Simple Wires Help

- Getting Started: /manual/docs/getting-started.html
- Projects Dashboard: /manual/docs/projects.html
- Sharing Projects: /manual/docs/sharing.html
- Drawings and the Start Page: /manual/docs/drawings.html
- The Drawing Editor: /manual/docs/editor.html
- Functional Blocks and Ports: /manual/docs/blocks.html
- Master Library: /manual/docs/equipment-library.html
- Warehouses: /manual/docs/warehouses.html
- Racks and Rack Panels: /manual/docs/racks.html
- Drawing Cables: /manual/docs/cables.html
- Off Sheet Pointers: /manual/docs/off-sheet-pointers.html
- Shapes, Text and Images: /manual/docs/shapes-text-images.html
- Page Setup and Drawing Settings: /manual/docs/page-setup.html
- Printing and Exporting: /manual/docs/print-export.html
- Project Data Grids: /manual/docs/project-data.html
- Signal Types: /manual/docs/signal-types.html
- Drawing Revisions: /manual/docs/revisions.html
- Teams: /manual/docs/teams.html
- Billing and Plans: /manual/docs/billing.html
- Your Account: /manual/docs/account.html
- Themes and Appearance: /manual/docs/appearance.html
- Keyboard Shortcuts: /manual/docs/keyboard-shortcuts.html
- FAQ and Troubleshooting: /manual/docs/faq.html


# Signal Types

Signal types (audio, video, control and so on) belong to the project. Every port has a signal type, and every cable takes the signal type of the port it starts from. The signal type sets how the cable looks, which cable type it uses, and how it is numbered.

## How signal types are used

Each signal type controls:

- **Cable color, width and line type.** Cables and their ports are drawn in the signal type's stroke color. Cables use its width and line type unless you turn off **By Signal Type** under **Stroke** on the cable's **Cable** tab.
- **Cable manufacturer and type.** Cables use the signal type's cable manufacturer and type unless you turn off **By Signal Type** under **Cable Type**. These are what the Bill of Materials counts under **Cable Types**.
- **Cable numbers.** **Cables > Number All** and **Number Remaining** build each number from the signal type's **Cable Number Prefix** and **Next Cable Number**, then add one to the next number.

See [Drawing Cables]({{< relref "cables" >}}) for drawing and numbering cables, and [Cable properties]({{< relref "cables#cable-properties" >}}) for the per-cable settings.

To set the signal type of a port, use **View > Show/Hide Signal Types for Editing**, or tick **Signal types for editing** on a block's or port's right-click menu, then click the port's signal type and pick from the list. The list comes from this grid, and shows each type's color, cable type and next cable number. See [Functional Blocks and Ports]({{< relref "blocks" >}}).

## Opening the Signal Types grid

Choose **Project Data > Signal Types**. The grid replaces the drawing, with one row per signal type, sorted by name.

{{< screenshot name="signal-types-grid" alt="The Signal Types grid showing the default signal types of a new project" >}}

A new project starts with these signal types: **Default**, **AC**, **AES**, **AUD**, **CTL**, **DC**, **DV**, **REF**, **RF**, **SDI** and **VID**. They are all blue, width 1, with **?** as the cable manufacturer and type, the signal type name as the prefix (none for **Default**) and 1001 as the next number.

If a project has no signal types at all when you open it, Simple Wires adds this default set again.

The **Signal Types** command isn't available if you can only view the project.

## The columns

| Column | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Name** | The signal type's name, shown in the port signal type lists. |
| **Stroke Color** | The color of cables and ports of this type. Click the cell to pick a color. |
| **Stroke Width** | The line width of cables of this type. |
| **Line Type** | The line pattern of cables of this type, such as **Solid** or **Dash**. |
| **Cable Manufacturer** | The manufacturer of the cable used for this signal type. |
| **Cable Type** | The cable type or part number. |
| **Cable Number Prefix** | Text placed in front of the number, such as `AUD-`. Include any separator you want; Simple Wires doesn't add one. |
| **Next Cable Number** | The number the next cable of this type receives. Leading zeros are kept: `0001` is followed by `0002`. |

<!-- VERIFY: Line Type "(Ignore)" currently draws cables as Solid. Is that the intended meaning, or should it leave each cable's own line type alone? -->
<!-- VERIFY: exact column captions (auto-generated from the field names). -->

## Adding a signal type

1. Click **Add a row** (the **+** button above the grid). A new empty row appears.
2. Click each cell and enter the values.
3. Click outside the row to save it.

{{< screenshot name="signal-types-add" alt="A new row being filled in at the top of the Signal Types grid" >}}

<!-- VERIFY: when exactly is a new row saved in cell editing mode, and what defaults fill empty cells (the server uses blue, width 1, "?" for cable manufacturer and type, 1001 for next number)? -->

## Editing a signal type

Click a cell, type the new value (or pick a color or line type), then press <kbd>Enter</kbd> or click another cell. The change is saved when you leave the cell.

Changes apply across the whole project:

- Changing **Stroke Color** or **Stroke Width** updates every port and cable of that type in every drawing, except cables where you turned off **By Signal Type** in the drawing that is open.
- Changing **Cable Manufacturer** or **Cable Type** updates every cable of that type that still takes its cable type from the signal type.
- Renaming a signal type renames it on every port and cable that used the old name.
- Anyone else with the project open sees a message and their drawing updates.

<!-- VERIFY: the server update to saved drawings applies color and width to every cable of the type, even cables with Stroke "By Signal Type" turned off; only the open drawing honors that setting. Also, Line Type changes appear to reach other drawings only when they are next opened. -->

## Deleting a signal type

Click **Delete** at the end of the row, then confirm.

Deleting a signal type doesn't change any drawing. Ports and cables keep the name. If you number cables that still use a deleted signal type, Simple Wires adds it back with a red stroke, the name as the prefix and 1001 as the next number.

## Replacing signal types from another project

To reuse a set of signal types you have already set up:

1. Open the menu button above the grid and choose **Replace with Signal Types from Another Project**.
2. In **Select a Project**, choose the project to copy from.
3. Click **OK**.

{{< screenshot name="signal-types-menu" alt="The menu above the Signal Types grid with Replace with Signal Types from Another Project and Reset All Next Cable Numbers" >}}

> [!WARNING]
> This deletes all of this project's signal types and replaces them with copies from the other project. It isn't added to them.

The copied signal types include their next cable numbers.

This command isn't available on the Free plan. See [Billing and Plans]({{< relref "billing" >}}).

<!-- VERIFY: the copy doesn't include Line Type (StrokeLinetype isn't copied). Bug or intended? -->
<!-- VERIFY: label and position of the toolbar menu button above the grid, and the OK button label in the Select a Project dialog. -->

## Resetting next cable numbers

To make every signal type start numbering from the same number, for example at the start of a new phase:

1. Open the menu button above the grid and choose **Reset All Next Cable Numbers**.
2. Enter the number. It must be a number.
3. Click **OK**.

Every signal type's **Next Cable Number** is set to that value. Existing cable numbers in your drawings don't change. To renumber a drawing afterwards, use **Cables > Number All**.

This command isn't available on the Free plan.