Echelon LonMaker - Manual (Page 111)

LonMaker User’s Guide 95
1. Select a functional block that contains a network variable with the desired network variable type
that you want to use for the new network variable shape, and then select the network variable.
2. Right-click the network variable that you selected in step 1 and then select Create Input NV
Template or Create Output NV Template on the shortcut menu to create an input or output
network variable shape, respectively. The LonMaker tool creates a new network variable shape on
the current drawing page.
The default name of this new network variable shape will be the name of the source network
variable followed by its direction in brackets. For example, if you create an output network
variable from a network variable named “SWITCH”, the default name of the new NV shape will
be “SWITCH [Out]”.
If the source NV contains a direction in its name such as “nvo” or “nvi” and that direction does not
match that of the new NV shape, the name of the direction will be reversed in the default name of
the NV shape. Using the previous example, if the source NV is named “nvi SWITCH”, the
default name of the new NV shape will be “nvo SWITCH [Out]”.
Creating a Network Variable Master Shape
Using a network variable shape, you can create a network variable master shape. You can then use the
network variable master shape to add a dynamic network variable with a specified network variable
type and direction to functional blocks that support dynamic network variables. To create a network
variable master shape, follow these steps:
1. Create a network variable shape following the steps in Creating a Network Variable Shape.
2. Drag the network variable shape to a LonMaker stencil to which you have write access. If the
stencil is read-only, you will be prompted to either change the stencil to be writeable or cancel the
operation. A new master shape appears on the stencil. The default name of the network variable
master shape is the name of the network variable shape without its direction suffix.
3. Save the stencil
Adding Network Variable Shapes to a Functional Block
You can automatically add all available static and/or dynamic network variables to a functional block
when you create a new functional block shape, or you can selectively add them after you create the
functional block.
To automatically add all available network variables to a functional block, select the Create Shapes
for all Network Variables checkbox in the New Functional Block Wizard when you add a functional
block shape to your drawing.
To selectively add network variables, clear the Create Shapes for all Network Variables checkbox in
the New Functional Block Wizard. This creates a functional block with no network variable shapes.
You then add one or more network variable shapes to the functional block using one of the following
three methods:
• Drag a generic network variable shape onto the functional block. This method can be used for
adding both static and dynamic network variables to a functional block.
• Drag a network variable shape from the LonMaker NV Shapes stencil onto the functional block.
This method can only be used for adding dynamic network variables to a functional block.
• Drag a network variable master shape onto the functional block. This method can only be used for
adding dynamic network variables to a functional block.
Tip: You can quickly add a dynamic network variable to a functional block using any of last two
methods.