Eplan anyone?

[integerspin]

I borrowed a laptop with eplan on it, I was hoping to get my wiring drawn out over xmas. The bloke I borrowed it from assured me it was going to be much better than my usual diagrams, which are sketches on old envelopes and all connected in my head;-)
I have to say so far it's the most unintuative but of software I have come across.

I opened a new project, no problem that far, found the different symbol libraries and have a couple in the project. created a shematic page and wacked a few limit switches on it[I thought I would start by drawing the limit switches as it's probably the simplest page] I can't connect the switches together or move them on the page. The switches get an automatic vertical connection if lined up but I can't remove that, if I don't want it.
If I select one to move and select the move item from the popup menu I get a "null object selected" message, or very similar.
I suspect the project doesn't contain enough information about the symbols.
could some who can use it give me a quick run down on opening a project and adding some symbols. Matey is away for 4 weeks so I don't have anyone to ask about this.

[H.O]

Hi,
What version of EPLAN is this? I've only got experience with P8 and I'm not sure how much difference there is in the GUI between version21, EPLAN5 and P8.

Anyway, (and this applies to P8 so, again, if your version is another then it MAY not be the same). On the toolbar or in one of the menu's you should have the an option called AutoConnect and/or SmartConnect, this is the option that automatically connects two objects that are lined up. I've never ever turned this option off but you can if you want to.

Then on the right hand of the screen you have your connection tools, there's angles and "splits" etc. Choose one and align it with a component and you'll see the "wire" and how it connects to the component, use TAB to rotate.

To remove a connection between to symbols simply move the symbol to the left or right so it doesn't allign with anything above or underneath it. Then use the "connection tools" to wire it up to whatever you want, then you can move it again if you want. To move things you simply click on the element you want to move then hold down the left mouse button and drag and drop. To move more elements, pull a selection box around the element to select them and the drag and drop. I'm a bir surprised you say it doesn't work.....

The "splits" ie when going from one connection to another to another to another and so on can be a little confusing. Electrically it doesn't matter how the symbol looks but when generating connection-lists etc it makes a difference.

I don't have the software available at this time so this is from the top of my head but should be fairly accurate - I hope.

/Henrik.

[integerspin]

It is version P8.
Any idea why I can't move symbols?
Do you have to do anything other than slap them on the drawing?

[H.O]

Hi,
I have no idea....Never had any problems like that. Really, you should be able to just select the symbol and then drag and drop it. There is extensive help available by going to the help menu, do a search for Move or whatever and you should find if there's some setting or what not that locks the symbols.

If you need to do something other than slap the symbols on the drawing depends.... If you simply want a schematic, ie the graphical representation of your system then that's fine. If you want "complete" documentation with autogenerated reports like cable sharts, terminal strip charts etc etc then there's a lot more to it.

I wish I had the software with me at the moment but I don't.

[integerspin]

Hi
I spent hours playing with eplan yesterday and still can't move components on the page. If I want to move something I delete it and insert it where I want it. I must have something set wrong.
Could you open a project and slap some limit switches on a page then let me have it and see if I can move them around.

richard

[H.O]

Hi Richard,
Like I said, I don't have the software available at this time. The software is at work, I don't have it installed at home and I'm free during the hollidays. Have you looked in the help file?