Object ‘Visualization Manager’ - ‘Settings’

Symbol: e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_c00e4a82abb57fd1c0a8640e01faa85e

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. By double-clicking it, you open a configuration dialog with several tabs. By default, the Settings tab opens first.

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

See also

Tab ‘Visualization manager’ - ‘Settings’

Symbol: e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_17cb8c5ea8c98122c0a8640e0115d015

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

‘General settings’

Use Unicode character strings e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_9a3f06830c0506c5c0a8640e012f0ace : The visualization encodes character strings in Unicode.
Use CurrentVisu variable

e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_9a3f06830c0506c5c0a8640e012f0ace : The application recognizes and uses the global variable VisuElems.CurrentVisu of type STRING. This contains the name of the active visualization when the application is in runtime mode.

In the application code, the variable can be read for obtaining 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.

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

Example

  • Assigning a variable: VisuElems.CurrentVisu := strVisuName;
  • Assigning a visualization name: VisuElems.CurrentVisu := 'visu1';

‘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 drop-down list.
e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_bb538c981fd94d95c0a8640e01f3846b Opens a drop-down list with styles that are installed in the visualization style repository.
Show all versions (for experts only)

e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_4681610f0c058035c0a8640e0049916a : The drop-down list 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.

e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_9a3f06830c0506c5c0a8640e012f0ace : The drop-down list includes all versions of all installed styles.
Button e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_26125234524e3e9fc0a8640e01541f2d Opens a drop-down list 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 a 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 Open existing style as a copy dialog opens (Visualization style editor). 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 multi-touch

e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_9a3f06830c0506c5c0a8640e012f0ace : At runtime, the visualization expects user input by means of gesture recognition and touch events.

Elements concerned

  • Elements with input configuration
  • Element of type Frame
  • Element of type Tab control
Activate semi-transparent drawing

e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_9a3f06830c0506c5c0a8640e012f0ace : The visualization draws 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.

Preset: activated. Requirement: You have created a new visualization and the display variants can draw with semitransparency.
Activate default keyboard usage
  • Tab
  • Shift+Tab
  • Enter
  • Up arrow
  • Down arrow
  • Right arrow
  • Left arrow

See also

‘Extended settings’

Memory settings
Size of memory for visualization Memory size (in bytes) allocated by the visualization at runtime. Preset: 400000
Size of memory for visualization (initialization 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 the paint buffer per client Memory size (in bytes) allocated by the visualization per display variant and used for drawing actions. Preset: 50000
Size of the paint buffer per client (initialization 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 PLC e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_331ba40060e030ffc0a8640e014c3b3b : 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

e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_331ba40060e030ffc0a8640e014c3b3b : 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, tab Visualization. The settings the Options dialog of 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 must 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.
Transfer both SVG images and converted images

This 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)”.

e39b0455bf585bd3c0a8640e01f1954c_9a3f06830c0506c5c0a8640e012f0ace : 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.