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 will be ‘TEMPLATE’, that means, use the value obtained from the TXTM. However, if they are set to explicit values these will be used rather than the values of the TXTM. The attributes that appear at both TXTM and SLAB are:

The initial values for these attributes on a newly created SLAB are cascaded from the owning Layer. See Colors and Styles for further information on colours and line styles.

The text attribute of a TXTM (ie BTEX) can be an explicit or intelligent text string, but in the latter case the expanded result cannot be shown on the library Sheet (ie LALB). It can only be evaluated at the SLAB because it will depend 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 will be 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’

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