One of the most important aspects when working with EPLAN Cogineer is the clear-cut structuring and modularization of the functionalities of your product and of the data that are to be used to configure the functionalities. In this context the complete variance of the product has to be taken into consideration. The variance has a direct influence on the granularity of the modularization. A serial product does not have any variance. Therefore low granularity is sufficient for the modularization. A customization has a very high degree of variance. Therefore very high granularity is required for the modularization.
Use a macro project to create a library that contains all the data that are required for the project documentation of your product in a modularized form. You obtain all the data that you need in EPLAN Cogineer from the library. Use the # character as an organizational property for functions and variants. It serves to achieve a clearly structured representation in the library, but does not have any relevance for the target project when generating the project documentation.
When all the data are available in modular form, you can begin to define Macro-Typicals, Typical-Groups, dependencies and cross-relations. To this purpose configuration variables and a simple formula language are available. In addition to the macros the rules are also stored in the library. Through the rules you determine which configuration possibilities the Engineer has in Project Builder.
Synchronization between macro project and file system
The macros that are contained in the macro project must first be exported as individual macro file so that they are available in EPLAN Cogineer. This is done automatically by the software for you. The macro files are located in the directory that you specified as the default storage location for master data during the installation of the EPLAN platform. You can also change the directory subsequently.
Dialog call:Options > Settings > User > Management > Directories
If you have modified macros that you already use in EPLAN Cogineer in the macro project of the EPLAN platform, you have to update the whole library. This ensures that the macros that you have added to Macro-Typicals are up-to-date. To do so, click the 
button at the lower end of the sidebar.
All the modifications are applied automatically for the corresponding elements in the Macro-Typicals. If data are deleted for which a reference existed in EPLAN Cogineer (for example a deleted macro variant), a corresponding message is displayed.
Note:
To create a library you use a basic project and no template. The advantage is that a data connection exists in a basic project. The data are therefore always represented as you have defined them. A project template contains reference data. Reference data may be represented differently in a different project or a different workstation.
Tip:
When you have finished working on the library. activate the write protection. This means that the data cannot be changed unintentionally. The corresponding menu item can be found here: Utilities > Revision control > Complete project / section. To remove the write protection again, select the following menu items: Utilities > Revision control > Remove write protection.
Read more
Configuration variables: Basics
Managing configuration variables
EPLAN Help > Working with Macros > Macros
EPLAN Help > Editing and Managing Projects > Projects > Basics > Basic Projects