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Custom Symbols And Data Types

Create custom symbols with specific data links to meet user needs. For example, a user can create a custom pump symbol that appears when an integer data type is dragged onto the graphical interface, representing equipment or processes in industrial control systems.

Users can design unique data types, such as ‘PumpDataType’, including parameters like ‘FlowRate’, ‘Pressure’, and ‘Status’. Dragging ‘PumpDataType’ onto the screen brings in all these parameters, providing a detailed and interactive representation of the equipment.

Smart Symbols offer a library of over 500 predefined symbols, in addition to user-created ones, synchronized across the system. For instance, a Smart Symbol could be a temperature gauge with adjustable parameters like ‘TemperatureValue’, ‘MinScale’, and ‘MaxScale’. Modifying this symbol updates all instances in user interfaces, ensuring consistency and simplifying updates.

To manage these symbols:

1. Go to Displays / Symbols for exporting, importing, or deleting functions.
2. Go to Displays / Draw / Symbols.
3. Click or drag-and-drop it on the Drawing area to use it.

Symbol Parameters and Dynamics

When you insert a symbol from the Symbol Library, it may have parameters. For example, the VerticalTank symbol includes LevelValue, MaxScale, and MinScale parameters. To change the tags linked to these parameters, edit the new tag names in the dialog.

To edit symbols:

1. Right-click the symbol and select Edit Symbol.
2. Double-click the symbol to open its Dynamics.
3. Use the syntax #<PropertyName>:TagName to create exposed label parameters for the symbol, simplifying the mapping of linked tags (e.g.:“Level”, “MinScale”, and “MaxScale”).
4. When you insert this symbol in your display, you can set the values for these parameters. The default value follows the colon “:” character. For example, #LevelValue:Client.SimulationAnalog creates a property called “LevelValue” with “Client.SimulationAnalog” as the default value. You can use any name for the label parameter.

When creating symbols, initially map properties to Client.SimulationDigital, Client.SimulationAnalog, or Client.SimulationDouble. These variables change every second, allowing you to see the results of dynamic properties. Use Client.DigitalValue, Client.NumericValue, and Client.TextValue for placeholder values without built-in simulation.

To save the symbol, right-click the symbol or the display and click Save to Symbol Library, or click the Save icon on the top toolbar. Double-click the symbol to verify its properties.

Symbols workflow

Creating New Symbols

• You can use the drawing tools and the COMBINE commands in the horizontal toolbar to draw your own symbols.

• You can also use the symbols from the Symbol Factory and click the UNGROUP command in the horizontal toolbar to edit the imported symbols.

• You can use the Direct Selection cursor to edit internal elements without needing to ungroup.

• If you want to save a new symbol to the Local Symbols Library, select the object or objects that you want to be part of the symbol. Then, right-click and select Make a new symbol. 

• Enter the Name, Folder, and the description of the Symbol.

• You can open the Symbol Library and choose the symbol to use in your displays.

Inserting a Local Symbol

1. Go to Displays / Draw;
2. Click on the Symbols in the Components Panel;
3. Click to select the desired Symbol;
4. Click or drag-and-drop it on the Drawing area to use it.
5. Double-click a symbol to see its runtime properties and map it to the tags in your application.

Some symbols do not have custom parameters. In this case, double-clicking the symbol will show the Dynamics dialog.

Editing a Symbol

1. Go to Displays / Draw;

2. Click to select the desired Symbol on the Drawing area;

3. Click Edit Selected Symbol on the Drawing Toolbar; It will enable the Symbol Editor on the Drawing area.

Linking Symbols and Tags 

A symbol can be configured to be the default representation of a tag type. Whenever you paste a tag into the Drawing, a symbol will be automatically created and mapped to the inserted tag.

The Digital, Integer, Double, Decimal, Text, DateTime, and TimeSpan tag types have the tag name and an input/output text box as their default visualization. To select multiple lines on Unified Namespace / Tags, click on a line and hold Shift while clicking on another line to mark a range. The system will automatically create one object for each of the tags.

If you want to change any of the properties for the objects that were created, select all the TextBox objects by clicking and dragging over the display. Select the area with the objects and double-click on any selected object to open the "Edit Combined Dynamics" dialog.

The lines on Unified Namespace / Tags can be copied to Excel. Add the Left and Top columns to the Excel table. Then, copy/paste the table and its header column to the display. The system will position the objects using the coordinates found in the table.

Creating a symbol with one dynamic parameter and saving it with the name "Integer" will become the default visualization for the "Integer" tags. The same applies to any tag type. If you create a symbol with one dynamic parameter and save it with a name, it will become the default visualization for any tag with that name. For example, a symbol saved with the name Integer will become the default visualization for the "Integer" tags.

Linking Symbols To Tag Templates

You can define a symbol to be the default view for a tag template.

Go to Unified Namespace / Data Templates to create a new template.

Go to Unified Namespace / Tags and create tags with Demo type.

In the Display Drawing environment, insert any objects that you want to be part of the symbol. In the example, we use a TextBlock and TextBox with the parameters #Tag: (Tag.Demo.Integer1) for their dynamic properties.

Now, select the TextBox and the TextBlock and right-click to make it a New Symbol with the Name and Folder called "Demo".

The parentheses () in the TextBox and TextBlock expression define the scope on what should be replaced when you map the symbol.

For the hashtag syntax, #Label: When you paste the tags, they become the placeholder that will show where the tag name should be replaced with the dynamic animations or expressions.

Go to Unified Namespace / Tags and copy all tags with Type: Demo.

Paste the tags in the Drawing environment 

When inserting tags of this template type, the system will look for a symbol with the same name of the template. If a match is found, the symbol is created and linked to the tag you inserted in the display. 

If you create symbols using only Tag Elements and not expressions, you do not need to explicitly use the full syntax: #Label:(tag.Demo).Integer1 to define the label parameters. If you just use your tag in the object's dynamic properties and execute the Make Symbol command, the system will automatically search for tags in the symbol and create the related parameters. When using expressions or when having multiple tags and templates in the same symbol, you must explicitly use the hash tag # and the parentheses in order to define the scope of your symbol's customizable parameters. 

Linking Symbols and Tags Using Categories

You can map a symbol to a group of tags, but you do not have to make the symbol map to all tags with the same type. To do this, use the Category column to link which symbols should be used as the default interface for each group of tags.

Go to Solution / Categories and create a new category.

Insert a symbol in the Drawing Environment. 

Go to the Displays/ Symbols tab and chose the respective category for the symbol in the Category column. 

If the Category column is not visible, right-click any Column name and select columns you want to see.

Go to Unified Namespace / Tags and define the category for the tags.

Select all the tags and copy/paste them into the Draw Environment. Each tag will map to the respective symbol, according to the association defined in the Category column. 

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