Sequence Editor

The Sequence Editor is a Gantt chart-like navigator that displays the operations in the system and their sequence. You can view information about operations including referenced physics objects, start time, duration, end time, and some runtime parameters.

Use the Sequence Editor to do the following:

• Add new operations to the system.
• Modify the start time and duration of the operation from the table.
• Link operations using AND and OR logic.

  Tip: You can select one or more operations then right-click to delete any linkers associated with the operations.

• Modify the sequence of operations.
• Activate or deactivate single or multiple operations.
• Control signals using MCD or externally mapped signals.
• Control and sequence inverse kinematics motion using independent operations, runtime parameters, and linkers.
• Play simulations until an operation is started.
• Adjust the relative width of the parameters side and event side by dragging the vertical bar.
• Right-click in the background and choose Find to search for operations using several options and filters.
• Identify the objects involved with selected operations. Controlled objects are displayed in red and conditional objects are displayed in blue.

Operation and link types shown in the Sequence Editor

#	Element	Description
1	Time-based operation	An operation that is triggered by time. Shown as a blue bar. To reset the run time of all time-based operations, click Update Time.
2	Event-based operation	An operation that is triggered by a non-time-based event. Shown as a green bar.
3	Linked operation	An operation that is linked to another operation.
4	Compound operation	A collection of one or more operations defined at a lower assembly level than the current work part. Read-only, shown as a gray bar. A compound operation cannot be linked to other operations.
5	Pause operation	An operation that pauses the simulation when triggered.
6	Link condition	A link that connects two or more operations to create a sequence. The link condition applies AND or OR logic to the connection and can be changed later. An AND logic link requires all linked operations to be completed to trigger the next operation. An OR logic link requires only one complete operation to trigger the next operation (OR links must be explicitly defined).

Note: While you create operations, you can use the Undo command but not the Redo command.

Organizing the Sequence Editor

• Create Group — creates a folder in the Sequence Editor for the selected operations, letting you organize operations by function.
• Linkers — create linkers between components, or a component and an independent operation. You cannot create a linker to an operation within a component.

Optimizing the Sequence Editor display

You can do the following to optimize the Sequence Editor display during a presentation or when viewing long simulations:

• To update the Sequence Editor display asynchronous to the simulation, set the Use User Defined Refresh Interval and Refresh Interval Mechatronics Concept Designer preferences.
• Right-click in the Gantt chart during a simulation and choose Clear View.
• To display the longest path of the operations in a different color to indicate it is the critical path, use the Critical Path option.

Where do I find it?

Accessing operations in the Sequence Editor

Application	Mechatronics Concept Designer
Resource bar	Sequence Editor

Adding an operation above an existing operation in the Sequence Editor

Prerequisite	You must have an operation in the Sequence Editor.
Resource bar	Sequence Editor
Location in editor	Right-click an operation → Insert Operation

Grouping operations into folders

Prerequisite	You must select one or more operations in the Sequence Editor.
Resource bar	Sequence Editor
Location in editor	Right-click a selected operation → Create Group

Linking components

Prerequisites	You must have at least two components in the Sequence Editor.
Resource bar	Sequence Editor
Location in editor	Drag the component to the operation

Moving an operation to a group

Prerequisite	You must select an operation in the Sequence Editor.
Resource bar	Sequence Editor
Location in editor	Right-click a selected operation → Move To Group

Related reference

• Sequence Editor shortcut menu commands and functionality