Factory Talk View Studio Merging Panel Views

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May 2016
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Virginia
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11
Hey guys,

Been a while since I have worked with factory talk view studio, I am also attempting something I have never tried before so I figured I would come here looking for advice first.

I have a few panel view applications that I need to merge together into 1 panel view application that I will create a screen and add buttons to existing screens to navigate through everything. Each existing application communicates with a different PLC.

Basically what would be the easiest way to accomplish this? I can easily copy all of the displays to a new application, will the tags come with it if I do this? Anything about getting alarms and messages from each application? Getting all of the stuff from communications setup from the different projects into one project?

Just any general advice for tackling this project would be nice.

Thanks,
PG
 
I open two instances of Factory Talk Studio, one with the application that I will be creating and the other with whatever application I'll copying out of. Then its just copy->paste.
 
PartialGenious:
Basically what would be the easiest way to accomplish this?

This will depend on the structure of your connections in the connection tab of the objects.
1. Are they mapped directly to the PLC.
2. Are they mapped to the HMI tag database.

I can easily copy all of the displays to a new application, will the tags come with it if I do this?

The Connection Tab will be populated for each object. But tags are not added to the database. (if mapped to HMI tag database)

To add screens from an old project to the new one I would use this method:
Right click on Displays in the explorer pane of the new project and use the Add Component into Application. This will allow you to navigate to the HMI project folders and select the project then open the GFX folder and pick the display.

Anything about getting alarms and messages from each application?

The alarm file can be exported but modifying is tedious at best and not worth the effort.

The alarm messages on the other hand can be selected from the project and copied into an excel spreadsheet. Once you combine all alarm messages you can copy into your new project by right clicking on <unassigned> and select paste or just use Ctrl+V. Be careful with you trigger setup as multiple shortcuts must be mapped correctly to display the correct message.
Warning: Manually add all triggers before copying in messages, if not all messages will come in unassigned. Also verify your new triggers match the message's spreadsheet before pasting into project.

Getting all of the stuff from communications setup from the different projects into one project?
I would do this manually. Setup a unique shortcut to each PLC. This also will effect question #1.
 
cwal61 thanks for the advice. In tackling this project I have found a few more questions to ask if anyone has tips.

Any easy way to import/export macros and parameters?

As for the tags I have a mixed bag. Some use the tag database others are directly to the PLC any suggestions? All the direct mapped tags seem to have a topic that is unique. For the ones that use the tag database I should be able to export them and then import/merge correct?

Lastly I am merging 4 applications and I want to add a prefix to the displays so I can easily identify them. If I rename a display I then have to go through and find every go to display button and update accordingly. There has to be a better way to do this with a 100 screens or more correct?

Thanks,
PG
 
Also, be sure you have one of the Panelview's that support multiple processors. The Panelview+6 Compact and the Panelview+7 Standard do not support multiple processors. If you are purchasing a new Panelview, be sure to get the Panelview+7 Performance.
 
Any easy way to import/export macros and parameters?

Right click and use add component. Then navigate to the folders in each project.

As for the tags I have a mixed bag. Some use the tag database others are directly to the PLC any suggestions?

Use the cross reference feature to identify those direct tags. Search your [shortcut] to get cross reference list. Then, You can double click in the cross reference file to go directly to that location to modify. Or you can Search and Replace those tags. It will allow you to search a partial name and replace that partial part of the tag. This could come in handy to add the prefix you talked about. Or change shortcut name to identify each PLC.

All the direct mapped tags seem to have a topic that is unique. For the ones that use the tag database I should be able to export them and then import/merge correct?

Yes, The import feature will allow to skip existing or overwrite all. You could import the .CSV file from the 4 projects in to the new one. Just verify folder names are unique. You could add a Project Folder to your import to separate. Just add a folder name in front of existing tag folder. In the csv file add Projectname\existing folder the only thing is now you have to replace all the connections in the project. But Search and Replace will make that an easier task. Also, don't forget to add the Project name folder to the folder Id in the CSV file. All the folders are at the top of the file. They are listed in 3 columns F folder F

It sounds like that is going to be a big file so organization would be paramount.


Lastly I am merging 4 applications and I want to add a prefix to the displays so I can easily identify them. If I rename a display I then have to go through and find every go to display button and update accordingly. There has to be a better way to do this with a 100 screens or more correct?

yea, with that many screens this could be a huge task. Not to mention ensuring that all work correctly. A lot of clicking to verify. You could consider using the Display List Selector. Use one Goto button to open a navigation screen that contains the Lists for each PLC. I am not sure the search and replace feature will find the screen names inside a goto button. But, I would test that way first. You also mentioned Parameter files. You could face the same problem with those if you have to change the name. If Search and Replace doesn't work you can export your screens. (Right click on Displays in the explorer pane) This will create an XML file for each screen you select. In your saved location folder you can right click on each screen and use the Open With command and edit them in notepad. That will allow you to search and replace anything you want in that screen. Still, it will be one screen at a time. After modification just save and import. Make sure you select replace existing or just delete all objects on old screens first. But you could add your prefix that way.

It sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Let us know if you have any more concerns.

Good luck with project!
 
Last edited:

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