacts you have to insert, remove the suggested
displayed DT -?K1, and don't enter any device tag there. For projects compliant with IEC standards, the DT is taken from the left. The behavior that
occurs when components which have no displayed DT of their own and take
their DT from a different component is called "DT adoption" in EPLAN.
9.
Entries
Power NO contact of a contactor

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
SL
RX:86 / RY:30
34
10. Power NO contact of a contactor

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
SL
RX:88 / RY:30
56
11. Three-phase asynchronous motor, one rotation

speed
Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
M3
RX:84 / RY:48
(-M1)
(U1V1W1PE)
Assign a PE potential connection point to the motor as well. As already

described in the section "Inserting Potential Connection Points" (see page
"57"). To do so, select the menu item Insert > Potential connection point
and insert Variant C of the symbol on the coordinates RX:90 / RY:35. PE has
to be entered as the Name of potential and Potential type.
Then insert another Angle up, right (menu path: Insert > Connection symbol > Angle...) at the coordinates RX:88 / RY:52 and an Angle up, left at the
coordinates RX:90 / RY:52.

Terminals are a kind of device and, like general devices, can only be inserted
into your schematic using symbol selection.
3. If you haven't yet, activate the Filter IEC symbols, multi-line.
4. In the Direct entry field, enter X.
5. In the list, select the terminal X and click [OK].
The terminal symbol hangs on the mouse pointer and can be placed on
the current page in the Graphical editor.
6. Position the first terminal at the coordinates RX:84 / RY:37 in the schematic and then click the left mouse button.
The Properties (components): Terminals dialog opens. Here is where
you determine the properties of the terminals. Terminals are also automatically numbered by default. Accordingly, the Displayed DT and
Designation on the Terminal tab are already filled with the entries X1
and 1.
Inserted terminals are defined as main terminals by default. This way,

you can store the terminal parts on the individual terminals. For this purpose, the Main terminal check box is activated in the property dialog.
7. Next, you must modify the function definition of the inserted terminal.
The function definition defines the standard behavior of a function. The
terminal symbols are initially inserted with a general function definition.
You can then decide later on the specific terminal (N terminal, PE terminal, etc.). For this purpose, click the [...] button next to the Function
definition field.
The Function definitions dialog opens.
8. Here, in the tree of the Selection field, select the function definition Terminal with saddle jumper, 2connection points.
9. Click [OK].
The Function definitions dialog is closed.
10. In the Properties (components): Terminals dialog, also click [OK].
The terminal with the displayed DT X1 is placed in the schematic.
11. Place an additional three terminals at the coordinates RX:86 / RY:37,
RX:88 / RY:37 and RX:90 / RY:37. For the first two terminals, you can
accept the predefined terminal designations 2 and 3, but for the last terminal change the designation to PE. Modify the function definitions for all
terminals. For the first two terminals (-X1:2 and -X1:3), also select the
function definition Terminal with saddle jumper, 2 connection
points, and for the PE terminal (-X1:PE) the function definition PE terminal with rail contact, 2 connection points.
12. Finish the action by selecting the menu item Cancel action from the
popup menu.

In EPLAN, terminal strips are managed using terminal strip definitions. The
terminal strip definition identifies the terminal strip and contains all the relevant data for the terminal strip as well as the terminal strip part information.
1. Select the menu item Insert > Terminal strip definition.
The symbol for the terminal strip definition hangs on the mouse pointer.
2. Position the symbol at the coordinates RX:3 / RY:63 and click the left
mouse button to place the terminal strip definition.
The Properties (components): Terminal strip definition dialog
opens. Due to the automatic numbering, the field Displayed DT is
already prepopulated with the entry X2.
3. In the Displayed DT field on the Terminal strip definition tab, enter the
strip designation -X1 already assigned in the schematic.
4. In the Function text field, enter the text Motor, 4 connection
points.
5. Click [OK].
The terminal strip definition is inserted at the given coordinates. As a terminal strip definition, the text -X1=Motor, 4 connection points is displayed.

Cables can be displayed graphically with cable definition lines (or shields).
The cable definition line must cross the corresponding connections.
1. Select the menu items Insert > Cable definition.
The symbol for the cable definition line hangs on the mouse pointer.
3. Click with the left mouse button to establish the starting point of the line.
mouse button again to place the end point of the line.
The Properties (components): Cable dialog opens. Due to the automatic numbering, the field Displayed DT is already prepopulated with
the entry W1.
5. In the Function text field, enter the text Motor.
6. Enter the following entries consecutively in the fields Number of connections, Length, and Connection cross-section / diameter: 4x, 10
m, 1.5.
7. From the drop-down list for the Unit field, select the entry mm2.
8. Click [OK].
In the schematic, the cable definition line with the displayed DT W1 is
shown along with the data entered.
When drawing the cable definition line, a connection definition point is automatically set at each intersection of connections with the cable definition line.
The cable conductors are determined via the connection definition points.
You will only see these automatically generated connection definition points
if you have activated the view of insertion points.
Connection lines generated by autoconnecting are at first simply graphical
lines and not connections with data. For certain actions (e.g., opening a
page, generating reports, etc.), the connections are first automatically
updated. In doing this, new connections are generated based on the available information or existing connections are updated. The individual connection can get its data from project settings, potentials, or from a connection
definition point.
Since the connection data is not automatically updated for each action, we
recommend manually updating before certain actions (such as the execution
of check runs, or working in navigator dialogs).
1. Select the project EPLAN_start in the Page navigator.
2. Select the menu item Project data > Connections > Update.
EPLAN updates all connections in the project.
Notes:
The "manual" updating of connections is usually done for the entire project. For this purpose, the Update connections throughout the project (manually) check box is activated by default in the settings (menu
path: Options > Settings > User > Display > General). If the check
box is not activated, updating is only carried for the current selection (of
pages, functions, etc.).
You can tell if connections are up-to-date by looking at the right edge of
the status bar: If the "#" sign is displayed there, the project has out-ofdate connections. If the "*" sign is displayed, the open page has out-ofdate connections.

Path function texts ease documentation because you don't have to enter a
function text for each component. If no other function text is entered for a
component, the function text from the path will be used for reports (e.g., in terminal diagrams).
1. Select the menu items, Insert > Path function text.
The Properties (path function text) dialog opens.
2. On the Text tab, enter the term, Power supply.

3. Click [OK].
The path function text hangs on the mouse pointer.
5. Click the left mouse button to place the text in the desired path.
The path function text is placed at the given coordinates.
Repeat this action to insert two more path function texts (Distribution 24
V DC at the coordinates RX:44 / RY:56 and Conveyor belt at RX:84 /
RY:56).
Note:
Be sure when inserting path function texts that the insertion point of the text
is aligned with the insertion point of the component which should receive
the path function text.

1. Select the menu item Insert > Connection symbol > Interruption
point.
The interruption point symbol hangs on the mouse pointer.
2. Hold [Ctrl] and then move the cursor in a circle.
The different variants are displayed.
3. Select the variant with the arrow pointing downwards (VariantD), and
release the [Ctrl] key.
4. Position the interruption point at the coordinates RX:44 / RY:48 and click
the left mouse button.
The Properties (components): Interruption point dialog opens.
5. In the Displayed DT field, enter the device tag L+.

6. Click [OK].
The interruption point is inserted at the given coordinates.
7. Place another interruption point of VariantD at the coordinates RX:48 /
RY:48, and enter L- as the device tag.

Your first schematic page is now almost complete. Now you must insert two
more action lines. To do so, follow the same procedure as in section, "Draw
lines" (on page "63"), and drag the first line from the coordinates, RX:89 /
RY:35, to the end point, RX:92 / RY:35. Assign this "PE" line the same
formatting properties you assigned to the first "PE" line.
Position the action line for the power NO contact K1 at coordinates RX:84 /
RY:30 and RX:88 / RY:30. Change the formatting properties for this line, too.
For instance, select a different line thickness and a different line type.
Next, you will also insert components on the second schematic page, thus
generating cross-references.
In the previous chapter, you generated a schematic on the first schematic
page of your sample project. In this chapter, you will complete the schematic
on the second page, thus generating cross-references.
EPLAN differentiates between different types of cross-reference. The program automatically inserts most of these cross-reference automatically
(online). Based on the sample project, you will get to know some of the most
common cross-reference types. More detailed information on the different
types of cross-reference can be found in the EPLAN online help.
Cross-references What You Need to Know in Advance

What are cross-references?
Devices can consist of different elements and be distributed across multiple
pages of schematics. It can also be necessary to depict a device multiple
times. In such cases, cross-references identify the fact that individual components belong together. A cross-reference shows you where the other part
of a device can be found in the schematic. Using cross-references, you can
reliably find a component or associated parts on a series of pages.
How are cross-references displayed in the schematic?
The cross-references are shown by default in the order, [Separator]Page
name[Separator]Column. By default, the separator used in front of the page
is "/", and the separator between page and column is ".".
By default, the cross-references receive a different color than the other elements displayed.
Note:
Specify separators and other general settings for cross-references in the
settings by going to the menu items, Options > Settings > Projects >
"Project name" > Cross-references / contact image > General.
Example:
To do this, we will use an example (still to be created) from your sample
project. The NC power contact -K1 on the first schematic page will later be
cross-referenced to a coil which (then) is located on page 2 in column 2. In
our example, the resulting cross-reference /2.2 will be shown under the
displayed DT -K1.

First, insert two interruption points on the second schematic page. Interruption points are used to represent connections encompassing more than
one page. The cross-references between the interruption points are automatically generated by EPLAN.
First open the page =ANL+SCP/2 with the description Control ET1. To do
this, select them in the Page navigator and double-click on the page.
EPLAN opens the page in the Graphical editor.
On this page, for instance, using the keyboard shortcut [Shift] + [F4], insert
an interruption point L+ at the coordinates RX:9 / RY:7. For comparison, look
at the procedure in Section "Inserting "Interruption Point" Connection Symbols" (see page "84").

To prevent the device tag from crossing future autoconnect lines, additional
settings must be made in the appropriate property dialogs.
1. In the dialog Properties (components): Interruption point switch to
the Display tab.
2. From the drop-down list Property arrangement, select the entry Left,
0.
The entries in the Alignment, X coordinate, and Docking fields will
change.
3. Click [OK].
The interruption point L+ is inserted. The displayed properties are shown
to the left of the insertion point.
4. Position a second interruption point L- at coordinates RX:9 / RY:47, and
change the Property arrangement on the Display tab to Left, 0.
The interruption point L- is inserted.
The cross-references are displayed at both inserted interruption points
beside the device tag.
The cross-references refer to the interruption points with the same displayed
DT located on the first schematic page. On this page, too, corresponding
cross-references are displayed at the interruption points.

Insert the connection symbols listed below into the second schematic page.
To do this, for instance, select the menu items Insert > Connection symbol
> ..., and proceed according to the descriptions in the chapter, "Creating a
Schematic" (starting on page "54"). Or use the Connection symbols toolbar to insert the listed components.
Symbol description
2 x Angle down, left
Button
Coordinates
RX:42 / RY:7
RX:33 / RY:27
2 x Angle up, left
RX:42 / RY:47
RX:33 / RY:37
T-node, down
RX:25 / RY:7
T-node, up
RX:25 / RY:47
2 x T-node, right
RX:25 / RY:27
RX:25 / RY:37
For the second T-node, right, which you place at coordinates RX:25 / RY:37,
you must use the variant, 1st target below, 2nd target right .
To do this, after inserting, click on the insertion point of the T-node and then,
in the T-node right dialog, select the corresponding option (see section
"Inserting "T-node" Connection Symbols" on page "60"). Or you can use the
[Ctrl] key when inserting to rotate the symbol on the cursor and select the
right variant that way.
Finally complete your second schematic page by placing the general

devices. To do so, call up Symbol selection (for instance, using Insert >
Symbol) and then follow the description in section "Inserting General
Devices" in the chapter "Creating a Schematic" (starting on page "65").
The following table lists the symbols to be inserted from the symbol library
IEC_Symbol. Entries predefined by EPLAN are shown in parentheses.

1.
Entries
Pushbutton, NC contact, general

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
Function text:
SOA
RX:25 / RY:12
(-S1)
(1112)
Conveyor belt
1 off
2.
Emergency stop switch / Emergency stop pushbutton, NC contact, with turn-to-reset

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
Function text:
3.
SONOT2
RX:25 / RY:17
(-S2)
(1112)
Emergency stop
Pushbutton, NO contact, operated by pushing

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
Function text:
SSD
RX:25 / RY:32
(-S3)
(1314)
Conveyor belt
1 on
4.
Lamp / indicator light, general

Coordinates:
Displayed DT:
Function text:
H
RX:42 / RY:32
(-H1)
X1X2
Conveyor belt
malfunction

All the contacts of a device are shown in a contact image. This form of crossreference display is often used for contactor coils or motor overload switches.
4. In the Direct entry field, enter K.
5. In the list, select the coil K and click [OK].
6. Position the coil at the coordinates RX:25 / RY:42 in the schematic, and
then click the left mouse button.
The Properties (components): General device dialog opens.
7. In the properties dialog, switch to the Coil tab.

8. In the Displayed DT field, enter -K1.
9. Apply the predefined Connection point designation A1A2.
10. Click [OK].

Since we are using the same displayed DT for the coil as for the power contacts on the first schematic page, EPLAN automatically generates a contact
image. This includes the connection point designations, the symbols, and the
schematic positions of the contacts cross-referenced to the coil and is shown
below the coil.

Now use symbol selection to insert another contact for the coil. For searching via direct entry enter S and then select the NO contact with symbol number 1. Place the NO contact at coordinates RX:33 / RY:32 and enter -K1 as
the Displayed DT here too.
Tip:
You can also apply the Displayed DT using a DT selection. To do this,
click the [...] button located next to the Displayed DT field. The DT selection dialog which then appears shows all the DTs present in the project
which match the given function. Here you can apply an already existing DT
with [OK] after selecting it, or use [Next] to generate a new DT.
Example:
The illustration shows you an example of DT selection for the NO contact
just inserted.
The cross-reference to the coil on the same page is displayed in the schematic immediately. For the contact to be shown in the contact image as well,
you may need to update the view (menu path: View > Redraw).
Inserting Contacts and Contact Image for Motor Overload

Switches
Finally, insert two more contacts on this page for the motor overload switch
Q2 on the first schematic page.
4. Enter the value O into the Direct entry field.

5. In the list, select the NC contact O, and click [OK].
6. Position the NC contact at the coordinates RX:42 / RY:22 in the schematic and then click the left mouse button.
7. In the properties dialog, switch to the NC contact tab.
8. Enter the value -Q2 in the Displayed DT field.
Or apply the displayed DT using DT selection. To do so, click [...] next to
the Displayed DT field, then select the entry, -Q2, in the DT selection
dialog that appears.
9. Change the preassigned value in the Connection point designation
field. Use the drop-down list of this field to select the connection point designation 2122.
9. Click [OK].
10. Then select the Cancel action popup menu item to terminate the action.
Now use symbol selection to insert another NO contact (symbol name for
Direct entry: S; symbol number: 1). Place the NO contact at coordinates
RX:25 / RY:22, and enter -Q2 as the Displayed DT here too.
You have now completed the creation of the schematic on the second page.
Once the contact is placed with the displayed DT Q2, a corresponding

cross-reference for the motor overload switch is shown at the component on
the first schematic page.
On the motor overload switch itself, you see the contacts just inserted as a
contact image. The cross-referenced contacts are shown as symbols on the
action line of the motor overload switch. In addition, the connection point designations and the schematic positions of the contacts can be seen in the contact image.
Open the first schematic page (=ANL+SCP/1) and look at the contact image.
Tip:
From the NO contact you just inserted, Q2, you can jump directly to the
motor overload switch on the first schematic page.
To do this, click the contact and select the popup menu Go to (counterpiece).

For contacts to be shown in a contact image, appropriate display settings
must be made for the contact image in the properties dialog of the motor overload switch.
Look at these settings in the motor overload switch.
1. Double-click in the schematic on motor overload switch Q2.
2. In the properties dialog, switch to the Display tab.
The Contact image drop-down list already shows the correct setting for
the contact image. Using the On component option, the contact image
is displayed next to the component. This setting is preset by default during insertion of motor overload switches.
3. To do this, click [...] next to the Contact image field.

The Contact image position dialog opens. In this dialog, you can
"manually" determine the position of the contact image in relation to the
insertion point of the device.
4. Deactivate the Automatically aligned check box.
The X position and Y position fields are activated.
5. In the X position field, enter the value -48.00 mm, and then close the
Contact image position dialog with [OK].
6. Click [OK].
The position of the contact image has been moved to the other side of the
component "Motor overload switch".
7. To restore the original view of the contact image, right click the motor
overload switch and select the menu items Text > Reset moved property text in the popup menu.
Now you are finished with both of the schematic pages of your project.
In the next chapter you will learn how to assign parts to the devices inserted.
Selecting Parts
Selecting Parts
In the previous two chapters, you created a simple schematic. Before you
start with reports and can automatically generate a parts list, you must enter
parts for the devices inserted.
The Parts tab is available in the property dialog of the components to do this.
Here you can manually enter the parts or select them using "part selection".
Part Selection What You Need to Know in Advance

What is part selection?
Part selection is a dialog you can use to select parts and their data from a
data source. Normally, parts stored in EPLAN's internal parts management
are available for part selection.
What is parts management?
Parts management is the part of the program in which you can manage
information specific to parts and people; items such as part numbers, customer, manufacturer, or supplier data. The data is stored in an internal
EPLAN database and already contains example data. To manage parts data,
you have to have at least advanced user knowledge, and for this reason we
will not go into any more depth about parts management here.
Assigning a Part
Assigning a Part
1. First, if necessary, open the first schematic page (=ANL+SCP/1) of your
sample project.
2. Use View > Insertion points to show the insertion points of the elements inserted.
3. Double-click on the insertion point of switch -Q1.
4. In the properties dialog, switch to the Parts tab.
Assigning a Part
5. Click [...] in the Part number field. The button appears once you click on
the corresponding table cell in the Part number column.
The Part selection dialog opens. Structurally, this dialog is exactly like
Parts management. In the left half, the parts are shown in a tree, list or a
combination of these two representations, where the tree structure is subdivided by default into the hierarchy levels: Electrical engineering,
Fluid power, and Mechanics. In the right half of the dialog, you see the
data belonging to the element or elements selected in the left window.
6. Now expand the parts tree on the left side. To do this, click, for example,
on the associated plus sign in front of the hierarchy levels Parts, Electrical engineering, Component, General, and on the hierarchy
levels of other product groups like Cables.
Assigning a Part
The structure of the Electrical engineering generic product group

will be expanded. The parts numbers are shown on the lowest hierarchy
level in the tree. In addition to a part number, a describing text for the
respective part is shown in subsequent brackets by default.
7. You can use a filter to reduce the amount of data shown. To do this, click
the [...] button next to the Automatic filter field.
The Automatic filter dialog opens. The Function definition (switch,
triple NO contact) check box is preassigned.
Assigning a Part
8. Click [OK] to confirm the setting.

The Automatic filter dialog is closed.
9. In Part selection, select the corresponding Active check box for the
Automatic filter so that the filter settings will be used.
Now the parts matching the filter settings are shown in the tree structure.
Assigning a Part
10. In the tree from product group Power switchgear, select the part
SIE.3LD2 504-0TK53.
The parts data of the selected parts are now shown in the data fields on
the right side of Part selection. The image file stored in the part will also
be displayed in the Graphical preview.
11. Click [OK].
The parts data selected is applied to the corresponding fields of the Parts
tab, and the Number of units / quantity field is preset to 1.
14. Close the properties dialog with [OK].

The new parts data is written to the component.
Assigning a Part
Notes:
The data shown to you on the right side of the Parts tab depends on the
setting in the drop-down list Category.
If you specified the entry, Parts data, here, then you will initially be
shown no data. Only after you have clicked [OK] or [Apply] in the properties dialog will the data from parts management (.e.g. Part number,
Type number, etc.) be stored in the project. These values cannot be
modified here.
If you selected Part reference data, then data such as Service time
is shown here, which you can also store in Parts management for a particular part. In contrast to the "pure" parts data, however, you have the
option of changing this data in the properties dialog and adapting it to the
corresponding device in your own project.
If you mistakenly enter or select the wrong part number in the Part tab,
you can delete it by selecting the corresponding table row and clicking
on the
(Delete) button.
Repeat this action for the devices listed below. When doing so, assign the
various parts to the devices based on the listed parts numbers.
The automatic filter with the filter criterion "Function definition" cannot be
used at every part during the part selection. In such a case enter the respective part number directly into the first line of the Part number column.
After the selection the Conflict dialog is opened at some parts. This dialog is
always called up at the part selection when there is a difference between the
data stored for the part and the data at the component (= Function). Since
the data are always to be transferred from the part in this sample project,
ignore the settings in the conflict dialog and confirm the dialog with [OK].
Assigning a Part
Devices
Displayed Part number

DT
Number of units
/ quantity
Page 1 Power supply (=ANL+SCP/1)

Safety fuse
-F1
PXC.0913032
1x
Safety fuse
-F2
PXC.0913032
1x
Transformer
-T1
SIE.4AM5742-5CT10-
1x
0FA0
Safety fuse
-F3
PXC.0913032
1x
Safety fuse
-F4
SIE.5SG5700
1x
SIE.5SE2310
3x
SIE.5SH5010
3x
SIE.5SH4362
3x
Motor overload
switch
-Q2
ABB.GJM2550001R0029 1x
-X1
Terminal
(Designation: 1)
PXC.3044131
1x
-X1
Terminal
(Designation: 2)
PXC.3044131
1x
-X1
Terminal
(Designation: 3)
PXC.3044131
1x
Terminal
(Designation:
PE)
-X1
PXC.3044157
1x
Cables
-W1
LAPP.0014 946
1x
(4G2,5)
Motor
-M1
SIE.1LA7070-4AB10ZA11
1x
Assigning a Part
Terminal strip
definition
-X1
PXC.0811969
1x
To differentiate between the individual terminals on the first schematic page,

the respective terminal designation was also added to the above table.
Devices
Displayed Part number

DT
Number of
units / quantity
Page 2 Control ET1 (=ANL+SCP/2)

Switch / pushbutton (NC) -S1
SIE.3SB3201-
1x
0AA21
Switch / pushbutton
(emergency shutoff)
-S2
PILZ.400410
1x
Switch / pushbutton
(NO)
-S3
SIE.3SB3201-
1x
Coil
-K1
0AA41
SIE.3RT1024-
1x
1BB44-3MA0
Signal lamp
-H1
SIE.3SB3217-
1x
6AA20
After you have assigned parts to some devices in this section, you can start
on reports in the next chapter.
Generating Reports
Generating Reports
Now that you have created a schematic in the previous chapters and
assigned parts to the devices inserted, you can have EPLAN generate
reports on the information in your schematic and automatically output different report pages.
In detail, the following project pages should be printed:
Terminal diagram
Cable diagram
Parts list
Table of contents.
Reports What You Need to Know in Advance

What are reports?
Reports represent queries of the project data. They are created automatically
and can be output directly in pages or labeling files. This includes (e.g.) terminal diagrams, device tag lists and tables of contents.
What are report pages?
Report pages are project pages that show the results of a report. The reports
are divided into different report types. In order to clearly structure and format
project data in the report pages, these report types are assigned forms in the
settings. The forms contain placeholders that are filled with project data during reporting.

1. Select the menu item Utilities > Reports > Generate.
The Reports - EPLAN_start dialog opens. You can use this dialog to create and manage project reports.
2. Change to the Reports tab.
In the tree on the left side, reports already generated for a project are
shown. When you expand the tree only the two sublevels Pages and
Embedded reports are displayed below the project name. Up until now,
of course, no reports have been created for your sample project!
3. Click the [New] button.

EPLAN opens the Select report dialog.
4. In the Output format field, apply the default value Page.

5. In the Select report type field, select the Terminal diagram entry. For
this entry to be displayed, you must either enlarge the dialog or scroll
through the entries using the scrollbar.
6. Click [OK].
The Settings - Terminal diagram dialog opens. Using this dialog, you
can determine filter, sorting, and page break settings for the pages to be
output. For your project, however, this is not required.
7. Click [OK] to confirm the predefined settings.

EPLAN opens the Terminal diagram (Total) dialog. In this dialog, you
determine the start page for the respective report, in this case the terminal diagram. This will sort the report pages in the existing page structure of the project.
8. In the Higher-level function line, enter ANL. Since the identifier already
exists in your project, however, you can select it using a selection dialog.
To do so, click the Value column and subsequently the [...] command
button that is displayed on the right-hand edge of the cell.
9. In the subsequent dialog Higher-level function select the ANL structure
identifier and click [OK] to return to the Terminal diagram (Total) dialog.
10. Enter ASW in the Mounting location line.
11. Click [OK].

EPLAN generates the page with the terminal diagram. All open dialogs
are closed, and you return to the Reports - EPLAN_start dialog.
12. Now expand the tree on the left side. To do so click the respective plus
signs in front of the hierarchy levels Pages, Terminal diagram and
=ANL+SCP-X1.
Under the report Terminal diagram, the report page =ANL+ASW/1 has
been created for the terminal strip =ANL+SCP-X1.
13. Click [Close].

In the Page navigator, you now see the new page. You may first have to
expand the tree and enlarge the window of the Page navigator before being
able to see the new page, =ANL+ASW/1, with the description, Terminal diagram =ANL+SCP-X1.
Note:
A Page description like Terminal diagram =ANL+SCP-X1 is created if as in our example, for instance - the check box Automatic page description is activated in the Terminal diagram (total) dialog (see figure of the
dialog on page "118"). By deactivating the Automatic page description
check box, you also have the option of entering your own description for
each report page in the Page description field.
Open the page by double-clicking on it, and look at the terminal diagram in
the Graphical editor.

Before generating the parts lists, you must first set a special setting. Otherwise, parts entered on the cable definition line will not be taken into account
during output of the parts list.
1. To do this, select the menu item Utilities > Reports > Generate.
The Reports - EPLAN_start dialog opens.
2. Click the [Settings] button.
3. Select the Parts menu item.
The Settings: Parts dialog opens.
4. In the Include parts table, deactivate the Devices without part number check box so that this device is ignored when outputting the parts list.
5. The Terminal strip parts check box is activated by default due to the
project template being used. If this is not the case for you, activate it.
6. Also activate if necessary the Terminal parts and Cable part check
boxes.
7. Deactivate all other check boxes that are enabled by default.
8. Click [OK].
Now continue with the output of the other report pages.

Repeat the action described in the first section of this chapter for the reports
Cable diagram, Parts list, and Table of contents. Proceed in the order listed here, and generate the reports one after the other in the Reports EPLAN_start dialog using the [New] button. On each report, select the corresponding report type from the Select report dialog.
For the other report pages, no new identifiers need to be assigned. For
instance, you do not need to enter new identifiers in the Cable diagram
(Total) dialog, but rather can apply an existing structure from the Page navigator field. To do this, expand the tree structure in this field, and select the
report page with the description Terminal diagram =ANL+SCP-X1.
The identifiers of this page are applied to the Higher-level function and
Mounting location lines, and for the Page name, the next free page is suggested. Instead of "2", enter the page number 10 into the Page name field.
In the subsequent output of the Parts list, select the corresponding page
with the description, Cable diagram =ANL+SCP-W1, in the tree. This time,
enter the page number 20 in the Page name field.
Finally, organize the Table of contents behind the cover sheet by selecting
the page with the Cover sheet description in the Page navigator field.
After you have created the table of contents, the expanded tree structure in
the Reports - EPLAN_start dialog looks like this:
The different reports are sorted in an alphabetic, descending order. The

green icon is used to mark all report types that represent report overviews
(e.g., parts lists, tables of contents, terminal-strip overview, etc.). The orange
icon characterizes function-relevant report types (e.g., cable diagram, terminal diagram, terminal connection diagram, etc.).
The hierarchy level below that, marked in the tree with a green or orange icon
with an opened drawer ( or ) is called a "report block" or just a "block". All
report pages belonging to a particular element (e.g., a cable or a terminal
strip) make up a single block.
In your current sample project, there is only one report block for each report.
If, on the other hand, there were two terminal strips -X1 and -X2 in the schematic, then, for instance, the terminal diagram pages for terminal strip -X1
would make up their own block, just as the terminal diagram pages for terminal strip -X2.
The pages output are shown on the lowest hierarchy level in the tree. They
have the same icon
as in the Page navigator.
Quit the dialog using [Close], and look at the changed structure of your
sample project in the expanded Page navigator.
Then open the newly generated pages and look at these pages in the Graphical editor.
Example:
For instance, the enlarged view of the table of contents (page =ANL+DBT/2)
would look like this in the Graphical editor.
With the generation of report pages, the creation and editing of your sample
project is finished for now. In the following chapters, we will cover some additional topics, such as creating and inserting macros and searching project
data. Then you will update the reports in your project using report templates.
If you like, you can now print your project pages. For this, read the chapter
"Printing a Project" (see page "149"). You can, of course, print out the project
pages at a later time, for example, at the end in the order of chapters.

In EPLAN you have the option of using different types of macros. In the following sections, for instance, you will create a window macro and then insert
it. Creating and inserting macros of other types, such as pages and symbol
macros, is done in a similar manner. You can find more information on these
other macro types in the EPLAN online help.
Macros What You Need to Know in Advance

What are macros?
Macros in EPLAN are cut-outs of pages or projects that are saved for further
use. Creating macros is helpful because you do not have recreate cut-outs
every time a routine operation comes up.
What is a window macro?
A window macro is an arbitrary area of a page. All objects whose insertion
points are inside this area are stored in the window macro.

1. First, if necessary, open the first schematic page (=ANL+SCP/1) of your
sample project.
2. Select the menu item Edit > Create window macro / symbol macro.
In addition to the mouse pointer, a box with a dotted line is also displayed.
3. Position the cursor in the upper right corner of the schematic (e.g., at the
coordinates RX:74 / RY:6), click the left mouse button, and drag the
mouse to open an area enclosing the entire schematic section with the
path function text Conveyor belt.
The area to be selected is outlined with a thick frame while it is being

selected.
4. Click with the left mouse button again (if the cursor is at the coordinates
RX:97 / RY:60, for instance).
All objects in the area are selected and EPLAN opens the Save as dialog. In the Directory field, the preset default directory for macros is displayed. The file extension *.ema for window macros is entered by default
in the File name field. If this is not the case, you can click the [] command button to branch the subsequent dialog Save as and there select
the window macro (*.ema) entry in the File type field.
5. In the File name field, enter Drive.ema as the name of the macro.
6. In the Description field, enter the text Conveyor belt. The text entered
here is displayed in a comments field when inserting macros and simplifies the selection for you.
7. Click [OK].
The Save as dialog is closed. The macro is saved in the specified directory under the name Drive.ema.

Before you insert the macro that you just saved again, first create another
schematic page of the type Schematic multi-line. To do this, in the tree
view of the Page navigator, select your second schematic page
(=ANL+SCP/2), and use the keyboard shortcut [Ctrl] + [N], for instance, to
create a new page with the page description Spare. Insert the macro on this
sample page opened in the Graphical editor.
1. Select the Insert > Window macro / symbol macro menu item.
EPLAN opens the Select macro dialog.
2. Select the Preview check box.

A graphical preview of the currently selected macro is displayed in the
right side of the dialog. The macro will also be displayed in the Graphical
preview.
3. Select the macro Drive.ema in the specified macro directory.
The source project in which the macro originated is shown along with the
description of the macro in a comment field below the preview.
4. Click on [Open].
The macro hangs on the mouse pointer.
5. Position the macro at an arbitrary position in the schematic and click the
left mouse button to place it.
The Insertion mode dialog opens. In this dialog you define the manner
in which devices are to be numbered on insertion.
6. Select the Number option. This causes the devices inserted by the
macro to be numbered automatically (online). For a DT counter, this
takes the next free counter for each identifier into account.
7. Click [OK].
The Insertion mode dialog is closed and the macro is placed. Since the
macro is still hanging on the mouse pointer, you could insert the macro
again.
8. However, finish this action via the Cancel action popup menu item.
Tip:
To position a macro during insertion, you can also use the following keys:
[Y] + [X]: The macro is fixed in its original position.
[Y]: The macro can only be moved horizontally on its original position.
[X]: The macro can only be moved vertically from its original position.
Example:
This is how the schematic page with the description, Spare (=ANL+SCP/3),
might display the inserted window macro Drive, for example, in the
Graphical editor.
Tip:
Using the menu path Page > Page macro > Insert, you can also insert a
window or a symbol macro as a page macro. In the Open dialog subsequently called up, you then have to select the entry window macro
(*.ema) or symbol macro (*.ems) as the File type. As usual when inserting page macros, this creates a new project page.

While editing a project, it is often necessary to search the project for particular project data in order to change it. In the following chapter, we will show
you how to search your sample project for a certain DT and a certain text and
how you can then edit these objects.

All the fuses in the project with the displayed DT -F should receive a different
identifier.
1. In the tree view of the Page navigator, select the project EPLAN_start.
2. Select the menu item Find > Find.
The Find dialog opens.
3. In the Find what field here, enter the search term -F*. You can also use
placeholders (such as * or ?) in the search.
The settings necessary for your search are already prepopulated by
default. If the settings for your dialog don't match those of the figure
shown below, you still need to perform steps 4 through 6. Otherwise, you
can click [OK] immediately.
4. In the Search in group box you can specify the objects in which you
would like to search for the term. Check the DT / designation check box
here.
5. In the Search location group box, you can exclude certain page types
from the search. Here, activate the Logic pages and Graphical pages
check boxes.
6. The extent of the search depends on the selection made. If you have
already highlighted a single project, the Apply to entire project check
box will be activated and grayed out. You can then no longer change the
relevant settings. If not, activate this check box, so that the search can be
expanded to the entire project.
7. Click [OK].
The Find dialog is closed. EPLAN begins the search, opens the Search
results dialog, and then displays the entries found.
All fuses in the project are listed in the dialog in tabular form. If you cannot
see all the entries, drag the dialog to enlarge it and adjust the width of the individual columns if necessary.
Below the listed search results, EPLAN shows you a text field with the page
on which each selected object is located.
Tip:
In the Search results dialog, if you select an object located on a project
page, the Graphical preview shows the corresponding page. The position
of the object is highlighted in the preview with concentric circles.
Example:
The following illustration shows the Graphical preview after the search
result with the value -F1 has been selected in the results list.
Tip:
To quickly call up the Find dialog, use the keyboard shortcut [Ctrl] + [F]. If
the Find toolbar is displayed (e.g. using the popup menu in the menu bar),
you can also open the dialog using the (Search) button (see also Section "Hiding and Displaying Toolbars" on page "21").

1. Select all entries in the Search results dialog.
2. Select Popup menu > Replace.
In the Replace dialog which appears, the value -F1 of the first selected
entry is shown.
3. Remove the 1 in the Find what field and enter the value -CB in the
Replace with field.
4. Click [OK].
In the Search results dialog, the identifier -F is replaced by the new
value -CB. In the schematic, too, all selected devices are renamed.
Tip:
The popup menu of the Search results dialog includes additional very useful program functions for the finding and editing of project data. For
instance, you can use the menu item Go to (graphic) to jump from a selected object in the results list to the corresponding position in a project page.

Before starting a new search, first remove all the previous entries. Otherwise
the search results will remain in this result list.
1. Select all entries in the Search results dialog.
2. Select Popup menu > Delete all entries.
The Search results dialog is now empty again. Now start a new search by
pressing the key combination [Ctrl] + [F].
3. In the Find what field here, enter the search term Conveyor belt.
4. In the Search in group box, uncheck the DT / designation check box
and check the Texts checkbox instead.
5. Activate if necessary the Apply to entire project check box to

extend the search to the entire project.
6. Click [OK].
The Search results dialog shows you two entries for the search term
Conveyor belt.
7. Select the second entry in the list.

If you have opened the graphical preview, you will see that the second
entry is a path function text which you inserted with the window macro on
the page =ANL+SCP/3.
8. In the popup menu, select the menu item Properties (or double-click).
The Properties (path function text) dialog opens (see illustration on
page "83"). On the Text tab, the term, Conveyor belt, is already selected.
9. Enter the new text Conveyor belt drive 2, here.
10. Click [OK].
The new path function text now appears in the results list and in the
schematic on the page with the description, Spare (=ANL+SCP/3).
Before you print out your whole project, you should first complete and update
your reports. How you do this is described in the next chapter.

In the last two chapters, you completed and changed the data in your sample
project. You created a new page and added additional devices to the project
using the inserted window macro. For these changes to take effect in the project, you still have to complete and update the reports.
Updating Reports - What You Need to Know in Advance

What is a report block?
Report blocks are logically coherent groups of report pages. If you update a
report, all report pages are updated which belong to the report block. All
reports belonging to a report block have the same start page.
What is a report template?
You can specify settings for reports in a report template. These settings can
always be reused when generating new reports. Report templates can be
generated completely from scratch or based on an existing report.
Updating Reports
Updating Reports
1. In the tree view of the Page navigator, select the structure identifier level
=ANL (or select the name of your sample project directly).
2. Select the menu items Utilities > Reports > Update.
All report pages below the structure identifier level =ANL are updated.
If you then look at the pages of your sample project, you will see that the
report overviews in the project (Table of contents, Parts list) have been
updated. If you had made changes in the project to terminal strip X1 or cable
W1 (for instance, specifying a different function text, a new target, etc.) then
these changes would have been included in the update.
Updating the previously generated report pages is not sufficient for the two
new devices, terminal strip X2 and cable W2, on the schematic page
=ANL+SCP/3. Instead, you must generate a terminal diagram for X2 and a
corresponding cable diagram for W2.
You could now proceed as already described in the Chapter "Generating
Reports" and output new report pages in that way (see page "114"). But
EPLAN also provides you with the possibility of using existing reports to generate report templates. Then you can report on the entire project based on
those templates.

Report templates can be generated from scratch in the Reports - EPLAN_
start dialog using the Templates tab, or based on an existing report. Since
you already have reports with a terminal and cable diagram, use the latter
procedure.
1. Select the menu item Utilities > Reports > Generate.
The Reports - EPLAN_start dialog opens.
2. Change to the Reports tab.
3. For the Terminal diagram report, select the report block, =ANL+SCP-X1,
and select the popup menu Generate report template.
4. Repeat this procedure for the report Cable diagram. To do this, select
the report block =ANL+SCP-W1 and again select the popup menu
Generate report template.

5. Change to the Templates tab.
6. Now expand the tree on the left side. To do this, click the respective plus
signs in front of the hierarchy levels EPLAN_start, Cable diagram,
and Terminal diagram.
In the tree structure, the templates created are shown.
7. Now, if you select the template 0001 under Cable diagram, for instance,
the table on the right side will show the specified properties of this template. Here you can, for example, modify the properties Name of the template (now "0001") or Start page of report block for your cable diagram
pages.
8. Click [Close].

If you now report on the entire project, then reports are first generated from
all existing report templates. Then EPLAN updates all already existing
reports.
1. Select the menu item Utilities > Reports > Generate project reports.
Reports are generated for the project. Depending on the size of the project, this process can take some time.
After you have completed and updated the reports in this way, expand the
tree view of your sample project in the Page navigator and look at the
changed structure.
Then page through your project and look at the new and changed pages in
the Graphical editor. In the following chapter, you will conclude by learning
how to print the pages of your projects.
Example:
For instance, the enlarged view of the table of contents (page =ANL+DBT/2)
would look like this in the Graphical editor after the reports are generated
for the project.
Printing a Project
Printing a Project
To conclude this guide, print all the pages of your project. In EPLAN, you naturally also have the option of printing a single page or any arbitrarily selected
pages of a project. The print can be in black and white or in color, and can
either be sent to a printer or to a file.
1. In the tree view of the Page navigator, select your project EPLAN_start.
2. Select the menu item Project > Print.
The Print dialog opens.
Printing a Project
3. In the Printer box, select the desired printer from the drop-down list.
4. If you have accidentally selected only one page in the Page navigator or
if the cursor is located on an opened page, then by default only the current page will be printed. You can tell this by the fact that in the Page
range group box, the Entire project option is not activated. In this case,
activate this option.
5. Click [OK].
All pages of the projects will be printed.
Note:
Using the Print preview, which you can call from the print dialog using the
button of the same name, you have the option of checking the pages to be
printed before they are actually printed. If the pages shown don't match
your expectations (if a print margin is missing, for instance), you can close
the preview window and change the print settings, if necessary, for the
Print dialog using the [Settings] button.

2.4 BeginnersGuide P8

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2.4 BeginnersGuide P8

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

2.4 BeginnersGuide P8

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Getting Started

Copyright 2014 EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG

Remarks on the Sample Project

Getting to Know the EPLAN User Interface

User Interface What You Need to Know in Advance

Projects What You Need to Know in Advance

Creating Project from Project Template

Creating and Editing Pages

Pages What You Need to Know in Advance

Editing Page Properties

Creating cover sheets

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 3

Opening and Closing a Project

Paging Through the Project Pages

Turning on the grid display

Schematics What You Need to Know in Advance

Inserting "Angle" Connection Symbols

Generating connection lines automatically

Inserting "T-node" Connection Symbols

Inserting Graphical Elements

Drawing Cable Definition Lines

Inserting Path Function Texts

Inserting "Interruption Point" Connection Symbols

Cross-references What You Need to Know in Advance

Automatically Generating Interruption Point Cross-references

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 4

Inserting More Connection Symbols and General Devices

Inserting Contactor Coils and Contact Images

Inserting another contact for the coil

Reports What You Need to Know in Advance

Generating a Terminal Diagram

Performing Settings for Parts Lists

Printing Other Report Pages

Creating and Inserting Macros

Macros What You Need to Know in Advance

Creating Window Macro

Inserting a Window Macro

Finding and Replacing Project Data

Finding and Replacing Device Tags

Replacing device tags

Completing and Updating Reports

Updating Reports - What You Need to Know in Advance

Generating Report Templates

Generating Project Reports

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 5

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 6

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 7

Notes for the Reader

Notes for the Reader

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 8

Remarks on the Sample Project

The operating information provides step-by-step instructions for reaching

) and "deactivate" (after which the setting is

Remarks on the Sample Project

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 9

1. Double-click the EPLAN icon

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 10

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 11

in the title bar, and

EPLAN Electric P8Getting StartedPage 12