The role class “Port” is a role type for objects that groups a number of interfaces and allows describing complex interfaces in this way. AML Port objects shall reference this role. Details and examples are specified in 8.2.

The Port is formally defined in Table 46.

Table 46 - Port Definition

Attribute	Value
BrowseName	Port
IsAbstract	False
References	NodeClass	BrowseName	DataType	TypeDefinition	ModellingRule
Inherit the components of the AutomationMLBaseRole
HasComponent	Variable	Cardinality	String	BaseDataVariableType	Optional
HasComponent	Variable	Category	String	BaseDataVariableType	Optional
HasComponent	Object	ConnectionPoint		PortConnector	Optional
HasComponent	Variable	Direction	String	BaseDataVariableType	Optional
HasProperty	Variable	ID	BaseDataType	PropertyType	Optional
HasProperty	Variable	Version	BaseDataType	PropertyType	Optional

This attribute is a complex attribute which can describe MaxOccur or MinOccur.

The category attribute describes the Port type. The value of this attribute is user-defined. Only ports with the same category value are allowed to be connected. Example: category = “MaterialFlow”

This CAEX Interface allows connecting this Port with a number of other ports on an abstract level. The internal relations between single Port interfaces are not described in this way.

This attribute shall be used to describe the direction of the Port. Values shall be one of the following: “In” or “Out” or “InOut”. Ports with the direction “In” can only be connected to ports with the direction “Out” or “InOut” and ports with the direction “Out” can only be connected with ports with the direction “In” or “InOut”. Ports with the direction “InOut” can be connected to Ports of arbitrary direction. Examples: Direction =”Out” (e.g. a plug) Direction = “In” (e.g. a socket) Direction = “InOut” This information can be used e.g. in order to prove the validity of a connection.