Assigning Entry Ports
Entry Ports
An entry port is a coordinate system of a connector that you designate as accessible to route a wire, cable, ribbon, or bundle. For every entry port on the connector, there must be an ENTRY_PORT parameter. The system creates this parameter automatically when you designate the connector. Entry ports represent the pins in pin-to-pin cabling connections. A conductor always leaves an entry port tangent to the positive z-axis at the origin of the entry port coordinate system. You can define any coordinate system on a part as an entry port. Typically, you do this when you designate the part as a connector.
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To be an entry port, the coordinate system must be at the top level of the model representing the component. That is, it must be at the part level for a part or at the top level of a subassembly.
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After you designate a coordinate system as an entry port, you can assign this coordinate system to a specific pin on the connector. The coordinate system is required for autorouting individual conductors within a cable but not for normal routing.
Format for defining the ENTRY_PORT parameter
Define the ENTRY_PORT parameter as follows:
ENTRY_PORT coord_sys_name cable_type internal_length
where:
• coord_sys_name is the name of that entry port's coordinate system (for example, CSO).
• cable_type can be WIRE, ROUND, or FLAT.
• internal_length is the length of cable run inside the connector. This value is accounted for in any display of cable length. internal_length is optional.
The following is an example of the ENTRY_PORT parameter:
ENTRY_PORT CSO WIRE 2
About Defining Parameters for Entry Ports in Components
When you create or define a cabling component, you can apply entry port information to relevant coordinate systems by assigning standard parameters. You define the parameters as shown in the following table. The pins identify the individual ports that connect to a wire after you define the parameters on a connector.
When you define parameters for entry ports, you can simplify the routing process.
• Providing the connector model name in Creo Schematics is enough logical data information when you export the design to Cabling.
• When you route cables, the system automatically finds the coordinate systems with relevant entry port parameters.
For each coordinate system used as a port define the following parameters:
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Parameter
|
Type
|
Value
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|---|---|---|
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ENTRY_PORT
|
string
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yes or no
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GROUPING
|
string
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round, flat, or wire
|
|
INTERNAL_LEN
|
real number
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|
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PINS
|
string
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1, or 1,2,3,4 ...,
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Pin declaration on a connector is handled by a list of pin names based on the value entered. The value for the pin name should be an integer or a string of integers. After you have entered the value, the pins are arranged in the ascending order of the values specified in the table. The necessary pins for the conductor are mapped to the respective entry port.
To Designate a Coordinate System as an Entry Port
1. Click the arrow next to 
Auto Designate and then click Designate to designate a component as a connector.
Auto Designate and then click Designate to designate a component as a connector.2. Select the component. When logical information is assigned to the component the DES CONN menu appears.
3. Do one of the following:
◦ Click From Logical to use imported logical information. The REF CONN menu appears. Select a logical reference.
◦ Click Enter Name. Press ENTER or click 
to use the default file or type the name of a file.
to use the default file or type the name of a file.The MOD CONN menu appears.
4. Click Entry Ports. The ENTRY PORT menu appears.
5. Click Add/Modify and select a coordinate system. You are prompted to enter the internal length of the cable.
6. Type the length and press ENTER. The PORT TYPE menu appears.
7. Click WIRE, ROUND, or FLAT as the port type. Wire denotes a single wire, whereas, round or flat refers to the packing for cables. You cannot route a cable or multiple wires to a wire entry port. A ribbon cable is routed to a flat entry port.
You can also use the Auto Designator dialog box to designate the entry ports.
8. Continue to define all the entry ports.
9. Click Done on the ENTRY PORT menu.
The internal length is not actually routed. It is specified in a numerical parameter for each entry port. These lengths are automatically added to the routed length of a wire when length information is provided.
When you designate one or more coordinate systems as entry ports on a connector, the parameters EP_TYPE and INT_LENGTH are added for each entry port at the entry port level of the connector in the Electrical Parameters dialog box.
To Assign an Entry Port to a Pin Number
1. Click 
Cabling Parameters.
Cabling Parameters.2. Select one or more connectors with the pins you want to associate. The Electrical Parameters dialog box opens.
Ensure that the NUM_OF_PINS parameter has an appropriate value to be assigned to the entry ports.
3. Under Display For, click Pins.
4. If no columns are displayed, click > to add the required parameters.
5. In the Value box, for each pin, type the name of the coordinate system you want to associate with the pin as a value for the ENTRY_PORT parameter or select the entry port name from the list.
To Redefine an Entry Port
1. Click the arrow next to Auto Designate and click Designate to designate a component as a connector.
Auto Designate and click Designate to designate a component as a connector.2. Select the component. When logical information is assigned to the component the DES CONN menu appears.
3. Do one of the following:
◦ Click From Logical to use imported logical information. The REF CONN menu appears. Select a logical reference.
◦ Click Enter Name. The input box appears. Press ENTER or click to use the default file or type the name of a file.
to use the default file or type the name of a file.The MOD CONN menu appears.
4. Click Entry Ports. The ENTRY PORT menu appears.
5. Click Add/Modify and select a coordinate system.
6. Select an entry port or ports to modify.
7. Click OK. You are prompted to assign new values for the internal length and the wire, flat, and round designation for all selected entry ports.