Table of Contents
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| Predefined Fields | When a new design is created, a default attribute definition table is created with the standard, predefined fields. Predefined fields cannot be deleted from the design since many of them have specific internal functions in HYPERSIM. See Predefined Attribute Fields for a complete listing of built-in fields. |
| User-defined Fields | You can add more fields to a design at any time using the Define Attribute Fields command in the Options>Design toolbar. |
Primary vs. Secondary Fields
HYPERSIM has 50 or more predefined fields that are used for various program features and more can be added by the user. Most of these fields never need to be viewed or set directly by the user. To reduce clutter, attribute fields can be defined as being primary or secondary. When entering attribute data, you can choose whether you wish to see primary fields only or all fields.
The primary/secondary setting is for viewing and editing convenience only and has no effect on the meaning or internal usage of the field. This setting for individual fields can be changed at any time using the Define Attribute Fields command in the Options > Design toolbar.
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| Field Name | The Field Name box allows you to enter the name of a new field or rename an existing user-defined one. If you rename a field so that it has the same name as another existing field, this becomes a Merge operation described in Merging Two Existing Attribute Fields. You will be prompted to confirm a merge before proceeding. |
| Keep with instance | This option is not used in the current version of HYPERSIM. |
| Group with Name | When this switch is checked, any value entered for this field will be displayed beneath the Name field by default. When the Name is moved, this field will also be moved. This option can be used for fields that are typically shown with the name on a schematic. |
| Show Field Name | When this switch is checked, the field name will be shown with the value on the schematic. The Show Field Name option can also be controlled for each individual item on the schematic using the Show Field Name command in the visible attribute pop-up menu. |
| Allow Carriage Returns: Multi-line | If this switch is checked, then the Return key may be used to enter Carriage Return characters into this field. |
| Rotate text with object | If this box is checked, displayed values will be rotated if the associated object is rotated on the schematic. Otherwise, when the object is rotated, the text will move to an appropriate new position but be drawn in the normal orientation. |
| Visible by Default | If this box is checked, whenever a value is entered for this field it will be displayed on the schematic in a default position. If the field is found in the default attributes for a device, the field will be displayed automatically on the diagram when the device is placed. Changing this setting has no effect on values already in the circuit. |
| In Primary List | If this box is checked, the field will be considered a primary field and will be displayed in all attribute entry boxes when Primary Only is selected. |
| Link value list to Part | This is for cases where you have one symbol that might have multiple part names. In the Part.List field you can have a comma-separated list of values that can be put in for Part. Any other field X can also have a field X.List. If link value to Part is turned on, then when the user selects a Part value from the list, the corresponding value for X is automatically set. Learn more on the List field in Using Value List Fields. |
| Read only | This option makes the attribute read only. It cannot be modified by the user by selecting the attribute in the design. This is typically used for setting data from scripts or saving data that should not be touched by users. |
| Temporary | Creates a temporary attribute. |
| Allowed in object types | This group of check boxes allows you to select which types of schematic objects may have this field associated with them. You can check any one or more boxes, although in general we suggest using different names for fields used with different object types. At least one of the Allowed in Object Types: switches must be selected for a new field. |
| Maximum Length | You can specify a maximum length (in characters) for the field data. This value does not determine how much storage is allocated internally for the data, it only affects checks that are done when the user enters data. All attribute data stored with the design occupies only the space required for its current value. |
| Duplicate |
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| Delete | This button allows you to permanently remove a field definition and all associated data from the design. NOTE: THIS CANNOT BE UNDONE! More information on the delete operation is given in the following section. |
Duplicate, Merge and Delete options
- The Duplicate, Merge and Delete Attribute functions do more than just add or delete a name in the attribute list. They will actually scan the entire design and update the data stored with each object. This makes them very powerful tools for updating your design. First we will review how the functions are invoked, then mention some possible uses for them.
- These three functions are all invoked from the Define Attribute Fields command. No design data is modified until the OK button is clicked in the Define Attribute Fields box.
- When the design is updated, all Duplicates are done first, then all Merges and Deletes. This means that a field can be duplicated, then the original source deleted, all in one invocation of the Define Attribute Fields box.
- There is no guarantee of the order of execution within the Duplicates or within the Deletes and Merges. Therefore, chains of operations (e.g. making a copy of a copy) are not guaranteed to work as expected. If there is any doubt, perform one operation, then exit the Define Attributes Fields box using the OK button, then perform the next operation.
- Each of these operations can result in data being updated throughout a design. and they cannot be undone! For large designs there may be a considerable delay after the OK button is clicked in the Define Attribute Fields box.
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| Duplicate Definition Only | A new field will be defined with characteristics just like the one being duplicated, but it will have an empty value in each of the objects in the design. |
| Duplicate Data | A new field will be defined and the associated value in each object in the design will also be duplicated and associated with the new field name. Changing the value of the new field in a given object will have no effect on the original field. One important feature of this Duplicate operation is that any attribute display options, such as Visible by Default or Show with Field Name, that are turned on before leaving the Define Attribute Fields box will be applied to the duplicated data. This means that a field that was formerly hidden can be duplicated and displayed throughout the entire design with just this one operation. |
Merging Two Existing Attribute Fields
The Merge operation takes two existing attribute field definitions and merges them into one. If a given object (device, signal, pin or design) has values in both of the original fields, the one being renamed takes precedence and the other is lost.
Pre-defined fields cannot be renamed, so they cannot be merged into other fields. You can however merge a user-defined field into a pre-defined one.
There is no explicit button for the Merge operation. Merge is invoked whenever a field is renamed so that its name matches another field's.
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| Field Name | Used In | Desription |
|---|---|---|
ABELSrcName | Devices | Only in the symbol editor. Internal usage. |
| AltPicName.Dev | Devices | Used for the addAltPic method for DWType objects. |
| AutoSym.Bottom | Devices | The string used in the bottom pins box in the Auto Create Symbol command in the device symbol editor. See Auto Create Symbol. |
| AutoSym.Left | Devices | The string used in the left pins box in the Auto Create Symbol command in the device symbol editor. See Auto Create Symbol. |
| AutoSym.Right | Devices | The string used in the right pins box in the Auto Create Symbol command in the device symbol editor. See Auto Create Symbol. |
| AutoSym.Top | Devices | The string used in the top pins box in the Auto Create Symbol command in the device symbol editor. See Auto Create Symbol. |
| Bname | Signals | Not used, kept for future needs. |
| Browse.DEV | Design | Internal usage for the configuration of the Browser tool. |
| Brows.PIN | Design | Internal usage for the configuration of the Browser tool. |
| Brows.SIG | Design | Internal usage for the configuration of the Browser tool. |
| Bus3Prefix | Design | Internal usage for setting the 3-phase bus default prefix. |
| Category | Devices | Allows categorizing devices. Available to the user. Can be used as an alternate device prefix by entering the name of this field in PrefixField. Not used internally. |
| CalculateModelData | Devices | Used by some devices for providing a function for calculating model data. |
| CctName | Design | Design file name. Sets the window title and name of next saved file. Normally only set by the Open and Save commands. |
| CctOS | Design | The system (Windows) that was used to create the design file. Normally only set by the Open and Save commands. |
| CctPath | Design | The directory path name for the design file. Normally only set by the Open and Save commands. |
| ColorCode | Devices | Used for color coding devices based on some data criteria. Holds the color code number. |
| DateStamp.Cct | Design | This field is set by the program to the current date and time each time the circuit is modified. This is intended to allow scripts to determine if a design has been modified since the last time the script was run. |
| DateStamp.Dev | Devices | This field is set by the program to the current date and time when a device is placed in the circuit and not modified thereafter. See Device Date Stamping. |
| DateStamp.Last | Design | This field is used by the program as part of the date stamping process. See Device Date Stamping. |
| DateStamp.Symbol | Devices | This field is set by the program when a symbol (part definition) in a library is modified. See Device Date Stamping. |
| Delay | Devices | Internal usage, only in the Symbol Editor. |
| Depth | Devices | Indicates nesting depth of device sub-circuit. Only used temporarily by the Report tool while generating hierarchical reports. This value is not maintained during editing operations. |
| Description | Devices | Used for saving and making visible device scope requests or initialization options. |
| Description.Pt | Devices | Provides attribute position, scriptable. |
| Designer | Design | Intended to be used to display the designer’s name on the sheet. See Creating a Title Block. |
| DesignGlobalData | Design | Internal usage for global data transmission between devices |
| DesignGlobalDataOption | Design | Internal usage for global data transmission between devices. |
| DesignType | Design | A value used to distinguish which design template was used to create the design. |
| DeviceDoc | Design | Used for setting device documentation location in some user-defined device masks. |
| DeviceVersion | Device | Provides a model version number. |
| DevPrefix | Design | Default prefix for auto-assigned device names. Normally set using the Device Naming Options command. See Device Naming Options. |
| DevScript.Dev | Devices | Starts the specified script when a double-click occurs on the device. It is also possible to specify a ondblclick method in that script: |
| DrawingData | Devices | Used by some devices to keep specific symbol drawing data. |
| DWLSrcName | Devices | Internal usage, only in the Symbol Editor. |
| DWLSrcOS | Devices | Internal usage, only in the Symbol Editor. |
| DWLSrcPath | Devices | Internal usage, only in the Symbol Editor. |
| EMTP_lastRun_status | Devices | Used for parametric studies. |
| EMTPPhaseLabelA | Signals | Holds the phase label when a signal is 3-phase. Internal usage. The phase label is usually shown near the bus. |
| EMTPPhaseLabelB | Signals | Holds the phase label when a signal is 3-phase. Internal usage. The phase label is usually shown near the bus. |
| EMTPPhaseLabelC | Signals | Holds the phase label when a signal is 3-phase. Internal usage. The phase label is usually shown near the bus. |
| Exclude | Devices | Indicates if the device is excluded from the Netlist (from the simulation data). Available values are Ex and 2. |
| Exclude.Script | Design | Names the script called when the Exclude value changes. It is held by the design for all devices. |
| ExtCctDate | Devices | Modified date of external design file containing device internal circuit. Normally set by the device Symbol Editor. |
| ExtCctLib | Devices | Name of library to search for an internal circuit. Used only by the Symbol Editor. |
| ExtCctName | Devices | Name of external design file containing device internal circuit. Normally set by the device Symbol Editor. |
| ExtCctOS | Devices | Source system type for design file containing device internal circuit. Normally set by the device Symbol Editor. |
| ExtCctPath | Devices | Directory path for the design file containing the device internal circuit. Normally set by the device Symbol Editor. |
| FormData | Devices | Used for saving device data that is not necessarily sent to the Netlist. |
| Function | Devices | This device attribute can be set to OPTION or DataFile. |
| Ground | Devices | List of pins to be hooked to ground in the Netlist. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| GlobalData | Devices | When this value is 1, it means that this device uses Global Data and needs automatic updating. |
| GlobalDataTag | Design | Internal usage for global data transmission between devices. |
| HideSBBRules | Devices | Internal usage. EMTP. |
| HierNameSep | Design | Contains the separator string used in generating hierarchical device and signal names for Report output. Normally set only by commands in a report script file. See the entry for the $HIERNAMESEPARATOR command in Export Script Language |
| InstName | Devices | Reserved for future use. |
| LibDate | Devices | Last Modified Date of the library the device was read or updated from, stored in encoded form. This is used by the Update from Lib command. See Update from Lib. |
| LibName | Devices | Name of the library the device was read or updated from. This is used by the Update from Lib command. See Update from Lib. |
| LibPath | Devices | Directory path of the library the device was read or updated from. This is used by the Update from Lib command. |
| LibOS | Devices | Source system of the library the device was read or updated from. This is used by the Update from Lib command. |
| LibType | Devices | The original name of the part when it was read from a library. This is used by the Update from Lib command. |
| Mask.Dev | Devices | Becomes 1 when the device (subnetwork) is masked with the default properties script. |
| Mask.Dev.Script | Design | Names the script called when Mask.Dev changes. This is used to optionally clear mask data when unmasking. |
| ModelData | Devices | Used for saving device simulation data into the design and sending into the Netlist file. |
| ModelData1 | Devices | Extra data for some devices. |
| ModelDataError | Devices | Set to 1 when the device has a data error. Can be used in search functions. |
| MPLevel | Devices | Device patch version number. |
| Name | Devices, signals | Device or signal name, (sometimes called reference designator). See Device Naming Options. |
| Name.Pt | Devices | Name attribute position, scriptable. |
| Name.Prefix | Devices | Prefix used to create default Name value. Used by Auto-name options. See Setting the Auto-Generated Name Format. |
| Name.Spice | Device | Reserved for future usage. |
| OKErrors | Devices, Signals, Pins | Used by the Find tool to mark errors set as OK by user. Should not be set manually. |
| Package | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| PageRef | Devices | Used in Page Connector pseudo-devices only. Contains the auto-generated page references. See Automatic Display of Page References. |
| PageRefFormat | Design | Format string for page references. Normally modified only using the Design Preferences command. See Automatic Display of Page References. |
| PageRefWidth | Design | Maximum number of items per line in page references. Normally modified only using the Design Preferences command. See Automatic Display of Page References. |
| ParamsA | Devices | Used for saving device simulation data into the design and sending into the Netlist file. |
| ParamsB | Devices | Used for saving device simulation data into the design and sending into the Netlist file. |
| ParamsC | Devices | Used for saving device simulation data into the design and sending into the Netlist file. |
| ParamsEMTP | Design | Holds main simulation parameters, such as time-step and maximum simulation time. |
| Part | Devices | Part type code. Used in the Netlist to identify the device. HYPERSIM uses this name to identify the device in its list of built-in models. |
| Part.List | Devices | List of part types possible for this symbol. |
| PartTemp | Devices | Holds a unique part name for subcircuits. Avoids user errors when the user does not maintain unique part types correctly. |
| PatchLevel | Design | Design patch level. |
| Permutable | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| Phase | Devices | Gives the number of device phases. This number is 3 when the device accepts 3-phase signals. |
| PinSequence | Devices | This field can be used to determine pin order in Netlist output formats that require specific device pin ordering. This is not defined in the standard HYPERSIM libraries. Not used internally. See the entry for the $DEVPINSEQUENCE command in Export Script Language |
| PkgLevel | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| PkgPrefix | Design | Reserved for future usage. |
| Power | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| PrefixField | Design | Contains the name of the field to use as a name prefix for device auto-naming. See Setting the Auto-Generated Name Format. |
| ProbeHotPt.Dev | Reserved for future usage. | |
| Restrict | Devices | An integer value from 0 to 7 used to set access restrictions for the device’s internal circuit. The value is the sum of the following: |
| Revision | Design | Intended to be used to display the designer’s name on the sheet. Not used internally. See Creating a Title Block. |
| Scope_A | Devices | Used for holding programmable scope name on phase A or general signal device. |
| Scope_B | Devices | Used for holding programmable scope name on phase B or general signal device. |
| Scope_C | Devices | Used for holding programmable scope name on phase C or general signal device. |
| Script.Copy.Dev | Design | Names the script for copying device data. Called from device right-click Copy/Paste command. |
| Script.Edit.Des | Design | Reserved for future usage. |
| Script.ExInc.Dev | Design | Names the script for excluding and including a device. |
| Script.Dev | Design | The name of a script to run each time a device is placed. Disabled in the current release. |
| Script.Info.Dev | Devices | Internal usage. EMTP. |
| Script.Info.Sig | Design | Names a script called when the user right-clicks on a signal and selects Signal Parameters. |
| Script.Mask.Dev | Devices | Names the mask script called when the subcircuit is double-clicked. |
| Script.Open | Design | The name of a script to run each time the design file is opened. Disabled in the current release. |
| Script.Open.Dev | Devices | Names the script called when the device is double-clicked. |
| Script.Paste.Dev | Design | Names the script for pasting device data. Called from device right-click Copy/Paste command. |
| Script.Pin | Design | Reserved |
| Script.Sig | Design | Reserved |
| SimModelInfo.Dev | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| SignalType.Pin | Internal usage. | |
| SignalType.Sig | Internal usage. | |
| SignalVoltage | Signals | Holds the signal voltage level selected from the Signal Parameters command. |
| SignalVoltage.List | Design | List currently available voltage values for color coding signals. These values are available in the design attribute, but can be separately saved into the signal attribute. This is a comma separated list of values used in the script named by Script.Info.Sig. |
| SignalVoltage.Script | Design Signals | This script is called when SignalVoltage changes. It is named in the design. |
| SigPrefix | Design | Prefix used to generate default signal names. Normally set using the Signal Naming Options command. See Signal Auto-Naming Options. |
| SimLoad | Internal usage | |
| simulation_type | Design | Holds the simulation type. |
| Sniffer | Devices | Names the device script called when the device is clicked on. |
| Spice | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| Status | Devices | Used for updating global data in devices during global data transmission. |
| Status.Script | Devices | Updating method when Status changes. |
| SteppedOut | Devices | Becomes 1 when the device is a control device and has the Step option turned on in its solution mode. |
| SteppedOut.Script | Design | Script called when the SteppedOut attribute changes. |
| SubCctCode.Dev | Devices | Can contain the name of an external Netlist file. This attribute is use to insert external Netlist files through subcircuits. Pin names are used to interface with external Netlist signals. This option is only for defining subcircuit Netlists. The subcircuit header for interfacing signals is automatically defined by HYPERSIM. |
| TestVectors.Dev | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| Timing.Save | Reserved for future usage. | |
| Unit | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| UnusedPins | Devices | List of unused pins in this part type. Not used internally. |
| user_fill_color | Devices | Saves the previous color when color coding is applied. |
| user_fill_color1 | Devices | Saves the previous color when color coding is applied. |
| user_line_color | Devices | Saves the previous color when color coding is applied. |
| user_line_color1 | Devices | Saves the previous color when color coding is applied. |
| Value | Devices | Used to keep and show some device data on the design drawing. |
| Value1 | Devices | Used to keep and show some device data on the design drawing. |
| Value2 | Devices | Used to keep and show some device data on the design drawing. |
| ValueDisplayOpt | Devices | Reserved for future usage. Available in the Symbol Editor. |
| Visual.Dev | Devices | Becomes 1 when the subcircuit is set to be visual. |
Property Browser
Browser for attributes
The Property Browser (also called Browser) is a tool used to view, edit and navigate schematic data in spreadsheet-style format. Rows of the spreadsheet display objects in the schematic, either devices, signals, pins or nets. A cell of the spreadsheet displays an attribute value for the object in that row and the attribute field name in that column. The nets show all the pin connections on a signal.
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| Design | In this scope the entire design hierarchy is searched for objects of the correct type. This scope has a side-effect. Some of the objects attribute values displayed may not be editable because of definition/instance conflict resolution. The uneditable objects and/or fields will be displayed with a gray background. |
| Circuit | In this scope the search is limited to the pages of the circuit with the most active window. |
| Here Down | In this scope the search for objects is in the circuit with the active most window and in all circuits below it in the hierarchy. Some of the objects and/or fields may not be editable for the same reasons as explained in Design scope. |
| Page | This scope only looks for objects in the circuit with the most active window and in addition only looks at the page associated with that window. |
Displaying Attributes
- To add an attribute field to the spreadsheet, simply double-click its name in the attribute list.
- The Nets and Selected Nets object types display a different format in the spreadsheet and do not allow attributes to be added.
- The attribute field names appearing in the list will change as the type of object selected for display is changed. Only attributes that apply to a given object type are displayed. For example, the attribute field Part is associated with Devices but will not be associated with Signals.
- If an attribute name is checked in the attribute list then it will be added as a new column at the end of the spreadsheet. Double-clicking a checked attribute name removes the associated attribute from the spreadsheet. The sorting is based on the first column. You can change the ordering by moving the columns.
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