Basic
This topic contains the following sections:
If you want to edit an existing document with the editor, you can start the editor by double-clicking on the file symbol in the Explorer. The prerequisite for this is that the editor is registered for editing the file extensions ".aml" or ".amlx". If the editor has already been started, you can drag 'n drop a file symbol into the editor and open it for editing. Otherwise, open the document via the corresponding menu command.
If the loaded file is an AutomationML file, the editor recognizes which CAEX version is referenced in the AutomationML document. The detected CAEX version is displayed in the upper right corner of the Main Toolbar.
The editor adapts its editor properties and layout to the recognized CAEX version. The biggest difference that is immediately noticeable is the absence of the AttributeTypeLibrary and the corresponding view if it is a CAEX 2.15 document. It is possible to transform a loaded document to another CAEX version by clicking on the CAEX button.
It is possible to configure how a document is loaded in the editor preferences in the settings menu.
Editor Preferences available in Other Settings
The editor can always reload the last edited document when started. In addition, a check of the loaded document's schema consistency can be performed each time it is loaded.
In the upper window bar you can see the processing status of the document. A green dot indicates that there are no unsaved changes. Use the folder icon to open the storage location of the document.
AutomationML documents can also be components of AutomationML containers. How to work with AutomationML containers and edit individual contents is described in the section Handling AutomationML containers.
When you save an AutomationML document to a file, the file name is also entered in the document (FileName property in the CAEXFile element). If the document was initially created with the editor, the modification date is also updated in the SourceDocumentInformation of the editor.
Document Information assigned to the CAEXFile
You also have the option of saving an AutomationML document in an AutomationML container. The special thing about this is that all external files referenced by your document are packed into the container, provided that the editor can identify the storage locations of these files by means of the references. More details about how to work with AutomationML containers are described in the section Handling AutomationML containers.
If you want to make sure that the changed document is consistent, you should run a consistency check before saving.
You do not have to save an AutomationML document as a single document but can split it into separate parts and save each part in a separate file. This procedure is useful if several documents reference the same libraries. The split points can be set in the editor, for example for the root object of a library.
Library Split-points in an AutomationML document
The reverse process - the rejoining of a split document - is called merging. For a detailed description of the split and merge operations please refer to Splitting and Merging.
When you create a new document, AutomationML standard libraries are automatically inserted, provided you have not switched off this option in the settings. The libraries are specific to the selected CAEX version. The CAEX Version is pre-selected in the settings and set to CAEX 3.0 cf. Editor Preferences.
Since version 6.0 it is possible to create a new document either without included standard libraries or with included standard libraries by selecting the corresponding option in the toolbar.
A SourceDocumentInformation Data element is inserted into the document, specifying the AutomationML Editor as the document source. You can modify or delete this Data element and add your own SourceDocumentInformation element cf. Document Information. An AutomationML document is required to contain at least one SourceDocumentInformation element.