Branch Point

A Branch Point is used to join multiple bundles together.

Inline components that are located within the harness — such as Splices, Diodes, and Resistors — can be positioned at branch points.

A branch point can have any number of Boots and Coverings assigned. See Assigning Boots and Coverings.

Branch points can only be added in the Layout View.

Adding Branch Points

right-click on the canvas and select Branch Point. This will add a branch point with no connected bundles. left-click-drag from the connection point of a connector, terminal, or another branch point to create a bundle to the new branch point.

Adding a Branch Point to a Bundle

right-click a Bundle and select Add branch point to split the bundle at that point. In formboard mode the branch point is placed exactly on the bundle line, so a straight bundle stays straight.

You can also drag an existing bundle’s Layout Point onto a branch point to split the bundle there and join both halves to it. See Joining a Layout Point to a Splice or Branch Point.

Assigning Boots and Coverings

right-click a branch point and select Assign Part, then search for or select a Boot or Covering, for example a boot over the junction or tape wrapped around it. A branch point can have any number of each. Use fixed-length coverings here: a cut-to-length covering only gets a length in the BOM from a Bundle.

The context menu lists each assigned part above Assign Part: select one to swap it for another or select Unassign part to remove it. Each assigned part is also shown as a part bar under the branch point when Show parts is enabled in the bottom right corner of the view; left-click a bar to swap or unassign its part the same way.

To assign a boot or covering straight from the Parts Catalog, choose Search parts catalog at the bottom of the dropdown, then select Assign to component on the part. To make a new covering, choose Create new covering part and pick its type from the list; the new part is added to the harness and assigned to the branch point.

Branch Point Appearance

A branch point is drawn as a single shape: a short arm for each direction its bundles leave in, each as wide as its bundle, joined by a centre that fits them, so a thin branch meets a thick trunk flush. Bundles leaving in the same direction share an arm. With bundles drawn at their estimated thickness, the arms follow each bundle’s drawn width.

With Draw components in their part colour enabled under Main Menu → Harness settings → Layout (on by default), a branch point is drawn in the colour of its first coloured boot, or, with no coloured boot, its outermost covering. A branch point with neither, or with the option off, is grey like the connector and terminal symbols. A selected branch point is outlined with a halo.

Merging Branch Points

To merge two branch points, left-click-drag one onto the other.

Deleting a Branch Point

Deleting a branch point that joins exactly two bundles merges them into one bundle through the deleted point. The merged bundle keeps the layout points of both and its length is the sum of the two. A branch point with more bundles, or one located inside a locked group, is deleted normally and leaves the bundles disconnected.

Viewing Branch Point Component IDs

To view the component ID of a Branch Point on the Layout view, select Show component IDs in the bottom right corner of the view, or press I. The ID is shown in a box beside the branch point, together with its label if it has one.

Labelling a Branch Point

right-click the branch point and type a name into the Label field at the top of the menu. The label is used in place of the branch point’s ID wherever it is named, such as in search and validation messages, and left-click it on the canvas to change it. See Labelling Components.