CODESYS Visualization

Everything in one project

In the same CODESYS project, you use CODESYS Visualization to create the suitable user interface for your application. You link the visualization to the application variables and in this way they can animate and display data. When creating a visualization and an application, you use common functions, for example, as library and source code management or find/replace throughout the project.

Note

For some hints and best practises for configuring and creating a visualization see the document "Best Practices, Visualization". It is available in PDF format with the CODESYS installation.

Overview of functionality

System overview and mechanism, display variants

Overview of functionality

Display variant depending on the target platform

You can execute the same visualization on various target platforms. Possible display variants are CODESYS WebVisu, CODESYS TargetVisu, CODESYS HMI. In addition, there is a display integrated in the development system.

Visualization editor

In the graphic editor you design the desired user interface from visualization elements. The visualization elements are provided via libraries in a "ToolBox". You drag them into the editor area and adapt them with the help of a property configurator.

Referenceable visualizations

A visualization can be referenced in other visualizations. This enables the creation of user interfaces with a complex structure. For this purpose CODESYS Visualization also provides predefined visualizations, e.g. for dialogs.

Simple design change

The simple change of the look & feel of a visualization is possible in one place by creating a different visualization style.

Multilingualism

You can conveniently prepare visualization texts in several languages with the help of text lists. You can configure a user input element for switching to a different language in online mode.

User management

You can set up the visualization's own user management for access control up to individual element level.

Other useful features

Function block instances of visualizations, array accesses to the visualization, real-time data logging, extendability of the pool of visualization elements, provision of graphic objects via symbol libraries, calls of PLC functions from the visualization, reusability of visualizations by depositing them in libraries.

Overview of the objects, editors, repositories, etc. relevant for the visualization in the CODESYS Development System


Visualization	Object below an application in the device tree or in the POUs pool that contains a visualization image. A visualization can reference other visualizations.
Visualization editor and additional views	In this IEC 61131-3-compliant editor you can create the desired graphical user interfaces, panels, dialogs, etc. from visualization elements. The editor is made up of the following components: Graphic editor area for arranging the elements Interface Editor: for the parameterization of the visualization Hotkey Configuration: editor for defining keys for online operation Elementlist: overview of all visualization elements used, editor for the position of the elements on the z-axis The following views are also available: ToolBox: view for the provision of visualization elements Properties: view with editor for the configuration of the element that currently has the focus in the graphic editor
Visualization element	Ready-to-use elements from the visualization libraries are available in the Tools view of the visualization editor for insertion.
Visualization profile	The profile defines which visualization elements are available. Each project that contains a visualization is based on such a profile (project settings).
Visualization Styles	The selected style determines the "look & feel" of the elements. It is set application-wide in the visualization manager. Ready-to-use styles are provided and you can also create your own.
Visualization Manager	Each application has a visualization manager of its own for its visualizations with various settings such as user management, style, language, input type, etc. The Visualization Manager object is suspended in the device tree below the application.
Display variant	A visualization can be displayed in online mode in the following variants, which are created as objects under the visualization manager: CODESYS TargetVisu (target visualization and remote target visualization on PLC devices) CODESYS WebVisu (web visualization via a web browser) CODESYS HMI (HMI visualization on devices without I/O connection)
Visualization library	Collection of visualization elements that are provided in the toolbox.
Symbol library	Collection of images and graphics that you can use in visualizations. When inserting a visualization object you can choose whether the installed system libraries should be available in the project.
Visualization Element Repository	Repository for the management of the visualization profiles and the visualization element libraries.
Visualization Styles Repository	Repository for the management of visualization styles.
VISU_TASK	This task is automatically present as an object in the task configuration of an application as long as an object for a display variant of the type WebVisu or TargetVisu is also inserted under the Visualization Manager.

System overview and mechanism, display variants

The user interfaces created in CODESYS can be used in different display variants, depending on which ones the controller employed supports.

The display variants

Visualization ("diagnostic visualization") integrated in the CODESYS Development System:

The integrated visualization in the development system is ideal for application tests, for service or diagnostic purposes and for the commissioning of a system. As soon as a connection to the controller has been established, the visualization editor switches over and animates the elements displayed. This variant is part of the free CODESYS Development System and can always be used, irrespective of the controller employed.

CODESYS WebVisu:

This variant means web-based display of the user interface in a standard browser (PCs, tablets, smartphones), enabling remote access, remote monitoring and service and diagnosis of a system via the Internet. A standard web browser communicates by Java Script (optionally with SSL encryption) with the web server in the controller and displays the visualization by means of HTML5. This technology is supported by virtually all browsers and is thus also available on terminal devices with iOS or Android.

CODESYS TargetVisu:

This variant runs independent of the platform on control systems with an integrated display. Logic application and user interface run on the same device; the user interface is displayed directly on the controller. This variant is suitable for the operation and monitoring of machines and plants. An optional extension of the runtime system is required for the use of CODESYS TargetVisu.

CODESYS HMI:

This variant is for PC-based visualization or display on dedicated display devices. It enables access to the process data of several controllers via the same user interface.

The user interfaces created with CODESYS are displayed on a detached display device. The computing load on the controller is thus eliminated. Communication with the controller takes place via the data sources manager. This variant is ideal for the local operation and monitoring of machines and plants and allows the values of several controllers to be displayed in one visualization. They are displayed on one or more control panels without control functionality and I/O activation. In addition to Windows PCs, control operating devices with other operating system platforms can also be used.