<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation:  Drawing Environment > Detailed command descriptions > Symbol Generator > Symbol data dialogue (main Symbol Generator dialogue) > Object data > Function code

The function code is typically specified for help and mirror symbols, but not for main symbols. It is however possible to specify a function code even for a main symbol. To do that, you must set the Symbol Generator in Advanced mode.

 

The main purpose of the function code, is to guide the mirror booking procedure, meaning to define which help symbol can be booked against which position in a contact mirror.

 

For conventional help symbols - in many cases help contacts - three typical function codes are listed below.

 

 

For obvious reasons, a make help contact can only be booked against a make help contact in a contact mirror. A make help contact and a break help contact are two different things. That difference is defined by the function code.

 

In a corresponding way, you have different kinds of in- and outputs for PLC. That is also handled using function codes. Below, a few examples from that "continent" are listed.

 

 

The availability of function codes varies, depending on which symbol type you are working with.

 

When applicable, you select the function code with a drop-down list as shown in the figure below.

 

 

Please note that for each function code, a fixed number of connection points is defined. That number must match between mirror symbol and help symbol. The number of connection points can also be defined as zero ("0") for certain function codes. Help symbols with such function codes will not be subject to mirror booking, even if a contact mirror with the same item designation exists.

 

A complete description of all available standard function codes is found in the Standard function codes subtopic of the Technical details topic.

 

All function codes are defined in the Function codes tab of the Settings module. It is possible to add user defined function codes when needed.