Block Shape Port Orientation

I am creating my first wiring diagram and have a question about my
ports. I created a block shape that shows the connector view of some
electronics. When I add the ports, I have to define the cable
direction. My problem is I may not know the direction I want to route
the fiber in a drawing view. How do I rotate the port once the block
shape is created and inserted in a sheet?

I had the same question when I first started RSD.Then it dawned on me that a connector will always route outwards in one direction.Post an example of someplace that needs to vary and Ill help you think thru the RSD part of it.
Edited by: design-engine

Thanks Bart. The same block is used in different designs. One design may have the block at the top of the sheet so I will route the fibers down as defined in the block but another design may have the block at the bottom of the sheet and I want to route the fibers up. I found a way to rotate the ports but then the port text rotates too so I have to rotate and reposition the port text. That's OK if you have 1 or 2 blocks but I may have 20 blocks with 5 - 10 ports each. I am confused as to why the port needs a direction defined at all. Why can't the port direction be defined by the next fiber routing position?

You may have figured this out already, but for the situation you are describing all you need to do is to rotate the block shape.


When you go to first place the block usethe right mouse button-click onturn left or turn right until the orientation is as you would like).


The text will rotate with the block.


If you've already placed the block then you can apply a transformation (select block, right click, transformation, rotate, click a point near middle of block and type in your rotation angle). Again the text will rotate with the block.


TobyK

I would suggest creating two shapes of the block, one with the first orientation and the other with the second orientation.

That way they can have the same logical data but a very different presentation.

Remember to use the 'place shape for member' button to place the new shapes of the ports (it's in the bottom left of the catalog tooltray).

Martin

Martin,


I'm curious as a new user myself-What is the advantage to having two shapes when the only difference is orientation and it sounds like they are being used on the same type ofwiring diagrams just different sheets?


From the course content it seemed the multiple shapes were more if you had a BID and WID diagram that used the same connector that would need a different presentation (ie simpler in BID vs WID).


TobyK

Mirror works well too.

I'm not a fan of creating multiple blocks for the same artifact. If I
move an existing block to the other side of the drawing, I may have to
replace it with a block with ports in a different direction. How many
directions should I define? I may want mixed directions like I show in
the attached image. I can transform the block (mirror/rotate) but it
will no longer look
like the actual component.



Here is an example of my situation. I defined this block with all ports
routing to the left. Some of the fibers I want to route to the right.
In order to do this, I have to rotate the port and reposition the text
as in J4 on the left block. That works in this situation but I was
hoping for a better way.

Sometimes I may have multiple ports for a
connector (port for each contact). I would have to rotate each contact port to change directions. In my mind, the port direction should
play no significance in the block definition. I should be able to route in any direction from the port.



Mike

View attachment 4526

By the way, how do you make the image smaller for these posts?

hansonm

Ok, now I understand the requirement - I thought there were multiple ports in the component and you just wanted to change one of them.

Another way of achieving the desired result is to place a second shape of the same port on top of the original one, using a different orientation (again using 'place shape for member' in the catalog definition of the block).

That way you get two directions you can route into the port - the
direction you route from should determine which port it uses.


View attachment 4527


You need to ensure that the second port is a shape of the first. You can do this using the 'reassign shape' command (in the diagramming tooltray) that should say "There are no other items to which this shape can be assigned" if it worked ok.

As per the above image I created two shapes for the same port in different orientations and I can route from the connector to the port from two directions.

I hope that helps.

Martin

Martin,

Thanks for the tip. I think that will work for me. I will add a port for each direction I might want to route with "place shape for member" selected.

Thanks for the help.

Mike