Additional features

In addition to the mapping of variables there are some additional features:

• Sort variable list: you can sort each list according to specific values by clicking the relevant table header.

• Sort variable mappings: you can align all mapped variables by double clicking the area between the two lists (where the mapping-lines are displayed) (see Figure 49 figure).

• Connection check: because not all mappings make sense, by default some options are disabled. This includes mapping two variables from the same interface against each other as well as mapping variables with large size differences (e.g. writing a LREAL in a BOOL). Those safety-checks can be disabled using the checkbox at the bottom of the variable mapping interface.

• Dynamic creation and linking of variables to specific interfaces: in addition to the simulation-system interfaces there a couple of special interfaces e.g. to send / receive information e.g. over TCP/IP to other PCs, write data to a log-file or directly control values with a dashboard. If your version of the Automation Connect tool contains such interfaces, you can select and right-click the relevant variables and select the appropriate option in the appearing menu. Note that some interfaces are sometimes disabled, e.g. when the corresponding interface is currently running or only does support reading or writing etc.

• Create a Simcenter Amesim interface block setup: instead of manually defining the Simcenter Amesim in- and outputs in the UserCosim interface block, you can select and export the relevant in- and outputs by clicking the corresponding option in the right click menu. This will generate a text file which can be imported when adding an interface block in Simcenter Amesim: Figure 50: Simcenter Amesim interface block setup creation

• Export an SHM symbol list: Instead of manually defining (for example) SIMIT in-&outputs in the SIMIT, you can select and export the relevant in-&outputs by clicking the corresponding option in the right click menu. This will generate a text file which can be imported into SIMIT.

• Filter Names: Automation Connect offers the possibility to search for certain in- or output variables. You can do so by entering a variable/interface name in the corresponding text fields above each variable list. To reset the filter clear the text.

• Group variables: You can group variables by clicking the ‘+’ or ‘-‘ sign in the first column of each variable list. To group/ungroup all variables click the corresponding sign in the first cell of the header row.

• Create Dashboard controls: you can create in-&ouput dashboard controls by right-clicking selected variables and choosing send / read from dashboard. For inputs this will create buttons/sliding bars in the dashboard tab; for outputs you will get new windows with graphs. A small icon (also functioning as hyperlink) in the last column will inform you if there is an existing dashboard control for each variable. Note that dashboard-input-controls always have the highest writing priority and therefore overwrite other variable mappings.