Cutting connections

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It may turn out to be difficult to interpret the layout of a large circuit, especially if it contains many line crossings. You can clean up your connection layout, using the "Cut/Join" tool of the programming toolbar.

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Click on a connection after you have called this tool. The selected connecting line is graphically split. However, the link between the blocks remains active.

The open ends of the cut connection are now shown with arrowhead icons, which indicate the direction of the signal flow. Above the icons, you can now see the cross-references, including the page number of the circuit diagram, the block name and the number of the block terminal that is connected to the open link.

Right-click on the line connecting the two blocks you want to cut, then select the cut command.

You can also cut a group of connections, using the Edit -> Cut Connections menu command. Before you cut any connections, you can also set the cutting criteria, for example, cut all connections routed through blocks.

Example for the FBD Editor:

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The connection is closed again by clicking on its open end while the Cut/Join tool is active. Optionally, you can close the connection by right-clicking on an open end and calling the Link menu command.

Example for the FBD Editor:

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You should not use this tool to edit smaller circuit diagrams. In most cases you can optimize the layout by repositioning the icons.

Applications and advantages

Large and complex circuit layouts may contain numerous line crossings, thus making it more or less difficult to interpret the circuit. In such cases, the Cut/Join button is a highly effective means of clearing up the circuit layout.

You can quickly jump to the partner connector by right-clicking the open end of a cut connection. This opens a shortcut menu, in which you can select the GoTo Partner menu command to jump to the partner end of the cut connection.

Another advantage of the Cut/Join tool is its utilization for circuits extending across more than one printable page, that is, across a page break. The connecting lines of two circuit blocks which are shown on different pages are cut without cross-reference. However, if you cut such connections using the Cut/Join tool you generate a cross-reference pointing to the source or the connection target.

Example for the FBD Editor:

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