Visualization Element ‘Trace’

Symbol:

Tag: Special controls

This element displays the graphical curve of variable values. In addition, variables can be configured for controlling the view.

See also

• Displaying Data Curve with Trace
• Command ‘Configure trace’

Element properties

Element name	Example: Velocity
Data source	Storage location where the trace data is buffered. : <local application>: The trace recording is listed below the local application. The visualization that contains the trace is located below this application. When the application is downloaded, the trace configuration is downloaded to the local device. During execution, the data is stored locally in the trace buffer. <data source name>: Data source that identifies the remote device where the trace recording is created. When the local application is downloaded with the visualization, the trace configuration is downloaded to the remote device. During execution, the trace buffer is filled, and the trace data is transferred and then displayed in the local visualization as HMI. Example: DataSoure_PLC_A Note: The trace buffer is filled only if the remote application is being executed. The data recording is started when the local visualization is started.
Application	Application where data was recorded. : Lists all applications that are present below the data source. Requirement: A remote data source (not <local application>) is referenced in the Data source property.
Element type	Trace
Trace	<Name trace configuration>: Opens the Trace configuration dialog where you can modify the trace configuration.

See also

• Command ‘Configure trace’
• data source manager: _cds_obj_data_sources_manager

Element property ‘Position’

The position defines the location and size of the element in the visualization window. These are based on the Cartesian coordinate system. The origin is located at the upper left corner of the window. The positive horizontal x-axis runs to the right. The positive vertical y-axis runs downwards.

X	X coordinate of the upper left corner of the element Specified in pixels. Example: 10.
Y	Y coordinate of the upper left corner of the element Specified in pixels. Example: 10.
Width	Specified in pixels. Example: 150
Height	Specified in pixels. Example: 30

Note

You can also change the values by dragging the box symbols ( ) to other positions in the editor.

See also

• Positioning Elements, Adapting Size and Layer

Display cursor	: A cursor (vertical line) is displayed at the mouse position. The trigger and variable values where the cursor points are displayed as a tooltip.
Overwrite existing trace on PLC	: If a trace with the same name is on the PLC, then it is overwritten at download with the configuration that is defined here.
Number format	Number format of values in the tooltip in printf syntax (example: %d, %5.2f).

Element property ‘Control variables’

The control variables are set automatically when you click Insert elements for controlling trace.

Reset trigger	Variable (BOOL). TRUE: The trigger is reset.
Start trace	Variable (BOOL). TRUE: The trace is started.
Stop trace	Variable (BOOL). TRUE: The trace is stopped.
Save trace to file
Save trace	Variable (BOOL). If TRUE, then the current trace configuration and the data are saved to a file.
File name	Variable (STRING). Defines the file name of the file to be saved.
Load trace from file
Load trace	Variable (BOOL). If TRUE, then a trace configuration is loaded from a file and used in the current configuration. Note: A trace configuration can be loaded from a file only under special circumstances. The file must have been created with exactly the same (running) application with which it will then be loaded. The consequence of changing the running application (for example by downloading) is that a file which was previously created from the application cannot no longer be read into the application. Even external manual changes to the file can cause this. You should edit only those configuration settings that have an effect on displaying the variables. If you change variable definitions directly in the file (for example by replacing variable x with v y), then the file cannot be loaded.
File name	Variable (STRING). Defines the file name of the file to be loaded.

See also

• Command ‘Insert elements for controlling trace’

Element property ‘Access rights’

Requirement: User management is set up for the visualization.

Access rights

Opens the Access rights dialog box for changing the access rights for the element. Status messages: Not set. All rights.: Access rights for all user groups : operable Rights are assigned: limited rights: Access is restricted for at least one group.

See also

• Dialog Box ‘Access rights’