FactoryTalk View Studio - creating pop-ups

[James Fillmore]

Is creating a "Goto Display PB" the only way to have a pop up appear?

I'd like a pop up to appear momentarilly to let the operator know whats going on (with some frt office PLC to PC communication/verification - not that this is imporatnat to the question) and then go away - AUTOMATICALLY. Would like to control the display and timing using PLC control not a "Goto Display PB" and then a "Close Display PB".

Thanks in advance!

[MartB]

Am I understanding this correctly?
You want the PLC to display something for a certain amount of time and then for this 'display' to disappear after that time has expired?

If this is the case you could use the visibility of the 'display' to make it appear/disappear using an animation setting of the 'display'.

Just a thought (still not sure I understand what you are trying to achieve, so I could be way off here).

[James Fillmore]

Thats it. I know i can use the visibility but it SO clutters my developement window with panels or multistate indicators using visibility to control. I'd rather develope the seperate displays and pop them up under PLC control.

Basically just asking can I control an "On Top" display with a PLC bit or integer like is done with the "Remote Display Number" in the global connections. Would seem awfully limiting to ONLY have PB control of "On Top" (pop-up) displays.

After much research it doesn't look like there is any built in way to have PLC control of "on top" displays. Looks like I'm just gonna do some PC-style drop down (pop-up) displays using the visibilty animation. UGH.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks.

[MartB]

I've always used animations or visibility to achieve what you're talking about.
I haven't ever tried to directly control a pop up or on top display via the PLC, so I can't help in that area, sorry. Maybe someone with more experience in this can chime in and help.

[robertmee]

Why not use an event to popup the window?

Caveat: I haven't actually tried it in SE. I'm currently converting a view32 app to SE (my first), so take what I say with a grain of salt.

[James Fillmore]

Events?

Heres a cut and paste of my main screen display showing the "drop down" (pop ups) that I can use visibility to control BUT there is stuff behind them. So during developement i have to either move them outta the way OR "arrange" them to the front or back. Messy. A seperate "On Top" (pop up) display would be much cleaner and IS dioable but can only see how to make the "On Top" display and go away dia display navgation pushbuttons. Can't see how to do it via PLC control. Odd.

[How do I display a picture? I uploaded a file]

[robertmee]

Is this an SE or ME application?

[James Fillmore]

Me

[bbopn]

Originally Posted by James Fillmore

Thats it. I know i can use the visibility but it SO clutters my developement window with panels or multistate indicators using visibility to control. I'd rather develope the seperate displays and pop them up under PLC control.

I've used the PLC to control what display the operator is seeing. For example, on a "shutdown" event, I had the PLC interface with the HMI to bring up the "Shutdown Snapshot" screens that showed all parameters of the system when it shutdown.

The one thing you have to remember when issueing screen control from the PLC is that you need to set the screen control back to the HMI. If you don't the operator can't do anything at the HMI.

[rta53]

Originally Posted by James Fillmore

Thats it. I know i can use the visibility but it SO clutters my developement window with panels or multistate indicators using visibility to control. I'd rather develope the seperate displays and pop them up under PLC control.

Basically just asking can I control an "On Top" display with a PLC bit or integer like is done with the "Remote Display Number" in the global connections. Would seem awfully limiting to ONLY have PB control of "On Top" (pop-up) displays.

After much research it doesn't look like there is any built in way to have PLC control of "on top" displays. Looks like I'm just gonna do some PC-style drop down (pop-up) displays using the visibilty animation. UGH.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks.

You can only do a "Replace Display" with the PLC.

[creativepaper]

I know that you want the pop-up to be on a timer, but there is a close button that closes ontop windows. I created a DCS type interface that causes a popup to appear when you click on a control loop. This can be closed with the button.
I also created a grey background with ontop windows so the operator can change the trend on the current window (new screen), which makes it look like only 1 part of the screen has changed instead of the entire thing.
These are done with ME (I know SE has a lot more functionality than ME, but never used it).

[robertmee]

Originally Posted by James Fillmore

Me

ah...The event functionality is SE

[hd_coop]

You could try using the 'information' screen. I haven't used it a whole lot but I believe it will do what you are asking.

[aiki202]

In the global connections you could use the remote display field to have the PLC change to a different 'On Top' screen, then after a preset time have the PLC switch back to the original screen. It is not going to give you the same functionality as say a messagebox in visual basic, but it may get you something close.

[junior]

James Filmore, have you found a solution to this, or a workaround? I'm trying to do something similar, but I'm stumped.

Jr.