One of the core elements in ConnectMaster are components.

A component is the specific realisation of a component type on site within a network.  Hence a component is always allocated to exactly one component type and to exactly one category. To describe the situation within the signal network, a component is positioned exactly in one location. Only components of the category Cable and the category Duct/Route are positioned between two locations.

 

Dealing with components

In ConnectMaster, components are used in various ways:

•Components can be loaded into Tasks and/or Navigator

•Components can be loaded into Projects/Folders.

•Components can be opened as connection sheets.

•Components build a physical network via cross-connections.

•Components can be incorporated into documents.

•Components can be included into routes.

 

Components in use

Knowledge of this definition is important because a component can only be deleted once it is not in use.

Components are then exactly in use if they:

•Have cross-connections on the connection points, or

•Have usages on the ports, or

•are loaded into one or several tasks, or

•are included into at least one document.

Opened components

Components are opened when their connection sheet is opened.

Components are location-based

A component must always possess a location.
A component cannot be stored without a location.

Shifting of components

Components can be shifted to another location with all characteristics, connections, etc.  

For this, elements in a equippable component must be removed from the same.

Delete component

A component can only be deleted if it is not in use.  In this particular case, cross-connections are not checked because they are also deleted with the component.

Characteristics

Besides the characteristics that are inherited from the component type to the component, more characteristics also exist:

•General characteristics: Applicable to every component

•Additional category-dependent characteristics

 

Attributes

Besides these characteristics, the attributes that were inherited from the component type are available to each component.

However, additional attributes can be defined on the component itself. Functionality is similar.

Connection points and point grouping

Every component has connection points and connection positions for each connection side. These are inherited with all characteristics and with grouping settings from the component type to the component and may be further processed here. The processing option is restricted by the setting Type dominates component.

Connection points = Component points = Wires/Fibres

In the case of components, connection points are often also referred to as component points.  For components of the category Cable, on the other hand, connection points are called wires or fibres.