FBD Editor Appearance and Layout
The Mervis IDE BETA 2.7.19 introduces several workflow and quality-of-life improvements to the FBD (Function Block Diagram) editor. These updates allow for better visual tracking, streamlined diagram structuring, and simpler workspace management.
Color-Coded Wires & Debug Indicators
To help rapidly identify data types on the canvas, wire colors are now hardcoded. The selected colors automatically adjust for contrast depending on whether you are using the Light or Dark theme. Additionally, when you are in Debug mode, the editor provides an immediate visual indication of boolean states through line thickness.
| Data Type | Wire Color |
|---|---|
| Booleans | Blue |
| Analogs (Real/Float) | Green |
| Pointers | Brown |
| Others | Black (or White Smoke in Dark Theme) |
- Debug Mode: A thick blue wire represents a True value, while a thin blue wire represents a False value.
Working with Junction Points
Junction points act as a visual aid and helper function to prevent messy, overlapping wires. Instead of routing multiple individual wires all the way across a complex schematic from a single output, you can route one single wire to a central location, insert a junction point, and branch off the required connections from there to your target nodes.
- To Insert: Right-click directly on an existing wire segment to open the context menu, then select “Insert Junction Point”.
- To Remove: Select the junction point manually and press the Delete command or the Del key on your keyboard.
Resizing Ladders
You now have more flexibility over the structural layout of your FBD ladders. You can adjust the ladders either manually or via automated menu commands.
- Manual Resizing: Look for the red circles located at the top corners of the active ladder. Simply left-click and drag these circles to expand or contract the width of the ladder manually.
- Menu Resizing: Alternatively, you can right-click the red circle to open the context menu. From here, you can select “Set Default Width” or choose “Match Other Ladder's Width”, which will instantly align the width for the selected ladder within the currently opened scheme.
