FlowPanel Control

Requirements

This component is Portable. It runs both on Windows and on Web Pages hosted in any platform.

Panel Types

The FlowPanel supports several panel types that control the layout of symbols or components. Each panel type has specific behavior, described below:

1. WrapPanel

• • • Layout: Aligns items horizontally, breaking to the next line when the width limit is reached.
    • Ideal for: Horizontal listings or galleries where the number of items can vary.
    • Responsiveness: Line breaks adjust the items as the window resizes.

2. Canvas

• • • Layout: Allows positioning of items at absolute coordinates (x, y).
    • Ideal for: Scenarios where precise control of the position is needed, like maps or complex layouts.
    • Responsiveness: Less responsive since positions are fixed and may not adapt well to resizing.

3. DockPanel

• • • Layout: Items are anchored to the edges (top, bottom, left, right) or fill the remaining space in the center.
    • Ideal for: Layouts focused on distributing items around a central element or along the screen edges.
    • Responsiveness: Items resize according to the available space.

4. Grid

• • • Layout: Organizes items in rows and columns, with flexible sizing for each cell.
    • Ideal for: Tabular or grid-based layouts where items need to be aligned in a structured manner.
    • Responsiveness: The layout adjusts well to resizing, maintaining the proportion between rows and columns.

5. StackPanelHorizontal

• • • Layout: Aligns items horizontally, without line breaks.
    • Ideal for: Simple horizontal listings, like menus or toolbars.
    • Responsiveness: Horizontal alignment does not automatically adjust to screen width, which may result in scrolling.

6. StackPanelVertical

• • • Layout: Aligns items vertically, one below the other.
    • Ideal for: Simple vertical listings, like task lists or side menus.
    • Responsiveness: Items remain vertically stacked, and the height of the FlowPanel may adjust to fit all items.

7. UniformGrid

• • • Layout: Distributes items evenly in a grid where all cells have the same size.
    • Ideal for: Displays of items with fixed size and balanced layout, like image galleries.
    • Responsiveness: The size of the cells and the number of items per row/column automatically adjust as the screen is resized.

Data Sources

The FlowPanel supports four types of data sources: Text, StringTag, Array, and Object. The choice of data source determines how items are generated and displayed in the panel.

1. Text

• • • Format: #Element=<control or symbol name> #<property name1>=<property value1> #<property name2>=<property value2> etc
      • where, Element and Property Name are case sensitive.
    • Use: Manual configuration of symbols or components/controls through static text. Allows linking properties to dynamic values from SCADA tags.
    • Example:

      #element=LampSymbol #Color=red #Size=medium
#element=PumpControl #State=on #FlowRate=Tag.Tag1

2. StringTag

• • • Format: Same as Text, but linked to dynamic system tags.
    • Use: Allows linking symbols or components/controls properties to dynamic values from SCADA tags.
    • Example:

      StringTag = "#element=LampSymbol #Color=red #Size=medium #element=PumpControl #State=on #FlowRate=Tag.Tag1"


3. Array

• • • Format: String array, where each entry follows the same format as Text or StringTag.
    • Use: Configures multiple items at once, offering flexibility for scenarios where several items need to be dynamically generated.
    • Example:

      StringTag1[0] = #Element=ValveSymbol #Status="Open" 
StringTag1[1] = #Element=ConveyorBelt #Speed=100 #State=Tag.State
["#element=ValveSymbol #status=open", "#element=ConveyorBelt #speed=fast"]

4. Object

• • • • Format:
        • DataTable, where each row represents an item (element), and each column defines the properties of the item.
        • Data Template, where each member represents a properties of the item.  The tag of this template type can be an array.
      • Use: Advanced configuration where data comes from tables, such as query results from a database.

      • Example DataTable:

        element	color	state
        LampSymbol	red	on
        MotorSymbol	green	off

      • Example Template: Tag array of 2 position with datatype of a template 

        member	index 0	index 1
        LampSymbol	red	on
        MotorSymbol	green	off

Configuration

To configure a FlowPanel:

1. Go to Displays / Draw.

2. On the Components Panel, select Viewer, then FlowPanel.

3. Click or drag-and-drop it on the Drawing area to use it.

4. Double-click the component to open the configuration window.

Runtime Execution

Responsive Behavior

The FlowPanel is a responsive control, meaning it adjusts the arrangement of items based on the screen size and the size and type of panel used. When the window or browser is resized, the FlowPanel automatically reorganizes items to optimize the available space. (if the display is configured as Responsive)

• • In panels like WrapPanel and UniformGrid, items may shift between rows/columns as the screen size changes.
  • In the Canvas panel, as positions are fixed, the layout does not dynamically adapt to resizing.
  • DockPanel and Grid panels offer great flexibility, dynamically distributing items to better utilize the available space.

Dynamic DataSource Updates

The FlowPanel’s data source can be updated dynamically. To do this, simply trigger a reload on the control, and it will refresh with the new data source. This feature is useful in systems where data or conditions change frequently.

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