Wizcon For Windows and Internet 8.3 Quick Guide
Wizcon For Windows and Internet 8.3 Quick Guide
Wizcon For Windows and Internet 8.3 Quick Guide
This Quick Guide can be used as a short introduction to the application. It guides you
through the elementary stages of installing the application and building a basic project.
A short description of each module in the application appears in the Terminology section
at the end of the book.
When installing the application you can select to download the Wizcon for Windows and
Internet 8.3 User Guide which is the application’s complete User Guide manual. Or,
alternatively, you can order a hard copy of the manual through your supplier.
1
Introduction to the Application
Customer Support
You can receive technical support from your local distributor. To receive prompt
support, make sure that you complete the registration form and send it to Axeda Systems
Inc., or register online at : http://www.axeda.com/services/support/register
The following email address and fax number can be used to contact our support offices:
n Contact by email: support.supervisor@axeda.com
n Contact by fax: +33 (0)4 72 47 98 99
2
Security and Authorization
The application enables operator access to be limited to professional level and skill.
In the application authorization refers to the ability to limit operator access within the
application’s modules and features. The components to which access can be limited
include:
n Menus and menu options
n Writing tag values
n Activating macros
n Graphic layers in the Image module
System authorization is assigned according to users, groups and teams. An unlimited
number of groups can be defined in the system, each with its own unique name. Each
operator can be assigned one or more groups.
See page 74.
System Requirements
Before you install the application verify that you have the following:
Hardware
n Computer: Pentium III 450MHz (recommended 1GHz and up).
n Memory: 256MB (recommended 512MB)
n Hard Disk: 500MB minimum free. This is required for both installing the program
and for later developing an application
n Monitor Adapter: 8MB (recommended 32MB)
n Monitor: Resolution 800X600 or higher. If you are using the Scheduler then for
optimized view you require a resolution of 1024X768
n Display: VGA, SVGA, or any graphic adaptor that supports the operating system
desktop. The display should be set at 256 colors or higher and the screen resolution
should be set at 800 x 600 or higher
n Mouse: Any PC compatible mouse
n Parallel Port: Required for the system's security plug
Installation
It is strongly recommended that you close and exit all Windows programs before
running the installation procedure.
1. Insert the CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. The Axeda Supervisor Welcome
window is displayed.
5 Installation
2. Click Yes and then Yes again to accept the Agreement. The Setup dialog box opens,
enabling you to either, accept the Destination Folder location or to Browse and
define a different location where the program will be saved.
3. Click Next to open the Setup Type dialog box.
5. To install example files, check the relevant checkbox and then click Next to open the
Language Selection dialog box.
7 Installation
6. Click the arrow and select the relevant language and then click Next to open the
Select WizPLC Version dialog box.
7. Select either Soft and Hard Real Time versions or Soft Real Time version and then
click Next.
8 Wizcon for Windows & Internet 8.3 Quick Guide
8. The Shortcut Configuration message opens on your screen. To create the Quick
Launch Toolbar click Yes or No not to.
9. The Finish Reboot dialog box opens. Select either Yes to restart your computer or
No not to and then click the Finish button to exit the setup program.
9 Installation
To achieve the best results, exit the application and make sure that the system is not
running in the background before using the Uninstall program. If it is working, some
files and icons may not be removed.
1. Click the Start button on your desktop, point to Settings and then click on Control
Panel. The Control Panel folder is displayed.
2. Double-click on the Add/Remove Programs icon. The Add/Remove Program
Properties dialog is displayed.
3. Select the application from the list of available programs and click the Add/Remove
button. The Modify, Repair or Remove Program dialog box opens.
4. Make your selection and then click Next to actually uninstall the program from your
computer.
5. A message opens on your screen reminding you to restart your computer. Click Yes
to restart your computer now or No not to.
It is recommended that you restart your computer after uninstalling the program.
The Repair option is not supported in this version.
Click on the Start button on your desktop, point to Programs, to Axeda Supervisor and
then to the application. Click on the application to open the Studio.
Or,
Double click on the shortcut application icon on your desktop. The Quick Access Bar
opens on your computer.
Load Layout
Capture Layout
Load Image
Load Chart
Load Recipe
Save Recipe
Multiple Tags
WizPLC Development
WizPLC Runtime
Users Timetable
Users/Groups
Axeda Remote
Scheduler Configuration
The Application Studio is opened by clicking the Show Studio icon in the Quick
Access bar. The Application Studio interface offers full control and access to all parts of
the system during application development.
Save application
Add Tag
Capture Layout
New Image
New Chart
New Recipe
New Report
Help
15 Application Studio
All Containers Section
The All Containers pane displays a hierarchical structure (tree) of the containers from
which an application is built. Containers can be thought of as the building blocks of the
application. The tree is made up of four main folders of containers with the current
application as its root.
n User Management lists all the users and groups defined in a project. This module
also defines the user's access permission and level. Access can be given per user,
group and team. Backup users can also be defined. User Management also enables
the System Integrator to create a user timetable and schedule workplans. For further
details see User Management on page 74.
n Web Application contains the elements that are used to publish an application, such
as HTML pages for the Image, Events Summary Profile, and Trend Profiles. See
page 75, and page 77.
n Files contain the elements that are stored as files, such as: Images, Events
Summaries, Charts, History Viewer, Model Recipes, Layouts and Reports. See
page 77, page 75, page 78 and page 79.
n Objects holding the elements that are stored as objects, such as: Tags and Alarms.
See page 80 and page 82.
Right clicking on a container opens a popup menu that displays related options.
17 Application Studio
WizPLC Runtime - WizPLC enables you to write control logic
programs with the powerful language constructs of the IEC 61131-
3 standard. WizPLC Runtime is used when running the
application. See page 68.
Tag Filters - The Tag Filter module is used to filter, view and
manage a list of tags and their status (locked/unlocked) in the
application. This is useful for the development and maintenance
of an application. See page 68.
Alarm Filters - The Alarm Filter filters alarms and reports before
they are printed out or written to the Event Summary. See
page 69.
Printer Targets - A Printer Target is a collection of predefined
filters and printers specifying the conditions under which the
targeted printer is activated. See page 69.
Zone Navigator - The Zone Navigator is a global, multi-image
zone navigation window that enables efficient navigation through
a list of zones defined in the application's various image files. See
page 69.
Advanced Alarm Management - The Advanced Alarm
Management (AAM) module provides additional alarm services.
This is useful when critical alarms requiring urgent attention need
to be sent, read and the cause of the alarm handled. See page 70.
Scheduler - The Scheduler enables you to easily create daily or
weekly task orientated schedules remotely. See page 70.
Tag Mapper - The Tag Mapper is a data file of tags and tag values
that can be used to considerably reduce workload during
application creation. See page 72.
Network Application Update - This module enables an
application developer to quickly and easily update far station
application files remotely. See page 73.
Menu Options
The following menu options are available in the Application Studio:
Menu Option Action
19 Application Studio
Menu Option Action
21 Application Studio
Menu Option Action
23 Application Studio
Designing an Application
25 Designing an Application
u To open the Station Properties dialog box:
In the All Containers pane right click the project name and select Station Properties from
the popup menu.
27 Designing an Application
Step 4 - Defining Tags and Alarms
Defining Tags
Tags are I/O points that are mapped from PLCs to the application as well as to internal
(dummy) and calculated (compound) variables. You can use tags in images, charts,
alarms and all application functions.
When defining tags, make sure that tag and block sample rates do not conflict with each
other. See page 80.
Defining Alarms
Once you define the tags, continue by defining the alarms. Alarms notify a user of an
event in the process. They can:
n Indicate the beginning of a process.
n Warn of a failure in part of the process.
n Give instructions on how to handle the alarm.
n Hold user messages about the alarm.
When defining alarms it is possible to:
n Set different severity levels to control grouping and display of the alarms.
n Target serious alarms to a pop-up window, ensuring that users will not perform any
systematic function before clearing the alarm. This is recommended.
n Group alarms in families.
n Assign an alarm to an object in an image. This object will then change its graphical
attributes whenever the alarm conditions are met.
n Assign a Help file to each alarm so the user will know what to do when an alarm
begins.
n Add user comments.
See page 82.
29 Designing an Application
Step 7 - Testing the Application
At this stage of the design process, it is recommended that you test your application to
check your image, alarm, tag and block definitions.
After completing the test and implementing the necessary changes, you can continue to
define your reports, charts, recipes and fine tune the application. See page 74.
Defining Charts
Charts provide graphical views of past and current tag values. You can use charts to
follow a trend or compare values. You can define up to 16 tags on a single chart.
When defining a chart, it is possible to:
n Define a unique color to each chart that is also used by the scales of the chart.
n Determine that charts show online or historical activities.
Defining Reports
Reports (see page 80) can be defined for different users such as: operators, engineers,
and managers. Make sure that each report includes the required information for the
designated user.
Reports can be:
n Triggered in the application language.
n Written to a file.
n Sent directly to the printer.
When designing reports, it is possible to:
n Place fields in different positions and include any text, such as a header or short
explanation at the end of the report. The fields can represent runtime values and a
number of calculations performed on the historical tag values, such as averages,
integrals, sums and more.
n Choose the range calculation, such as start day, start time, end day and end time.
Defining Recipes
Recipes are specified sets of tag values that can be stored for future use.
When defining recipes, remember that:
n Each recipe must belong to a model that includes tags for certain processes or
production modes. The recipe uses the tags in the model to which it belongs, but can
also include tags that are not defined in the model.
n Each model and recipe has a unique name.
n The same tag can belong to more than one recipe.
n You can save the current values of any tags at any time as a recipe. This means that
at the end of a process, you can save its values as a recipe and reload the recipe when
the process is resumed.
See page 79.
31 Designing an Application
Shutting Down
u To logout:
User Login
If you know your user name and password type them in the relevant fields and click OK.
Note: A default login name and password can be defined by the System Integrator and
used by all users to login to the system.
A user can also be a member of a group or team. In which case the group/team login
name and password are used.
u To login:
1. Start the system and access your web application. The browser is launched.
2. A typical browser will display the application icon, which you can click to begin
login.
3. You can also click Login on the Login/Logout Quick Access bar displayed in the top
left corner of the window to open the User Login.
33 User Login
4. If you know your user name and password type them in the relevant fields and click
OK.
Note: A user can also be a member of a group or team. In which case the group/team
login name and password are used.
u To logout:
Default User
The application enables you to create a default user. When a Default User is assigned,
after a user logs out of the application, the application automatically opens using the
name and password of the Default User.
A default user is created in the User Management module by selecting Users to open the
List of Users and then right clicking on a specific user name and selecting the Default
User option. The Users icon will appear next to the selected user name.
Note: Only users that are members of the Administrator group can add users to the
application.
In the All Containers section of the Application Studio, right click HTML and select
Properties from the popup menu. The HTML Properties dialog box is displayed.
This dialog box has two tabs:
n Popup - where you can specify whether or not a Popup Event Summary window is
displayed in a browser
n Users - where remote user login parameters are defined
This dialog box enables you to define whether or not a Popup Event Summary display is
enabled in a browser. It also enables you to assign group authorization so that the Popup
Events Summary is displayed only in the browser of authorized users. Do the following:
1. Check the Enable Popup Window in Browser checkbox to enable this option.
2. Click the Groups button to display the standard Groups dialog box in which you can
assign group authorization for Popup Events Summary display.
3. Click OK to save these definitions.
35 User Login
Users
This dialog box enables you to define remote user login parameters.
1. Check the Enable Login Quick Access Bar in Browser checkbox to enable this
option. The user can then login to the Web application by clicking the Login button.
2. Check the Automatically Login with Default User checkbox to enable any user to
login with a default user name and password. This means that any user can access
the application and use the options that are assigned to default users. When this
option is not checked the user will be forced to login with a user name and password.
3. Click OK to save these definitions.
scriptLogoutUser() Logout
Application Setup
The Application Setup dialog box enables you to set up or modify the additional addons
and programs you wish to run when starting the application.
In the Control panel of the Application Studio, double click the Communiction Driver
icon.
Or,
From the Design menu, select Application Setup. The Application Setup dialog box is
displayed.
37 User Login
Note: When adding a list of programs, write the list in the order that you want them to
run. Do not place a program that should run before the application interface following a
program that should run after it.
Click the Add button in the Application Setup dialog box. The Programs Specification
dialog box is displayed:
Wait for the program Specifies whether to wait until the current program
to end before will end before running the next program.
running the next
program
Click the Advanced button in the Application Setup dialog box. The Advanced Settings
dialog box is displayed:
WizPro Options
WizPro is the application programming interface kernel. It provides mechanisms
through which PLC and external device communication can be implemented, maintains
an online database, and services all inter-process requests and messages.
39 User Login
u To set WizPro options:
From the Design menu, point to Options and select WizPro from the popup menu. The
Set WizPro Options dialog box is displayed:
Alarm Module Enables WizPro to check if alarm conditions are true whenever
tag values change.
Perform Physically removes all deleted tags and alarms from the system's
Compress on database and renumbers their ID numbers. When tags or alarms
Next Restart are removed from the application, they are not physically deleted,
but only marked as deleted so as not to affect the internal ID
numbers of the remaining tags and alarms. Enable this option in
applications where it is necessary for tags and alarms to have
sequential ID numbers.
From the Design menu, point to Options and select Paths from the popup menu. The Set
Default Paths dialog box is displayed:
The dialog box displays the application file types with their current path specifications.
41 User Login
u To change the path of a specific file type:
1. Click in the relevant line and either type in the new path or click the Browse button
to open the Browse for Folder dialog box where you can search for the correct file
path. A path must be specified with a terminating backslash (\).
2. Click Save to confirm the new path locations.
Note: Restart the application for changes to take effect. It is not recommended to
change the path of Users, Macros, Classes, Web Applications, Event Summary Profiles,
Pictures and Trends.
Using Multi-Language Support, the tag description, alarm text and the text field in an
image can be developed in one language and translated to another. During runtime, a
user can choose the required language.
Support for different languages is dependent on the operating system and its support for
that language. All texts for specific languages are kept in files. The size of this file is
proportional to the size of the application. For small applications, this can take as much
as 10 kbyte. A larger application can take as much as several mbytes.
Strings
If you have a multi-language application with strings in two or more languages, it is
possible that not all the strings will be present in all languages after import. If a string is
absent in a selected language the missing string will appear on the screen in the
following format:
<??string ID?>
Where the string ID is a number, such as <??0000000005?>.
u To export a file:
1. From the Tools menu, point to Multi-language Support and select Export Language
from the popup menu. The Export Language dialog box is displayed:
2. In the Export to file field, enter the name of the text file you wish to create for the
language strings.
3. Click OK to save your definitions and close the dialog box. It is recommended to
save the file in the same directory as your application.
Note: If multi-language support has already been defined in your application, the last
language you imported will appear in the Export language field.
1. From the Tools menu, point to Multi-language Support and select Import Language
from the popup menu. The Import Language dialog box is displayed:
2. Click in the Import Language field to display a list of available languages. Select the
language in which the application was written.
3. In the Import from file field, enter the name of the text file that contains the language
string (this is the file you created in the Export to file field in the Export Language
dialog box on the previous page), or click Browse to locate the file.
4. Click OK to import the file. The following message appears:
5. Click Yes to establish a link between the language and its file.
u To translate the file:
u To set a language:
From the Tools menu, point to Multi-Language Support and select Select Language
from the popup menu. The Select Language dialog box is displayed:
1. Click in the Select the language for the application field, and select the required
language from the list of supported languages.
2. Click OK to save your definitions and close the dialog box. The language strings are
now displayed in the selected language.
Note: The language strings are displayed in another language only after refreshing the
required container in the All Containers section. For example, to display the alarms
language strings in the selected language, click the + sign to the left of Objects. The
objects list collapses and the + changes to a -. Click the - sign to expand the objects list
and then click Alarms to display the List of Alarms. The alarm text is displayed in the
Text column of the List of Alarms in the selected language.
Layouts
A layout is the position of an open window in an application. You can assign a layout to
a user, so that when the user logs on, the windows included in the layout will
automatically be displayed in the position in which they were saved. You can also close
all the open windows in your application. Capturing layouts, assigning them to users
and user login is for local use only. Layouts are not used when interacting with the
application through a browser.
You can open Image, Events Summaries, History Viewers and Chart windows, position
them on your screen and save their position.
1. Right click Layouts and select Properties from the popup menu. The Layouts
Properties dialog box is displayed:
u To save a layout:
In the All Containers section of the Application Section, right click Layouts and select
Capture Layout from the popup menu. A standard Save As dialog box is displayed in
which you can save the layout. The layout is displayed in the List of Layouts.
Specify the existing layout file name in the Save As dialog box.
u To load a layout:
In the List of Layouts in the Application Studio, right click the required layout and select
Load Layout from the popup menu.
u To delete a layout:
In the List of Layouts in the Application Studio, right click the layout you want to delete
and select Delete Layout from the popup menu.
47 Layouts
u To assign a layout to a user:
1. In the User Management container in the All Containers pane click Users. The List
of Users opens in the Control Panel.
2. Select a user and then right click and select Modify from the popup menu. The User
Properties User dialog box opens.
3. In the Layout field click the arrow to open a dropdown list and select the relevant
layout. The selected layout will be attached to the User and will open on the User's
station.
Note: Users can also be assigned a layout when defining new users and following the
instructions above.
In the All Containers section, right click Layouts and select Close All windows from the
popup menu.
48 Wizcon for Windows & Internet 8.3 Quick Guide
Optimizing Application Performance
The Station Properties enable you to optimize application performance and enhance
functionality. System parameters can be adjusted to establish an optimal working
environment for your application.
Right click the application in the root of the container list in the All Containers section
(if you have saved your application, the application name will appear in the root), and
select Station Properties. The Station properties dialog box opens. This dialog box has
the following tabs:
n General - where the application workplace can be customized.
n User - where a default user that will be logged in when you start the application is
defined.
n Date Format - where the date format is defined.
n VFI - where the format for history files by selecting Virtual File Interface DLLs is
defined.
n Audit Trail - where an Audit Trail is added or enabled to view operator actions
stored in an application system file in the form of tag values.
n ODBC Connectivity - to enable the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) dialog
box to save the application's historical data to various databases through Microsoft's
ODBC.
n Advanced Alarm Management - where the Advanced Alarm Management module
is enabled.
n Scheduler - where the Scheduler module is enabled.
Display untitled When checked the word untitled appears in the task
windows icons in bar for new items that have not been saved.
task bar
Display windows When this option is checked and after reset, no icons
icons in the task bar are displayed in the task bar.
Note: You only log on to the system when using the application locally.
The instructions below apply to both Default User and Logout User fields:
1. In the User field type in the user's name. Enter an asterisk (*) to specify the last user
that logged out. Changes are implemented online.
2. In the Password field type in a unique password for the user.
3. Click OK to confirm and reset the application to actually save the changes.
Note: Remote users login parameters are defined by right clicking Html/properties/
users and checking either: Enable login Quick Access Bar in browser, or Automatically
login with default user.
1. In the Stations Properties dialog box select the Date Format tab. The Date Format
Dialog opens.
2. From the Date Style list select a predefined date style.
3. From the Date Separator list select the way you want the date to be separated.
4. Click OK key to enter your selection.
When loading for the first time, the application sets default values for these parameters
using country code, defined in Control Panel/Regional Settings.
The table below lists the default values in the application for different countries.
1. Right click New Application in the All Containers list of the Application Studio to
open the Station Properties dialog box.
2. Using the arrows scroll to open the Audit Trail Enable tab.
3. Check the Enable Audit Control checkbox to activate the Current Data Source field.
When the database source is predefined, click the Current Data Source field's drop
down list and select the database. If it is not predefined click the Add Data Source
button.
The standard Windows Create New Data Source wizard window is displayed, in
which a database source can be defined. The data source can be any valid predefined
ODBC data source.
9. In the System Database field click either None or Database and then click OK.
10. The Database Successfully Created notification will appear on your screen. Click
Apply and OK to close the dialog box and then restart your computer.
Note: The application does not support the File Data Source (Machine independent)
option.
Data Recovery
Audit Trail provides data recovery for users connected to a remote ODBC data source in
instances of network failure.
When a network problem is discovered, the application ends the session with the remote
database and creates a temporary file in the Temp folder of Windows NT. This file, a
text file in CSV format, is called BCK*.tmp.
The application then scans the network connection once a minute, and when connection
to the server is re-established, writes the temp file to the audit trail file. If the information
is written correctly, the application then deletes the temp file. If the information is not
written correctly, the application will notify you of possible data loss.
Note: It is not recommended to work with a remote database due to possible connection
failures.
UserName SQL_VARCHAR 20
Specifies which user name performed the
action.
SourceType SQL_VARCHAR 10
Specifies the Image or browser.
SourceID SQL_VARCHAR 50
Specifies the IP address of the browser.
Action SQL_VARCHAR10
Specifies one of the following actions: tag
assign, zone, macro.
TagName SQL_VARCHAR50
Specifies the name of the tag.
TagValue SQL_DOUBLE
Specifies the tag value.
ZoneName SQL_VARCHAR 20
Specifies the name of the zone.
MacroName SQL_VARCHAR10
Specifies the name of the macro.
TimeAction SQL_VARCHAR20
Specifies the time and date the action took
place. When accessed through a browser, the
time and date will be that of the server.
1. Right click New Application in the All Containers list of the Application Studio to
open the Station Properties dialog box.
2. Using the arrows scroll to open the ODBC Connectivity tab.
3. Check the Enable ODBC checkbox to activate the dialog box options.
4. In the Currrent Data Source field select the database type to which you want to save
application Historical Data. Or click the Add Data Source button to open the Create
New Data Source dialog box.
5. In the Cross Reference Table field, type in the name of the table and click the Create
Reference Table button to create a cross reference table including tag definition
parameters.
6. If you intend to use a protected database (such as Oracle) type the user name and
password in the identification field.
7. Under the History Table field type in the name of the historical data table. Check the
Enable Tag Name Logging checkbox to write tag names to the historical data table.
8. Click Apply and OK to confirm.
59 Optimizing Application Performance
Formatting Advanced Alarm Management
Advanced Alarm Management (AAM) uses a multi-service communication platform to
provide alarm transmission over various communication channels including SMS, email,
fax and vocal messages.
AAM is comprised of two design mode components:
n AAM channels and AAM pager services
n Advanced Alarm Viewer - a runtime component
If the communication lines used by AAM are already defined then do the following:
1. Right click New Application in the All Containers list of the Application Studio to
open the Station Properties dialog box.
2. Using the arrows scroll to open the Advanced Alarm Management tab.
3. Check the Enable Advanced Alarm Management checkbox and click OK.
4. Restart the application.
1. In the All Containers side of the Application Studio right click the application's
name to open the Station Properties dialog box.
Control Panel
Communication Drivers
Communication Drivers handle communications with external devices, such as PLCs,
industrial instruments, remote computers and field buses. These drivers are separate
program files, which are installed when installing the application. Communication driver
file names have the format VPIWN??.DLL , in which ?? is the two or three letter code of
the driver. Since each communication driver is different. The driver's information
documentation should be consulted for specific communication driver details.
You can define communication blocks to improve driver performance when working
with large quantities of tags. These blocks enable you to transfer large blocks of
information instead of individual data items.
The first step in designing an application is to define the communication drivers and
blocks. You then define the tags, which are control values monitored by the system.
They are used as internal variables for:
n Calculations and display.
n Communication with PLC's in order to represent data from PLC memory or to send
commands to PLC's.
In fast Pentium PCs with a 16550 UART (serial interface chip), Windows 2000 default
settings may cause communication errors on serial communication drivers. To overcome
this problem, lower the buffer sizes on the UART in the following menu:
Start/Settings/ Control Panel/System/Device Manager/Ports/Communication Port 1.4/
Port Settings/Advanced. Use a trial and error method to reach the optimum setting.
Printers
The Printers dialog box enables enhanced printing capabilities. Each printer added to a
system can be set to print reports, alarms or both. Printers can also be Network printers
that are shared by multiple users. In addition, you can define whether many alarms will
be printed on a full page or whether only one alarm will be printed on each page. Page
orientation, font and printed alarm properties can also be defined and printed in different
colors, text and background.
Single Tags
The Single Tag dialog box is used to assign an immediate value to a specific tag. This
dialog box has the following fields: Station Name, Tag Name, Current Value, New
Value and Suggest and Set.
DDE Blocks
The program’s DDE Client Block enables the application to receive may tag values from
the server in one update message. This improves the communication between the
application and the DDE Server. The application DDE client Block is built from a
matrix of rows and columns in which each cell of the matrix contains the value of one
data item.
Note: Not all programs support block messages check the documentation of the DDE
server.
A common use for the DDE client blocks is a setup in which a DDE server
simultaneously updates a block of items that make up a recipe. This software program,
the client, receives all the items and the tag values are changed immediately.
Define DDE client blocks only if data items in the server change simultaneously (within
milliseconds). The application receives the whole block of data whenever one of the
items in the block changes. Therefore, if items change one at a time, the application will
receive a whole block of values of which have not changed.
Macros
Macros are shortcuts that can be used to execute pre-defined actions, commands, or
sequences, whenever designated keys or key combinations are activated. This enhances
overall application functionality, and saves you the time and effort of having to execute
operations in several stages.
Up to 3072 application macros can be defined.
Application macros are defined by the following attributes:
n Accelerator keys that invoke the macros (F1 to F12, A to Z, ALT alone, or in
combination with Ctrl, Shift, and others).
n A unique name and description.
n Authorization groups.
n Confirm before Execute option.
Application macros include the following types:
n Actions
n Commands
n Sequence
n DDE Command Macros
n Trigger Macros
It is important to remember that macros will only be executed:
n If an application window, including the Application Studio, or the Single Tag Input
dialog box is the active window. If any other window is active the macro will not be
executed.
n When the application is used locally (for example, if a trigger macros is invoked
through a web browser) it will not be executed.
Note: Macro names cannot contain the following character ‘ (single quotation mark).
Application Station
A general term describing a station that is configured to operate on the application
network (can be SCADA, BACKUP, VIEW or SERVER).
WizPLC Development
WizPLC enables you to write control logic programs with the powerful language
constructs of the IEC 61131-3 standard. The IEC 61131-3 is an international standard for
programming languages of PLC's. WizPLC offers the entire range of languages
described in this standard.
WizPLC consists of two parts: a programming system (WizPLC Development) and a
runtime system (WizPLC Runtime).
WizPLC is a complete development system for your Windows NT station which allows
you to significantly reduce application development time.
WizPLC Development:
n Is a programming tool.
n Is a monitoring & debugging tool.
n Is an integrated tool within the system.
n Enables project management.
Tag Filters
The Tag Filter module is used to filter, view and manage a list of tags and their status
(locked/unlocked) in the application. This is useful for the development and
maintenance of an application.
The Tag Filters List is stored in the application's TFM.XML filter that is created in the
.\docs directory (or another appropriate directory of the application).
When accessed through Java applets the Tag Filters List can be defined/modified/viewed
in the Image module during runtime. Up to 10 tag filters can be selected simultaneously.
In this version upto 1000 tags can be defined.
Tags can be sorted according to:
n Source
n PLC - tags associated with external devices and mapped on the external device
variables.
n Dummy - tags representing internal variables used for a variety of calculations,
control and other application related needs.
n Compound - tags which are linear calculations based on values of other tags.
n System - tags that are predefined and built to provide system status information
n Type
n Analog - tags that have numeric values represented in various formats.
n Digital - discrete logic tags that have a boolean value of True (1) or False (0).
68 Wizcon for Windows & Internet 8.3 Quick Guide
n String - tags that are defined to receive alphanumeric strings.
n Locked - which filters only locked tags. A locked tag can be either analog,
digital or string.
Note: There is the option to select all sources and all types or only one or more source or
type.
Alarm Filters
The Alarm Filter filters alarms and reports before they are printed out or written to the
Event Summary. Alarm filters are displayed in the Alarm Filters table and defined or
modified in the Filter Properties dialog box. Filter properties can be updated, however
the name of a filter cannot be changed.
The Alarm Filter filters the alarms sent when parameters defined in tag variants are not
met.
After alarms and reports outside the defined categories have been filtered out by the
Alarms Filter, the remaining alarms are sent to the Printers defined in the Printer Targets
module.
Printer Targets
A Printer Target is a collection of predefined filters and printers specifying the
conditions under which the targeted printer is activated.
The Printer Target dialog box holds a list of all the printer targets that have been defined.
Each printer target is identified by a unique name and description.
Zone Navigators
The Zone Navigator is a global, multi-image zone navigation window that enables
efficient navigation through a list of zones defined in the application's various image
files.
Using the Zone Navigator window a number of navigators each of which can contain a
number of zones from one or more different image files can be defined.
The Zone Navigator can be applied on images through button and action type triggers or
by configuring an action macro using the Zone Navigation Action macro.
A digital tag representing the zone status of each Zone Navigator can be attached. If the
tag value is set to 1 Zone Navigator status will be BAD and if set to 0 Zone Navigator
69 Application Studio - Terminology
status will be GOOD. Additionally, colors can be defined in which zones with a control
tag of BAD status will be displayed in the run-time Zone Navigator window. The Zone
Navigator is Web enabled.
WizScheduler
The Internet based Scheduler enables you to easily create daily or weekly task orientated
schedules remotely. Accessed through an Internet browser or by clicking on an icon, the
Scheduler is extremely user friendly, efficient and economical.
Being both task and time orientated the Scheduler can be used to create unlimited tasks,
actions and states. Task can be modified, enabled/disabled and have many states such as
On/Off attached to them. An unlimited number of actions, which are basic operations,
can be attached to each task.
Timetable templates can be created in advance and be attached to a task. Additionally,
multiple schedules using the same template can be defined, where changes made to one
template will automatically appear in all the other schedules using the same template.
The Scheduler enables temporary changes to be defined for both tasks and dates.
An additional feature is the ability to create an unlimited number of Special Days, such
as public holidays and incorporate them into the task schedule. Different tasks can be
defined for these days or the task schedule for a specific day can be altered.
Enterprise Server
The Enterprise Server directs information to your application and your business systems,
providing a secure, fault-tolerant infrastructure for communicating and managing the
information exchange between remote devices and businesses.
An Enterprise Server can receive data from multiple connections (where each
connection sits on a different application serving different devices) and save this data
into one database. Additionally, the Server serves as a main manager station for multiple
application stations that have the connection installed.
Requiring minimal configuration and setup the Enterprise Server provides a fast and
secured means of connection and data transfer.
RePlay
The RePlay module is used to view a graphical display of previous history tag values in
images. The application reads and displays the tag values from the application's history.
The RePlay module is activated from the Application Studio Control Panel. An
application image cluster controls the RePlay itself.
Only tags that have Write to History defined during Tag Definition can be used. String
Tags and Remote Tags are not displayed in this version.
Tag Mapper
The Tag Mapper is a data file of tags and tag values that can be used to considerably
reduce workload during application creation. Tag values of tags held in a Tag Mapper
table are mapped by the Tag Mapper into a list of other tags.
There are two types of Tag Mapper tags:
Source: These are tags whose values are directed to target tags. More than one source
tag can be pointed to the same target tag.
User Management
User Management enables management of an application's users both locally and
remotely. Users can be a single user, groups or teams built from users in the same
groups.
The application's management methodology, using the Users Timetable module, enables
simple and efficient scheduling of users, groups and teams.
By default, User Management has a group called Administrators. Users in this group are
authorized to modify user properties (including their password). However, the group
name cannot be modified or deleted. Users belonging to this group cannot remove
themselves from it. An authorized user can access a user/group and modify its
parameters. The User Management feature provides full backwards compatibility.
Groups created in previous versions can be imported.
Note: If you have different applications installed on different stations, make sure that
each application has its own unique users and groups. Users with the same names
defined in different applications will be able to share the same data.
The default user can be deleted only after a new default user is defined in Station
Properties. Only a user logged in under a different name and with Administrator rights
can delete the default user. An Administrator must have at least one user in order to
access the application.
The following basic activities can be performed through User Management:
n Definition of users, groups and teams
n Additional user information such as address can be added
n Access permission definition
n Definition of how alarms are transferred and received by users using Advanced
Alarm Management
n Back up user definition
Trends Profiles
Trends are used to compare device functionality and correlate actions and responses.
Their data can be displayed in one of two modes:
n Online mode in which the Trends are constantly updated according to changes in
field values.
n History mode in which the Trends can be configured to display tag values that
occurred over a specified time period.
A Trend Profile contains the definitions that determine the way graphical views of past
and current activities recorded by the application are displayed over an Internet browser.
A Trend Viewer displays online past and current activities recorded by the system
according to definitions specified in the Trend Profile. Trend Viewers can be modified
online.
Trend Viewers are created by generating an HTML page from a Trend Profile and then
opening the resulting page on the Web.
Event Summaries
The Events Summary is a window in which alarms are displayed. Several Events
Summaries can be created each with different types of alarm categories. This enables
the operator to identify the type of alarm. Alarms in the Events Summary can be
classified according to several groups, and insignificant events and information can be
inhibited for operator convenience.
Events Summaries operate in one of two modes, Online or History.
n In the Online mode, only active alarms are listed (according to the specified filters).
n In the History mode, a historical list of alarms is shown in the Events Summary
(according to the specified alarm filter) and can be directed to the Internet, Intranet,
operator's screen, file, or a printer.
The Events Summary can display alarms generated on any application station on the
network. This way, an operator can see alarms of the same logical functional group from
different parts of the controlled area.
Charts
Charts provide graphical views of past and current activities recorded by the system.
They can be used to reveal operational trends, compare device functionality and
correlate actions and responses.
A Chart can be defined, edited and viewed. It is displayed in a window where up to 16
activities can be displayed simultaneously, each with its own color and style.
Chart operations are performed according to the operator's authorization level. For
example, some operators may be able to define, edit, and view Charts; others may only
be able to view Charts.
In addition to the standard window structure, the Chart window includes the following
elements:
Graph Area The center area used to display graphs.
Tag (Value) Scale The vertical bar located to the left of the graph area
(by default). This bar can be moved by dragging and
dropping it at the right or left side of the window.
Scroll Bar The bar at the bottom of the window used to scroll the
Chart.
Recipes
Recipes are lists of tag values that are applied to specific control processes. Value groups
are applied to a control process to cause the process to enter a desired working state.
In the application, when a recipe is applied, the tags listed in the recipe are set to the
corresponding values that are specified. Tags in a recipe can be assigned a set value or
associated with the value of another tag. If a tag is associated with another tag, its value
will be the current value of the tag with which it is associated at the time the recipe is
applied.
Creating recipes involves two steps:
n Creating a recipe model
n Creating Recipe Files
Recipes are stored as simple text files. Therefore, they can be used to exchange
information between the application and other programs.
Recipes are defined and grouped using models. A Model is a prototype list of tags from
which recipes are derived. In the application, models must be defined before recipes.
However, while each recipe must belong to a model, recipes do not necessarily have to
include tags from the model to which they belong.
Each model and recipe has a unique name. Two different recipes with the same name
can belong to different models.
Models, like recipes, are stored as text files, and can be exported to external applications.
Write blocks are groups of tags to which values are written in a single data transfer
operation whenever the recipe is applied.
Layouts
A Layout is the position of an open window in an application. This section describes
how to capture and save layouts and how to assign them to users.
You can assign a layout to a user, so that when the user logs on, the windows included in
the layout will automatically be displayed in the position in which they were saved.
79 Application Studio - Terminology
You can also close all the open windows in your application, as described below.
Capturing Layouts, assigning them to users and user log on is for local use only. Layouts
are not used when interacting with the application through a browser. For further
information see page 46.
Reports
The Report module can be used to define customized reports for specific plant
requirements. The application generates the reports that you define with this utility as
free-format documents that can contain text and calculated values (fields), based on
historical data stored in system files.
After the report is defined and saved, it can be generated by typing the command at the
command line, or by a command in Application Language.
A report is composed of the following components:
n Frame Free text and fields. Frames are stored in ASCII files called *.rpt and field
data is stored in files called *.rpd.
n Fields Tag and calculated values, including report date and time
Tags
The term Tags in the application refers to control values monitored by the system. These
values are similar to variables in a programming language such as BASIC, PASCAL,
and C. Like their programming counterparts, each value is identified by a unique name
and can be one of several data types, such as integer, real, or boolean.
PLC tags are distinguished from other variables in that they can be associated with
external device components, such as registers or I/O points in PLCs, memory locations
in remote devices. A tag value represents the value of an external component or device,
so that referencing the tag is equivalent to referencing the component or device itself.
Updating a tag causes the external component or device to also be updated. Thus, an
application PLC tag is actually a link to external devices.
Once tags are defined in the Tag Definition dialog box, they can be used in other
modules for displaying, calculating and control functions.
For quick reference, the number of tags within the application is listed Application
Studio Status Bar.
n Analog
n Digital
n String