The Hook-Up Item Libraries folder of the Reference Explorer enables you to navigate to a hook-up item library, hook-up item sub-library, or hook-up item in a graphical way resembling the Windows Explorer. You can expand or collapse the levels to view the existing items. The Hook-Up Item Libraries folder shows you at a glance the graphical representation of the relationships that exist among the hook- up item libraries, hook-up item sub-libraries, and hook-up items.
The Reference Explorer employs an expandable/collapsible hierarchy that allows you to navigate to relevant items and select them for use. To perform an action, right-click the Hook-Up Item Libraries folder or an item and then select a command. Note that the software uses various icons beside a folder or item to indicate the status of a folder or an item, for example a view-only item. For the full list of the item indicators, see Item Status Indicators in the Domain Explorer. For a detailed explanation of the tree view, see Working with the Reference Explorer.
In the Hook-Up Item Libraries folder, the software arranges the items in three levels, based on the relationship among them.
Level 1: Hook-Up Item Libraries
This is the highest level in the Hook-Up Item Libraries folder hierarchy. At this level, the software displays all the hook-up libraries that exist in the current domain. Hook-up libraries are indicated with the icon.
A hook-up library always contains one default sub-library and can also contain any number of user-defined sub-libraries. For each hook-up library, on the shortcut menu, you can select New to add user-defined sub-libraries, or select Properties to update properties of an existing sub-library. You must set a specific library as the active item library, which is indicated with the icon. To do so, on the shortcut menu, select Actions > Set as Active Item Library. You cannot delete the default sub-library.
Level 2: Hook-Up Item Sub-Libraries
Hook-up sub-libraries (indicated with the icon) appear under hook-up libraries. At this level, you can select New to add items to sub-libraries, or select Properties to update properties of an existing sub-library. You cannot delete the default sub-library.
Level 3: Hook-Up Items
Hook-up items (indicated with the icon) appear under hook-up item sub-libraries. Hook-up items do not contain child items. The actions that you can perform at this level depend on the sub-library to which the items belong.
In the default sub-library, you can perform the following actions:
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Add new hook-up items one by one or in batch mode. To add a single item, right-click the default sub-library and select New. To add items in batch mode, on the shortcut menu, select Actions > Batch Item Creation.
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Update properties of an existing item. If this item exists in the user-defined sub- libraries, the software automatically updates the item properties in the user-defined sub-libraries.
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Permanently delete a hook-up item. When deleting an item from the default sub- library, the software also deletes this item from all the sub-libraries that exist in the entire item library.
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Manually associate an item with a user-defined sub-library by dragging the item from the default sub-library to a user-defined sub- library.
In a user-defined sub-library, you can perform the following actions:
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Add new hook-up items. When you create a new item in a user-defined sub- library, the software automatically creates this item in the default sub-library too.
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Update properties of an existing item. When you update properties of an item in a user-defined sub-library, the software automatically updates the item properties in the default sub-library too. You can only add new hook-up items that do not exist in the default sib-library.
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Associate hook-up items with sub-libraries or remove items from sub-libraries. To do so, select and right-click a user-defined sub-library and then, on the shortcut menu, select Actions > Associate Items with Sub-Libraries.
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Associate pipe specs with sub-libraries. To do so, select and right-click a user- defined sub-library and then, on the shortcut menu, select Actions > Associate Pipe Specs with Sub- Libraries. For more information on implementation of pipe specs in Smart Instrumentation, see Pipe Specs.