I am interested in visually representing and adjusting the placement of multiple objects (up to 64 rectangular or circular shapes) on a Panelview Plus 6. There are three potential methods that come to mind: 1. Animating the position and size of certain pushbuttons on a Panelview Plus 6 2. Controlling bits on the pressed/released events of graphic shapes that may have dynamic size and position 3. Dynamically positioning shapes and transmitting the x,y coordinates of any screen touch to the PLC, allowing the PLC to determine which shape was pressed. Can someone confirm the feasibility of these approaches and provide guidance on how to accomplish them? Thank you.
To add animation to an object in FactoryTalk View ME, simply right-click on the object within your display, select the Animation option, and then choose from 10 different animation types. This feature allows you to easily customize and enhance the visual elements of your HMI display.
Hello Fitz, thank you for your response. However, I am experiencing limited animation options for a pushbutton in FactoryTalk View Studio - Machine Edition 5.00.00 CPR9 Build 55. The only available animation is 'visibility', while the others are greyed out. Could this issue be related to the age of my software?
Hi Jason, I came across this information in the FT View ME help guide. If your pushbutton is an image, your only option will be the visibility animation. Drawing objects can have various animations such as color, fill, height, rotation, and more. However, image and panel objects only support visibility animation. For other objects and ActiveX controls, visibility animation is the only option. To add different types of animation, you can create your own pushbutton or use multiple buttons in different positions with visibility control. I also observed that when I imported a pushbutton from the Symbol Factory in FT View ME, I was able to access all animation options.
Hello Fitz, if your pushbutton is displayed as an image, that may explain why your only option is for visibility settings. Have you considered creating your own pushbutton design to have more animation options, like using a polygon shape? Unfortunately, it seems challenging to assign a touch event to a custom shape. Another approach could be having multiple buttons in various positions and toggling their visibility as needed, but this may not be practical for infinite positions. Additionally, I discovered that importing a pushbutton from the Symbol Factory in FT View ME provides access to a wider range of animation features. Are you familiar with the Symbol Factory in FT View ME? Where can I find it?
I understand your point about the Push Button (PB) in FactoryTalk View ME treating it like a panel instead of just visibility. The Symbol Factory feature is integrated into FT View ME and can be found in the explorer window on the left, just below Global Objects. With Symbol Factory, you should be able to create a PB that functions the way you desire.
While I haven't used all three methods personally, I can definitely affirm that the first two are feasible. For the first method, you can systematically adjust the size and positioning of pushbuttons on Panelview Plus 6 using the Animation Editor. Second method, working with bits on released/pressed events is pretty straightforward if you're well versed with PLC programming. Biggest challenge there might be coordinating between the HMI and PLC. As for the third, it's theoretically possible, but can be highly complex depending on your system setup and how precise the positioning needs to be. You might need to delve deeper into Panelview Plus 6's capabilities or check with Rockwell support for specifics. But overall, with a good design in place and a solid foundation in PLC programming, it's definitely a doable project.
Sure, all three methods you've mentioned are certainly feasible to visually represent and adjust the placement of multiple objects on a Panelview Plus 6. For the first method, you might need to utilize built-in animation capabilities of the HMI software, where you could animate pushbuttons based on PLC data. The second approach of using event triggers on graphic shapes is a highly practical method, allowing you to create dynamic and interactive screens. Finally, relating to your third method, utilizing touch coordinates to shape/button mapping could offer a high level of control, though it might make the logic a bit complex. Overall, it really depends on which method feels most comfortable to you and matches your specific application requirement. I would suggest you to start with the second method as it provides a good balance between complexity and functionality. Also, explore more about FactoryTalk View ME software as it has many functionalities that aid in achieving such complex tasks. Good luck!
All three methods you mentioned have their own potential, but I believe the third approach might be the most efficient and versatile. By deriving the x,y coordinates from screen touch and letting the PLC determine the shape, you create an interactive environment where communication with the PLC isn't dependent on predefined pushbuttons. However, depending on your specific goals and the context of your application, the other methods might prove useful as well. For example, animating buttons can produce very intuitive interfaces, while controlling bits through graphic shapes can accommodate more complex interactions. In general, Panelview Plus 6 is quite flexible when it comes to these kinds of tasks. I recommend exploring FactoryTalk View Studio for more advanced options and control.
All three methods you've outlined are feasible with the PanelView Plus 6, but the best approach depends on your specific application requirements. Animating pushbuttons could be the most straightforward for basic movement and resizing, but if you need more control, dynamically positioning shapes and sending their coordinates to the PLC is a powerful option. This way, you can easily manage and respond to user interactions in real time. Just ensure that your PLC can handle the data transmission effectively, especially with up to 64 shapes. Utilizing the graphic object's pressed/released events is also a good idea for interactivity, but keep in mind the programming complexity it entails. If possible, prototype a couple of these methods to see which fits your project best!
These are all interesting approaches, and they can definitely work with the Panelview Plus 6, but there are some nuances to consider. For the first option, animating the position of pushbuttons is quite feasible and can give you a lot of visual feedback, though you might hit some limitations with the number of shapes you can animate at once due to performance. The second method is clever and can be done using event tags, but remember that you'll need to keep track of the states effectively to avoid any confusion. As for the third approach, transmitting x,y coordinates to the PLC sounds great for flexibility, but you’ll need to ensure your PLC can handle that level of interaction and processing. It might be worth testing each method on a smaller scale to find the best fit for your application!
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Answer: Answer: Yes, it is possible to visually represent and adjust the placement of multiple objects on a Panelview Plus 6.
Answer: Answer: Some potential methods include animating the position and size of pushbuttons, controlling bits on pressed/released events of graphic shapes, and dynamically positioning shapes while transmitting touch coordinates to the PLC.
Answer: Answer: You can work with up to 64 rectangular or circular shapes on a Panelview Plus 6.
Answer: Answer: By dynamically positioning shapes and transmitting touch coordinates to the PLC, the PLC can determine which shape was pressed based on the x,y coordinates.
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