Ftview Dynamic Parameter List/File

[mr_sleepy]

Hi all. I'm fairly new to bradley (Just under a year) and i'm doing my first project from start to finish and came up against a head scratcher on FTView 8. I need to be able to pass a dynamic pointer via a parameter file so that i can save on creating several copies of the same screen.

Does anyone know if its possible to use a string variable datatype as a parameter field and pass the actual contents of the string as a parameter and not the path to the string itself?

My project is split up into basically identical stations with identical kit and programs in each part.

If i pass

Station_1.object_1
Station_1.object_2
Station_1.object_3
Station_2.object_1
Station_2.object_2
Station_2.object_3

As direct tags in the parameter file under say #1 then it works perfect but what i want to do is pass the first part "station_1" via a string datatype which i will set via a macro when the user selects which station they are looking at. That way i can dynamically handle the no of stations and reuse the same screens. Sounds like it should be easy enough but i havent quite cracked it yet.

I searched around the forums here and on the RA knowledgebase but didnt find anyone with the same problem.

Any ideas?

 

[cwal61]

Why not make multiple Parameter files. The Goto Button or the List Selector have entries for parameters. You would open the same screen every time and load the parameter file needed for each station. You can make your parameter file in excel and search and replace Station numbers to create additional files. Then copy and paste into FT

 

[mr_sleepy]

Because we have 2 menu pages to access some of the objects. We need
To remember at least 1 parameter so we can ensure all pages are pointing at the same station. That's why I wanted to use a variable as a parameter. What I would like to do, is pass the value in the variable as a parameter and not the path to the variable. It must be possible but I just can't figure it out at the moment.

 

[Gomez_]

Make local string tags in the HMI called station1 etc, and use that tag in the parameter file.

 

[mr_sleepy]

I can try that again, but as i remember from the last time, what i did was i made a tag called localtags\station_name as a retained string, then i set the value of this to "station_1" and then set #1 = localtags\station_name.

Now when i called up the global object using this parameter what actually got passed into #1 was localtags\station_name and not the value of the tag "station_1", which was what i wanted.

Am i missing some special formatting or something that makes the parameter file look at the value of the tag and not the path to it?

 

[Gomez_]

I happen to be working on a project that uses this so here are some screenshots.

The Local Tags

The Parameter File

The Screen and string display tag hookup

 

[mr_sleepy]

I just figured it out. Set up a test project to take away the complications of the project and i sussed it. What i ended up doing was, the buttons that call up a station view pass station number as #1 but in the page thats called up, 1 of the parameters in the param list for the page call up is defined as #1 so it gets replaced by param from whatever station button called the page up. Then when i access the device pop up then the station param is passed through and the individual device identifier to construct the complete tag path to animate the faceplate. The only other thing is that the pages must be successive pop ups so the #1 station substitution does not get lost when navigating away from the page.

You Dancer!!!

Hope that makes sense, if anyone wants more detail about what i did to make that work then i can supply the test project that i set up to do that. Its in V21 running on a simulator.

 

[Nico38]

I just figured it out. Set up a test project to take away the complications of the project and i sussed it. What i ended up doing was, the buttons that call up a station view pass station number as #1 but in the page thats called up, 1 of the parameters in the param list for the page call up is defined as #1 so it gets replaced by param from whatever station button called the page up. Then when i access the device pop up then the station param is passed through and the individual device identifier to construct the complete tag path to animate the faceplate. The only other thing is that the pages must be successive pop ups so the #1 station substitution does not get lost when navigating away from the page.

Hi mr_sleepy,

I know it has been years since you worked on that, but I am actually right in the exact same case, but I can't figure how to make it working.
And it seems that you did, so I don't give up as long as it is said it's possible.

I am able to pass the string through a local tag, as shown in Gomez screenshots --> I can display the string value in the popup {#1}.
But I don't find how to construct the complete tag path using #1 value.

Example :
Local tag for String : 'Prod_No'
Value of 'Prod_No' : "Prod_A"
Parameter file content : #1=Prod_No
PLC tag : Prod_A.Weight (DINT)
If I put a string display field with {#1} as value, at Runtime I read "Prod_A", which is fine, it means that the string is passed properly.
But if i put a Numeric Display field with {#1}.Weight as value, at Runtime there is an error saying that 'Prod_No.Weight' is not a valid tag --> Because it tries to construct the complete tag path using the tag name (prod_No) instead of the tag value (Prod_A).
How did you achieve it ?

Thank you for your help, I am sure it's only a syntax issue, but I can't put the finger on it.

 

[JCC]

Proper syntax for Tag names using Parameters

The problem with your Tag {#1}.Weight is that the squirly brackets should enclose the entire Tag name; {#1.Weight}