Item Properties Table

The Item Properties Table, accessed by choosing Project > Data Management > Item Properties Table, is designed to support batch editing for blocks and resources used in or available to BlockSim diagrams within the current project.

This provides you with another way of viewing and editing properties without having to open the properties windows for each item. Any changes made to properties in the Item Properties Table will be applied to the corresponding properties window and any changes made to properties in a properties window will be applied to the Item Properties Table.

The Item Properties Table consists of a navigation panel on the left side of the window and the table area on the right side of the window. The navigation panel contains pages that allow access to all of the RBDs, fault trees and phase diagrams in the project, as well as the following local resource types:

URDs
Variables
Models
Tasks
Task packages
Crews
Spare part pools
Maintenance groups
Switches
Mirror groups
Maintenance templates

Note: Global resources are not shown in the Item Properties Table.

For information on configuring the table and limiting the resources shown, refer to the Choosing and Configuring Columns and Finding and Filtering Records topics.

The columns in the table will vary depending on the type of item you are working with. For instance, the table for a reliability block diagram shows the Block Name, Block Display Name, Universal Reliability Definition, Failure Model Information and Comments columns by default. The table for universal reliability definitions shows the URD Name, Failure Model, Failure Model Information, Corrective Task, Scheduled Tasks and Comments columns. However, you can specify which columns will appear in the table using the Column Chooser.

To edit the information for the blocks or resources, click inside a cell and enter the desired information. To accept your input, click outside the cell. You can also press TAB to accept the input and move the focus to the next cell to the right or ENTER to accept the input and move the focus to the next cell down.

You can also use standard cut, copy, paste and clear commands within the table, including when you have multiple cells selected.

Some columns, such as Start Age and Duty Cycle, require numerical inputs; if the input must be within a certain range, the software will check that your input meets the requirement and, if it does not, will show a message explaining the requirement. Other columns require specialized types of input; for example, the URD column for blocks requires that you specify a URD that exists in the project, while the Item Operates Even if System Down column requires a yes/no answer. These columns provide a drop-down list of valid choices. To edit the Comments column, double-click inside the cell to open an input box.

If the property does not apply to the corresponding block or resource, "N/A" will appear in the column and the cell will have a gray background. Properties that cannot be edited via the Item Properties Table, such as the block name, will also have a gray background.

IMPORTANT: If you change the information in one column, it may affect the information required in another column. For example, if you are editing a model and you change the Model Type column from "Weibull-2" to "Weibull-3," then the Parameter 3 column will change from "N/A" to requiring a numerical input for the third parameter for the Weibull distribution (i.e., gamma).

Models created by publishing results from an analysis in a Synthesis application cannot be edited in the Item Properties Table. To edit a model that was published from an analysis, you must return to the original data source, make the necessary changes, recalculate and republish the model.

Since the required parameters for a model will vary depending on the model type, the way you use the parameter columns in the Item Properties Table will vary. The parameter columns in the Item Properties Table for each model type are presented in the table shown next.

The changes you make in the Item Properties Table will be saved when you close the window. You can also choose Home > Actions > Refresh to commit your changes immediately and refresh the Item Properties Table to display the most current information, including recent changes by other users.

Editing Multiple Items

You can choose the Spreadsheet Editor command on the Ribbon to open the Spreadsheet Editor, which displays the blocks or resources in a spreadsheet-based view. This enables you to use the capabilities inherent in a spreadsheet (e.g., batch copying, formulas, etc.) to make editing multiple items easier. When you are finished editing, choose Close > OK to save your changes and close the Spreadsheet Editor or Close > Cancel to close the Spreadsheet Editor without saving your changes.

Exporting Information from the Item Properties Table

To print the contents of the Item Properties Table, choose the Print command on the Ribbon.

To send the contents of the Item Properties Table to an analysis workbook or to an Excel worksheet, click the Administration tab on the Ribbon and choose the Transfer Report command.

In the Transfer Report window that appears, you can select to send either the current item (i.e., the table for the currently displayed page) or the full report (i.e., the tables for all pages in the Item Properties Table) to an analysis workbook or to Excel. If you transfer the full report, each table will appear on a new tab in the analysis workbook or the Excel workbook.