Placing Ribbon Cables

A ribbon cable is a cable with many conducting wires running parallel to each other on the same flat plane.

Ribbon cables include just the wires which were defined in Library; no other wires can be routed through them. Ribbon cables can furthermore only be connected to ribbon grouped pins.

Ribbon cables can be placed with mapped connectable objects (on one or both cable ends). Mapping can be determined in Library. Such cables cannot be branched.

Control points allow ribbon cable folding (simple or double folding). It is possible to set the folding in the command bar directly for the currently created control point (when placing the ribbon cable) or later in the control point's general properties. Each control point can be simple through-going (straight), folded or double-folded . The position of control points and the direction of their ingoing and outgoing vectors can be modified by means of handlers. All other properties can be determined in the properties panel.

A folded control point can be folded upwards or downwards. A double-folded control point can be folded upwards or downwards and be oriented right or left.

A ribbon cable can be branched to connect its branches to different connectable objects. Using the command bar it is possible to branch a ribbon cable in every control point. Each branch of a ribbon cable must end on a different connectable object.

Note:

When placing objects, you can choose to place them freely, on a key point, or anywhere on a particular surface. You can also combine these options, e.g. you can choose to place an object freely and then on a particular key point. Just use the corresponding button or shortcut. See Design aids for details.

Place ribbon cable in workspace

Go to Place > Conductors > Ribbon cable or Auxiliary > Rapid prototyping > Ribbon cable. If you are placing a rapid prototyping ribbon cable, go to Step 3.
The Part navigator dialog is opened.
Select the desired ribbon cable and click [OK].
The Part navigator dialog is closed.
Click on the connector (or ribbon grouped pin) where the ribbon cable should start.
Determine the control points of the ribbon cable by clicking anywhere in the working window, or switch to the command bar and determine their coordinates. For each control point you can also determine a folding in the command bar.
Determine the type of control points in the command bar: straight, simple-folded or double-folded and, if folded, either upwards or downwards.

Note:

If you want to branch the cable in the currently created control point, move the Wires in branch slider in the command bar to the desired value. Then create further control points (if needed), connect the branch to the target connector, and connect the remaining branch to another connector in the same way.

You can also click on an inline ribbon grouped pin to lead the ribbon cable through it.

If you accidentally place an unwanted control point, press the [Backspace] key to remove it.
The command remains active.
Click on a connector (or ribbon grouped pin) where the ribbon cable should end.
When ribbon cable placement is finished (all branches are "connected"), the Assign wires to pins dialog is opened. This tool (a variation of the Connections editor) allows for assigning individual virtual pins (of ribbon grouped pins) to wires.
Note:
The Assign wires to pins dialog is not opened during the placement of a cable with mapped connectors with all wires connected.
Repeat the command by using the space bar, if desired.

Place ribbon cable in workdesk

Go to Place > Conductors > Ribbon cable or Auxiliary > Rapid prototyping > Ribbon cable. If you are placing a rapid prototyping ribbon cable, go to Step 3.
The Part navigator dialog is opened.
Select the desired ribbon cable and click [OK].
The Part navigator dialog is closed.
Click on the connector (or ribbon grouped pin) where the ribbon cable should start.
Determine the control points of the ribbon cable by clicking anywhere in the working window, or switch to the command bar and determine their coordinates. For each control point you can also determine a folding in the command bar.
Determine the type of control points in the command bar: straight, simple-folded or double-folded and, if folded, either upwards or downwards.
In the command bar, you can switch between the Cartesian and the polar coordinate system in the System section.
You can also switch between absolute and relative coordinates in the Measurement section of the command bar.
Control points are automatically snapped to the global grid in the workdesk working window.

Note:

You can also click on an inline ribbon grouped pin to lead the ribbon cable through it.

If you accidentally place an unwanted control point, press the [Backspace] key to remove it.
The command remains active.
Click [Finish] to place the cable.
The so-called "active dimensions" are inserted within the ribbon cable. You can edit their values, and the cable changes accordingly.
Repeat the command by using the space bar, if desired.