The component editor provides editing of the defintion of a component. The component editor is used to:
A component editor is opened and displayed upon:
Note: Open Component will open a Component Editor for the immediate instance of any component. Open base will open the Component Editor for a components base definition.
Adding pins to a component is preformed using the Add Pin action of either the Edit menu or the toolbar. The Add Pin action will display an Add Pin dialog prompting for a pin name and the direction of the pin. The direction of the pin can be either provides or uses. Entering values into the Add Pin dialog and clicking the OK button will create and add a pin to the component.
Adding ports to a component is preformed using the Add Port action of either the Edit menu or the toolbar. The Add Port action will display an Add Pin dialog prompting for a port name, the direction of the port, and an an optional port type. The direction of the pin can be either provides or uses. The port type allows selection of any type contained in a type package. Entering values into the Add Port dialog and clicking the OK button will create and add a port to the component.
A port can also be added to a component by dragging any type contained within a type package from the component tree to the edges of the component editor. If dropped over the left side of the component editor, a port with a provides will be created and added to the component. If dropped over the right side of the component editor, a port with a uses direction will be created and added to the component. In either case the port type of the new port will be set to the type selected to begin the drag.
Adding properties to a component is preformed using the Add Property action of either the Edit menu or the toolbar. The Add Pin action will display an Add Pin dialog prompting for a property name and a reference property. The reference property must be a property of any sub component contained within the component. Entering values into the Add Property dialog and clicking the OK button will create and add a property to the component.
Adding sub-component is preformed using the Add Component action of either the Edit menu or the toolbar. The Add Component action will display an Add Component dialog prompting for a component name and a component type. The reference property must be a property of any sub component contained within the component. Entering values into the Add Component dialog and clicking the OK button will create and add a sub-component to the component.
A sub-component can also be added to a component by dragging any component from the component tree to the component editor. Droping a component anywhere within the Component Editor will create and add a compoenent of the type selected to begin the drag.
A pin, port, interface, or property is reordered by first selecting the pin, port, interface, or property by a single click then dragging the pin, port, interface, or property to a new position within the order of the pins, ports, interfaces, and properties.
Note: Pins, ports, interfaces, and properties can only re-ordered within their assigned locations. For example provides interfaces and ports can only be reordered along the left side of the component editor. Provides interfaces and ports cannot be moved to locations other than the left side of the Component Editor.
A sub-component is repositioned to a new location within the Component Editor by draging it to the new location.
A pin, port, interface, property, or component can be renamed by first selecting the pin, port, interface, property, or component and then using the Rename action of the Edit menu or the toolbar; or using the Rename action on a pop-up menu. The Rename action will display the Rename dialog allowing the name to be changed. Entering values into the Rename dialog and clicking OK will change the name of the pin, port, interface, property, or Component.
A pin, port, interface, property, or component, can also be renamed by clicking over the name within the Component Editor. This will activate an in place text editor. Changing the value in the text editor and either clicking outside the text editor or pressing the Enter key will rename the pin, port, interface, property, or component.
The values of properites of a compoennt can be changed by first selecting the component and then using the Properties action of the Edit menu or the toolbar; or using the Rename action on a pop-up menu. The Properties action will display the Properties dialog allowing the values of the compoent's properties to be changed. Entering values into the Properties dialog and clicking OK will change the values of the component's properties.
A property value can also be changed by clicking over the property value within the Component Editor. This will activate an in place editor for the property. If the editor is an in place text editor then changing the value and either clicking outside the editor or pressing the Enter key will change the property value. For non-text editors, clicking over a new value will change the property value.
Pins, ports, and interfaces of the component and sub-components are connected by creating wires between the pins, ports and interfaces. A wire is created by beginning a drag over any pin, port, or interface within the Component Editor and releasing over any other pin, port, or interface provided that the end pin, port, interface is compatible with the pin, port, or interface at the begin of the drag.
While dragging the mouse cursor will change to a cross hair. The mouse cursor will change to a dot when the cusor is over a pin, port, or interface that is compatible with the begin of the drag. The mouse cursor will change to a no entry symbol over a dot when the cursor moves over a pin, port, or interface that is NOT compatible with pin, port, or interface at the begin of the drag.
The rules for determinig compatability are:
Wires will be drawn from one pin, port, or interface to another as straight lines which may overlay sub-components. To avoid a wire overlaying a sub-component an interim point on the wire can be created. An interim point is created by dragging an interior point within a wire to any location or by pressing the Shift key while dragging from a pin, port, or interface.
Once a point is created it will behave like the pin, port, or interface. It can be wired just like any other pin, port, or interface. It will abide by the compatibiliy rules using the pin, port, or interface at the orginating source of a wire.
Note: points can be moved to a new location, however to move a point it must first be selected with a single click and then dragged to a new location.
A pin, port, interface, property, sub-component, wire, or point is deleted by first selecting the pin, port, interface, property, sub-component, wire, or point with a single click and then using the Delete action on the Edit menu or on the toolbar; or by the Delete action on a pop-up menu.
A pin, port, interface, sub-component, wire, or point is deactivated by first selecting the pin, port, interface, sub-component, wire, or point with a single click and then using the Deactivate action on the Debug menu or on the toolbar; or by the Deactivate action on a pop-up menu.
A pin, port, interface, sub-component, wire, or point is activated by first selecting the pin, port, interface, sub-component, wire, or point with a single click and then using the Activate action on the Debug menu or on the toolbar; or by the Activate action on a pop-up menu.
A breakpoint is set on a pin, port, wire, or point by first selecting the pin, port, wire, or point with a single click and then using the Set Breakpoint action on the Debug menu or on the toolbar; or by the Set Breakpoint action on a pop-up menu.
A breakpoint is cleared on a pin, port, wire, or point by first selecting the pin, port, wire, or point with a single click and then using the Clear Breakpoint action on the Debug menu or on the toolbar; or by the Clear Breakpoint action on a pop-up menu.