Home:
Components
ConnectorConnectors are used to establish electrical connections between blocks and external ports. A probe may be added to a connector to monitor the current flowing through the connector and the voltage referenced to the circuit's common ground.
Choose Home:
ComponentsConnector or use the shortcut
'c' (for connector) in the schematic
view to add a connector. Connectors can also be automatically created
while inserting a block (see Creating
a Design for details). Multiple connectors at once may be created
using the Block Connections
dialog. Connector junctions may be used to establish
electrical connections between blocks and external ports with more than one connector.
Connection labels
may be used as an alternative if many blocks and / or external ports need to be connected.
Connectors are routed automatically by default. It is also possible to specify the exact path of a connector manually. The entry Fixed Path of the context menu of a connector shows how it was routed: The connector was routed manually if the entry is checked.
A fixed path for a connector can be specified in several ways:
During creation: After selecting the first port to connect to, click at least once where an intermediate point should be created. After all intermediate points are specified, select the second port to connect to.
By moving segments: A segment of a connector may be moved by selecting an adjacent vertex and moving it. If the connector uses an orthogonal path, only such movements are allowed that keep the orthogonality. Otherwise each vertex except the first and the last may be moved.
By context menu: The existing path can be made fixed (without changing anything else) by checking the Fixed Path context menu entry.
An automatically routed path for a connector can be specified in several ways:
During creation: Do not click anywhere after selecting the first port to connect to and before selecting the second port to connect to.
By moving a connected component: If one of the connected components is moved, a connector will always be rerouted automatically.
By
context menu: A single connector with fixed path may be rerouted
automatically by unchecking the Fixed
Path context menu entry. This entry is not available if more than
one connector is selected. In that case, the entry Reroute
Connectors or Home:
ComponentsConnectorReroute Connectors may be used.
CST DESIGN STUDIO™ supports both orthogonal and polygonal connectors.
Existing connectors may be switched from orthogonal to polygonal and back
using the context menu entry Orthogonal
Path. New connectors are created according to the setting Home:
ComponentsConnectorPolygonal Mode. By default it is off.
This setting applies also to any connector that is rerouted via Home:
ComponentsConnectorReroute Connectors. Enabling or disabling
polygonal mode does not change existing connectors.
See also
Creating a Design, Block Connections, Connector Junction, Connection Label, Probe