By default, a new SFC POU contains an initial step and a subsequent transition. This chapter provides information on how to add further elements, and how to arrange and edit the elements.
To insert the particular SFC elements, execute the respective commands from the menu. For further information, refer to the description of the SFC editor commands. Double-click an already inserted step, transition, or action element, which does not yet reference a programming object, to open a dialog box for assigning one.
Select an element or text field by clicking a possible cursor position. You can also give the selection to an adjacent element by using the arrow keys. The element will change color to red. For example, see the chapter Cursor Positions in SFC.
For multiple selection, the following possibilities are available:
Keep the SHIFT key pressed and then click the particular elements to be selected.
Press the left mouse-key and draw a rectangle (dotted line) around the elements to be selected.
Execute the command , by default from the menu.
Click a text cursor position to open the edit field, where you can edit the text. If a text area has been selected via the arrow keys, open the edit field explicitly by using the SPACE bar.
Double-click a step (entry, active, or exit) or transition action association to open the associated action in the corresponding editor. You can, for example, double-click the transition element or the triangle indicating an exit action in a step element.
Select the elements and execute the command , , or (from the menu) or use the corresponding keys.
When you paste one or several cut or copied elements, the content of the clipboard will be inserted before the currently selected position. If nothing is selected, the elements will be appended at the end of the currently loaded chart.
If you paste a branch while the currently selected element is also a branch, the pasted branch elements will be inserted to the left of the existing elements.
If you paste an action (list) at a currently selected step, the actions will be added at the beginning of the action list of the step or an action list for the step will be created.
Incompatible elements when cutting/copying:
If you select an associated action (list) and additionally an element which is not the step to which the action (list) belongs, a message box will display: The selection will not be stored and you cannot paste or copy it somewhere else.
Incompatible elements when pasting:
If you try to paste an action (list) while the currently selected element is not a step or another association, a message box will display: If you try to paste an element like a step, branch, or transition when currently an associated action (list) is selected, the same message box will display.
For copying step and transition elements that call action objects or transition objects, two different duplication modes are available. Either the references are copied only, or the referenced objects are embedded and duplicated when copying. Select a mode in the dialog box with the option.
Select the elements and execute the command or press the DEL key.
Consider the following:
Deleting a step also deletes the associated action list.
Deleting the initial step automatically sets the following step to be the initial one. This option will be activated in the properties of this step.
Deleting the horizontal line preceding a branched area will delete all branches.
Deleting all particular elements of a branch will delete the branch.