MexBIOS Development Studio: Components handling

The components are lines and blocks in the Workspace.

Creation of a block

Creation of a block is done by placing the block from the Palette to the Workspace.

• Select a block in the Palette section.
• By simple «dragging» transfer the Palette component to the Workplace.
• The block will be placed in the Workspace area, where you release the left mouse button.

Fig. 1. Transferring IN block from Palette to Workspace

 

Selecting blocks

Prior to start handle any components they should be selected.

• Single selecting.

1. Selecting the block is carried out by clicking the block.
2. Thereafter in the corners of the selected block the pull-points appear, pulling these the block size can be changed.

Fig. 2. Single selecting

 

Group selecting

• Click on an empty place in the Workspace.
• Thereafter holding the mouse button drag over all blocks that needed to be selected.
• After you release the button all components that were dragged over in the Workspace will be selected.

Fig. 3. Group selecting

 

Sequential block selecting by means of [Shift] key

• Sequential selecting is carried out similarly to the single one but with holding [Shift].
• Clicking the non-selected component while holding the [Shift] key adds it to the group of selected components, and clicking the selected component removes it from the group.
• Group selecting while holding [Shift] adds the «dragged over» blocks to the group of already selected components.

 

Fig. 4. Sequential block selecting by means of [Shift] key

 

Removing the selection

 

Clicking on an empty place in the Workspace removes selection of all the components immediately.

 

Fig. 5. Removing selection

 

Enlarging the block

Only selected blocks can be enlarged.

• Click on the corner of the selected block and pull away the cursor.
• After you release the mouse button the block assumes the new size.

Fig. 6. Enlarging the block

 

Moving a block (or a group of selected blocks)

To move a selected block you should click the block and «drag» it to the new area.

 

Fig. 7. Moving the block

 

In the similar way a group of selected blocks is moved to a new area

• Click one of the selected blocks.
• «Drag» the whole group to the new area.

 

Fig. 8. Moving the group of blocks

Manual line drawing

Place the cursor over the source block output, and then click it by the left mouse button – it will start the line drawing. Thereafter move the cursor through the Workspace to the target block and the dotted line will follow the cursor movement automatically.

Fig. 9. Drawing the line

Fixation of the drawn line section

If while drawing the line you click an empty point, then the drawn line section will be fixated, and further drawing will start from the clicking point.

Fig. 10. Fixation of the drawn line section

Undoing the line drawing (the line is not finished)

If while drawing the line you click an empty point, then the drawing is stopped. And the line is not finished.

Fig. 11. Escape from the line drawing mode

Finishing the line drawing

To finish the line you should click on the target block input. Thereafter a finished solid line appears.

Fig. 12. Connecting to the target block input

 

Automatic line drawing

For quick and convenient operation in MexBIOS™ Development Studio there is an automatic line drawing mode for connecting the blocks. To do so you need to:

• Select a source block or a group of source blocks with outputs.
• While holding the [Ctrl] key click the target block. MexBIOS™ Development Studio will automatically connect all outputs of the selected block (or group of blocks) to the target block inputs.

Fig. 13. Quick connection

 

Continuation of drawing the unfinished line

The unfinished line (one or both ends of the line are free of connection) can be extended by clicking the free end of the unfinished line to activate the line drawing mode.

 

Fig. 14. Continuation of drawing the unfinished line

 

Fusion of two unfinished lines

To join two unfinished lines into finished one you should activate the drawing mode for one of the lines (by clicking a free end of the line) and finish the drawing by clicking the free end of another line. Then the two lines turn into one.

 

Fig. 15. Fusion of the lines

 

Inserting the block into a line

A detached block can be inserted into a finished line by simply dragging and dropping the block on the line.

 

Fig. 16. Inserting the block into a line

 

Detaching the block from a line

A block can be detached from a line by dragging the block while pressing [Shift] key. This action is the opposite one to inserting the block into a line.

 

Fig. 17. Detaching the block from a line

 

Inserting the block into a break

A block can be inserted into a break between lines by simply dragging the block into the brake.

 

Fig. 18. Inserting the block into a break

 

Branching a line

Lines can be branched. To do so you need to start drawing a line from the input (by clicking the target block input) and to move it to the solid line. After clicking the solid line the dotted line turns into the finished solid line. In the clicking point appears a knot.

Fig. 19. Branching the line

 

The line branching can be also carried out from the solid line. In this case first to create a knot you need to right-click the solid line, then to move the cursor to the target block and to click the target input.

 

Fig. 20. Creating a knot

 

Moving the line branching knot

To move a branching knot (if needed) you should click and drag it to new position.

Fig.  21. Moving the knot

 

Moving the line section

A line section can be also moved to new position. To do so you need to:

• Click the line. 
• The line will be selected: it looks thicker and in bending points the pull-points appear.
• Holding the left mouse button move the line section to new position.

Fig. 22. Moving the line section

 

If one of the pull-points is dragged, the corresponding line turn (knee) will be moved.

Fig. 23. Moving the line knee

 

Deleting components

• Pressing [Delete] key removes the selected components from the Workspace.
• The selected components can be removed from the Workspace by pressing the button with corresponding icon from Dataflow inlay shown in fig. 24.

Fig. 24. Delete button

 

Rotating blocks

Pressing the button with corresponding icon from Dataflow inlay shown in fig. 25  rotates the selected blocks in clockwise direction: to the left, down, to the right, up.

Fig. 25. Rotate button

 

The same action does the keypresses [Ctrl]+[R].

Fig. 26. The block orientation: to the left, down, to the right, up

 

Copying components

Components copying is carried out by pressing the buttons with corresponding icons from Dataflow inlay shown in fig. 27 or by Hot keys presses in the keyboard (see chapter Hot keys).

Fig. 27. Buttons: Cut, Copy, Paste

 

Copying by means of Ctrl

If first you press [Ctrl] key, then moving a block turns into copying it to new position.

 

Fig. 28. Copying by means of Ctrl