Panel Layout

Panel Layout

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout

Placing Mounting Panels..............................................................................3

1.1

Place mounting panels from parts management.......................................3

1.2

Freely placing mounting panels ................................................................5

Placing Items on the Mounting Panel .........................................................7

Placing Items Without Schematic..............................................................10

Placing Items on the DIN Rail ....................................................................14

Plotting Locked Areas ................................................................................16

Editing and Displaying Part Placement Properties..................................19

Checking the Part Placements...................................................................23

Generating Legends ...................................................................................25

8.1

Create page legends...............................................................................25

8.2

Create window legends...........................................................................30

8.3

Prevent window legends .........................................................................33

Editing Legend Positions ...........................................................................36

10

Updating the Main Elements ......................................................................39

11

Updating the Part Dimensions...................................................................41

12

Using Jump Functions ...............................................................................44

This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout

Placing Mounting Panels

When placing mounting panels on "Panel layout" pages, a distinction is made

between placing a part from the parts management system and "free" placement
using the properties dialog.

1.1

Place mounting panels from parts management

Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You are in the graphical editor on an "Panel layout" page.

Project data > Devices / parts > Panel layout > Generate mounting panel
1. In the Part selection dialog, in the generic product group Mechanics, open
the hierarchy level Housing.

2. Select the desired housing part.

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout
3. Click [OK].
The mounting panel symbol is scaled to the entered size (only values larger
than 0.0 are accepted!) and hangs on the cursor.

4. Place the symbol.

The Properties <...>: Mounting panel dialog is opened.

5. Enter a device tag in the Displayed DT field on the Mounting panel tab.

6. If necessary, assign further properties to the mounting panel.

7. Click [OK].

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout
The mounting panel is created.

1.2

Freely placing mounting panels

Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You are in the graphical editor on an "Panel layout" page.

1. Select Insert > Box / connection point / mounting panel > Mounting panel.
The box symbol representing the mounting panel hangs on the cursor.

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout
2. Place the rectangle representing the mounting panel.
The Properties <...>: Mounting panel dialog is opened.

3. Enter a device tag in the Displayed DT field on the Mounting panel tab.

4. If necessary, assign further properties to the mounting panel.

5. Click [OK].

The mounting panel is created.

This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout

Placing Items on the Mounting Panel

When placing items on the mounting panel, a distinction is made between single
placement, multiple placement, and the placement of locked areas. For this the
installation spacing for every item / device must be stored in the parts data to where
the device walls are not on top of each other, but rather next to each other. For
multiple placements, the clearances are automatically accounted for, otherwise the
single placement and multiple placement interactions are identical.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have opened the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog.
You are in the graphical editor on an "Panel layout" page.
You have added a mounting panel.
There are no parts in the tree view with an "Unplaced"part status.
In the Settings: Panel layout dialog, (Popup menu > Settings) you have not

selected the Manual input option.

1. Select the items in the tree view that have not yet been placed. (Multiple
selection is possible.)

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout
2. Select Popup menu > Place on mounting panel.
The first part placement hangs on the cursor.

3. Position the part placement on the mounting panel with a mouse click.

4. Proceed in this way for all additional part placements selected in the tree.

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout
The newly placed parts are removed from the "Not placed" hierarchy level and
moved to the hierarchy level of the populated mounting panel.
Notes:
Even if you do not move the cursor during placement, the symbols will be placed

from left to right. If a symbol extends over the edge of the mounting panel, an
error message will inform you of this.
If you have selected the Manual input option in the Panel layout dialog (Popup

menu > Settings) you must first specify the dimensions of the device in the
Extension and distance dialog prior to placing the device.

This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

Panel Layout

Placing Items Without Schematic

In order to support the various working methods of builders and engineers, it is also
possible to create panel layouts without an existing schematic.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have opened the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog.
You are in the graphical editor on an "Panel layout" page.
You have added a mounting panel.
In the Settings: Panel layout dialog, (Popup menu > Settings) you have not

selected the Manual input option.

Popup menu > New device
1. In the Part selection dialog select the desired part.

2. Click [OK].

EPLAN Training

10

Panel Layout
The part symbol is scaled to the entered size (only values larger than 0.0
are accepted!) and hangs on the cursor.

3. Place the part on the mounting panel.

The Properties <...>: Part placement dialog opens.

4. In the Part placement tab allocate a device tag to the part.

EPLAN Training

11

Panel Layout
5. Edit the other properties of the part placement as required.

6. Click [OK].

7. Proceed in a similar manner for all the parts that you would like to place.

When the part is placed, a check is performed that the current page is of type "Panel
layout" and that the part placement is within a mounting panel. If these conditions are
not met, the part is not placed and an appropriate message is displayed.
EPLAN Training

12

Panel Layout
When generating part placements, the function definition is derived from the part
master data (Technical data tab in the Parts management dialog) in the following
manner:
Product group
Terminals
Terminals
Plugs

Product
Function definition
subgroup
Mounting rail
Part placement terminal strip
(no preference) Part placement terminal
Part placement plug male pin /
(no preference)
female pin
(no preference) Part placement PLC card

PLC
(all product groups except terminals
(no preference) Part placement normal item
/ plugs / PLC)
Note:
If you have selected the Manual input option in the Panel layout dialog (Popup
menu > Settings) you must first specify the dimensions of the device in the
Extension and distance dialog prior to placing the device.

This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

13

Panel Layout

Placing Items on the DIN Rail

As an alternative to equipping a mounting panel, the items can be placed on a DIN

rail. An "Auxiliary function" for performing this is available, with which you must define
the position of the items. A DIN rail can currently be represented on a "Line", a
"Polyline", a "Closed polyline", a "Rectangle" or a "Spline". Not allowed are "Circle",
"Ellipse", etc.
The insertion point of the part placement is then placed on the selected object. The
clearances defined in the parts management are also accounted for here when
placing.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have opened the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog.
You are in the graphical editor on an "Panel layout" page.
You have added a mounting panel.
There are no parts in the tree view with a "Unplaced"part status.
In the Settings: Panel layout dialog, (Popup menu > Settings) you have

selected the Manual input option.

1. Select the items in the tree view that have not yet been placed. (Multiple
selection is possible.)

2. Select Popup menu > Place on mounting panel.

The first part placement hangs on the cursor.

3. Select the object on which the part placement is to be positioned.

EPLAN Training

14

Panel Layout
4. Define the dimensions of the part placement using the Extension and
distance dialog.

5. Click [OK].

6. Move the cursor along the object to move the part placement.

7. Confirm the position with a mouse click.

8. Proceed in this way for all additional part placements selected in the tree.

The newly placed parts are removed from the "Unplaced" hierarchy level and moved
to the hierarchy level of the populated DIN rail. If part placements already exist on the
DIN rail, then new placements can only occur in free areas.
Note:
Even if you do not move the cursor during placement, the symbols will be placed
from left to right. If a symbol extends over the edge of the mounting panel, an error
message will inform you of this.

This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

15

Panel Layout

Plotting Locked Areas

Areas on the mounting panel can be locked for placement so that no part placement
can occur on these areas. Locked areas are independent objects drawn as
rectangles.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have opened the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog.

1. In the graphical editor, select the panel layout page where you would like to
draw a locked area.

EPLAN Training

16

Panel Layout
2. Select Popup menu > Locked area.

3. Draw the rectangle representing the mounting panel.

The locked area is drawn.

Note:
As soon as part placement is attempted in a locked area, the placement is prevented,
and an appropriate message is displayed.

EPLAN Training

17

Panel Layout
This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

18

Panel Layout

Editing and Displaying Part Placement

Properties

In the Display of part placement properties, the following point should be noted:
Individually placed properties can be docked with each other and made into a single
block; when moving, this allows all the (desired) text to be moved at once and avoids
overlapping of multi-line text with other text.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You are in the graphical editor on an "Panel layout" page.
You have inserted a part placement or have double-clicked a part placement (or

selected Popup menu > Properties; in this way, multiple part placements can
be selected).
1. In the Part placement tab, click [...] in the Displayed DT field.

2. In the DT selection dialog, select the DT that is to be displayed on the part

placement in the graphical editor.

3. Click [OK].
The DT is entered into the Displayed DT field.

4. Click [...] in the Part field to allocate a part to the part placement.

5. In the Part selection dialog, select the desired part.

EPLAN Training

19

Panel Layout
6. Click [OK].
The part number is entered into the Part field.

7. Edit the part placement properties by entering a string of characters into the
Value field, selecting a value from a drop-down list, etc.

8. Click

(New) on the toolbar above the property list.

9. In the Property selection dialog, select further properities that you would like
to set. (Multiple selection is possible.)

10. Click [OK].

The properties are appended to the end of the list in the Property name
column.

11. Allocate the desired values to the new properties.

12. Select the properties that you no longer require. (Multiple selection is
possible.)

13. Click

(Delete) on the toolbar above the property list.

The properties are deleted from the list, i.e., without the values that you
previously allocated in the Property selection dialog, so that they may be reallocated, if needed.

EPLAN Training

20

Panel Layout
14. Change to the Display tab.

15. From the Property arrangement drop-down list, select the User defined
entry to define your own display layout.

16. In the list of properties, select the property for which you would like to define
the display settings.
The default values for the individual fields are taken from the Standard
defaults.

17. Define the display settings in the fields.

18. Change to the Format tab.

19. Define the formatting settings for the part placement by selecting entries from
the drop-down list, selecting / deselecting check boxes, etc.

20. Click [OK].

The properties display is updated.

Note:
Every device can contain several part references with different quantity values.
However, a part reference can only be placed with a quantity of "1". This means that
several part placements with the same device tags may be placed on a mounting
area.

EPLAN Training

21

Panel Layout
This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

22

Panel Layout

Checking the Part Placements

When part placements are placed, the part placement assumes the mounting
location of the mounting panel. In the process, a check is performed to see if the part
placement has been performed on the correct mounting panel, based on the
structure identifier blocks of the mounting panel and the placed device. In addtion to
this, you can compare the Mounting site (describing) property of the mounting
panel with the main function.
Example:
Mounting panel

Devices

Status
Correct
=A1MP1
=A1K1
Errors
=A1MP1
=A1K1
MP1 (Mounting location =O1) K1 (Mounting location =O1) Correct
MP1 (Mounting location =O1) K1 (Mounting location =O2) Errors

Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have selected Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" >

Management > Message management and in the Settings: Message

management dialog, in the Check-related settings field you have clicked
[...].
1. If required, in the Settings: Messages and checks dialog, select a Scheme
for the settings or create a new one.

2. Select the Class "Panel layout".

3. Define the individual errors and messages in the table on the right-hand side
of the Category and Type of check dialogs by selecting an entry from the
drop-down list for each one.

EPLAN Training

23

Panel Layout
4. Click [OK].

Once you have performed this, when making part placements on the mounting panel,
these are then checked according to the settings; if disagreement is found, then a
suitable message is displayed.
This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

24

Panel Layout

Generating Legends

Legends gather and display information, or store information from the graphic in a
free area.
If the legends are created on the same page where the mounting panel is located,
then we speak of a Window legend; Window legends are freely positionable
graphical objects, and have an insertion point and symbol properties, and / or a
device tag.
The legend can also be output as a separate form. In this case no legend is shown in
the graphical editor on the panel layout page. However, items will display item
numbers but no device tags. We call this type of legend a Page legend.

8.1

Create page legends

Precondition:
You have opened a project that contains mounting panels.
1. Select Utilities > Reports> Generate.

EPLAN Training

25

Panel Layout
2. If in the Reports - <Project name> dialog, the enclosure legend is not yet
contained in the Pages hierarchy level, select [Settings] > Output to pages.

3. In the Settings: Output to pages dialog, select a form for the Panel layout
report type, and if necessary, specify any additional settings.

4. Click [OK].

EPLAN Training

26

Panel Layout
5. In the Reports - <Project name> dialog, click [New].

6. In the Select report dialog, define the Output format and Output project.

7. Select Enclosure legend from the list of available report types.

EPLAN Training

27

Panel Layout
8. Select the Manual selection check box if you would like to select the
mounting panels for which a legend is to be generated.

9. Click [OK].

10. In the Manual selection dialog, select the mounting panels for which a legend
is to be generated.

11. Click [OK].

EPLAN Training

28

Panel Layout
12. In the Enclosure legend <...> dialog, define the structure identifier and
designation of the pages on which the legends are to be generated.

13. Click [OK].

The page legends are generated.

14. In the Reports - <Project name> dialog, click [Close].

The page legends are generated according to their settings.

EPLAN Training

29

Panel Layout

8.2

Create window legends

Window legends are directly placed on creation of the Enclosure legend report type,
by defining the following entries in the Report selection dialog:
Preconditions:
You have opened a project that contains mounting panels.
You are in the graphical editor on an "Panel layout" page.
The Suppress generation of legend check box (Category "Settings") in the

Mounting panel tab is not selected.

1. Select Utilities > Reports> Generate.

EPLAN Training

30

Panel Layout
2. If in the Reports - <Project name> dialog, the enclosure legend is not yet
contained in the Embedded reports hierarchy level, select [Settings] >
Output to pages.

3. In the Settings: Output to pages dialog, select a form for the Panel layout
report type, and if necessary, specify any additional settings.

4. Click [OK].

EPLAN Training

31

Panel Layout
5. Click [New].

6. In the Select report dialog, in the Output format list, select the Manual
placement entry.

7. Select Enclosure legend from the list of available reports.

8. Click [OK].
The legend hangs on the cursor.

9. Place the legend on the panel layout page.

The program checks which items are on the page and creates a provisional bill of
materials with all of the part data for the items positioned on the mounting panel.

EPLAN Training

32

Panel Layout

8.3

Prevent window legends

For every mounting panel, a Window legend is generated as the standard. To

prevent this, proceed as follows:
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You are in the graphical editor on an "Panel layout" page.
You have inserted a mounting panel, or have double-clicked a mounting panel

(or selected Popup menu > Properties; in this way, multiple mounting panels
can be selected).
1. In the Mounting panel tab of the Properties <...> dialog, click
the toolbar above the property list.

EPLAN Training

(New) on

33

Panel Layout
2. In the Property selection dialog, select the Suppress generation of legend
property.

3. Click [OK].
The property is appended to the end of the list in the Property name
column.

4. Select the check box in the Value column of the Suppress generation of
legend property.

EPLAN Training

34

Panel Layout
5. Click [OK].

The legend is not generated.

This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

35

Panel Layout

Editing Legend Positions

In the case of changes to the equipping of a mounting panel it may become

necessary to renumber the legend positions.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have opened the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog.
In the tree view you have selected the mounting panel whose legend items are

to be updated. (Multiple selection is not possible here).

Project data > Devices / parts > Panel layout navigator > Popup menu > Edit
legend item
1. In the Edit legend item dialog, use the
buttons to move the
legends up / down, or to the beginning / end of the list.

EPLAN Training

36

Panel Layout
2. Click [Number].

3. In the Number dialog, define the numbering settings.

4. Click [OK].
The entries in the Legend item column are updated.

5. Click [OK].

EPLAN Training

37

Panel Layout
The legend items are updated. The updated entries can be displayed in the List of
project data (Popup menu > Configure columns in the list and selection of the
Legend item check box).
This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

38

Panel Layout

10

Updating the Main Elements

Once the part placements have been generated, and thereafter the components,
alignment problems may occur since different data can exist for the placements. The
main function usually thereafter has no part references because there may be one or
more placements matching the devices. This menu item allows all of the part
references to all of the relevant part placements to be adopted in the main function,
where the device to be updated must be selected in the graphical editor or the panel
layout navigator.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have opened the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog.

1. In the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog, select the part placements that
are to be updated.

EPLAN Training

39

Panel Layout
2. Select Popup menu > Update main elements.

The elements are updated.

This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

40

Panel Layout

11

Updating the Part Dimensions

The dimensioning of the parts can be subsequently changed, consequently

necessitating an update.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have opened the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog.

1. In the graphical editor, open the panel layout page for which the update is to
be performed.

EPLAN Training

41

Panel Layout
2. Select Popup menu > Update part dimensions.

3. Click [Yes], to adopt the new part dimensions.

4. Click [Yes] for each further part.

The current part dimensions are added to the part placements. In the process, the
current dimensions of the part are internally checked for every part and for every
differing value, a message is displayed allowing you to accept or discard the update.
EPLAN Training

42

Panel Layout
This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Training

43

Panel Layout

12

Using Jump Functions

Jump functions allow jumping to all cross-referenced "Parts" of a particular item,

where the main function is always jumped to.
Preconditions:
You have opened a project.
You have opened the Panel layout - <Project name> dialog.
You have inserted mounting panels and part placements.

1. Select the item to whose graphical representation in the graphical editor you
would like to spring to, in the tree or the list in the Panel layout - <Project
name>.

EPLAN Training

44

Panel Layout
2. Select Popup menu > Go to (graphic).

The graphical editor forks to the page where the main function is located. The main
funtion is optically highlighted in the process.

EPLAN Training

45

Panel Layout

EPLAN Training

46