Product interfaces

Create a new interface

Copy an interface

Delete an interface

Add an Interface attribute to an interface

Remove an Interface attribute from an interface

Select/Deselect in variants and options

Product interfaces in product

Product interfaces are interfaces that make it possible to exchange attribute data between nested products. For this to work both products should contain the same interface.

In this window it is possible to create and maintain different product interfaces.

Inherit

When the interface is added to a product, the interfaces and interface attributes will get a 'Source' column.

By selecting the inherit check box. The interface attribute will obtain its value from the found/selected source.

By not selecting the inherit check box. The interface will not get its value from the found/selected source.
By default the inherit check box is selected.

See also:

Products

Product interfaces in product

Create a new interface

• Click New.

• Enter a unique interface name.

Copy an interface

• Select the interface to copy.

• Click Copy.

• Enter a new, unique interface name.

Delete an interface

• Select the interface to delete. Multiple select is possible.

• Click Delete.

• To confirm the delete action, click OK in the message dialog.

Notes:

1. A interface in use can not be deleted.

Add an interface attribute to an interface

• Select an attribute to add to the interface from the 'Library' panel. Selection of multiple items is possible.

• Drag the item(s) to the desired interface, or to an existing interface attribute in the desired interface.

Remove an interface attribute from an interface

• Select the interface from which an item must be removed.

• Click the plus sign (+) left of the interface name to unfold the item tabs.

• Select the tab corresponding to the item to remove.

• From this tab select the item to remove. Selection of multiple items is possible.

• Click Delete.

• Click OK in the message dialog.

Select/deselect in variants/options

It is possible to quickly select items in existing variants and options.

e.g. Add an interface attribute to an interface, which needs to be selected in variants/options where the interface is used (in products).

This is possible by selecting the attributes, then by pressing the right mouse button and clicking on 'Select in variants/options'. The selected attributes will only be selected in variants/options (in products) where the interface is selected. If the interface is not selected in any of the variant/options, then the items won't be selected.

Select in variant/options

Will select all the selected items in variants and options (in products) where the interface is selected.

It is not possible to do this for interfaces

Deselect in variants/options

Will deselect all the selected items in all variants and options (in products).

See also:

Variants and options

Product interfaces in product

In this chapter the function of the interface and its attributes is explained.

Note

• Product interfaces can be added to a product. See add items to a product

Each product interface in a product has a function, a product interface can be added multiple times, as long as the function is unique.

Under the product interfaces tab in the properties panel of the products screen, are the settings of the interfaces of the selected product.

In this view the 'Source' column is visible. Source means, where does the interface or its attributes will retrieve its data from.

The sources that can be selected by pressing the '...' button, must be of the same type and within the product structure itself.

If the product interface attributes have the 'Inherit' option set to true, and the source is selected. The attributes will get the value (through the interface) from the 'source'.

Note

• The product interface attributes do not have a value, they show values of there source interface attribute or its own relation but do not contain a value by itself.

When pressing the '...' the following view pop-ups:

When the 'OK' button is pressed, the selected interface in the pop-up will be set as the source interface for the interface where the pop-up is opened for.

The source interface will then be visible under the source column in the product interfaces tab of the properties panel.

When the source is not chosen, the 'Function match'  field can be filled in. By default the attributes of the interface will search for interfaces with the same function to get their data from. If the function match field is used, the attributes will search for an interface with the given function.

Note

• When a source is selected via the pop-up menu described above, the function match field will be cleared, and cannot be used.
• It is also possible to copy and paste a source into a target, by pasting the display text (e.g. "3 | Motor start stop V1.03 | Supply | 400VAC") into the "Source" cell

See also:

Products

Product interfaces attributes

All the interface attributes of an interface can be viewed by clicking the expand triangle to the left of an interface in the Product details window of the product screen.

The value, source and inherit values of the attributes can then be viewed in the properties windows of the same screen.

The value will show the value of its relation, if the interface attribute is not in a relation the value will show the value of its source.

Also, the value will show an tool tip with the expression, value and original value if the interface attribute is in a relation with a source attribute.

Inherit functionality

If the inherit box is not selected then:

• The interface attribute will use the value that is given through a possible attribute relation that was created between the interface attribute and a normal attribute.
• The interface attribute does no longer have a source, because the source is the product it is in.

If the inherit box is selected and the interface itself has a source selected then:

• The interface attribute will get the value through the interface its source. So the value will not come from within its product, but from the product of the source.
• The interface attribute shows the same source as the selected interface source.

If the inherit box is selected and the interface itself has no source selected then:

• The interface attribute will search for a source. It searches in upper/parent products for an interface with the same name and the same function. If a match is found, the source will be visible in the source column of the interface attribute, not in the interface itself! So some attributes can find a match in a higher parent product then other attributes.
• If the product interface of the interface attributes are not selected inside the projects, the interface attribute is not found.

Note

• Product interface attributes do not contain a value on their own, it is only a pass through attribute. To give a value to the interface attribute so it can pass through to other interface (attributes) that have found that interface as source, an attribute relation must be created and values must me set inside the normal attributes.
• If inherit is selected and a source is found, all attributes inside the attribute relation will be read only and can not be changed.

See also:

Attibute relations