User Defined Components

Introduction

The user defined components are one of the most important feature of the software. Users can develop a circuit as a composition of different parts, as well as define libraries of complex components for use in the future.

Here are some of the main characteristics:

• flexibility: users can define a custom component with no limits on the number of junction points to the outside
• low coupling: the insertion of a user defined component in a circuit will copy the entire definition, so the circuit will not depend on the component; this means that the custom components can be modified at any time without affecting the circuits that use them
• editing on the fly: users can include custom components in a project, then double-click them to access the embedded circuit so that they can make changes to its structure, finally close or even save it first and make it available as a new component
• user defined components are circuits: this means that users can use probes to extract the functions when the component is used as a circuit and the probes will be turned off when used as a component in another circuit; in addition, functions can be used in the workplane

Create a user defined component

Create new user defined components is as simple as develop a new circuit. In fact, users need to really design a new circuit.
Once the circuit has been developed, can be analyzed like any other circuit. The resulting function can also be used in the workplane. There are really no restrictions on the type of items that may be involved in designing the component.

When the design work is finished, the ports must be added to the circuit, so that it can be called user defined component. Each circuit can contain any number of ports. A port represents a junction point which can be used by users of the component to connect whatever they want to this item.
Each port has an integer identifier. When a custom component is included in a circuit, its junction points are numbered accordingly (ie, establishes a relationship between the ports contained internally and external junction points).

Include a user defined component in a circuit

Through the menu, the toolbar or the context menu, a user defined component can be included in a circuit. On the grid, it looks like an integrated circuit. The component has a number of junction points equal to the number of ports contained internally. Users can connect the component to the other elements using these junction points, as can be done with any other item.
That is, user defined components are like any other normal component because they act really just like any other normal component.

Work with the user defined components

A user defined component included in a circuit can be edited on the fly with a double-click. Thus, a new window will open, containing the circuit that is contained in the component.
The circuit can then be modified as any other project. Once finished, users can choose to save the modified circuit as a new project or simply close it without saving it: in this case, the changes will be stored only in the circuit containing the user defined component.

Note:

Two elements that reference the same user defined component, however, does not also refer to the same circuit.
This means that users can edit embedded circuits indipendently, without influence each other.