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Preface and Thanks................................................... 1 Important Notes.......................................................2

1 Installing EPLAN Electric P8 ................... 3 1.1 Hardware....................................................3 1.2 The Installation .........................................3 1.3 Important note for Version 1.8.x users10

2 System knowledge – and more ............ 11 2.1 Five basic principles in EPLAN Electric

P8............................................................. 11 2.2 Directory structure, storage locations. 12 2.3 Settings – General ................................. 15 2.3.1 Settings – Project................................... 16 2.3.2 Settings – User ....................................... 28 2.3.3 Settings – Workstation ......................... 36 2.3.4 Settings – Company .............................. 37 2.4 EPLAN and Multiple Starts .................. 39 2.5 Properties................................................ 39 2.5.1 Project properties................................... 40 2.5.2 Page Properties ...................................... 42 2.5.3 Symbol properties.................................. 43 2.5.4 Plot Frame Properties............................ 45 2.5.5 Plot frame properties............................. 45 2.6 Icons, Popup Menus in Dialogs ........... 45 2.6.1 Icons in Device Dialogs ........................ 46 2.6.2 Icons in Dialogs (Configuring)............. 47 2.6.3 Icons in Dialogs such as Filter Schemes

................................................................. 47 2.6.4 The Small Blue Triangle ....................... 48 2.6.5 Property Arrangements (Symbols) ...... 48 2.6.6 Formatting Properties ........................... 49

2.6.7 Buttons (small black triangles) ............ 50 2.6.8 Filter Dialogs .......................................... 51 2.6.9 Popup Menu Functions......................... 51 2.7 Master Data ............................................ 52 2.8 Operation ................................................ 53 2.8.1 Using the keyboard ............................... 53 2.8.2 Using the mouse .................................... 54 2.9 The User Interface - More Useful

Information ............................................ 54 2.9.1 Working with Workspaces ................... 55 2.9.2 Dialog Display........................................ 56

3 Projects and Managing Projects ...........61 3.1 Project Types .......................................... 62 3.1.1 Project types in EPLAN......................... 63 3.1.2 Project templates and basic projects... 64 3.2 Creating a New Project ......................... 66 3.2.1 A new project (from a basic project) .. 67 3.2.2 A new project (with project wizard) ... 69 3.3 The Project Management...................... 76 3.3.1 All Your Projects under Control .......... 76 3.3.2 Buttons in the Project Management ... 79 3.3.3 Filters in the Project Management ...... 83 3.3.4 Creating a Project (Project Management)

................................................................. 84 3.3.5 Copying a Project (Project Management)

................................................................. 85 3.3.6 Copying Projects (Explorer) ................. 87

4 The Graphical Editor ................................89 4.1 Pages under Control in the Page

Navigator ................................................ 89 4.1.1 Page types............................................... 89

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4.1.2 The page navigator................................ 90 4.2 General Functions ............................... 102 4.2.1 The menus in EPLAN .......................... 103 4.2.2 The status bar....................................... 103 4.3 Grid and Increments............................ 104 4.3.1 Graphical coordinate system.............. 105 4.3.2 Logical coordinate system.................. 106 4.4 Grid........................................................ 106 4.5 Increments, Coordinate Input ............ 108 4.5.1 Increment.............................................. 108 4.5.2 Coordinate input.................................. 109 4.5.3 Relative coordinate input ................... 109 4.5.4 Moving the base point ........................ 110 4.6 Graphical Editing Functions .............. 111 4.6.1 Lines, circles, rectangles, and more .. 111 4.6.2 Grouping and ungrouping ................. 113 4.6.3 Copying, deleting, selecting ............... 115 4.6.4 Dimensioning and the object snap

function................................................. 116 4.7 Texts ...................................................... 118 4.7.1 Normal (free) texts............................... 119 4.7.2 Path function texts.............................. 119 4.7.3 Special texts ......................................... 120 4.7.4 The Properties – Text dialog .............. 121 4.8 Symbols ................................................ 127 4.8.1 Inserting and editing symbols ........... 128 4.8.2 Properties (components) dialog –

[Device] tab .......................................... 129 4.8.3 The Display tab .................................... 131 4.8.4 The Symbol / Function data tab........ 134 4.8.5 The Parts tab ........................................ 136 4.9 Cross-references................................... 137 4.9.1 Motor overload switch contact image

example................................................. 137 4.9.2 Coil contact image example............... 141

4.10 The EPLAN Data Portal....................... 142 4.10.1 What is the EPLAN Data Portal?....... 142 4.10.2 The installation .................................... 143 4.10.3 Before the first start ............................ 145 4.10.4 Menu items of the EPLAN Data Portal

............................................................... 146 4.10.5 How the Portal works ......................... 147 4.11 Macros................................................... 150 4.11.1 Types of macros................................... 150 4.11.2 Macros with value sets ....................... 156 4.12 Project Options..................................... 160 4.12.1 What are project options? .................. 160 4.12.2 Terms used in the Options module area

............................................................... 160

5 Navigators – Project Data Overviews165 5.1 Navigator Fundamentals .................... 165 5.2 Project data – Devices......................... 171 5.2.1 Devices – Exchange ............................ 172 5.2.2 Devices – Assigning Main Function . 173 5.2.3 Devices – Cross-referencing DTs ....... 175 5.2.4 Devices – Synchronize function texts176 5.2.5 Devices – Interconnect devices.......... 177 5.2.6 Devices – Number (offline)................. 180 5.2.7 Device navigator – New ..................... 182 5.2.8 Device navigator – New device ......... 183 5.2.9 Device navigator – Place.................... 184 5.2.10 Device navigator – Rename ............... 184 5.3 Project data – Terminal strips and

terminals ............................................... 185 5.3.1 Terminal strips – Edit.......................... 185 5.3.2 Terminal strips – Correct .................... 187 5.3.3 Terminal strips – Number terminals . 189 5.3.4 Terminal strip navigator – New......... 190

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5.3.5 Terminal strip navigator – New functions............................................... 190

5.3.6 Terminal strip navigator – Generate terminal strip definition ..................... 192

5.3.7 Terminal strip navigator – Generate terminal strip definition ..................... 192

5.3.8 Terminal strip navigator – Place ....... 192 5.3.9 Terminal strip navigator – Edit ......... 194 5.3.10 Terminal strip navigator –Number

terminals ............................................... 194 5.4 Project data – Plugs, sockets and more

............................................................... 195 5.4.1 Plugs – Edit .......................................... 195 5.4.2 Plugs – Correct..................................... 196 5.4.3 Plugs – Number pins........................... 196 5.4.4 Plug navigator – New ......................... 197 5.4.5 Plug navigator – New functions........ 197 5.4.6 Plug navigator – Generate plug

definition .............................................. 198 5.4.7 Plug navigator – Generate pin .......... 198 5.4.8 Plug navigator – Place........................ 199 5.5 Project data – PLC ............................... 199 5.5.1 PLC – Writing back connection point

descriptions .......................................... 201 5.5.2 PLC – Set data types ........................... 202 5.5.3 PLC – Address / Assignment lists...... 203 5.5.4 PLC – Address ...................................... 206 5.5.5 PLC – Use existing addresses blockwise

............................................................... 207 5.5.6 PLC – Use connection points blockwise

............................................................... 209 5.5.7 PLC navigator – New .......................... 210 5.5.8 PLC navigator – New functions......... 211 5.5.9 PLC navigator – New device .............. 212 5.5.10 PLC navigator – View ......................... 213 5.6 Project data – Cables and Conductors213

5.6.1 Cable – Edit .......................................... 214 5.6.2 Cable – Number ................................... 215 5.6.3 Cables – Automatically generate cables

............................................................... 217 5.6.4 Cables – Automatic cable selection .. 219 5.6.5 Cables – Delete automatically generated

cables ..................................................... 220 5.6.6 Cables – Automatic -> Manual............ 221 5.6.7 Cables – Assign conductors – Keep

existing properties ................................ 222 5.6.8 Cable navigator – New ......................... 223 5.6.9 Cable navigator – Place........................ 223 5.6.10 Cable navigator – Number cable DT.... 224 5.6.11 Cable navigator – Number DT ............. 224 5.7 The Assign Function in Different

Navigators ............................................. 225

6 Graphical and External Reports ......... 227 6.1 What Are Reports? .............................. 228 6.2 Report Types......................................... 228 6.3 Types of Graphical Reports ................ 228 6.3.1 Report types (forms) ............................ 228 6.4 Settings (Output Options) ................... 240 6.4.1 Project setting Output to pages ......... 240 6.4.2 Project setting Display / Output ........ 245 6.4.3 Project setting Parts ............................ 247 6.5 Generating Reports.............................. 247 6.5.1 The Reports dialog............................... 248 6.5.2 Generate reports without templates .. 249 6.5.3 Popup menus in the Reports tab ....... 253 6.5.4 Generate reports with templates........ 254 6.6 Other Functions ................................... 258 6.6.1 Generate project reports ..................... 259 6.6.2 Update ................................................... 259 6.6.3 Settings for automatic updates.......... 259

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6.7 Labeling ................................................ 260 6.7.1 Settings ................................................. 260 6.8 Externally Editing Properties ............. 267 6.8.1 Export data........................................... 268 6.8.2 Import.................................................... 273

7 Management Tasks in EPLAN ..............275 7.1 The Structure Identifier Management275 7.1.1 Tabs in the structure identifier

management......................................... 276 7.1.2 The graphical buttons ......................... 279 7.1.3 Sort menu ............................................. 281 7.1.4 Extras menu ......................................... 282 7.2 The Message Management ................. 284 7.2.1 The visual appearance of the message

management......................................... 285 7.2.2 Project checks ...................................... 286 7.2.3 Message classes and message categories

............................................................... 286 7.2.4 Filters in the message management.. 290 7.2.5 Various ways of editing messages .... 291 7.3 Layer Management.............................. 292 7.3.1 Standard layers .................................... 292 7.3.2 Export and import layers.................... 293 7.3.3 Create and delete your own layers.... 294 7.3.4 Uses of layers ....................................... 296 7.4 Parts Management............................... 300 7.4.1 Structure of the parts management .. 302 7.4.2 Tabs in the parts management .......... 303 7.4.3 Create a part ......................................... 307

8 DXF, DWG, PDF, Images – Exporting, Importing, Printing ...............................311

8.1 Exporting and Importing DXF / DWG Files ....................................................... 311

8.1.1 Exporting DXF and DWG files .......... 311

8.1.2 Importing DXF and DWG Files ......... 314 8.2 Image Files ........................................... 316 8.2.1 Exporting image files.......................... 316 8.2.2 Inserting image files (Importing)....... 319 8.3 PDF Files............................................... 321 8.3.1 Exporting PDF files ............................. 322 8.3.2 Inserting PDF files (importing) .......... 323 8.4 General Printing .................................. 327 8.4.1 The print dialog and its options ........ 327 8.5 Exporting and Importing Project Data

............................................................... 330 8.5.1 Exporting project data ........................ 330 8.5.2 Importing project data ........................ 330 8.6 Special Function Print attached

documents ............................................ 331 8.7 Special Function Import PDF comments

............................................................... 332 8.7.1 Importing commented PDF documents

............................................................... 332 8.7.2 Deleting PDF comments ..................... 334

9 Backing up, Restoring, and Mailing Data................................................................... 335

9.1 Zipping and Unzipping Projects........ 335 9.2 Backing up and Restoring Projects ... 337 9.2.1 Backing up Projects............................. 338 9.2.2 Restoring Projects................................ 343 9.3 Other Important Settings .................... 344 9.3.1 Default Settings for Data Backups (User)

............................................................... 344 9.3.2 Compressing Project (remove

unnecessary data) ................................ 345 9.3.3 Automated Processing – Compressing

and Backing Up a Project................... 347 9.4 Backing Up and Restoring Master Data

............................................................... 350

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9.4.1 Backing up Master Data ..................... 351 9.4.2 Restoring Master Data......................... 354 9.4.3 User Settings for Master Data............ 355 9.5 Sending by E-mail............................... 356 9.6 Data Backup with a Script.................. 357

10 Master Data Editors ..............................359 10.1 Preparatory Measures.......................... 360 10.2 Form Overview Project ....................... 360 10.3 Forms..................................................... 362 10.3.1 Creating a new form (from a copy)... 363 10.3.2 Editing an existing form .................... 368 10.3.3 Creating a new form ........................... 369 10.4 Plot frames ........................................... 370 10.4.1 Creating a new plot frame (from a copy)

............................................................... 370 10.4.2 Editing an existing plot frame........... 372 10.4.3 Creating a new plot frame.................. 373

11 Importing Old EPLAN Data ...........................375 11.1 Importing EPLAN 21 Data.................. 375 11.1.1 Symbol libraries................................... 377 11.1.2 Plot frames ........................................... 378 11.1.3 Forms..................................................... 379 11.1.4 Parts data / plug data ......................... 380 11.1.5 Dictionaries .......................................... 381 11.1.6 Macros................................................... 382 11.1.7 Projects (complete) .............................. 384

Index ...................................................................387