View source for WireCAD Online Help:Cable Number Format

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|desc=Allows control of the Cable numbering scheme. Using the Cable Number Format dialog you can select any field that is associated with the Cable Number and concatenate it into your own numbering scheme. Each of the fields selected can be formatted and the numbers can be set to sequence off of another field.}}

 

== How it Works ==


The Cable Number format tool is used to generate regular expressions that are then used to parse Cable Number info as well as provide formatting information to masked text boxes.
 
A note on regular expressions: WireCAD v6 makes extensive use of regular expressions (Regex). Regular expressions are a well documented string parsing tool. Much has been written on them. It is not within the scope of this quick start guide to fully explain regular expressions; however, a google search will tell you more than you ever wanted to know.
 
Two forms of regular expression are generated: a simplified form that is used as a mask in both the Cable Number database and in textboxes, and a complex form that aids in the generation of queries to determine the next number in a sequence. The following are both the simplified and complex regex for the default format:
 
 \w{1,6}-\d{1,5}
 
 (?<EQUIPMENTTYPE>\w{1,6})-(?<NUMERICSEQUENCE>\d{1,5})
 


{{warning|WireCAD supports multiple formats in the same database. In order to accomplish this we use the simplified Regex as a mask. If you have any data in the Project Cable Numbers table and you change ANYTHING in ANY Format field you will change the mask and therefore the sequence. You must decide if the change is such that it warrants copying the new simplified Regex to all records in the Project Cable Numbers table in order to keep your sequence.}}

 

== Controls Explanation ==

{| class="wikitable" style=" background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0"; border="1"; width="100%"
|-
! Setting/Control  !! Explanation/Description
|-
| '''Selected Format'''|| Selects the current Cable Number format. Clicking the + or - button allows you to add and remove custom Cable Number Formats[[File:Sysfmt1.png|thumb|Select Cable Number Format]]
|-
|'''Input String/Looks Like'''|| WireCAD uses a fixed set of constants to test your custom format. All of the constants are upper case. The Input String provides a string to which the selected format is applied. The '''Looks Like''' label shows the input string with the formatting applied.[[File:Sysfmt3.png|thumb|Select SysName Format]]
|-
|'''Advanced Regular Expression Info(geek stuff)'''|| This collapsible panel displays the complex and simplified REGEX. The simplified REGEX is associated with every Cable Number that is created under this format. This allows us to have multiple sequences working in the same table. As noted above: even minor changes in the simplified REGEX will change the sequence.[[File:Sysfmt4.png|thumb|SysName Format]]
|-
| '''Regex Examples'''||Some examples that you can cut/paste into the format field.
|-
| '''Variable List'''|| Displays the sequence of variables in grid view that will be concatenated into the final Cable Number.
|-
| '''Field''' || The variable to concatenate into the output string.
|-
| '''Sequence On'''|| Applies to Numeric/Alpha Sequences. Sets the variable that the sequences is associated to.
|-
|''' Format''' || The REGEX for all fields except the STRING variable. The STRING variable uses the literal string value of the format field.
|-
| '''Order''' || the variable's order in the list.
|-
| '''[UP]/[DN]'''|| Move the selected record up or down in the list.
|-
| '''Test Syntax'''|| Tests the syntax. This tool has so many possibilities that it is possible that the '''[Test Syntax]''' function may not find all errors.

|}

== Available Variables ==

{| class="wikitable" style=" background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0"; border="1"; width="100%"
|-
! Variable  !! Description !! Sequencable  !! Default Format REGEX
|-
| '''SIGNALTYPE'''|| The signal type associated with the cable.||X||\w{1,4}
|-
| '''SIGNALTYPEPREFIX'''|| the signal type prefix associated with the signal type of the cable.||X||\w{1,4}
|-
| '''SOURCESYSTEM'''|| The source SysName.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''SOURCEPIN'''||The source port or pin name.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''SOURCEALIAS'''|| The source alias.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''SOURCELOCATION'''|| The source location.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''DESTSYSTEM'''|| The destination SysName.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''DESTPIN'''|| The destination port or pin name.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''DESTALIAS'''|| The destination alias.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''DESTLOCATION'''|| The destination location.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''SOURCE_OR_DEST_PIN_IF_JACKFIELD'''|| NOT YET IMPLEMENTED.||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''MULTICOREDATA'''||Core data as defined in the associated cable type if any.<br>
{{note|this variable must be included in order to make use of the multi-core numbering system.}} 
||X||\w*
|-
| '''STRING'''|| any string (usually used for delimiters like dashes (-))||||any string (usually used for delimiters like dashes (-))
|-
| '''ALPHASEQUENCE'''|| an alpha sequence that starts at the letter 'a'||X||\w{4}
|-
| '''NUMERICSEQUENCE'''|| a numeric sequence that starts with the project starting number||X||\d{1,5}
|-
| '''USER1'''|| the global equipment library device definition user1 field||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''USER2'''|| the global equipment library device definition user2 field||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''USER3'''|| the global equipment library device definition user3 field||X||\w{1,6}
|-
| '''USER4'''|| the global equipment library device definition user4 field||X||\w{1,6}

|} 
 


== More About Regex ==
The Format field uses regular expressions. The following are some simple examples:
{| class="wikitable" style=" background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0"; border="1"; width="100%"
|-
! Expression!! Description 
|-\w{1,6}     ||Any non number, non punctuation string from 1 to 6 characters
|-
|\w*          ||Any non number, non punctuation string any length
|-
|[a-zA-Z0-9]{5} ||Lower / Upper case and 0 thru 9 exactly 5 characters
|-
|\d{1,5} ||Digits 1 to 5 digits in length
|-
|\d*||Digits any length
|-
|\\||                                a slash "\". The \ is the escape character so you need two
|-
|-"-" ||                               a dash except when in [] or {} then a range.
|-
|[a-zA-Z0-9_\-\,]{1,4}  ||      Lower / Upper case, 0-9, underscore, dash, and comma.
|}