Although it is not included In the eXpresseXpress Model topology export format, the Instance column can be used to instruct the Spreadsheet Topology Import to create multiple instances of an object with identical properties. This column can contain the number of instances (in which case, all instances of an object will be given the same name) or a series of one or more labels, separated by semicolons, each of which will be assigned to a different object instance. If a label in the Instances column is preceded by a tilde (~) or a bang (!), then that label will be used as a prefix (tilde) or suffix (bang) to the name in the Object column. If a label in the instance column does not begin with a tilde or a bang, then that label will be used in place of the object name.
Note: if the instances column contains a single label (with no semicolon) and that label begins with a number, then the first numeric portion will be interpreted as the number of instances and the rest of the label will be ignored.
The following table shows how different entries in the Instance column will affect number of copies (and assigned names) of a component that is labeled "Box A" in the Object column:
Contents of Instance Column
Number of Object Instances
Assigned Object Abbreviations
3
3
Box A
Box A
Box A
X
1
X
X;Y
2
X
Y
~X;!Y
2
XBox A
Box AY
3X
3
Box A
Box A
Box A
3X;
1
3X
!(Z) ;~ (Y);(X)
3
(Z) Box A
Box A (Y)
(X)
Notice how, in the final example in the table, the spaces preceding the first semicolon and following the tilde result in spaces between the prefix/suffix and the name from the Object column.
