In the eXpresseXpress Model topology export format, the Port Location column contains coordinates describing the location of the port listed in the Port column within an object described in the Object, I/O Flag or Annotation column of the spreadsheet. Cells in the Port Location column contain comma-delimited pairs of xy coordinates, optionally surrounded by parentheses, square brackets or curly braces. An optional prefix (always Exported by eXpress) can be used to define the Port Auto-Distribute Settings for the given object. Each port location coordinate will be between 0 and 10000 (regardless of the size or location of the object). The following pairs are thus "legal" representations of port location:
0,5000
the middle of the left-hand side
(10000, 2500)
one-quarter down the right-hand side
[5000,0]
the top middle of the object
{10000,10000}
the lower-right corner of the object
Although the eXpresseXpress Model topology export uses the curly braces for this field, the Spreadsheet Topology Import accepts any of these representations. The optional prefix consists of a letter (representing the port auto-distribution method) and either a plus or minus sign (indicating whether or not ports can be dragged for the given object). The prefix codes are as follows:
A - Alphabetize, Distribute and Place at Edge
D - Distribute evenly and Place at Edge
M - Manual Placement only
E - Place at edge
+ (plus sign) - Allow Port Dragging
- (minus sign) - Do not Allow Port Dragging
When the spreadsheet has been generated externally (rather than Exported out of eXpress), port locations can be specifed more generally, using the following terms:
