Pasting Devices and Physical Links

Overview

You can paste devices that you have copied or cut from a physical view or the SYSTEM PROJECT pane of either:

The same system project.
Another system project that you open in the same Control Expert instance (after closing the source system project).
Another system project open in another Control Expert instance running on the same computer.

You can paste devices only in a window or pane that is of the same type as that from which you had copied them. For example, within or between physical views or within the SYSTEM PROJECT pane but not between a physical view and the SYSTEM PROJECT pane.

In a physical view, you can also paste physical links.

NOTE: You cannot paste while a system project is locked.

NOTE: For information about pasting folders, refer to the topic describing how to manage topological folders.

Pasting After Copying or Cutting From Another Password-Protected System Project

When the system project from which you have copied or cut a device is password protected and you paste the device in a different system project, which is open in another Control Expert instance running on the same computer, you must enter the password of the source system project when prompted. Otherwise, you cannot paste it.

Pasting After Copying or Cutting in a Physical View

The table describes the result of the Paste command depending on the command that you have used on a device in a physical view. Specific scenarios and the impact on the attributes of the pasted device are described further in this topic.

Command	Result of the Paste command
Copy Adds the representation of the device in the physical view and the device itself to the Clipboard. Child elements (such as slave devices of gateways) and configuration files are added too. A physical link is added to the Clipboard only if both source and target devices and the link itself are selected before using the command. Does not apply to the local rack or drop of an M580 PAC. Use the SYSTEM PROJECT pane instead.	Copied objects are duplicated in the physical view and the SYSTEM PROJECT pane.
Cut Removes the representation of the device from the physical view and deletes the device from the SYSTEM PROJECT pane and adds them to the Clipboard. Includes child elements of devices or modules (such as slave devices of gateways) and configuration files. A physical link is removed and added to the Clipboard only if both source and target devices and the link itself are selected before using the command. You can also use the Cut button in the toolbar. Does not apply to the local rack or drop of an M580 PAC. Use the SYSTEM PROJECT pane instead. NOTE: Physical links that are not connected at both ends anymore are removed.	The objects in the Clipboard are added to the physical view and created in the SYSTEM PROJECT pane.
Cut From View Removes only the representation of the device from the physical view and adds it to the Clipboard. Physical links to the device are added to the Clipboard as well.	The objects in the Clipboard are added to the physical view. Physical links are recreated when possible.

Command

Result of the Paste command

Copy

Adds the representation of the device in the physical view and the device itself to the Clipboard.

Child elements (such as slave devices of gateways) and configuration files are added too.

A physical link is added to the Clipboard only if both source and target devices and the link itself are selected before using the command.

Does not apply to the local rack or drop of an M580 PAC. Use the SYSTEM PROJECT pane instead.

Copied objects are duplicated in the physical view and the SYSTEM PROJECT pane.

Cut

Removes the representation of the device from the physical view and deletes the device from the SYSTEM PROJECT pane and adds them to the Clipboard. Includes child elements of devices or modules (such as slave devices of gateways) and configuration files.

A physical link is removed and added to the Clipboard only if both source and target devices and the link itself are selected before using the command.

You can also use the Cut button in the toolbar.

Does not apply to the local rack or drop of an M580 PAC. Use the SYSTEM PROJECT pane instead.

NOTE: Physical links that are not connected at both ends anymore are removed.

The objects in the Clipboard are added to the physical view and created in the SYSTEM PROJECT pane.

Cut From View

Removes only the representation of the device from the physical view and adds it to the Clipboard.

Physical links to the device are added to the Clipboard as well.

The objects in the Clipboard are added to the physical view.

Physical links are recreated when possible.

NOTE: Pasted links maintain their properties.

NOTE: Using the Paste command rather than the Ctrl +V keyboard shortcut lets you paste the device where the cursor is positioned.

Pasting PACs

The table describes the impact on data associated to a PAC, which you have copied or cut in the SYSTEM PROJECT pane when you paste it in the same system project or another one that is open on the same computer.

Associated data	Result
Control project	The control project is pasted. If the build state of the control project was Built, it is set to Out Of Date; otherwise, the state is unchanged. The build target is unchanged.
Communication mapping	Communication mapping is recreated for scanned devices that are copied or cut together with the PAC.

Associated data

Result

Control project

The control project is pasted.

If the build state of the control project was Built, it is set to Out Of Date; otherwise, the state is unchanged.

The build target is unchanged.

Communication mapping

Communication mapping is recreated for scanned devices that are copied or cut together with the PAC.

Impact on Attributes When Pasting Devices

The behavior is different whether you paste devices in the same system project or in another system project (open in the same or another Control Expert instance running on the same computer). The following tables describe for each case the impact on attribute values when you paste a device in the workspace of a physical view or in the SYSTEM PROJECT pane.

NOTE: The description also applies to racks and their modules.

When pasting in the same system project.

Device attribute	Result
Name	The device is renamed⁽¹⁾. If you had cut the device, it is pasted with the same name unless a device with this name has been created in the meantime. In such case, the device is renamed⁽¹⁾.
IP addresses	IP addresses of the copied or cut device are set to the first available address in the logical network to which the device belongs. If no more IP addresses are available, the logical network is set to NOCONF and the IP addresses are set to 0.0.0.0. The following exceptions apply: IP addresses that correspond to the gateway address of a logical network (for example, IP addresses of ports whose routing capability is enabled (interface)) are set to 0.0.0.0 and the corresponding logical network to NOCONF. Optional IP addresses (for example, IP address A of a NOC communication module) are set to the first available address in the logical network only if they were configured in the device that you have copied. If the logical network does not exist anymore (for example, because it has been deleted or renamed after the device was copied or cut), the logical network is set to NOCONF and the IP address is kept.
I/O profile	I/O profile attribute names are renamed⁽¹⁾.
Path	When you paste a device: In a physical view, it is also pasted in the SYSTEM PROJECT pane in the same folder from where it was copied or cut. As a result, Path is identical. In the SYSTEM PROJECT pane, Path is set according to the location where you paste the device.
DHCP Server Name	The attribute value is unchanged unless the configured DHCP server does not exist anymore when the device is pasted. When you copy or cut several devices between which a DHCP client/server relationship exists, the relationship is maintained.
Other attributes	Attribute values are identical to values of the copied or cut device.
(1) To satisfy the name uniqueness rule, the software adds a _x suffix where x is an integer starting at 1 or increments existing _x suffixes.

When pasting in another system project.

Device attribute	Result
Name	If a device with the same name already exists, the pasted device is renamed⁽¹⁾.
I/O profile	If I/O profile attributes with the same name already exist, the I/O profile attribute names are renamed⁽¹⁾.
Logical Network	The logical network is set to NOCONF.
IP addresses	IP addresses are kept.
Path	When you paste a device: In a physical view, it is also pasted in the Topology folder of the SYSTEM PROJECT pane; Path is set accordingly. In the SYSTEM PROJECT pane, Path is set according to the location where you paste the device.
DHCP Server Name	The attribute value is set to None. When you copy or cut several devices between which a DHCP client/server relationship exists, the relationship is maintained.
Other attributes	Attribute values are identical to values of the copied or cut device.
(1) To satisfy the name uniqueness rule, the software adds a _x suffix where x is an integer starting at 1 or increments existing _x suffixes.