Special Labels and Text Label Templates

The Text Template element (TXTM) is similar to a GLAB. The appearance of the text, frame and leaderline is (by default) controlled by attributes of the referenced TXTM.

Some of the attributes of the TXTM are duplicated at the SLAB, thus allowing the definition provided by the TXTM to be overwritten. By default their values at the SLAB are ‘TEMPLATE’, for example, use the value obtained from the TXTM. However, if they are set to explicit values these are used rather than the values of the TXTM. The attributes that display at both TXTM and SLAB are:

The initial values for these attributes on a newly created SLAB are cascaded from the owning Layer. Colours and line styles are described. Refer to Colours and Styles for further information.

The text attribute of a TXTM (for example, BTEX) can be an explicit or intelligent text string, but in the latter case the expanded result cannot display on the library Sheet (for example, LALB). It can only be evaluated at the SLAB because it depends upon the SLAB’s DDNM attribute.

The Example Text attribute (ETEX) of a TXTM is a documentary attribute to allow, for example, a description of the template.

The ATEX attribute of a SLAB has a special purpose. When the BTEX attribute of the referenced TXTM contains the hashcode ‘#ATEX’ it is replaced by the ATEX value. If the TXTM does not use ‘#ATEX’ the SLAB’s ATEX attribute has no effect. Thus for example if TXTM /TEMPLATE has:

BTEX ‘Number #ATEX’

Then creating a SLAB that references it and setting the ATEX attribute:

NEW SLAB

DDNM /VESS-1

TMRF /TEMPLATE

ATEX ‘99’

creates a label with the text ‘Number 99’ attached to /VESS-1.