This functionality is only available for certain module packages. Info

EPLAN Electric P8 Project Data Exchange Overview

It is possible to exchange project data between EPLAN Harness proD and EPLAN Electric P8. The data can be exchanged bi-directionally.

Differences between importing EPLAN Electric P8 projects versus *.hpdex files

There is one difference between project data exchange via API (direct import to an EPLAN Electric P8 project) and by using *.hpdex files. If, for instance, a PLC macro is placed on an Overview page in EPLAN Electric P8 and the rest (individual functions and connections) are placed on a Schematic multi-line page, the project data is synchronized to EPLAN Harness proD using the direct import of the EPLAN Electric P8 project as expected. If you are, however, using an *.hpdex file, the part number of the PLC will not be synchronized and possibly not all connections will be synchronized to EPLAN Harness proD, the reason simply being that the API offers more functionality.

Project data exchange between EPLAN Harness proD and EPLAN Electric P8

The parts that are directly synchronized are connectors ("plugs" in EPLAN Electric P8), terminals, connectable objects (motors, PLCs), special components (connection splicers, lights, capacitors, etc.), wires (connections), cables, ribbon cables. All other parts are synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8 as accessories of pins, parts, and wire harnesses. Parts are synchronized both ways between EPLAN Harness proD and EPLAN Electric P8, regardless of where you start (in EPLAN Harness proD or in EPLAN Electric P8).

By default, all parts placed from the EPLAN Harness proD Library and the Wire harness have the EPLAN export check box deactivated. Parts placed from EPLAN Harness proD Library do not have the P8 Full DT property assigned in the Properties panel. Such parts can be named as in the EPLAN Electric P8 project (the Full DT entry has to be used). The part is recognized and is marked as "placed" in the EPLAN import panel. The object receives the P8 Full DT property assigned in the Properties panel.

All parts placed from an EPLAN Platform project - from the EPLAN import panel - have the EPLAN export check box activated. They get assigned the P8 Full DT property in the Properties panel.

The EPLAN export check box can be activated / deactivated as desired in EPLAN Harness proD.

Wire names in EPLAN Harness proD are used in this order: Connection point designations or Connection color / number or Full DT.

The lengths of wires, cables, cable shields, and surface protections are synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8, with the length of wires, cables, and cable shields being displayed within those parts in EPLAN Electric P8 (if so determined). The length of surface protections is displayed in the properties of the Wire harness definition; select the surface protection in the Part number > Subset / length and Part number > Subset / length with unit of project etc. properties.

The "Bundle" tree view name is synchronized to the Bundle property of the connections.

Wire harnesses

Wire harnesses are synchronized both ways. In EPLAN Harness proD the Wire harness object has the EPLAN export check box activated in the Properties panel. The EPLAN export property is propagated to all objects assigned to the wire harness. If the wire harness is created in EPLAN Harness proD, it has the EPLAN export check box deactivated. The wire harness tree view name is assigned to parts in EPLAN Electric P8 via the Wire harness name / Bundle group properties. It is recommended to assign a part number to the wire harness, especially if the wire harness is created in EPLAN Harness proD.

Cavity seals, cavity plugs

Cavity seals and cavity plugs are placed onto a pin in EPLAN Harness proD. Those parts are synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8 as pin accessories: In EPLAN Electric P8, open the Parts tab of the pin properties. Cavity seals and cavity plugs are displayed in the Part number column of the list, with their Part allocation property being "Accessories".

If cavity seals and cavity plugs have a wire harness assigned and the wire harness is set to be synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8, they are also displayed in the Wire harness navigator as Accessories below the particular device and pin.

Cavity seals and cavity plugs are synchronized both ways as described above.

Wire terminals

Wire terminals can be placed onto wire ends in EPLAN Harness proD. Wire terminals are synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8 connections. They are displayed in the Parts tab of the properties of connection definition points in the Part number column. The wire terminal placed onto the End1 wire property in EPLAN Harness proD has the Part allocation property "Part (source)" in EPLAN Electric P8; the wire terminal placed onto the End2 wire property has the Part allocation property "Part (target)".

If wire terminals have an assigned wire harness and the wire harness is set to be synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8, they are also displayed in the Wire harness navigator below the particular connection or cable as Part (source) or Part (target).

Wire terminals are synchronized both ways as described above.

Importing terminal strips to EPLAN Harness proD

Terminal strips can be imported to EPLAN Harness proD from EPLAN Electric P8 if they are created in one of the following ways:

  1. By placing terminals in a line.
  2. By placing terminals and assigning the same Displayed DT to them.

Adding terminal strip definitions is not required; imported terminals with the same Displayed DT property are automatically assigned to a new terminal strip in EPLAN Harness proD.

Properties of terminals can be edited in the following ways:

Other wire harness components

Other parts, such as labels, cable ties, leading parts (leading parts, grommets, clips), parts (parts, connector housings, backshells), and surface protections are synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8 if they are assigned a wire harness and the wire harness is set to be synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8 (the EPLAN export check box is activated). Those parts are displayed in EPLAN Electric P8 in the Wire harness navigator below the Other wire harness components > Accessories nodes.

If such a project is synchronized for the first time to EPLAN Harness proD, surface protections, leading parts, labels, and cable ties are placed graphically in the workspace / workdesk. All the other parts are placed non-graphically below the Others node in the tree view of the workspace / workdesk.

If the project is synchronized back to EPLAN Harness proD, to the same workspace / workdesk, all the placed parts are found and although a backshell is, e.g., placed graphically, no change is indicated in the EPLAN import panel.

Non-graphical parts / user-defined attached parts

Any part can be placed onto any part as a non graphical part in EPLAN Harness proD. User defined attached parts can also be placed onto any part. Both are synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8 as Accessories of the particular object they are placed on. If the EPLAN Electric P8 project is synchronized back to EPLAN Harness proD they will thus be displayed as attached parts () of their parent part in the EPLAN import panel - even if they are placed onto a pin or wire end in EPLAN Harness proD.

If the EPLAN Electric P8 project is synchronized to EPLAN Harness proD for the first time, all the EPLAN Electric P8-specific Accessories are placed below the parent part, regardless of whether they were originally placed onto wire end, pin, etc.

If the EPLAN Electric P8 project is synchronized back to EPLAN Harness proD, to the same workspace / workdesk, all the placed parts are found and although a user-defined attached part is, e.g., placed onto the pin of a connector, no change is indicated in the EPLAN import panel.

Black boxes

The black box is handled differently depending on whether it contains one or multiple parts:

EPLAN Electric P8

EPLAN Harness proD

Black box contains one device and does not have a part number assigned. The device, however, has a part number assigned.

Part number of the device in the black box.

Black box contains one device and has a part number assigned.

Part number of the black box, regardless of whether the device in the black box has a part number assigned.

Black box contains multiple devices.

Part numbers of all the devices inside the black box, regardless of whether the black box has a part number assigned.

Mark for deletion

Mark for deletion in EPLAN Harness proD and Marked for deletion in EPLAN Electric P8 are synchronized both ways. In EPLAN Harness proD, the Mark for deletion property can be set to a part which has not been placed from the EPLAN import panel yet (see more details in the Importing EPLAN Electric P8 Data into Workspace / Workdesk section). A part with this property activates the Marked for deletion check box in EPLAN Electric P8.

Attached parts ("accessories" in EPLAN Electric P8) such as cavity seals, cavity plugs, wire terminals, leading parts, surface protections, etc. can be marked for deletion individually. Such attached parts / accessories are not synchronized to EPLAN Electric P8 or are removed from the EPLAN Electric P8 project if they have already been placed.

If a part has the Marked for deletion check box activated in EPLAN Electric P8 and the part has already been placed in the workspace / workdesk in EPLAN Harness proD, the (Delete) action will be offered for this part.

If a part has the Marked for deletion check box activated in EPLAN Electric P8 and the part has not yet been placed in the workspace / workdesk in EPLAN Harness proD, this part will be deleted directly from the EPLAN import panel.

See also