Text Blocks

Text blocks (see menu Table|Libraries (local) and (global)) can be applied to save global or individual (local) text information which can be printed in a report (see Printing Reports) or exported (see Text Files (.txt, .rtf)) by simply using the text block‘s name in a template file (see Template Files).

The keyword for a text block is: #(Text, Textblock_Name).

For example, the company’s address, the identification of the project or the customer's address can be used in the report without having to edit the template file over and over again.

There are local and global text blocks, and also automatically generated text blocks (see Project Information). The global text blocks are available for every CadnaA file, whereas the local ones are saved together with the specific project, thus being available for this project only. Local and global text blocks may share the same identifier. CadnaA will search through all text blocks. If two text blocks having the same identifier are found, the local one will be used.

Frequently used phrases like „If you have any questions concerning the calculation please contact #(Text, Address)“ may be quoted once in a template file. The local text block with the identifier „Address“ then supplements the above phrase by appending the text saved in the corresponding local text block.

Dialog Text block

Select the command Tables|Libraries (local) or (global)|Textblocks to display the table Local or Global Text Blocks. Insert a new row by pressing the INS key (or via the table‘s context menu). Double-clicking in this row opens the edit dialog. Enter the text block‘s name and text.

Using prefixes with text blocks

Prefixes can be used in text blocks. The prefix is only written if a text is contained in the text block otherwise not. Example:

#(Text, PI_AUTHOR,, "Processor: ")

results in e.g.

Processor: John Sample

The prefix „Processor:“ is only written if the text block contains text. If the text block is empty the prefix will not be written.

Linebreak \n

A carriage return may be defined between the prefix and the text by entering \n in quotation mark („\n“) as last parameter within the keyword line.

#(Text, PI_AUTHOR,, „Processor:“ „\n“)

results in

Processor:
John Sample

Furthermore, this feature offers a text cell in the PlotDesigner (see PlotDesigner) not to be displayed if the text block is empty and if the size of the text cell is set to „automatically“.