Object 'Visualization Manager' - 'Settings'

Symbol:

The Visualization Manager is responsible for the configuration settings for all display variants of the visualizations of the current application.

The object is inserted below the application when a visualization object is inserted. Double-click to open a configuration dialog with several tabs. By default, the Settings dialog opens first.

If the device in use supports display variants of the visualization, then the Visualization Manager provides respective objects automatically (CODESYS WebVisu, CODESYS TargetVisu).

Tab 'Visualization Manager' - 'Settings'

Symbol:

Function: The tab includes settings for all visualizations throughout the application.

'General Settings'

Use unicode strings

: The visualization encodes character strings in Unicode.

Use CurrentVisu variable

: The application recognizes and uses the global variable VisuElems.CurrentVisu of type STRING. It contains the name of the active visualization at application runtime.

In the application code, the variable can be read in order to retain the name of the active visualization. The variable can be written to for calling a switch of visualizations. The switch is done at the same time on all display devices.

Example: A TargetVisu display variant and several WebVisu display variants are active. When the CurrentVisu variable is written to, all display variants switch to this visualization.

Requirement: The application includes a visualization that calls other visualizations.

Example

  • Assignment of variable: VisuElems.CurrentVisu := strVisuName;

  • Assignment of visualization name: VisuElems.CurrentVisu := 'visu1';

Support client animations and overlay of native elements

: Visualization elements can be animated by the client. This is possibly exclusively by the browser of a CODESYS WebVisu. Then, additional properties are visible in the visualization elements. Moreover, native elements, which are integrated in the visualization (for example, a web browser), can be overlaid with CODESYS elements. This is not possible with CODESYS versions before 3.5.16.0.

The following restriction applies currently:

  • In the case of nested frames combined with a scaling, elements can be positioned in a slightly different manner.

See also

'Style Settings'

Note

The Visualization Style Editor allows you to create, test and install new styles to the Visualization Style Repository.

Selected style

  • Style from the Visualization Style Repository that every visualization of the application uses. Example: Flat style.

  • <None>: The visualization displays its elements without a defined style or according to internal defaults. In the Color and Font element properties, a default dialog opens for selection instead of a list box.

Opens a list box with styles that are installed in the Visualization Style Repository.

Display all versions (for experts only)

: The list box includes only the latest version of the selected style and all other styles. If a newer version is installed for the selected style, then it is also listed.

: The list box contains all versions of all installed styles.

Button

Opens list box with commands for using the Visualization Style Editor.

Open Style Editor

The Visualization Style Editor opens.

Create and Edit Derived Style

The Visualization Style Editor opens with the Create New Visualization Style dialog. The dialog includes the settings for the first configuration step.

Requirement: In Selected style, a base style is selected.

Note: A derived style makes sense for adapting or extending only a few style properties.

Copy and Edit Style

The Visualization Style Editor opens with the Open Existing Style as Copy dialog. The dialog includes the settings for the first configuration step.

Requirement: A style is selected in Selected style.

Preview

The displayed elements represent the style that is specified in Selected style.

See also

'Language Settings'

Selected language

Language used by the display variant when starting a visualization

'Additional Settings'

Activate multitouch handling

: At runtime, the visualization expects user input by means of gesture recognition and touch events.

Affected elements

  • Elements with input configuration

  • Element type Frame

  • Element type Tabs

Activate semi-transparent drawing

: The visualization paints the elements in a semitransparent color.

When defining a color, you can also specify the gradient value for transparency. This value is defined in the Transparency property.

The leading byte is evaluated in color variables.

Default: enabled. Requirement: You have created a new visualization and the display variants can paint with semitransparency.

Activate standard keyboard handling

  • Tab (see also: Tab Order in the Visualization Element List)

  • Shift+Tab

  • Enter

  • Arrow Up

  • Arrow Down

  • Arrow Right

  • Arrow Left

Paint disabled elements grayed out

: All disabled elements are grayed out without you having configured their element properties, such as color variables.

The following results in the disabling of an element:

  • The variable which has been assigned to the State variables, Deactivate inputs element property is set to TRUE.

  • The visualization user management prohibits the user from making entries. The user has Only visible permission.

Call after visu initialization

Function name. The function is called after initialization. That is the right time to register an additional event handler for the EventManager.

Example: VisuInit

Implementation of VisuInit: 

// This function is called after visu initialization (see Visualization Manager 'Call after visu initialization')
FUNCTION VisuInit : BOOL
VAR_INPUT
END_VAR
// Set the mouse event handler
VisuElems.VisuElemBase.g_VisuEventManager.SetMouseEventHandler(PLC_PRG.evHandler);

Hint: In CODESYS Store, you will find the sample project "Visu Event Handler".

Another user case is the registration of the ClientManagerListener for the ClientManager.

Hint: In CODESYS Store, you will find the sample project "Responsive Design Example".

See also

'Advanced'

Memory Settings

Size of Memory for Visu

Memory size (in bytes) allocated by the visualization at runtime. Default: 400000

Size of Memory for Visu (initial value)

This is the initialization value for visualization profile V3.5 SP10 and later. If the memory usage exceeds this value, then the memory is doubled dynamically.

Size of Paintbuffer (per Client)

Memory size (in bytes) allocated by the visualization per display variant and used for painting actions. Default: 50000

Size of Paintbuffer (per Client, initial value)

This is the initialization value for visualization profile V3.5 SP10 and later. If the memory usage exceeds this value, then the memory is doubled dynamically.

File Transfer Mode

Transfer visualization files to the PLC

: When downloading the application from the visualization directories to the PLC, CODESYS copies files, such as images and text lists, that are referenced by the visualization. A CODESYS TargetVisu needs the files on the PLC, as well as dialogs, that support numerical and keyboard input.

Use local visualization files

: The visualization uses images and text lists in local directories.

Note: In order for the visualization to access local files, the file paths must be relative. You can specify these paths in Project ‣ Project Settings in the Visualization category. The settings the Options dialog in Visualization are also considered.

Note: It is also necessary for the link type to be set to Link to File for an image. The link type is specified in the image pool.

See also

Note

With "Display variant", the type of visualization is identified, either WebVisu, TargetVisu, or HMI. A display variant is a connected display medium. In this way, multiple browsers (clients) can be connected at the same time for the display variant WebVisu.

Client Settings

Maximum number of visualization clients

Restricts the number of display variants that are executed at the same time.

If you configure elements to vary depending on the display variant, then you have to limit the number of display variants. A visualization receives an ID at runtime that identifies the display variant and processes data accordingly. CODESYS can interrogate the ID with the system variable CURRENTCLIENTID for information about which of the running variants is affected.

Example: arr[CURRENTCLIENTID].dwColor

Requirement: The library VisuGlobalClientManager is included in the project.

Hint: In CODESYS Store, you will find the sample project "Global Client Manager".

Transfer both svg images and converted images

The option is visible only if both a WebVisu and TargetVisu are used. This affects image in SVG format only.

The option is available if the device description of the controller of the TargetVisu does not support the format "SVG (full)".

: The images are transferred in PNG or BMP format (for TargetVisu) and also in SVG format (for WebVisu).

Note

Not all settings are available for an integrated CODESYS visualization.

See also

3.5.16.0

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