Working with Libraries

Access, create, edit, install and uninstall libraries.

Access Blocks from Libraries

Drag blocks into the modeling window from the Palette Browser or insert them from the Libraries menu.

Important: Libraries must be installed before you can access them from your workspace.
  1. Select View > Palette Browser.
  2. Double-click on a desired palette.
  3. Drag a block from the palette into your model.
    A block added to a model from the Palette Browser retains a reference to the block library.
  4. Alternatively, select File > Libraries > Insert block from library
  5. Navigate to the block .scm file, and click Open.

Create a Library

Create a Library through the Library Manager.

  1. select File > Libraries > Manager.
  2. Select Create a new library.
  3. Enter a name and path for the new library.
  4. Press OK.
    • A new empty library is created in the specified directory and installed in the software.
    • The library is accessible from File > Extension Manager where you can use the load button on the library extension to uninstall or install your library as needed.

Edit a Library

The Library Manager includes options for adding, replacing, and removing blocks in libraries, and installing/uninstalling libraries that have been added to Activate.

  1. Select File > Libraries > Manager.
  2. Click the Select an installed library option.
  3. From the drop down menu, select the path to the installed library that you want to edit.
  4. Select from the following options:
    • To add a block to the library, select the block in your current diagram, then click Add/Replace. If the selected block already exists in the library, the existing block is replaced with the selected block.
    • To remove a block from the library, select the block in your current diagram, then click Remove.
    • To uninstall the entire library, click Uninstall.

      Note that the library is uninstalled, but not removed, and remains in the system through the Extension Manager should you wish to reinstall it.

Install a Library

Install a library from a specified directory.

  1. Select File > Libraries > Install.
  2. In the Install dialog, navigate to the library that you want to install, then click Select Folder.
  3. In the Library Creator dialog, enter a name for the new library and a path to the directory where the library is saved.
  4. Click OK.
    • The new library is installed in the software.
    • You can access and add/remove blocks from the new library from File > Libraries > Manager.
    • You can also access the new library from File > Extension Manager where you can use a library extension to quickly uninstall or install the library from your Activate session. Libraries that are uninstalled are not removed. They remain available should you want to install them again.

Uninstall a Library

Uninstall a library from the Libraries menu, Library Manager or Extension Manager.

Uninstall from the Libraries Menu

  1. Select File > Libraries > Uninstall.
  2. Select the path of the library that you want to uninstall, then click OK.
    The library is uninstalled, but remains in the system through the Extension Manager should you wish to reinstall it.

Uninstall from the Library Manager

  1. Select File > Libraries > Manager.
  2. Select the option for the installed library.
  3. Select the path for the library that you want to uninstall.
  4. Select the Uninstall button.
    The library is uninstalled, but remains in the system through the Extension Manager should you wish to reinstall it.

Uninstall or Remove from the Extension Manager

  1. Select File > Extension Manager.
    The available libraries are listed with their corresponding extensions.
  2. On the desired library extension, slide the button left to the uninstall position .
    Note that the library is uninstalled, but not removed. The library remains available to you should you wish to reinstall it. To reinstall it, slide the button to the right .
  3. To fully remove the library so that it is no longer accessible from Activate, select the Remove button and confirm the removal. In this state, the library will no longer be available to reinstall from the Extension Manager.
    Note: The removal feature is available for libraries other than the standard inbuilt Activate libraries. Any inbuilt libraries that are removed become available again when you restart Activate.